Vishuddh Chakra

Spiritual Success is not possible till the Sadhak is not free of ego. And freedom from ego is attained only after activation of Vishuddh Chakra.

The ancient texts state that on activation of this centre of the Kundalini the Goddess of wisdom and learning Sarswati blesses the vocal chords and thus one gains the knowledge of all Vedas and shastras.

Present inside the human body are subtle energy centres that hide amazing powers and capabilities through the activation of which a person can even realize the supreme. But as these centres are unactivated their potential is seldom realised. These centres are known as Chakras of the Kundalini and by activating them life can be taken to the highest pinnacle of success and achievement. But for that one has to try really hard, one has carry out sadhar as only then can one get the pearl of success. As Kabir as said -

Jin Khojaa Tin Paayiyaan, Gahare Paani Peeitth,

Mein Bouri Khojan Gayi, Rahi Kinaare Beitth.

One has to dive deep into the ocean of Sadhanas and lose oneself in meditation in order to activate these centers.

The first few Chakras a Sadhak can activate through his own attempts but in order to activate the further Chakras one needs the grace of the guru and his guidance as well. One needs Shaktipaat or transfer of divine energy from the guru in order to activate the later Chakras. This transfer of energy can be through Sadhana. Diksha or suddenly without any apparent reason. There are no fixed rules for this.

Knowledge of all Vedas
As soon as the Vishuddh Chakra present in the throat region is activated the Goddess of learning and wisdom, Saraswati, blesses the Sadhak and he gains knowledge of all Vedas and ancient texts automatically. Verses start to pour out of his lips on their own even though he might never in his life have studied ancient texts. In fact then he need not study any text like Upanishads comes to him own its own. What more the individuals starts to have to realization of the supreme.

Activation of the Astral body
As soon as the Vishuddh Chakra is activated the astral starts to move about freely according to the Sadhak’s will. The Sadhak can then even alter the size of his physical body – make it small as a mouse or large as a mountain. Also through the astral he can travel to any part of the universe. Sitting in a room he can astrally be anywhere in a moment and return in a trice. Lord Krishna is said to have manifested many physical forms. This can become possible only on activation of the Vishuddh.

This is why activation of the Vishuddh Chakra is said to be a great achievement of one’s life. And this activation is possible only through Shaktipaat. Shaktipaat does not mean one has to be in the presence of Guru rather this subtle transfer of energy can also be possible though Mantra Sadhana . But if one finds Sadhana difficult the Guru can directly transfer energy into the Sadhak. But even after Shaktipaat one has to do Mantra Sadhana so as to harmonise oneself fully with the divine.

Realisation of the Self
All great soul have started their spiritual quests with questions like Who am I, All these question are evidence that a human is eager to realise the self .When he is unable it use his energy for this realisation he starts to utilize it running after dreams like becoming the richest man on earth, becoming the owner of property and vehicles, becoming powerful or handsome. He wants to succeed in some way or the other and make the world realise that he is something. Everyone wants to be a doctor, engineer or a powerful person and thus earn respect and fame in the society. Or if a person’s children become famous he starts to feel proud about their success. All his life he endeavours to rise high in life trying all the time to know his true identity .But in fact he is never able to realise his true self and keeps wandering aimlessly.

Realisation of the self is possible for a person only after the activation of the Vishuddh Chakra. Once this activation takes place one realises who one was he did .When he is linked to the soul all confusion in his mind disappears. Also there remains no difference for him between a male and a female. Linking with the soul means viewing everyone, whether a man or a women with the same feelings.

All doubts vanish
On activation of the Vishuddh a person realisation his soul and then doubts about himself and about life disappear. Problems still come in his life, sorrows and joys still manifest but he remains blissfully unaffected by all such influences. Before activation of Vishuddh a person does feel sorrows and joys but after one has linked oneself to the soul one loses oneself in divine joy and then no outer influences can have any effect.

Just another milestone
After having been through the crests and troughs of joys and sorrows all his life when the Sadhak has the first taste of divine joy he feels like ever remaining lost in it day and night. He does not feel like emerging out of it. But one has to remember that activation of the Vishuddh Chakra is just another milestone and not the final destination. And because one seems reluctant to forgo this joy, progress becomes difficult after this stage unless one is fully conscious. Sometime it happens that a person might get stuck at the Vishuddh Chakra for years at a stretch. The reason for this is that one has tasted divine joy that comes by activation of the Vishuddh does not wish to forsake it. Due to this further progress is stalled and he makes no attempts to make Kundalini rise further.

Right from the time one becomes an adult a person had to face sorrows, pain, problems and worries. So when he reaches a source of true joy for the first time in his life naturally he would be most unwilling to leave it and move on. It is like tasting elixir and he does not feel like giving it up. Progressing ahead sure means that this joy will be lost. So a person feels contented remaining at the Vishuddh and he sort of becomes addicted to this joy. But determined Sadhak use their strong will power to emerge from this divine state and start to move forwards the next Chakra. Or if the Sadhak is not so determined he keeps enjoying this state and after sometime having had his fill of this state he decides to progress further.

