The Subtle System
Inside every human being there is a network of nerves and sensory organs that interprets the outside physical world.
At the same time, within us resides a subtle system of 3 Energy Channels (nadis) and 7 Energy Centers (chakras) which look after our physical, mental, emotional and spiritual being.
Each of the seven chakras has several spiritual qualities. These qualities are intact within us, and even though they might not always be manifest, they can never be destroyed.
When the Kundalini is awakened, these qualities start manifesting spontaneously and express themselves in our life.
These qualities are intact within us, and even though they might not always be manifest, they can never be destroyed. When the Kundalini is awakened, these qualities start manifesting spontaneously and express themselves in our life.
Pelvic Plexus
Mooladhara Chakra
The first chakra is situated below the sacrum bone in which resides the Kundalini, and its main aspect is the innocence. Innocence is the quality by which we experience pure, childlike joy, without the limitations of prejudice or conditionings. Innocence gives us dignity, balance, and a tremendous sense of direction and purpose in life. It is nothing but simplicity, purity and joy
Location. The Mooladhara chakra is located in the pelvic plexus at the base of your spine. The vibrations of this root chakra can be felt on the base of your palm.
Qualities. Your Mooladhara chakra forms the foundation of your entire subtle energy system. It represents eternal and indestructible qualities within you. These qualities only manifest to their fullest potential when your Kundalini energy has been awakened. This chakra is represented by a coral red color. It is closely aligned with the earth element.
The fundamental quality of the Mooladhara chakra is innocence.
Mooladhara chakra qualities include:
• Innocence
• Purity
• Simplicity
• Childlike joy
• Inner wisdom
• Dignity
• Balance
• Purpose and direction
• Connection to Earth
• Harmony with nature
Innocence is the basis of righteous (dharmic) character. Your innocence can never be destroyed, but it may be covered (or masked) by your ego and conditionings, just as the sun may be covered by clouds.
Negative societal influences can also muddy the pure innocence and wisdom that is part of your Mooladhara chakra. The good news is that meditation can restore them. When you rebalance your Mooladhara, you can renew your energy and priorities.
Aortic Plexus
Swadhisthan Chakra
The second chakra is the chakra of creativity, pure attention and pure knowledge. It is the one which connects us to the inner source of inspiration, and enables us to experience the beauty around us. The pure knowledge given by this chakra is not mental, but it is direct perception of the Reality, that can be felt in our palms and indicates our subtle blockages. Also this is the center of pure, steady attention and power of concentration.
On the physical level it looks after our liver, kidneys, and the lower abdomen. When we think too much, this center gets drained of energy and diseases like diabetes or blood cancer can occur when this chakra goes completely out of balance.
Location. Your Swadisthan chakra is located in the aortic plexus above your sacrum bone. This chakra controls the functioning of your liver, kidney, spleen, pancreas, and female reproductive organs (if you are a woman). The vibrations of your Swadisthan chakra can be felt in your thumbs.
Qualities. The Swadisthan chakra is represented by the color yellow. It is aligned with the purifying element of fire.
Swadisthan chakra qualities include:
• Creativity
• Appreciation of beauty
• Inspiration
• Idea generation
• Undistracted attention
• Keen intellectual perception
• Pure knowledge
• Spiritual knowledge
The fundamental quality of the Swadisthan is creativity. It is through this chakra that your creative energy is generated. The Swadisthan also governs attention, inspiration and pure knowledge.
When you open yourself to the qualities of the Swadisthan chakra, you will discover that the beauty and power of creation is reflected within you. You already contain a limitless amount of creativity and knowledge. Practicing Sahaja Yoga will teach you to tap into it.
Solar Plexus
Nabhi Chakra
The third chakra is the one that gives us the sense of generosity, complete satisfaction and contentment. On the left side, the main quality of this center is peace - clearing this chakra can relieve stress and tensions.
On the right side, it looks after our liver which is the organ of our attention and power of concentration. When enlightened by the Kundalini, the Nabhi chakra gives us our spiritual ascent, righteousness and inner sense of morality, and complete balance at all levels in our life.
Location. Your Nabhi chakra is located within your spinal column. It can be found parallel to your navel. It is closely associated with your solar plexus. The vibrations of your Nabhi chakra can be felt in your middle fingers. The function of your abdominal organs (stomach, liver, kidneys, and bowels) is regulated by the Nabhi and Swadisthan chakras along with the Void. These three subtle centers work as an integrated unit in ensuring a harmonious physiologic environment in your body.
Qualities. The Nabhi chakra is represented by the color green. It is aligned with the essential element of water.
