MŪLĀDHĀRA Chakra

Now we come to the adhara lotus. It is attached to the mouth of the suṣumnā and is located below the genitals and above the anus.

It has four purple petals. Its head (opening) faces downward. The four syllables from Va to Sa are inscribed in shiny gold on its petals.

Within this lotus lies the Square of the Earth, surrounded by eight shining spears. It is a brilliant yellow color and as beautiful as a flash of lightning, just like the bīja of dhāra (Laṃ) that shines within it.

Ṣaṭ-Cakra-Nirūpaṇa

THE PLACE WHERE IT ALL BEGAN

The mūlādhāra chakra is the seat of the power that forms the foundation of existence.

It is the gateway to embodiment and, at the same time, to the limitations of being. Here Kuṇḍalinī rests, coiled within itself and asleep, ready to awaken.

Tantra teaches that the union of the three states of consciousness—waking, dreaming, and deep sleep (jāgrat, svapna, suṣupta) —ignites the fire of the Kuṇḍalinī, which ultimately leads to the awakening of the fourth state of consciousness, turīya.

Of these three states, mūlādhāra represents the deep sleep of consciousness, in which the Self is completely immersed in the material world. In deep sleep, suṣupta, consciousness is shrouded in darkness and has no insight into the true nature of things.

This darkness, however, is not without acceptance—it is complete surrender to what is, even if it means limitation. Therefore, this state of being is similar to the supreme bliss of samādhi, yet without the light of consciousness and thus without the realization of it.

Mūlādhāra is thus the deepest, innermost, and most unconscious center—the seat of matter itself, the foundation of all physical and bodily existence, and therefore the anamaya kośa—the physical sheath. Within the trinity of will, knowledge, and action, the physical body is the seat of the first aspect of the power of action (kriyāśakti).

Every action must first be anchored in the body; from there, it makes its way through space and time and shapes the experiences of the self.
The full unfolding of this universal power of action requires the unification of its three components, which correspond to the states of consciousness mentioned and the first three chakras.

The goal of all yogic efforts is to awaken these three aspects in the lower centers and raise their energy to the heart.
The first aspect of kriyāśakti that must be awakened in the mūlādhāra is tapas—the heat or fiery passion for growth, love for the practice, unwavering discipline, and devotion to the power. This aspect of heat, which can overcome the tamasic darkness of the mūlādhāra, marks the first step in the ascent of the Kuṇḍalinī.

Tapas, which is of central importance in yoga, is mentioned right at the beginning of the second chapter of the Yoga Sutras. It is the path to purifying the body and awakening the radiant mūlādhāra.

Yoga of Action (Kriya Yoga) has three components:
Tapas—heat or intense discipline,
Svadhyaya – refinement (self-study),
Ishvara Pranidhana – devotion to God.

Since intense discipline burns away impurities,
the body and its senses become extremely refined.

Pātañjala's Yoga Sutras II (1.43)

FEATURES

Balanced:

A strong, well-built body. Discipline, clear thinking, and good sleep. Easy and healthy elimination. Simple, straightforward thinking; avoiding unproductive thoughts and unnecessary actions. Acceptance of existence and its limitations, as well as its inherent suffering. A sense of security. Fearlessness even in the face of the horrors of existence.

Unbalanced:

Obesity, signs of physical impurity. Difficulty establishing eating, work, and sleep routines. Restless sleep and lethargy. Unnecessary physical movements. Fear of death. Physical weakness.

Meaning: Root, Support
Mantra: Oṃ pṛthvī namaḥ
Element bīja: Laṃ, Earth
Aspect of kriyāśakti: Tapas—heat, intense discipline
Age: 0–7 years

Anatomy: The lower end of the suṣumnā. For women—at the cervix, the inner end of the vagina. For men—halfway between the anus and the genitals, on the perineum.
Symbolism: A four-petaled lotus, a yellow square

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THE TRINITY

The triune goddess creates the threefold world in a single, fleeting moment.

O Lord of the Gods, the three gods—Brahmā, Viṣṇu, and Rudra—and the three sacred thrones are created together in the place where the one Lady of the Gods dwells through her threefold nature.

She created this entire universe of animate and inanimate things. She brings about the manifestation and dissolution of all things, solely for the pleasure of the play of being. She creates the threefold universe, the incredible City of the Triangle.

