Chakra System Research Articles

Structured Equations to Assess the Socioeconomic and Business Factors Influencing the Financial Sustainability of Traditional Amazonian Chakra in the Ecuadorian Amazon

This study focuses on investigating the dimensions of sustainability and their influence on financial-economic sustainability (FES) in traditional agroforestry systems (TAFS) using the case of the Amazonian Chakra. The main objectives were to analyze the dimensions of sustainability and to establish the causal relationships between these dimensions and the FES. To carry out this research, 330 households in Napo Province that use the Amazonian Chakra system to grow cocoa were selected in order to analyze the relationship between the different dimensions of sustainability and FES in this unique context. The results of the study show that practices related to food security (FS) and business factors (BF) have a positive and significant impact on the FES of cocoa-producing households in the Amazonian Chakra system. These findings support the importance of ensuring the availability and quality of food and promoting responsible business practices in these environments. In contrast, the dimensions of environmental resilience (ER) and biodiversity conservation (BC) showed a negative impact on FES, highlighting an economic-financial imbalance in relation to conservation and environmental resilience actions in the Amazonian Chakra. This study contributes to the knowledge needed to promote agricultural practices that include an equal focus on FES, biodiversity conservation, and environmental resilience practices in a globally significant area, providing valuable information for the design of sustainable agricultural policies and practices in the Amazonian Chakra.

ROLE OF MANIPUR CHAKRA ACTIVATION IN TREATMENT OF DIABETES MELLITUS

Chakras are the circular vortex of energy lying across the seven different points on your spinal column. On a physical level, chakras are associated with the major nerve plexuses and endocrine glands in the body. Many asanas have particularly powerful and beneficial effect on one or more of these glands or plexuses. Chakras are not the physical entity and reside in energy body, but help us to understand the body functions and emotions. As they are psychoactive energy centers in human body they are directly related to physiological and psychological health of human being. The unavoidable stress in lifestyle has blocked the entire chakra system and imbalance in the energy flow causes various diseases. We have the great ancient knowledge with us to regulate the energy flow through chakras and get cured from various disorders related to that chakra. Mechanism of yoga effects is the most visible in the systems of chakras and nadis, which specifically and directly correlates with nervous and endocrine system. This study is a small effort to prove the effect and application of Manipur chakra activation in management of life style disorders especially diabetes mellitus.

HUMAN BEINGS’ BIRTH, DEATH AND BEYOND

Everything in the physical creation, including the human body, is composed of the five great natural elements called ‘Panchabhutas’. These elements have originated in a particular order of ‘akāsh’ (ether) to the last element ‘prithivi’ (earth) and the birth as a human being, which is exceedingly rare, is thus born on earth with its matching fundamental frequency of the earth. As the existing literature is quite unclear regarding the human birth, death and beyond, it is attempted to show a plausible way connecting the dots of the process of birth, death, rebirth and liberation based on vibrations of frequency of mind, word, and deed. The final moments of death, step by step, where these pancha- bhutas are dissolved, in the reverse order of their formation, following the chakra system (wheels of energy) of Kundalini in a human being, similar to DNA, withdrawing the soul from the base (mulādhāra) upwards. Subtle bodies (sookshma sarira) and soul have infinite possibilities for their onward journey at the moment of death go to the dimension that corresponds to how one lived one’s life on Earth. The subtle body finds its dimension and level of frequency according to merits of purity of the subtle body derived by one’s life’s activities rise to higher lokas for enjoying the fruits of good actions or attain liberation or to be reborn. An enlightened soul attains liberation from bondage as in the case of Swāmi Vivekānanda, and also has the freedom to be born again or not.