Nabhi chakra qualities include:
• Generosity
• Nurturing
• Contentment (or satisfaction)
• Peace
• Joy
• Balance
• Righteousness (or dharma)
• Honesty
• Pure attention
• Dignity
• Evolution (or the achievement of goals)
The Nabhi chakra imparts several fundamental qualities, including generosity and the capacity to evolve. It is through your Nabhi chakra that you experience a desire to grow, improve and achieve your goals. It influences every “seeking” action within your life, from the fundamental quest for food and water to your quest for peace and spirituality. Because of this chakra, you have the capacity to evolve progressively to a higher stage of life.
Another key quality of the Nabhi chakra is contentment (or satisfaction). It is through your Nabhi chakra that you may establish an ideal balance between all areas of your life (including family, work and spiritual). At the same time, energizing this chakra enables you to be nurturing and righteous. It imparts the qualities of caring, nurturing and affection to wives and mothers that help them take care of their families.
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Coeliac Plexus
The Void
Surrounding the second and the third chakra is the Void which stands for the principle of mastery (guru principle) within us.
In many spiritual traditions, this area is the "ocean of illusions" that needs to be crossed with the help of a spiritual guide. When the Kundalini is awakened and passes through the Void, this principle of mastery is established within us.
Thus, as Shri Mataji says, in Sahaja Yoga you become your own guru, your own spiritual guide since you can feel on your fingertips all your subtle problems and have the power to cure them using your own Kundalini.
Moreover, establishing this center helps us get rid of all our habits, laziness, gross attachments, and everything that enslaves us in a way or another: we become our own master.
Following false "gurus" who are more interested in power tricks or your purse can damage very much the Void area. But after Self Realization, everything can be cured through the purifying power of the Kundalini in meditation.
Location. The Void is the region located within your abdominal cavity. It contains your Nabhi chakra. You may feel the vibrations of the Void within an area formed by concentric circles around the center of your palm.
Qualities. The Void is represented by the color green. It is aligned with the elements of sky and saltwater. It is symbolic of the ocean within each of us.
Void qualities include:
• Balance
• Righteousness (or dharma)
• Sense of personal dignity
• Self-discipline
• Self-guidance
• Decisiveness
• Patience
• Thirst for truth and knowledge
• The guru principle (or the ability to guide yourself and others in spiritual evolution)
The Void, along with your Nabhi and Swadisthan chakras, represents an integrated spiritual group. Together, these three elements dictate the course of your evolution, from your creation to your ultimate awareness of spirituality and your journey thereon.
An essential quality of the Void is the “guru” principle. This quality enables you to become a guru, or teacher, offering guidance to others. This doesn’t mean that you become a famous TV personality or “self-help” speaker. Nor does it mean that people will line up around the block for your advice. What it does mean is that you can possess a cool, pleasant and friendly personality. You’ll know the right thing to do (at least most of the time), and the people in your life will appreciate it.
The Void is so named because it represents the ocean of unenlightened awareness (or void) within an individual’s knowledge. Each individual may require the guidance of a true master or truthful spiritual teachings in order to realize his or her true spiritual nature. When you learn the truth of the spirit, your Void, or the gap in your central channel, is filled. This event occurs as you receive your Kundalini awakening and awareness.
Cardiac Plexus
Anahat(Heart) Chakra
The fourth chakra, the chakra of the heart, is the place where resides our Spirit, our true Self, which is eternally pure and unaffected by anything, like a shining diamond hidden within us which witnesses all our actions.
After Self Realization, our attention becomes for the first time connected to our Spirit and we gradually become aware of it. Our misidentifications with our ego or conditionings drop and we start becoming identified with our Spirit, which is our true nature. On the physical level, this chakra looks after our heart and lungs - if affected it can cause asthma or various heart conditions.
It is from our heart that the compassion and love manifests, and also the heart chakra is the one that gives us the sense of responsibility and pure behaviour towards others. The heart chakra manifests in the center (at the level of the sternum bone) as complete security and confidence.
All our worries, doubts and fears are destroyed when the heart chakra is fully enlightened by the Kundalini.
Location. The Anahat chakra is located within your spinal column. It may be found at the level of the center of your chest, behind your sternum bone. Associated with your cardiac plexus, the vibrations of the Anahat chakra may be felt in your little fingers.
Qualities. The Anahat chakra is represented by the color red. It is aligned with the essential element of air
Anahat chakra qualities include:
• Unconditional love
• Unconditional compassion
• Gracious behavior
• Truth
• Joy
• Confidence
• Absence of fear and sense of security in life
• Positive paternal and maternal relationships
The fundamental quality of the Anahat chakra is unconditional love. It is through energizing the heart chakra that you are able to become confident, self-assured, morally responsible and emotionally well balanced.