Manthāna Bhairava Tantra (35:14cd-16-17)

PARĀ, PARĀPARĀ, AND APARĀ

Manifestation

In yogic philosophy, the world is viewed as a manifestation of unchanging and eternal principles. These universal principles exist in their highest form beyond all manifestation. As soon as they enter the process of manifestation, they take on form and come into existence; yet, at the very same moment, this process robs them of their eternal nature.

For example, Śiva and Śakti are seen as the two forces that give rise to the universe and its trinity. They are consciousness and its creative power. Their union brings about the birth of all things.

The duality of life—as seen in men and women, who, through the interplay of their natures, give rise to humanity—is an expression of these universal creative forces. We also find this duality in the interplay of the sun and the moon, day and night, and life and death.

That which is the very essence of all beings and which itself always remains formless is called parā, while that which manifests itself is called aparā. These two aspects can be understood as the Pure (parā) and the Impure (aparā).

Parā is the will to be (icchā śakti) and, in essence, the Self.

Aparā, on the other hand, is the power that creates the manifested world, the power that makes expression possible, and it is at the source of every action (kriyā śakti).

In line with this understanding, the lower chakras are referred to as aparā, for they are the places where consciousness is bound to the finite. At the same time, they are the places from which action arises and through which self-awareness is made possible.

The higher chakras are regarded as parā, since they are the seat of the consciousness that corresponds to the quest for self-knowledge and liberation. In between lies the heart, the goddess Parāparā, who serves as a bridge between the higher and the lower and represents the power of knowledge (jñāna śakti).

Jñāna is the knowledge that can grasp the true nature of things.
This cosmic dance, which is also reflected within the individual, is the interplay of these three fundamental forces that give rise to all of existence, extending beyond the individual.

These three forces also constitute the Trinity that nearly all spiritual traditions have sought throughout the centuries. The Christian tradition, for example, views the world as permeated by the Holy Spirit, the Father, and the Son. Here, the Holy Spirit represents the unmanifested source of being; the Father is the Law and thus the knowledge of truth; and the Son is the embodiment, the power of action, and, ultimately, the experience of God in person.

This trinity is also reflected in the trinity of Brahmā, Viṣṇu, and Śiva: creation, preservation, and unmanifested destruction. It symbolizes the trinity behind will, knowledge, and action—or subject (parā), object (aparā), and means of cognition (parāparā).

The Trinity of Consciousness

The individual self exists on the level of aparā, since that is where the forces of action and self-realization operate. The individual is therefore that aspect of our cosmic self that is sustained by kriyā śakti, the power of action. On this level, the individual self, in turn, manifests in a threefold nature.

The world, much like a hologram, seems to reflect the greater within the smaller. These three components of kriyā śakti are fundamental aspects of human nature from which individual perception and shaping of the world arise—they are three states of human consciousness.

These three states of consciousness that constitute human experience are wakefulness, dreaming, and deep sleep (jāgrat, svapna, suṣupta).

The interplay of these fundamental aspects of consciousness creates the everyday mental state of our being. The interpenetration of these three states forms the foundation of our human self and our actions. The state of consciousness that enables insight into the actual truth of “what is” is a further, fourth state of consciousness.

This fourth state is called turya. In this state, consciousness rises from the lower three chakras to the heart, where it can come into contact with what actually is. Turya, unlike the other three states of consciousness, is therefore the bridge to reality and, at the same time, the meditative state of the mind.

KRIYĀ OR APARĀ ŚAKTI

I bow to the goddess (Aparā), who dwells within Bhairava’s dancing form and plays within him like a flash of lightning against a sky covered with thick storm clouds.

Tantrāloka (Dr. Mark S. G. Dyczkowski)

When we look at the lower three chakras, we see that together they encompass the forces of action: body, vitality, and mind.

These forces of action are governed by the three states of consciousness that encompass human life.

Suṣupti

Mūlādhāra, the first and lowest chakra, contains that aspect of the power of action which is complete immersion and fusion with the physical body.

This state corresponds to the deep sleep of consciousness—Suṣupti. Just as the body itself appears as unconscious matter that is nonetheless permeated by Being, so too, in the state of deep sleep, conscious Being merges completely with unconscious matter. This is where embodiment takes place, and in this way the foundation for every action is laid.