Prana and the actor

ABSTRACTIn my previous article (Stanislavski Studies, Vol. 6, Issue 1, May 2018), based on the Practice as Research at DAMU in Prague, I described my work with actors and practitioners, using an introductory conditioning set of exercises as part of my own technique, the Yoga of Acting. The Yoga of Acting uses a three-tier system to allow the actor an experience of self, whilst imbricating that experience with the technical, mechanical and well-known challenges of the Art of acting and all it requires and demands. In this workshop, which I completed in Malta as part of the S Word, I am exploring the second stage of my practice, involving the use of the Chakra system as a guide for character exploration and embodiment in the Actor’s work. “Prana” is the sanscrit word for “lifeforce” or “vital principle”. It is also translated as “spirit”, “soul”, “respiration”, “energy” or “vigour”.1 Prana can also be called “Vital Air”, pertaining to Pranayama, the exercises of breath modulation offered in the practice and philosophy of Yoga. “By controlling the prana one can control all the forces of the universe, such as gravity, magnetism, electricity and nerve currents. Thus, prana refers to energy as the basis of all life. Thus, the objective of Pranayama is to stimulate, communicate, regulate and control the vital life force that exists in the body.”2 Stanislavski encountered this word in his studies with Hatha Yoga, and subsequently used the term “emitting rays”. This article explores the PaR around Prana explored in my workshop in Malta, including the experience of some of the participants and the wider experience of Prana.

Tantric Chakras and the Descent of Inanna: Bridging the Archetypes and the Human Soul

This article illuminates two ways of finding our way home: the Tantric chakra system as expressed by C.G. Jung in The Psychology of Kundalini Yoga, and the Sumerian myth of the descent of Inanna. The author touches on points of intersection where the Tantric chakras and the myth of Inanna cross-pollinate and enliven each other. Through story, image, and symbol, these ancient perspectives delve into the core of our being, revealing soul and meeting the urge to realize our true nature and live in a world at peace and fulfilled.

Integral Yoga Psychology: Clinical Correlations

This article provides an overview of Sri Aurobindo’s Integral Yoga Psychology (IYP), with a focus on relevance to clinical practice. After summarizing recent developments in integrative medicine that have brought transpersonal themes into the mainstream of contemporary healthcare, the transformational paradigm of IYP is used to articulate a spiritually-informed approach to psychology and psychiatry. Topics covered include the soul (psychic being), reincarnation, the chakra system, psychodynamic therapy, ego defenses, positive psychology, CBT, AA, parapsychology, and mind-body medicine. The possession model of illness is addressed in detail, using both case material and the author’s own experience, and is compared to Jung’s method of working with the shadow. Finally, a range of real world issues are discussed, including cross-cultural considerations, the structure of healthcare systems, the stigma of mental illness, and psychopharmacology.

The Chakra System as a Framework for Holistic Educational Development

The Chakra System as a Framework for Holistic Educational Development

The Chakra System as a Framework for Holistic Educational Development

The Chakra System as a Framework for Holistic Educational Development

사상철학과 차크라(Chakra) 체계의 몸·마음 이해와 그 상관성 고찰

사상철학과 차크라(Chakra) 체계의 몸·마음 이해와 그 상관성 고찰

Healing and the Chakra System

Healing and the Chakra System

Agnihotra Yajna: A Prototype of South Asian Traditional Medical Knowledge

This study conceptualizes the principle of agnihotra yajna. The perusal of ancient and modern literature reveals that the functioning of the human body is impossible without maintaining an energetic continuum driven by sunlight. The seven major chakras existing over the spinal cord help to maintain this energetic continuum. Agnihotra yajna is proposed to balance the chakra system as a whole by minimizing entropy. Offerings of natural elements to fire lit in a copper pyramid during agnihotra liberate various volatile compounds having potent pharmacological actions. Attempts were made to enhance the efficacy of fumes by incorporating two to three pieces of coconut endosperm and “navadhanya” (nine grains) to the conventional fire oblations. This investigation clearly demonstrates that the purpose behind the practice of agnihotra yajna is “letting incessant flow of energy (LIFE)” through our meridian lines and acupuncture points. The volatile organic compounds in smoke were analyzed using the gas chromatography–mass spectrometry method, and the results are discussed.

EVALUATION OF ELECTROMAGNETICS RADIATION FOR STROKE PATIENTS AND NON-STROKE PARTICIPANTS ACCORDING TO BODY SEGMENTATION

This research evaluates the electromagnetic radiation (EMR) for the stroke patients and non-stroke patients according to body segmentation. The human body is divided into three segments: top, middle and bottom. The frequency in hertz is collected at 23 points around the human body namely left side, right side and chakra points from 199 subjects undergoing post-stroke treatment and 100 non-stroke participants. The EMR is captured using frequency detector equipped with a dipole antenna. The data is collected by taking the reading of the frequency 5 times at each point at the same location; hence, the average value is calculated. The statistical analysis of the EMR are examined using SPSS software and Microsoft excel is used to calculate the average frequency of the data. In conclusion, the findings significantly shows that stroke patients has lower frequency value of EMR for both right side and left side but has higher frequency for chakra system. This is true for all the three segments of the body. Furthermore, it is also shown that there is no correlation between the left and the right side frequency for the stroke patients whereas the left-right correlation values are significantly high for the non-stroke participants. This observation justify that EMR from human body can contribute to early detection for stroke.

