Chakras Explained
A Godless View of a Person
The word Chakra is Sanskrit for wheel or disk. It signifies one of seven basic energy centers in the body which are the openings for life energy to flow into and out of our aura. Each of these centers correlates to major nerve ganglia branching forth from the spinal column. In addition the Chakras also correlate to levels of consciousness, archetypal elements (Jungian concepts), developmental stages of life, colors, sounds, body functions, and more. Below is a brief description of each Chakra, including a shape and color which is considered significant.
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Chakra One: Earth, Physical identity, oriented to self-preservation | Located at the base of the spine, this Chakra forms our foundation. It represents the element earth, and is therefore related to our survival instincts, and to our sense of grounding and connection to our bodies and the physical plane. Ideally this Chakra brings us health, prosperity, security, and dynamic presence.[1] |
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Chakra Two: Water, Emotional identity, oriented to self-gratification | The second Chakra, located in the abdomen, lower back, and sexual organs, is related to the element water, and to emotions and sexuality. It connects us to others through feeling, desire, sensation, and movement. Ideally this Chakra brings us fluidity and grace, depth of feeling, sexual fulfillment, and the ability to accept change. [1] |
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Chakra Three: Fire, Ego identity, oriented to self-definition | This Chakra is known as the power Chakra , located in the solar plexus. It rules our personal power, will, and autonomy, as well as our metabolism. When healthy, this Chakra brings us energy, effectiveness, spontaneity, and non-dominating power. [1] |
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Chakra Four: Air, Social identity, oriented to self-acceptance | This Chakra is called the heart Chakra and is the middle Chakra in a system of seven. It is related to love and is the integrator of opposites in the psyche: mind and body, male and female, persona and shadow, ego and unity. A healthy fourth Chakra allows us to love deeply, feel compassion, have a deep sense of peace and centeredness. [1] |
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Chakra Five: Sound, Creative identity, oriented to self-expression | This is the Chakra located in the throat and is thus related to communication and creativity. Here we experience the world symbolically through vibration, such as the vibration of sound representing language. [1] |
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Chakra Six: Light, Archetypal identity, oriented to self-reflection | This Chakra is known as the brow Chakra or third eye center. It is related to the act of seeing, both physically and intuitively. As such it opens our psychic faculties and our understanding of archetypal levels. When healthy it allows us to see clearly, in effect, letting us "see the big picture." [1] |
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Chakra Seven: Thought, Universal identity, oriented to self-knowledge | This is the crown Chakra that relates to consciousness as pure awareness. Some refer to it as a "god source." It is our connection to the greater world beyond, to a timeless, spaceless place of all-knowing. When developed, this Chakra brings us knowledge, wisdom, understanding, spiritual connection, and bliss. [1] |
| Chakra Eight is the Kundalini Serpent. | This is not really a Chakra per se. However, it's location would be just above the Crown Chakra. It would engulf the entire body in it's energy sphere and have it's focal point like that of an ovular field. It's form mimics that of a serpent thus it's reference as the Kundalini serpent. It's foundation and basis is in Cosmic consciousness. The awareness is a part and required within this level. The existence and development of the Kundalini serpent will mark the individual with a permanently co-existing connection awareness to IT/TAO/GOD, etc. [1] |
Clearly evident is the eastern religion spirituality, which influences many New Age and eastern religious spiritual-based practices, such as yoga, Reiki, and Transcendental Meditation. All of these are occult based practices and must be avoided by Catholics. The most interesting reference is the Kundalini Serpent - the eighth Chakra - since it is clearly stated in Catholic teaching that the serpent is the devil and satan (Genesis chapter 3, Apocalypse chapter 12).
One will also notice the total lack of acknowledgement of God as our Father who created us and loves us. The focus is on inner self, sometimes referred to as the "god source." This corresponds exactly with the fact that the real serpent satan told Adam and Eve that they would be as gods by believing their inner self and ignoring the true God's request (Genesis chapter 3). There is no mention of dependence on God nor on His Grace. Rather the focus is "consciousness," again the inner self, which has elements of Gnosticism, and self improvement through means of merely human techniques. Such a spirituality treats the person is his own being or god. All these concepts go directly against the First Commandment and incorporate within them the following elements:
As the Catechism explains:
2112 The first commandment condemns polytheism. It requires man neither to believe in, nor to venerate, other divinities than the one true God. Scripture constantly recalls this rejection of "idols, [of] silver and gold, the work of men's hands. They have mouths, but do not speak; eyes, but do not see." These empty idols make their worshippers empty: "Those who make them are like them; so are all who trust in them." God, however, is the "living God" who gives life and intervenes in history.
2113 Idolatry not only refers to false pagan worship. It remains a constant temptation to faith. Idolatry consists in divinizing what
is not God. Man commits idolatry whenever he honors and reveres a creature in place of God, whether this be gods or demons (for example, satanism), power, pleasure, race, ancestors, the state, money, etc. Jesus says, "You cannot serve God and mammon." Many martyrs died for not adoring "the Beast" refusing even to simulate such worship. Idolatry rejects the unique Lordship of God; it is therefore incompatible with communion with God.2116 All forms of divination are to be rejected: recourse to Satan or demons, conjuring up the dead or other practices falsely supposed to "unveil" the future. Consulting horoscopes, astrology, palm reading, interpretation of omens and lots, the phenomena of clairvoyance, and recourse to mediums all conceal a desire for power over time, history, and, in the last analysis, other human beings, as well as a wish to conciliate hidden powers. They contradict the honor, respect, and loving fear that we owe to God alone.
2117 All practices of magic or sorcery, by which one attempts to tame occult powers, so as to place them at one's service and have a supernatural power over others - even if this were for the sake of restoring their health - are gravely contrary to the virtue of religion. These practices are even more to be condemned when accompanied by the intention of harming someone, or when they have recourse to the intervention of demons. Wearing charms is also reprehensible. Spiritism often implies divination or magical practices; the Church for her part warns the faithful against it. Recourse to so-called traditional cures does not justify either the invocation of evil powers or the exploitation of another's credulity.
2126 Atheism is often based on a false conception of human autonomy, exaggerated to the point of refusing any dependence on God. Yet, "to acknowledge God is in no way to oppose the dignity of man, since such dignity is grounded and brought to perfection in God...." "For the Church knows full well that her message is in harmony with the most secret desires of the human heart."
From a philosophical and psychological perspective, there are many concepts, including that of archetype which are in Jungian philosophy. Given the Chakra concept is much older than Jung, it is probably more accurate to say that Jung based many of his concepts on that of Chakras.
In summary, the entire Chakra concept is a Godless self-centered - that is pagan - view of a person, with its highest appeal to the serpent (the Eighth Chakra). Just as the serpent lied to Adam and Eve be claiming that they would become gods if they did not listen to God our Father, so too does he lie today to many souls under the more sophisticated guise of enlightenment and consciousness. Let us pray that God our Father offers His Grace to the Chakra believers to recognize the Way, the Truth and the Life.