Svapna

The second chakra holds the power of the dream state—Svapna—in which the self exists in the form of desires and dreams. In the dream state, the Self clings to what is pleasant and flees from what is painful. In this state, the Self lacks conscious, deliberate will or control over its own actions.

And yet, it is in these dreams that the treasure of our creative impulses lies hidden; it is here that the world and its dance are dreamed into existence. Svādhiṣṭhāna is the seat of the body of prāṇā, from which life springs forth and fertilizes the world.

Jāgrat

The third aspect of kriyā śakti is the maṇipūra chakra, which is obscured by the storm clouds of one’s own thoughts—it is the seat of the mind. Maṇipūra represents the awakened state of the Self—Jāgrat.

Here, the individual forms ideas about themselves, the future, and the past, and creates their identity. This chakra is therefore the seat of the personality, since an identity can be formed through the images of the mind. However, it is also the place where the goals for our spiritual growth can be formed and set.

Turya

Once these three chakras and their powers have been awakened, they can unite in a meditative state, and the self, with all its passions, can be guided into the heart.

When the heart is reached in the stillness of contemplation, Kuṇḍalinī can be awakened in the form of a flash of lightning, and the path to heaven is clear.

JÑĀNA OR PARĀPARĀ ŚAKTI

May Parāparā, the vibrant, radiant pinnacle of knowledge, who has burned away the threefold bondage with her blazing rays of light, have the power to uproot everything that runs counter to the truth.

Tantrāloka (Dr. Mark S. G. Dyczkowski)

The heart is the seat of Parāparā Śakti, that power which mediates between the supreme parā and the finite aparā, much like the soul, which stands between the earthly and the divine and brings both into harmony through the heart’s decisions.

Parāparā embodies the power of insight, jñāna śakti.

This power holds the key to distinguishing between truth and falsehood. In this way, Parāparā burns away the illusions created by the mind.

Parāparā is the knowledge that lies beyond the conceptual. How do we know what is good or true? We know it because the heart recognizes it and shows us the way, even when there are no words to describe it.

ICCHĀ OR PARĀ ŚAKTI

I bow to Parā, the creative intuition of consciousness. United with Bhairava, she takes her place atop the lotuses of the Trika trident, whose prongs are the aspects of perception, subject, object, and means of knowledge.

Tantrāloka (Dr. Mark S. G. Dyczkowski)

When the heart has burned away the threefold bondage of illusion, one enters the world ruled by the great power of icchā śakti. This entry is understood as the meditative state of mind in which the heavens open to “What Is” and the mystery of existence is revealed.

It is said that the activity of the higher chakras reflects the functions of the lower chakras. In this sense, icchā śakti — just like kriyā śakti— is also divided into three aspects. Each of the upper three centers then reflects a transformed and eternal aspect of one of the lower three chakras.

Viśuddha Chakra

The spirit dwelling within the maṇipūra strives for dominance, for victory over obstacles, and thus for power over the world.

In contrast, the fifth chakra, Viśuddha, means gaining power over the world through power over oneself. Ultimately, there is only one true adversary, who lies within, and no external victory can grant us power over this inner adversary.

Viśuddha represents abundance, fulfillment, strength, and serenity of one’s own being. It is the first aspect of icchā śakti, the energy of transformation of the maṇipūra. Viśuddha is the cosmic nectar—often symbolized as a drop—that is experienced when the mind fully embraces the beauty of reality, beyond all fear.

Isn't it often the case that the mind denies us the pleasure of the world precisely because of its beauty? The more beautiful something is, the greater the fear of losing it.

Only a transformed mind can endure this beauty that transcends all boundaries. This transformed mind is Mahā Kālī, the great and eternal cosmic fire.

ājñā Chakra

The Svādhiṣṭhāna Chakra is the seat of the creative impulse, as well as of attachment to pleasure and the simultaneous aversion to pain. The pure form of this creative impulse must therefore be eternal creation and boundless joy. These qualities of ecstasy are embodied in the ājñā Chakra, the point where the two streams of life meet, symbolizing the forces of cosmic creation.

The second aspect of icchā śakti is thus ājñā, the transformed eternal water. This power is symbolized by the goddess Mahā Lakṣmī, the supreme and never-ending abundance.

Sahasrara Chakra

Sahasrāra is the final aspect of icchā śakti. It is the seat of formless and timeless existence, which, because it has no form, knows no end and is therefore immortal.