When you open yourself to the qualities of the Anahat chakra, you will experience the pure joy of existence. You also discover your purpose and place in the world
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Cervical Plexus
Vishuddhi(Throat) Chakra
The fifth chakra is the chakra of diplomacy, of pure relationships with others, and of playful detachment. It removes all our guilts and remorses when it is opened by the Kundalini, and gives us a kind and compassionate voice. The tendencies to dominate others or to feel dominated by others, the feelings of superiority or inferiority and all jealousies are removed when this chakra is nourished by the Kundalini.
Also, the Vishuddhi is the chakra which gives us the connection with the whole, enabling us to feel our oneness and the fact that we are all part and parcel of the whole.
Location. Your Vishuddhi chakra is located in the neck region of your spinal column. The vibrations of your Vishuddhi chakra can be felt in your index fingers. Your left index finger is associated with the left Vishuddhi, while your right index finger is associated with the right Vishuddhi.
Qualities. The Vishuddhi chakra is represented by a light shade of blue. It is aligned with the purifying element of ether
Vishuddhi chakra qualities include:
• Positive relationships
• Effective communication
• Politeness
• Diplomacy
• Sense of community
• Pleasant personality
The fundamental qualities imparted by your Vishuddhi chakra include effective communication and a sense of community. When your Vishuddhi is balanced and energized, you feel in harmony with the rest of humanity. It is through the Vishuddhi chakra that you receive the ability to be diplomatic, polite and pleasant.
The Vishuddhi chakra also gives you the ability to accept shortcomings and challenges without feelings of guilt
Optic Chiasm
Agnya Chakra
The sixth chakra is the chakra of forgiveness and compassion. Forgiveness is the power to let go of anger, hatred and resentment and to discover, in humility, the nobility and generosity of the Spirit.
It is the one that dissolves all our ego, conditionings, habits, false ideas of racialism, and all our misidentifications. It is the narrow gate which opens the way for our consciousness to ascend to its final destination, which is the seventh center.
Roving eyes, watching impure things, or self-centeredness damage this chakra. Watching the sky, earth or nature can help cleanse it.
Location. The Agnya chakra is located in your brain. It is situated within the junction of your optic nerve fibers in the center of your forehead. The vibrations of the Agnya chakra can be felt in your ring fingers.
Qualities. The color silver represents the Agnya chakra. This chakra is aligned with the essential element of air.
Agnya chakra qualities include:
• Forgiveness
• Compassion
• Humility
• Thoughtless awareness
• Ego and superego
• Compassion
• Humility
• Thoughtless awareness
• Ego and superego
The primary quality of Agnya is forgiveness. It is through this chakra that you learn to forgive yourself and others for human shortcomings. The Agnya chakra is also referred to as “the third eye.” When energized, this chakra allows you to achieve the thoughtless awareness, or mental silence, that is so essential to rejuvenating meditation.
The Agnya chakra is the gateway to your Sahasrara chakra, which symbolizes the purest spiritual realm. Sahaja Yoga meditation is the simplest way to purify your mind and intentions. It allows your Kundalini energy to pass through the Agnya chakra and into the Sahasrara. The experience is quite miraculous, relieving and joyous as you find yourself connected to the higher power that created the universe.
Limbic Area
Sahastrara Chakra
The seventh center integrates all the chakras with their respective qualities. It is the last milestone of the evolution of human awareness.
Nowadays, we are at a level which corresponds to this chakra, and our consciousness is able to easily enter into this new realm of perception, which is beyond our limited mind and concepts, and which becomes absolute at the level of the Sahasrara.
This chakra gives us the direct, absolute perception of Reality on our central nervous system and is precisely what is achieved by Self Realization, through the spontaneous awakening of the Kundalini given by Sahaja Yoga.
Location. Your Sahasrara chakra is located within your brain’s limbic system. You may feel the vibrations of the Sahasrara chakra in the center of your palm.
Qualities. It is through the Sahasrara chakra that you are able to connect to the power that created you. Through this, you may discover the meaning of your life. It represents your ultimate destination – the realization of heaven on earth.
Sahasrara chakra qualities include:
• A sense of “oneness” with the universe (also known as “integration”)
• Thoughtless awareness or mental silence
• Doubtless awareness or awareness of the divine energy
Each of your six main chakras (from Mooladhara through Agnya) has roots within your brain. When you practice Sahaja Yoga, the Kundalini rises. It passes through each of the six chakras and settles in the limbic region of your brain. This process is also known as Spiritual Enlightenment.
The Sahasrara chakra is represented in the hollow space within the limbic area. One thousand nerves surround this space. When the Kundalini energy enters your Sahasrara chakra through meditation, all these nerves ‘enlighten’ in unison. The Kundalini energy then manifests through the top of your head and unites with the Divine Energy of the universe