Freedom of ego
Realization of the soul means freedom from false ego. Ego means being overly conscious of the self. This ends activation of the Vishuddh but still remains a bit of ego. In other words at Vishuddh a Sadhak realizes that he is not the physical body but a soul. But even at this stage he feels he is different from other souls and this gives rise to subtle egoism.

Losing oneself completely is true joy
One who thinks that he is different meets his end one day, but one who is ready to lose his identity becomes immortal. But very few people are ready to lose their identities. That is why very few are able to realize the Truth. Most people feel happy in limiting their personalities, they lead lives like small ponds and are not ready to merge into the ocean. By doing so they wish to prove that they are different.

But this is just false egoism, for in the ponds too it is the same water that is in the ocean. So the attempt to have separate identity is futile. A pond fears that it might lose its identity if it merges into the ocean and so it never flows and stagnates. But when it realizes that the water present in it is same as the water contained in the ocean it stops worrying about losing its identity.

Similarly when a Sadhak starts to lose himself he does not worry about his identity. Then fear of death does not worry him and then he becomes egoless and fearless.

But the mind of a person deludes him. It wishes to have a separate identity. It says what shall be the use of searching for the Truth. But the moment one has such thoughts one loses a lot. One loses a precious life in which one could have realised the Supreme Truth. By listening to his mind a person might well gain wealth, property, wife, children and material comforts but he loses chance to know about the real purpose of life. And the last moments of his life he realises that he has gained nothing and all that he had gained is useless.

But if a person activates the Vishuddh Chakra and loses his false identity then in the last moment his life he does not have to worry that he wasted his life. Then even when he dies he does so cosciously. Then death too is but a part of existence for him - merely a chance to change the old body and gain a new one. Losing the false ego is known as activation of Vishuddh.

Form of the Chakra
On activation of the Anahat Chakra the soul of a person starts to get linked to the universe outside but this link becomes total when Vishuddh is activated. Present in the throat region this Chakra has the shape of a yellow lotus with sixteen petals. The element of this Chakra is Ether. Sadhak who have freed themselves of base instincts through Yoga or Sadhanas are able to hear the chanting of the sixteen Beej Mantras of this Chakra. In the centre of the lotus is a white region in which is present a white elephant inscribed on which the Beej Mantra (ham) of the Chakra. On the Beej Mantra are seated Ardhanarishwar i.e Lord Shiva has three eyes, five heads and ten hands. He wears a garland of snakes around his neck.

- Revered Sadgurudev Dr. Narayan Dutt Shrimali

The Manipura (Solar Plexus) Chakra

Manipura is the third Chakra from the Muladhara. It is located within the Sushumna Nadi, in the Nabhi Sthana (region of navel). This has its corresponding centre in the physical body and has control over the liver, stomach, etc.

This is a very important centre. From this Chakra emanate ten Yoga Nadis which appear like the petals of a lotus. The vibrations that are produced by the Nadis are represented by the Sanskrit letters डं ढं णं दं धं नं पं फं (dam, dham, nam, dam, dham, nam, pam, pham). The Chakra is of the colour of dark clouds. Within there is a space triangular in form. It is the Agni Mandala (region of fire—Agni Tattva). The Bijakshara raü), the Bija of Agni, is here. The presiding deity is Vishnu and Goddess is Lakshmi. This Chakra corresponds to Svah or Svarga Loka and to Solar Plexus in the physical body.

The Yogi who concentrates at this Chakra gets Patala Siddhi, can acquire hidden treasures and will be free from all diseases. He has no fear at all from Agni (fire). “Even if he is thrown into the burning fire, he remains alive without fear of death.”, (Gheranda Samhita).

AJNA CHAKRA

Ajna Chakra is situated within the Sushumna Nadi and its corresponding centre in the physical body is at the space between the two eye-brows. This is known as Trikuti. The presiding deity, Paramasiva (Shambhu), is in the form of Hamsa. There is Goddess Hakini (Sakti). Pranava (Om) is the Bijakshara for this Chakra. This is the seat of the mind.

There are two petals (Yoga Nadis) on each side of the lotus (Chakra) and the vibrations of these Nadis are represented by the Sanskrit letters:- (Ham) and (Ksham). This is the Granthi Sthana (Rudra Granthi). The Chakra is of pure white colour or like that of the full moon (on the Purnima day). Bindu, Nada and Sakti are in this Chakra. This Chakra corresponds to Tapo-Loka. The corresponding centre in the physical body is at the Cavernous Plexus.


He who concentrates at this centre destroys all the Karmas of the past lives. The benefits that are derived by meditation on this Chakra cannot be described in words. The practitioner becomes a Jivanmukta (liberated man while living). He acquires all the 8 major and 32 minor Siddhis. All Yogis and Jnanis too concentrate to this centre on the Bijakshara, Pranava!(OM). This is called Bhrumadya Drishti (gaze at the space between the two eye-brows).

