Yoga suggests that within us resides a subtle spiritual energy called Prana.
Prana,
This energy,
Is sometimes referred to as vitality or source energy or life force.
It is the innate intelligence that we're all born with and that we see in all creation around us.
The energy that tells the flowers to bloom in the spring and animals to hibernate in the winter.
There are said to be thousands of energy channels that flow through our bodies and seven main energy centers where these energy channels converge.
These are known as the chakras and are often depicted as spinning wheels of energy.
In this meditation we'll be working with the chakras.
In your comfortable meditation seat begin to feel your breath and begin to lengthen and deepen the breath matching the inhalation and exhalation in terms of their intensity,
Duration and quality.
Begin to imagine your breath flowing up and down your spine and see with your mind's eye your spine as a central channel for energy.
Begin to breathe in and up from the base of the spine all the way to the crown of the head and then breathe out and back and down the spine to the base of the spine to the tailbone.
And keep repeating this practice for a few cycles on your own.
Imagining the breath flowing up and down the spine.
Imagining energy moving up and down the spine.
See this central energy channel glowing with light.
Now let your awareness settle down at the base of the spine,
The location of Muladhara Chakra,
The root energy center.
This energy center is associated with basic needs,
Safety and security.
Take a moment to feel your toes,
Your feet,
Your ankles and your legs.
Feel the contact that they're making with the floor and any props that you may be using.
For the weight of your lower body settling down,
Feel grounded,
Rooted.
Perhaps even visualize the color red,
A dark deep ruby red.
You could perhaps see this as a red spinning wheel of energy at the base of the spine or a red sphere of light.
Let your awareness rest here,
Perhaps contemplating the mantra,
I am safe,
I am grounded,
I have everything that I need.
Bring your awareness a little higher now,
Letting it rest about two inches below your navel.
This is the location of the second energy center,
Svaristhana Chakra or the sacral chakra.
This energy center is associated with our emotions,
Creativity,
Relationships and new experiences.
Feel into your pelvis,
Feel your hips and let your awareness rest around the hips,
The glutes,
The sacrum,
The lower back.
Feel your belly,
Noticing it move with the breath,
Breathe into the belly,
Soft Buddha belly.
You may even choose to visualize a vibrant orange color in this region,
Maybe two inches below the navel,
Seeing with your mind's eye a spinning orange wheel of energy or light.
Perhaps contemplating the mantra,
I am creative,
I am balanced,
I flow through life with grace and ease.
Bring your awareness to your solar plexus,
The location of the third energy center,
Manipura Chakra.
This energy center is associated with drive,
Empowerment,
Determination and inner strength.
Become aware of your core muscles that wrap around the spine.
Feel the muscles that run either side of the spine working to hold you up.
Feel into your waists,
Left and right.
Feel deeper into your torso now,
See if you can connect with your internal organs,
The organs which are vital for our health and wellbeing.
You may not actually be able to feel them,
But see if you can connect with them.
Visualize a bright yellow sun right in the center of your torso,
Burning brightly and perhaps say to yourself silently,
I am confident,
I am capable,
I can create the life I want.
Bring your awareness to the center of your chest now,
The location of the fourth energy center,
Anahata Chakra.
The heart center is probably the energy center you may be most aware of,
Most familiar with.
This energy center is associated with love,
Kindness,
Forgiveness and compassion.
We talk a lot about it in yoga.
Feel your emotional heart right in the center of the chest.
Feel your ribs and as you breathe,
Feel the chest broaden and expand and soften and relax.
As you breathe in,
Perhaps sending love and kindness out,
As you breathe out,
Feeling that energy draw back in toward your own heart.
Classically,
The color associated with this energy center is an emerald green,
But if that doesn't resonate with you,
Imagine a soft pink light right in the center of your chest,
Glowing softly.
Perhaps contemplate the mantra,
I open my heart,
I practice loving kindness,
I forgive.
Bring your awareness to the center of your chest.
Bring your awareness to the base of your throat,
Vishuddha Chakra,
The throat energy center.
This energy center is associated with expression and communication.
It's also associated with listening as much as talking.
As you breathe,
Feel your breath caressing the back of the throat.
If your breath becomes slightly audible at that point,
That's great,
But don't force it.
It might sound like a soft ocean wave or the sound of the sea inside a seashell,
But again,
Don't force it if it's not happening on its own.
Perhaps just imagine the breath flowing through the throat.
And at the base of the throat,
Right between the collarbones,
Visualize a turquoise blue light or spinning wheel of energy,
The color of a vast clear blue sky.
You might like to say to yourself silently,
I listen well.
I speak with kindness and clarity.
I express my authentic truth.
I'm sorry.
Bring your awareness to the space between the eyebrows now.
The third eye energy center,
Ajna Chakra.
Soften this tender space.
Smooth across the forehead.
Let your temples slide down and away.
Relax the muscles of the eyebrows,
The muscles around the eyes,
The muscles behind the eyes.
Let the eyelids soften and rest and maybe the eyeballs roll back up slightly.
This energy center,
The third eye chakra,
Is associated with perception,
Mental clarity and inner wisdom.
You might choose to visualize a deep indigo,
A dark blue-purple sphere of light or energy,
The color of the dark night sky.
As you let your awareness rest in this space,
Perhaps say to yourself silently,
I see things as they really are.
I am connected with my inner knowing.
Bring your awareness finally to the crown of your head.
The top back part of the skull,
Sahasrara,
The crown chakra,
Crown energy center is said to be situated here.
Soften your scalp.
Soften your hair.
This energy center is associated with spirituality,
Self-realization and perhaps connection to a higher power.
And there is no color associated with this chakra,
Or rather should I say all of the colors are associated with it.
So you could imagine perhaps a perfect white or a crystal clear diamond or a rainbow.
Imagine that bright light and contemplate the mantra,
I am whole.
I am connected.
I am divine.
Now,
One by one,
Bring your awareness back down each of the energy centers.
On the crown,
Mentally rest your attention now on the third eye chakra.
Touch with your awareness the throat chakra,
Then the heart,
Then the solar plexus,
Then the sacral chakra below the navel,
And then the root chakra at the base of the spine.
See all of these energy centers,
Colored wheels,
Spinning light.
And then invite your consciousness down to the base of the spine,
Coming back down to earth,
Grounding our energy once again.
And with your awareness still rooted,
Begin to deepen your breath and expand your attention outward into your physical body now.
Feel whatever it is you're sitting on,
Feel the weight of your body.
Feel yourself resting on the floor.
Perhaps wiggle your toes a little bit,
Wiggle your fingers.
Maybe stretch in any way that might feel good as you bring your awareness back into the room.
Breathe deeply.
That's how you feel,
Take a moment to reflect upon your practice and any shifting within that it may have created.
Take a moment to breathe a deep breath in through the nostrils,
Open your mouth,
Sigh the air out through an open mouth.
And only as soon as you feel ready,
Gently blink your eyes open and lift your gaze.
