HERMETIC  - ESOTERIC - MYSTICAL PHILOSOPHIES
 

A MYSTICAL WAY OF UNFOLDING
 COSMIC CONSCIOUSNESS 

Painting by Alex Gray

CHAKRA CORRESPONDENCES

CHAKRA AWARENESS EXERCISE

1.    Be seated in a meditative position on the floor or in a chair. Relax but be sure that your spine is straight. Begin to breathe slowly and rhythmically through your nostrils. As you inhale, draw the air into the lower part of your chest, filling the lungs to their fullest capacity without strain. Maintain this relaxed pat­tern of deep, full breathing throughout the exercise.

2. Imagine a disk or center of light at the base of your spine. Visualize a yellow square within this disk. As you focus on the square, breathe in and begin to notice the weight of your body, its density and mass. Breathe out and visualize the yellow square again.

Breathe deeply, then intone the mantra "La-NG" (Lah-ng). Place special emphasis on the nasal "ng" sound, extending the latter sound out with the remaining breath. On the following inhala­tion, mentally intone the word "La-M" (Lah-m), extending the "m" of the mantra. Repeat this mantra cycle three or four times.

3. Imagine a light blue disk just a few inches below your navel. Visualize a silver-white crescent within this disk. As you focus on the navel center, breathe in and begin to notice that the horns of the crescent are upturned to form a cup. Imagine this cup filled to the brim with pure, sacred water. Feel this water flowing throughout your body cleansing and purifying it. Breathe out and again visualize the silver crescent within the light blue disk.

Breathe deeply, then intone the mantra "Va-NG" (Vah-ng). Emphasize the "ng" sound, extending it out with the remain­ing breath. On the following inhalation, mentally intone the word "Va-M" (Vah-m), extending the "m" of the mantra. Repeat this mantra cycle three or four times.

4. Imagine a disk of light just a few inches below your sternum. Visualize a red triangle within this disk. As you focus on the solar plexus center, breathe in and imagine the red color of the triangle glowing hot. Feel the heat from this center spreading to all parts of your body. As the heat spreads, visualize it burning away all toxins and impurities. Breathe out and visualize the red triangle cooling a bit, returning to its original temperature.

Breathe deeply, then intone the mantra "Ra-NG" (Rah-ng). Emphasize the "ng" sound, extending it out with the remain­ing breath. On the following inhalation, mentally intone the word •"Ra-M"' (Rah-m), extending the "m" of the mantra. Repeat this mantra cycle three or four times.

5. Imagine a green disk of light in the area of your heart. Visual­ize a blue hexagram within this disk. As you focus on the heart center, breathe in and imagine that you are filled with the breath and spirit of God. Feel the cool breeze of the vast sky flowing through you, as if your body were porous. Your heart opens with a feeling of compassion for all things. For a moment you imagine the golden sun with its healing rays in the center of your heart. Breathe out and again visualize the blue hexagram within the green disk.

Breathe deeply, then intone the mantra "Ya-NG" (Yah-ng). Emphasize the "ng" sound, extending it out with the remain­ing breath. On the following inhalation, mentally intone the word "Ya-M" (Yah-m), extending the "m" of the mantra. Repeat this mantra cycle three or four times.

6. Imagine a violet disk of light in the hollow of your throat. Visual­ize a black oval or egg shape within this disk. As you focus on the throat center, breathe in and imagine that you can hear the heart­beat of the universe. You are aware of angelic choirs singing softly in some far-off heaven, and you have the feeling that if you opened your mouth to speak, your words would drip honey and have the aroma of jasmine. Breathe out and again visualize the black oval within the violet disk.

Breathe deeply, then intone the mantra "Ha-NG" (Hah-ng). Emphasize the "ng" sound, extending it out with the remain­ing breath. On the following inhalation, mentally intone the word "Ha-M" (Hah-m), extending the "m" of the mantra. Repeat this mantra cycle three or four times.

7. Imagine a disk of clear translucent blue in the middle of your forehead. Within this disk visualize a white circle with two wings on either side. As you focus on the brow center, breathe in and imagine that the wing or petal on the right side is golden like the sun, while the left-hand wing is silvery like the moon. Inhale and notice the solar side glowing brightly on the right. Exhale and visualize the lunar side beginning to shine. Breathe in and again visualize the white winged circle within the clear blue disk.

Breathe deeply, then intone the mantra "OM" (Oh-m), extend­ing the "m" of the mantra. On the following inhalation, men­tally intone the same word. Repeat this mantra cycle three or four times.
 

Continue to breathe rhythmically and visualize an eye in the cen­ter of the brow chakra. Now imagine the eye opening. Through it you are able to perceive the divine light of the higher realms.

8. Imagine a clear disk of light above your head. Within this disk visualize a lotus flower with a thousand petals—each petal is colored in one of the hues of the rainbow. All the colors of the universe are contained within this flower. At the center of the lotus is the white brilliance and true peace of the divine light. Inhale and feel a stream of energy extending up your spine, con­necting all the chakras you have visualized on your ascent to the lotus crown. Exhale and imagine the divine light from the center of the lotus descending/ passing through all of the chakra centers, cleansing, maintaining, and balancing each one. Do this several times. There is no sound or mantra that can do the crown center justice—there is only the silence of the divine union. Breathe in and again visualize the lotus flower within the disk of clear light.