The subtle body: an interoceptive map of central nervous system function and meditative mind–brain–body integration

Meditation research has begun to clarify the brain effects and mechanisms of contemplative practices while generating a range of typologies and explanatory models to guide further study. This comparative review explores a neglected area relevant to current research: the validity of a traditional central nervous system (CNS) model that coevolved with the practices most studied today and that provides the first comprehensive neural-based typology and mechanistic framework of contemplative practices. The subtle body model, popularly known as the chakra system from Indian yoga, was and is used as a map of CNS function in traditional Indian and Tibetan medicine, neuropsychiatry, and neuropsychology. The study presented here, based on the Nalanda tradition, shows that the subtle body model can be cross-referenced with modern CNS maps and challenges modern brain maps with its embodied network model of CNS function. It also challenges meditation research by: (1) presenting a more rigorous, neural-based typology of contemplative practices; (2) offering a more refined and complete network model of the mechanisms of contemplative practices; and (3) serving as an embodied, interoceptive neurofeedback aid that is more user friendly and complete than current teaching aids for clinical and practical applications of contemplative practice.

Belly dance and its links to body psychotherapy

This paper describes the therapeutic use of belly dance therapy (BDT) for women, context and process, on its own and in relation to body psychotherapy and the Chakra system. It gives a brief history of belly dance, references the author’s personal journey and describes a case study. It illustrates how BDT can empower women to serve themselves in their pleasure and pain by awakening the dissociated, traumatised parts of the body and non-verbal body memories through sensing and feeling the body and verbally articulating this.

Healing as Recycling Energy from Negative to Positive

Objectives: For many practitioners and patients, the most critical aspect of medical practice is healing. Healing requires compassion in order to elevate clinical practices above the skills of a medical technician. At the same time, the act of healing is deeply involved. When practitioners heal, they must take care not to experience physical, mental, or spiritual fatigue or injury to themselves. By practicing healing as recycling energy from negative to positive, practitioners develop contemplative compassion. The more practitioners treat patients, the more they understand how to recycle and heal, and the better the practitioner they become.Methods: Healing recycling involves practitioners engaging their own chakra system on the physical, mental, and spiritual levels. Negative energy is drawn from the patient and flows through the practitioner to their solar plexus, where it is converted to positive energy. The practitioner then returns the positive energy to the patient as a vital healing force. In order to avoid injury through this process, practitioners must purify and harmonize themselves through practice and discipline in body, mind, and spirit exercises.Results: Traditional Chinese Medical philosophy will be introduced and used to examine the concepts of energy, healing, discipline, and holistic medicine. The various modalities of healing recycling will be demonstrated, including through the hand, the eye, the nose, and the third eye. By practicing healing recycling, practitioners will avoid becoming “wounded healers”, and improve their overall ability to heal.Conclusions: Practitioners who can contemplate compassion in their medical practice become healers. Without compassion, there is no healing. Without healing, there is no medicine. Therefore, the practice of medicine needs a better understanding of how to recycle energy. At the same time, greater healing will translate into improved quality of life for patients.

The chakra system as a bio-socio-psycho-spiritual model of consciousness: Anahata as heart-centered consciousness