This chakra is the transformed state of mūlādhāra, which represents limited existence in form—an existence that, because it is bound by form and time, is mortal and impermanent.

Isn't samādhi—the state that the sages of the East describe as the fully awakened state of sahasrāra—essentially the stillness of deep sleep, but in a state of complete awakening?

Doesn't that mean that life as experienced from the consciousness of the mūlādhāra resembles samādhi, but without insight into its unbound beauty?

Perhaps we go through life only to return to the beginning of the journey with fresh eyes and finally rediscover the true essence of the old places.

THE TRANSFORMATION

Taking the above into consideration, the purpose of Kuṇḍalinī Yoga is to activate the energies of the lower chakras, which are governed by aparā, and to transform them into their higher forms, parā.

This process of transformation occurs naturally when the heart is recognized as the gateway from the immanent to the transcendent, and one practices in this way from the heart.

When the mind and body are purified through the power of yoga practice, the qualities of the higher chakras can be developed. All the fundamental practices of Hatha Yoga—such as āsana, prāṇāyāma, and dhāraṇā —are essentially based on this principle.

Āsana, Prāṇāyāma, Dhāraṇā

The practice of āsana focuses on the transformation of the mūlādhāra chakra and the deep state of sleep within it. Through āsana, the body is purified, which simultaneously enables freedom from physical limitations.

Prāṇāyāma purifies the svādhiṣṭhāna chakra, the dream state of consciousness, and enables the yogi to be free from illness and destructive passions.

Dhāraṇā purifies the maṇipūra chakra, the waking state of the mind, and leads to mastery of the mind through the clarification of thoughts.

Swami-ji once told me:

The higher chakras, Parā, are like the summit of a mountain, frozen in ice. When the fire of the lower centers burns strongly because they have been purified, the ice can melt and their awakening can occur.

Svāmī-jī Vidyānand

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What is real about the chakras?

Map of Experience

There are many skeptics when it comes to the chakras. And for good reason—after all, why should anyone believe in colorful wheels inside the body? As far as I know, no one has ever found such a wheel during a dissection class.

However, this approach is based on a major misunderstanding: The chakras are not physical organs, nor can they be clearly associated with any specific gland; rather, they are a map of our inner experience. This experience is human and real—real as an experience, not real as an object.

At the same time, the radiant power of the chakra is one that we awaken when we have the courage to enter our inner landscapes. It is therefore not a fixed reality that exists outside the steps you take yourself.

The power of meditation—bhāvana—brings her from the threshold of nonexistence into life.

Nevertheless, its reality as a map of experience is undisputed. The yogis, who had often spent their entire lives in deep contemplation, recognized that the experiences of the individual self do not arise without some inner form. Feelings and even thoughts have a structure within the body, much like a geometry of experience.

The central axis of this inner map is suṣumnā, the nāḍi that runs from the base of the body to just above the head. It is the playground of this inner experience. If you observe yourself in daily life, you can see that all inner experiences arise along the vertical axis of suṣumnā and dissolve there again.

So our love isn't located in our elbow, but in our heart. Your sexual arousal isn’t in your ear, but in the center of your pelvis. Your fear is in your stomach, just like your strength. When you have a great idea or a flash of inspiration, it appears as a bright thought or image above your head—not deep down in the earth.

This vertical orientation of your inner psychological experience—which is common to all of us as human beings—is the reason why the chakras are aligned along this axis.

The ancient tantrikas knew this and therefore placed the deities in these specific areas of self-experience. The underlying logic was that when a force is placed at the center of the landscape of our self, the self must then become part of that force.

Where else should the divine be worshipped but in the temple of one's own self?

The Three Forces

The first system of chakras, in which they are described as significant centers of the body’s life force, originates from Taoism and is still taught today in the form of the lower, middle, and upper dantien (tan t’ien—sea of qi).

This Dantien is also known in exactly the same form in traditional Tantra. In Tantra, the lower Dantien is called kanda and is described as being in the same position and having the same attributes as in Taoism. It is located three finger-widths below the navel, is egg-shaped, and has a radiant golden color.

The two higher centers of the middle and upper dantien correspond to what are known in yoga as anāhata and ājñā.

This division of energy into the lower, middle, and upper centers is the most fundamental reality of the chakras and the structure of the self.

We move back and forth between the Earth’s magnetic force and the sky’s electrical force; our center is the heart, the seat of our very life.

