make the connection between earth and spirit, we connect the

masculine and feminine energies within us. This is the link that
not only allows us to be healed, but heals the planet as well.
5. Aligning the Chakras
The goal in aligning the chakras is to attain a balanced and
harmonious expression of all aspects of our being. Each chakra
corresponds to a part of our being which is manifested through the
proper functioning and secretion of the corresponding gland.
Our energy centers, like our whole body, are either operating in an
optimal balanced state or they are not. Our goal is to do whatever
it takes to move to a more aligned and balanced state.
A properly functioning glandular system is a major goal and result
of kundalini yoga.
"Each endocrine gland is associated with a
chakra, or energy transducing structure in the aura. The chakras
represent different frequencies of energy as well as different
psychological states. The balance of these chakras is intimately
related to the balance of the corresponding endocrine glands. This
link is a basis for understanding the relation between mental and
physiological states." (p. 279 Gurucharan) The gradual activation
of the energy centers and associated glands results in higher
levels of consciousness and emotional, mental and physical balance.
Most discussions on the chakras concentrate on symbols, colors, and
location and esoteric meanings, such as the number of petals at
each center. These factors are not of crucial importance. In fact
they may serve to distract us from the critical questions--where is
your consciousness, how does your life work?
Another misconception about chakras is interpreting them as good
and bad, higher and lower.
Each energy center helps us identify
aspects of our being, each of which we strive to achieve higher
states of development. The lower chakras are NOT the bad chakras
and the upper ones the good ones.
This is not only a
misperception of the totality of our existence, it in effect
rejects as bad the feeling, Earth, feminine part of our being.
Our use of the terms chakras and energy centers is to help us
clarify the development of our consciousness process. We need to
avoid locking ourselves into symbology that keeps us in a mental
frame that blocks our growth.
The most practical and useful way to identify balance and alignment
is to observe your state of consciousness. For example, one test
for the third chakras is are you angry and want to use your energy
to get even or are you motivated to action for the highest good of
all concerned?
These are the kind of questions we need to ask.
The following chart will give us guidelines to help us determine
where we are at and where we want to be.
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- -

..

__

--- - -_.-

---_ _.- ----" _...

..

...

CHARACTERISTICS OF BALANCED AND UNBALANCED ENERGY CENTERS

FIRST CHAKRA
Unbalanced
Insecure
Fearful
Feelings of instability on physical plane
Possessiveness
Poverty consciousness
Financial issues
Inability to let go and trust
Feeling of isolation and disconnectedness
Ungrounded
Inability to relate to the physical world
Desire to leave the body
Escapism

from

environment

Balanced
Secure
Safe
Physical plane is in order
Belief in abundance
Prosperous state of mind
Feeling of connection with the Earth
At home in your body
Ability to trust
Desire to be here and enjoy life and the planet
Grounded.
SECOND CHAKRA

Unbalanced
Obsessive behaviors
Including sexually
Tendencies to jealousy and revenge
Separateness
Crave connections that you feel you don't really deserve or can't
have
Lack of satisfying creative expression
Self-rejection
Hurt inner child
Balanced
Sexuality is an integrated part of your life
Opportunities of creative expression in all aspects of your life
Feel connection with others
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11

Self-love
Feel secure in yourself
Spontaneous
Healed inner child
THIRD CHAKRA

Unbalanced
Not centered
susceptible to illness, lack of vitality
Inability to commit and sustain action and intentions
Inability to break habits
Addictive
Possessive
Me first
Quest for personal power
No consideration for the common good
Lack of integrity, dishonesty
Anger, revengeful
Victim, blame mode
Balanced
Centered
Personal power, vitality and health
Ability to commit, persevere, keep up
Ability to change
Unattached
Ability to take the common good into consideration
Desire to contribute to society
Integrity
Action oriented and able to act
Take responsibility for own life
FOURTH CHAKRA

Unbalanced
Emotionally attached
Dependent relationships
Codependent behaviors
Neediness
Selfish
Self-hate
Jealous
Weak immune system
Alienation from life purpose
Depressed
Inner Conflict
Balanced
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-.
-.

Compassionate detachment
Self-love and self-esteem
Balanced relationships
Independent
Strong immune system
Ability to heal oneself and others
Do what you come
Commitment to the gland plan
Happy
At peace
FIFTH CHAKRA
Unbalanced
Fear of communicating
Inability to express self
Hesitant in interactions
Balanced
Ability to fearlessly communicate and
speak one's own truth
Self confident in interactions
SIXTH CHAKRA
Unbalanced
Have to figure everything out
Have to have physical proof
I'll believe it when I see it
Stuck in the mind and intellect
Balanced
Intuitive knowing
Can sense when things work or don't
Mind serves higher self
Can listen inside and get an answer
SEVENTH CRAKRA
Unbalanced
Know only physical reality
Deny existence of realities beyond what can perceive with the 5
senses
Distrust and negate higher forces
I have to take control and go it alone
Alienated from soul and inner being
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Balanced
Experience realities and energies beyond those perceived through
the physical senses
Open to the existence of realities and energies that we haven't
experienced
Ability to experience inner self and soul
Trust a power beyond ourself
We can use this chart
as an informal gauge of our physical
condition.
The psychological and emotional states listed are
directly dependent upon the proper functioning of our endocrine and
glandular and nervous systems and the distribution and flow of
energy in our bodies--all of which relate and affect the alignment
of the chakras.
It is important to keep in mind several points. (1) There is no set
order for the balancing of our energies and our chakras.
Each
person has a sequence that reflects his or her own pattern of
growth. (2) Any combination of chakras can open simUltaneously. (3)
As we watch our growth we see that we progress a little at a time.
Life is a process. We move through one issue, and then to another.
We come back to the same group of issues over time, but each time
we bring greater insights and move deeper into our inner healing
and self discovery and empowerment.
Although it is useful to look at each energy center or aspect of
our being separately, it is the net result that is most important.
We work together as a whole, so the dissection of the parts is
useful only to a certain point. Energetically the net result is
seen in our aura or our overall projection of energy, which is a
compilation and blend of all the signals coming from our physical
body and psychological inner space. The questions that we can ask
ourselves to evaluate our overall well being include the following?
What kind of choices are you making about your life?
Are your responses to situations and circumstances preemptive and
proactive or reactive and revengeful?
How do you evaluate or relate to your experiences?
To what extent do you accept your life and to what extent do you
action out of fear, need to control and jUdgment?
What is your attitude toward your future?
How do you treat yourself, physically and internally?
What are you doing with your energy?
What are you attracting in your life? Is it what you really want?
To what extent have you released the struggle?
The satisfaction and balance that you feel in your life is the best
gauge of your emotional and physical state. Our goal is have our
body in a state that facilitates our quest for permanent peace, joy
love and aliveness.
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