Today, to most scientific materialists the seat of consciousness is the brain. According to the dominant strand of this reductionist monist view, consciousness - and naturally the mind of which it is a part - is an epiphenomenon of the brain. This is a metaphysical assumption and as far as I know, there has not been any proof as of yet to support such a claim (aka the hard problem of consciousness). According to scientism, the mind is an illusion, albeit, a useful one from an evolutionary standpoint. This illusion - which strangely enough is not too different from the Hindu notion of maya - has helped us not only survive for thousands of years but also adapt more quickly to our environment. Even though our holographic-like representations of physical reality or the noumenal world are not accurate they are close enough to the-thing-itself that we have succeeded to control and abuse the planet and its resources while dominating other species along the way, to say the least. Why is this the case? Are we too much in our heads? Are we too caught up in our emotions? Clearly, there is an imbalance within and without us for which we are primarily responsible; the results of this global imbalance are such things as threats to biodiversity, war, poverty, and health issues to name but a few. We are using the wrong lenses metaphysically speaking and that is partially why we have been distorting reality, be it monism or dualism. The contributions of science ever since the Scientific Revolution are immense and grateful to them we are, especially in terms of their technological application. However, the dark side is that industrialization has made us more dehumanized and social media has made us more disconnected in the real world. The argument here is not whether technology is good or bad, but rather the question is how can we create eco-friendly technologies (from our cars to our cities) that are harmonious with nature in the ultimate or nondual sense. So what is missing? Perhaps the will is. Maybe we have been blinded by our selfishness to the extent that we cannot see beyond our desires. The paradigm shift hinted at here is one that is reminiscent of the Buddhist concept of the Middle Way, the goal being global coherence through individual transformation, which cannot happen unless there is balance in the first place and the key is balancing the heart.

The chakra system as a bio-socio-psycho-spiritual model of consciousness: Anahata as heart-centered consciousness

The chakra system as a bio-socio-psycho-spiritual model of consciousness: Anahata as heart-centered consciousness

6. Moving (Literally) to Engage Students: Putting the (Physically) Active in Active Learning

This paper explores a variety of practices and classroom activities that engage the whole student. Grounded in a somatic perspective (from “soma” meaning the body in its wholeness – the integration of thinking, feeling, and acting), the discussion shows how students can be brought fully into learning through movement, music, and interaction. Examples include: “The Leaders Body: Moving to the Next Level,” which incorporates postures, moving to selected music clips, and working in small groups to learn about five dispositions of the body (determination, openness, flexibility, stability, and centre); “Finding Flow,” which includes an experiential process in groups of five that brings alive the spectrum from boredom to optimal experience to anxiety; and “Building a Humour Body,” which is based on both Reich’s (1960) notions about armoring and the chakra system.

A new model for chromotherapy application

AbstractAlthough the effects of colors on the emotion have been studied, there have been differing results. Influences like age, culture, and personal stimulation are important factors in this phenomenon. Different chakra systems are well matched with different colors, and one of the chromotherapeutic methods is constructed to this chakra system as complementary and alternative medicine. However, as a consequence of the new findings and developments arising in color‐related research, we propose new model supported with afterimage and complementarity for this chakra system. © 2011 Wiley Periodicals, Inc. Col Res Appl, 2011

Engaged Pedagogy in the Feminist Classroom and Yoga Studio

2010 was a pivotal year for me. I celebrated a decade of university teaching, and I completed a two-hundred-hour Hatha yoga teacher training and began teaching yoga classes in the Kingston, Ontario, area. This seemed like a logical extension of my calling to teach and nurture students, and it opened up another venue to witness student transformation. During yoga teacher training, I was prompted to think about ethics. My yoga ethics statement closely paralleled my academic teaching philosophy statement. Regardless of the space—university classroom or yoga studio—I approach teaching as anti-oppressive praxis demonstrative of feminist, anti-racist principles, and metta, the Buddhist notion of loving-kindness. This essay ruminates on the connective tissue between teaching undergraduates and teaching yogis/yoginis. In the next few pages, I employ bell hooks’s work, particularly her work on love, compassion, and “engaged pedagogy” from Teaching to Transgress: Education as the Practice of Freedom and Teaching Critical Thinking: Practical Wisdom, to explore the relationship between teaching environments: what does an anti-oppressive yoga pedagogy look like and what does a yogic, heart-centered university pedagogy look like? To negotiate these questions, I employ the chakra system to organize my thoughts.1 Chakra, a Sanskrit term, translates into “wheel” because, for energy to flow freely throughout the subtle body, the wheel must be turning at a reasonable pace.2 Just as one attempts to turn the energetic wheel to promote spiritual growth through yoga, one attends university classes to energize, expand, and challenge the intellect. I begin the essay with the root chakra (muladhara), the desire for safety, and end with the crown chakra (sahasrara), the necessity of contemplation, to show how the needs of university students and yoga practitioners are very similar; hence, there can be an integrated, nurturing, mutually constitutive feminist, anti-racist, heart-centered yogic pedagogy that benefits all.