The Tantrikas used a meditation technique in which Kuṇḍalinī was awakened in the body’s three major centers: in the kanda as the fiery Ādhāra Kuṇḍalinī, in the heart as the light of truth—madhya Kuṇḍalinī—and in the head as the divine will—Ūrdhva Kuṇḍalinī.

Kuṇḍalinī is then channeled from the trinity of these centers into the center, where it merges with the soul—the center of being.

THE GREAT IMPORTANCE OF THE CHAKRAS

Nowadays, the chakras are typically viewed as the centers of our emotional well-being as well as the seats of supernatural powers. Crystals, colors, singing bowls, and massages are said to help awaken the hidden powers within these centers and guide us back to harmony.

Along with all of that, however, the most important treasure that the chakras hold for us has been forgotten.

The greatest gift of the chakras is that they are gateways located within our bodies through which we can enter into our experience. The chakras chart a map of experience, and like any map, this one serves as a guide. We can now find the places we’re looking for, instead of wandering aimlessly through the fog of our experience.

Through these gates, the yogi can gain access to a certain power, to a certain experience of the self.

For example, the Śiva Saṃhitā (3:73) mentions that meditation (e.g., dhāraṇā for two hours) on a chakra enables the practitioner to overcome the limitation present there and awaken a power. For instance, the limitation of fire is overcome through meditation on maṇipūra, and the limitation of the element of air is overcome through meditation on anāhata.

Successive meditation (dhāraṇā) on all the centers makes it possible to drink the “nectar of immortality.” These ancient techniques are only a fraction of the ways to awaken powers through their gateways in the body and to unfold the potential of the human psyche.

The body is a mirror of the universe, so all deities—as well as worldly experiences—must find a home within it. The body is a vast landscape, full of temples, oceans, mountains, and beings of all kinds.

The experiences of the self are the seasons of these landscapes and the seismic activity of their earth, the swirling of their winds, and the radiance of their stars. In the temples of these landscapes, the earthly meets the divine, and when you enter the temple within, you are truly at home.

Within this human body, Mount Meru (the spine) is surrounded by seven islands; there are rivers, seas, mountains, fields, and lords of the fields. Within it are seers and sages; all the stars and planets are there as well. There are sacred pilgrimages, shrines, and the presiding deities of the shrines. The sun and moon—the forces of creation and destruction—also move within it. Ether, air, water, and earth are there, too.

Śiva Saṃhitā (3:1–3)

A MODERN UNDERSTANDING of the Chakras

When the Ṣaṭ-Cakra-Nirūpaṇa was first translated into English in 1912, the concept of psychic centers in the body resonated deeply with readers and practitioners of that era.

The Theosophical Society, led by the occultist Madame Blavatsky in Chennai, was deeply inspired by the concept of the chakras and linked it to human anatomy. In their view, the chakras had to have anatomical counterparts, and since the glandular system had recently been rediscovered at that time, they attempted to explain the functions of the chakras through those of the glands and, in this way, to establish correspondences between the two systems.

Later, the magician and occultist Aleister Crowley also wrote about Kundalini Yoga; he quickly became a hero of the New Age movement. However, the most important bridge to the West was built by the prominent Swiss psychologist Carl Jung.

He spent three months traveling through India, where, after visiting a Kali temple, he had a vision of the goddess. He was so fascinated by India’s spiritual power that he began giving lectures on Kundalini Yoga in 1932. These groundbreaking lectures led to his famous book, *The Psychology of Kundalini Yoga*.

Jung proposed many ideas that later merged with the New Age movement and shaped our understanding of the chakras as an expression of an individual’s psychological evolution. For Jung, spiritual evolution—symbolically represented by the sequence of chakras—was a macrocosmic expression of the individual’s psychological evolution.

This understanding of the chakras—which was developed in the *Ṣaṭ-Cakra-Nirūpaṇa* and later reinterpreted by Jung in light of modern psychology—is now regarded as the most important chakra system not only in the West but also in India itself.

In any case, the chakra system is undoubtedly multidimensional, and many interpretations may point to a deeper truth. In this respect, this Jungian psychological interpretation of the chakras is just as much a revelation as the realization that the spiritual evolution of the cosmos is reflected in the individual.

Both visions can deepen our understanding of ourselves and the cosmos.

