some energy body systems describe the chakras as located along the front of the body, some inside the spine, and others along the center line of the body. Since each system is quite precise about these locations, the innocent reader seeking guidance and clarity has a right to be puzzled by these apparent contradictions.
One of the underlying purposes of this book is to resolve some of these differences by separating the superficial and arbitrary distinctions from the underlying essential ones. All systems, for example, identify specific energy centers and their interconnections. They are typically related to specific sounds, colors, and various other forms of symbolism such as animals and divinities. Even though the symbolism varies, the types of symbols do not.
In regard to the role played by the subtle body within the broader scheme of human spiritual evolution, some traditions view it as central, whereas in others it may appear almost incidental. As an example of the latter, Zen Buddhism places major emphasis on the breakdown of logical functioning so that a higher form of understanding becomes possible. However, further examination reveals that great importance is placed on the navel chakra as the major center of human awareness. Furthermore, it is often believed that utilizing this center as the focus of concentration will eventually activate the energy body in a more complete form.
Regardless of its relative visibility, it should become increasingly clear as we sift through the accumulated wisdom and debris of the ages that the energetic body constitutes a vital link in the attainment of higher inner development. It is a system for creating higher energies through a form of inner alchemy. Since any kind of organic growth requires the proper food, the subtle body, which is capable of generating this nourishment, is essential for any fundamental inner transformation to occur.
Even today, when information on chakras and auras is more widespread, and to some extent taken for granted, it is incredible to think that a mechanism vital for our inner development exists in latent form within each individual, and that it is virtually unknown by a broad range of the population.
One of the basic purposes of this book is to introduce the reader to simple methods by which the reality of this statement can be tested. To have this opportunity is vital not only as a means of intellectually assimilating the material, but also for coming to an organic understanding of what is involved. Our underlying purpose is not scholarly. We are basically concerned with helping readers to apply what they learn to further their own inner development.
An example of one such method is the following:
Place your attention about an inch above where your eyebrows converge. Keep your attention on this spot in a relaxed manner. When you have a clear sensation at that point, allow your awareness to penetrate a little below the surface of the skin. After you feel that happen, say to yourself, "This is the center of my experience" Then, whatever else occurs, keep part of your awareness on this spot for 60 seconds. If you wish, take the forefinger of your right hand and slowly lift it until you make gentle contact with that spot on your forehead. After 10 seconds remove your finger and notice the effect.
If something seems to have occurred, you might wish to take a further step. Keeping your awareness focused on the spot in your forehead, notice your breathing. It has been going on all the time without you paying attention to it. If you keep your awareness in the center of your lower forehead as you breathe in, you will tend to draw extra energy to that place. If you hold your breath briefly and relax, it will give the energy that you have brought there a chance to expand. Then, when you let go and breathe out, you will have the chance to surrender any physical or emotional tension that you are holding in the forehead. Try coordinating your awareness and your breathing in this manner for a few minutes. After this experiment you may have your first taste of what it is like to begin consciously to open a chakra; in this case the third eye.
Fig. 4. Place your attention slightly above where your eyebrows converge.
OPENING CHAKRAS
While it is generally assumed in working with the energetic body that it is a conscious experience to be developed through the proper inner exercises, it is also true that spontaneous experiences involving the opening of the chakras do occur. The main value of such experiences is that they demonstrate to the person involved that the center is actually there, whether or not they have ever heard of it, or would have believed in it if they had.
Perhaps the center that is most likely to open spontaneously is the heart chakra. Think of a time when you were with someone you loved, under very relaxed conditions, in front of a fire or sharing a quiet meal. Whatever the circumstances, one of the sensations you may have noticed was a warm, radiant expanding feeling in the center of your upper chest. If you can remember something of this nature, you have experienced an opening of your heart chakra.
Another type of opening that may have occurred involves the center in the lower belly. Most people have at one time or another experienced a sense of effortless coordination while engaged in a physical activity. It may have been during an athletic event, hiking, or dancing. Whatever the setting, such moments are associated with a heightened sense of awareness, greater relaxation in the midst of activity, a sensation of being lighter, and a feeling that the physical actions occur without much conscious effort on our part. If that experience is at all familiar to you, the chakra in your lower belly was probably open and functioning.
Fig. 5. The spontaneous opening of the heart by a pleasant thought.
Perhaps the most familiar experience for most people is of the inner flow that occurs in a relaxed and harmonious body. This flow can take various directions, some of which do, and some of which do not correspond to traditional pathways in the subtle body. Think of a time when you were free from worry and responsibility, perhaps camping in the wilderness or on the seashore close to nature. Under such conditions you may have felt a great surge of well-being and relaxation and noticed a kaleidoscope of shifting sensations that flowed naturally and effortlessly into each other, creating their own balance and adjustment. At that moment nothing else is necessary. You are content!
While it is natural to focus on the opening of separate energy centers, their interconnections are equally important. Different traditions vary considerably in their emphasis on these interconnections or in their recognition of them. In Kundalini Yoga the major channel for these connections is along the spine, with two subsidiary pathways that twist around in a kind of double helix. In Buddhism the two subsidiary channels are straight. In Taoism a veritable landscape of energy circuits is described in detail. These differences are not necessarily contradictory, but may be due to focusing on different practices or on different levels of practice. In addition, over time, elements of these teachings may have been forgotten. Given the magnitude of the time scales involved (some over thousands of years), it is remarkable how much has been retained.
An energy center is very much like a flower bud. If it is properly cared for and receives the necessary sunshine, the bud opens and turns into a flower. The interconnections between the centers are more like a subtle circulation system. They can develop leaks, holes, or become clogged up with garbage and debris. In working with these interconnections, one must become a spiritual electrician or a psychic plumber, in order to repair the connections and balance the flow between centers.
There is a whole array of methods to help clear the psychic system. Some are strange and complex, others are quite simple. Consider the following:
Sit comfortably. Let your open hands hang down at your sides. Ask in a voice that seems to come from your heart center, "Please help me to surrender my negative psychic tensions" Then relax and see what happens. If the exercise