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A Brief History of the Chakras

Chakra or cakra means wheel or circle. It is also interesting to note that the Greek word "kulkos" and even the English word "cycle" are derived from this word.

The word “chakra” appears in early texts such as the Vedic Ṛgveda. Upon closer examination, however, it becomes clear that at that time the word “chakra” did not yet refer to a spiritual energy center, but rather denoted a wheel or a center of power.

In the 1st century BCE, early Upanishads refer to subtle yogic anatomy, such as the nāḍis. Similarly, the Dhyānabindu Upaniṣad from the 3rd century CE already mentions techniques of Kundalini Yoga, the rising of energy (Śakti), and the positions of the lower chakras.

As tantric yoga continued to evolve from the 8th century CE onward, the yogic understanding of the chakras became increasingly refined. The Upanishads written during this period, such as the Yoga-Kuṇḍalini Upanishad, emphasize the importance of the chakras for the art of Kundalini Yoga.

The path of yoga, as described in detail in the Gīta or the later Yoga Sūtras, leads through the purification of the self to devotion and enlightenment. The chakras existed outside the teachings of early classical yoga and were a purely tantric teaching. It was not until the later schools of Hatha Yoga and Tantric Kuṇḍalinī Yoga that they came to be regarded as the key to enlightenment (Haṭha-Yoga-Pradīpikā, 3:105–110).

Through the union of vāyu and agni (mūlabandha), the Kuṇḍalinī pierces the brahmagranthi and then the Viṣṇugranthi. Then it pierces the rudragranthi [the three knots]. Afterward, all six lotuses are pierced. Then Śakti is blissful with Śiva in the Sahasrāra Kamala (thousand-petaled lotus chakra). This should be known as the highest state of being and the gateway to ultimate bliss.

Yoga-Kuṇḍalini Upanishad (85–86)

CHAKRAS AS MEDITATION TOOLS

A common modern misconception about the chakras is that they do not serve solely as a map of the subtle internal anatomy; rather, the chakra is—and has always been—a tool for meditation.

This means that the activation of the chakra—and the associated experience—is a conscious, deliberate act that takes place within the context of meditation. The chakra therefore has no independent existence outside the mind that creates it.

One’s own will is therefore the key to entering into the experience.
From the very beginning, yogis used visualization techniques in which they used their imagination to place a spinning wheel—dedicated to the energy of a specific deity—within their bodies. These wheels of the deities were placed at various points in the body to activate the deity’s power in that specific area and open a gateway to the inner experience.

What various chakra systems have in common is their vertical alignment along the axis of inner experience (or suṣumnā)—various systems were developed by Tantric traditions to awaken specific energies within this axis.

The Kaubjikā tradition routinely taught two very different systems—one with 5 centers and one with 7—thereby suggesting that the concept of chakras is more of a tool for meditation than a description of a fixed energetic reality. Depending on the goal of the meditation and the system one chooses, a different number of chakras—and different tools within them—is selected.

Most systems describe the chakras as an expression of a specific level of consciousness. Kuṇḍalinī, the goddess, is then the force that can transcend one level in favor of a new one, and thus permeates the chakras.

For this reason, chakras are often described as granthi—a psychological knot or blockage that must be overcome. Tradition identifies three primary knots in the body: Brahmā granthi, Viṣṇu granthi, and Rudra granthi, which represent the three fundamental attachments of the individual self or three obstacles to ascending into cosmic consciousness. These three attachments serve as examples of all other limitations an individual may have; thus, they also represent the seven chakras.

In fact, a chakra is defined as a knot pierced by Kuṇḍalinī. Kuṇḍalinī is often likened to a needle that threads the blossoms of the chakras onto a string, and in this way, by piercing them, creates a harmonious whole.

Awakened by the contact of agni with mānas and prāṇa, it takes the form of a needle and pierces the suṣumnā. The yogi should, with great effort, open this door, which is locked. Then he will pierce the door to liberation through Kuṇḍalinī.

Dhyānabindu Upaniṣad (5:66)

Chakra Systems and Tools

The Five Elements

The best-known technique of chakra meditation—and the one my teacher taught me—is bhūta śuddhi, the purification of the five elements. Five chakras—each of which embodies one of the five elements—are located within the body.

Once the forces of the five elements are active, Kuṇḍalinī can rise as the central force. The five elements represent the five limitations imposed on the being by each element. When the elements are activated by the mantra, the energy of the element is permeated by the power of consciousness and mantraśakti.

In this way, the element's limitations are transcended and its power is made available.

Shadow or Light

Everything is both shadow and light. The difference between the two is not the element itself, but the presence of consciousness.

The goddess, who manifests as the five elements, is both limitation and freedom, just as māyā is both the goddess of illusion and the mother of all knowledge. Whether she represents bondage or liberation does not depend on the element itself in which she appears, but rather on the level of consciousness with which that element is recognized and thereby integrated into being.

If the lowest of all elements (earth) does not become an active part of the self through the power of consciousness, but instead runs rampant in the shadow of ignorance, then it is bondage and a gateway to hell.

If, instead, it is permeated by the forces of consciousness, it can be transcended and becomes a source of great strength, center, and stability. When you bring the shadow into the light of the center, it becomes your ally.

Through prakṛti, you will rise. It is through prakṛti that you will fall.

Swami Lakshman Joo

The Deities

Another important approach is to place the six most important deities within the body, thereby awakening their powers within the self. These deities are supreme gods who were worshipped in India at various times throughout history as the highest form. The social evolution that created the image of a particular deity and the power venerated within it is an expression of the spiritual evolution that underlies social development.

The Tantrikas were aware of this connection and therefore revered the chain of supreme deities as representations of spiritual evolution, not only in the cosmos but also in the individual life of a human being. From this perspective, the placement of these deities within the body and the transcendence of each one, one by one (from bottom to top), is a symbolic yet powerful journey through one’s own inner spiritual evolution.

The six deities, as an evolution from mūlādhāra to ājñā:

• Brahmā: God of Creation
• Viṣṇu: The omnipresent god
• Rudra: God of Destruction
• Īśvara: Personal God
• Sadāśiva: Formless Tantric Śiva
• Bhairava/Maheśvara: Supreme left-handed Śiva

The Vowels

In yoga, sound—vibration—is sacred. The entire universe was created through the primordial sound, Oṃ. In the Yoga Sutras, Patanjali explains that Oṃ is the sound form of Īśvara, that is, God. Oṃ is thus the source of all things and the seed of all true insight.

Since Oṃ is God in the form of sound, Oṃ is also Śabda Brahman, the chain of sounds from which the universe is formed and from which all other sounds have emerged. Every sound is thus a creative force of the Supreme—the word with which God creates the world. Together, these words form the one great sound that is the universe itself. They are Kuṇḍalinī, the creative force of the Supreme.

The chakras are an expression of this evolution from the Supreme to the material realm and back again from the material realm to the Supreme. This process of evolution and involution unfolds along the ladder of sounds, which are assigned to each petal of the chakras.

If we consider the number of petals on the lotus flowers of the chakras, their total is 50 (4+6+10+12+16+2), which corresponds to all 50 sounds of the Sanskrit alphabet. Together, these encompass all sounds and thus represent the great primordial sound Oṃ, God, the one source.

Traveling through these chakras from bottom to top and placing the sounds on their petals is, therefore, a journey through the self—from the coarse to the subtle, from the material back to the source of all creation.

Systems

One of the earliest chakra systems originated in the 6th century B.C. and is known to us from the Kālottara Tantra. This was a system of five centers, in which the lowest (mūlādhāra) was located in the heart, and each subsequent center rose steadily upward. The Kālottara Tantra proposed meditations in which the Kuṇḍalinī rises from the heart upward through the five elements and ultimately finds fulfillment above the head. This system was conservative, meaning that it ignored the lower centers and the sexual energy dormant within them, which was considered dangerous.

The system we know today was first mentioned in the Kubjikāmata Tantra of the Kaubjikā tradition as one of the two most important systems in that tradition. This system of six chakras later appeared in the Śiva Saṃhitā and in the Ṣaṭ-Cakra-Nirūpaṇa, which was translated into English at the beginning of the 20th century, and found its way into the New Age movement.

The Ṣaṭ-Cakra-Nirūpaṇa is not a tantra or a classical text, but rather a treatise written by the scholar Svāmī Purnananda in the 16th century. The text is primarily a vivid description of the mandalas of the chakras, along with their associated deities and symbols.

The Ṣaṭ-Cakra-Nirūpaṇa is not easy for laypeople to understand, yet it is beautiful and inspiring; it is a colorful journey through the world of the chakras, Kuṇḍalinī, and their symbols.

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