When the Yogi reaches the Ajna Chakra or the centre between the two eyebrows he attains Samadhi and realises the supreme Self or Brahman. There is a slight sense of separateness between the devotee and Brahman.

LALANA CHAKRA
Lalana Chakra is situated at the space just above Ajna and below Sahasrara Chakra. Twelve Yoga Nadis emanate from this centre. The vibrations that are made by the 12 Nadis are represented by the Sanskrit letters: (Ha, Sa, Ksha, Ma, La, Va, Ra, Ya, Ha, Sa, Kha and Phrem). It has OM as its Bija. At this centre the Yogi concentrates on the form of his Guru and obtains all knowledge. This has control over the 12 pairs of nerves that proceed from the brain to the different sense-organs.

Sahasrar Chakra

Sahasrara Chakra is the abode of Lord Siva. This corresponds to Satya Loka. This is situated at the crown of the head. When Kundalini is united with Lord Siva at the Sahasrara Chakra, the Yogi enjoys the Supreme Bliss, Parama Ananda. When Kundalini is taken to this centre, the Yogi attains the superconscious state and the Highest Knowledge. He becomes a Brahmavidvarishtha or a full-blown Jnani.

The word Sahasradala-Padma denotes that this Padma has 1000 petals. That is, one thousand Yoga Nadis emanate from this centre. There are different opinions about the exact number of petals. It is quite sufficient if you know that innumerable Nadis proceed from this centre.

As in the case of other Chakras, the vibrations that are made by the Yoga Nadis are represented by the Sanskrit letters. All the 50 letters of the Sanskrit alphabet are repeated here again and again on all Yoga Nadis. This is a Sukshma centre. The corresponding centre in the physical body is in the brain.

The term “Shat-Chakras” refers only to the chief six Chakras, viz., Muladhara, Svadhishthana, Manipura, Anahata, Vishuddha and Ajna. Above all these we have Sahasrara Chakra. This is the chief of all the Chakras. All the Chakras have their intimate connection with this centre. Hence this is not included as one among the Shat-Chakras. This is situated above all the
Chakras.

When the Kundalini is raised up to Sahasrara chakra, the illusion of individual self is dissolved. The yogi becomes realized, one with the cosmic principles that govern the entire universe within the body. He obtains all “siddhis”, powers, up to Soma Chakra, where he encounters Kamadhenu, the wish-fulfilling cow within himself. He is a “siddha”, but has transcended the desire to manifest those wishes.

Diet for Kundalini Awakening

When the awakening of kundalini takes place it is important to have the correct diet, as food influences the mind and your nature. At the time of awakening, certain physiological changes occur in the body, particularly in the digestive system, and the digestive process is frequently disturbed, or hunger vanishes completely. Therefore, a kundalini aspirant has to be very careful about his diet.

Scientific observations have shown that the awakening of kundalini is generally accompanied by a state of nervous depression. The inner body temperature undergoes erratic changes and drops so much that it becomes much lower than the outer body temperature. Metabolism slows down and sometimes it even stops completely. Consumption of oxygen also falls. Therefore, when you are experiencing kundalini awakening your diet must be very light and easy to assimilate.

The best diet for a kundalini yogi is boiled food. Crushed wheat, barley, lentils and dal are excellent foods, particularly when they are in a liquid form. Fats and greasy foods should be avoided and protein should be kept to a minimum. This will take any strain off the liver, because when the mind undergoes a crisis, the liver is overtaxed.

It is good to increase the carbohydrates in your diet, eg. rice, wheat, maize, barley, potato, etc., because carbohydrates help to maintain the inner body temperature and they do not require much heat to digest. Eggs, chicken and other heavy foods do not produce much heat themselves, but they require heat for digestion.

The yogic diet is macrobiotic, it is simple, plain and relatively bland. From time to time, fruits and roots can also be taken, but they are not essential.

There are certain foods which are not meant for the human body at all. If you analyze your digestive and salivary secretions and the durability of the mucus membranes in the alimentary canal, you will find that they are not really meant for digesting meat and uncooked foods.

The food we eat is not merely to satisfy our taste. Every food item has an essence in it, and in yoga we call this sattva. Sattva means the ultimate essence of food, but please do not mistake this for vitamins or minerals. Sattva is the more subtle form of food. When you eat for the sake of taste or enjoyment, instead of attaining the sattva you only get the gross things. That is why the yogis and saints of all traditions have always lived on the minimum possible food during periods of sadhana.

When we overeat we create a burden for the digestive system, and when the digestive system is overburdened we are unable to extract the sattva from the food. Sattva is a substance which nourishes the thoughts and nervous system. When the thoughts are fed with sattva they are more refined and pure, and one is able to live in higher consciousness. Therefore, it is beneficial for a sadhaka to fast from time to time. When the body is kept light and pure it is far more capable of extracting the sattva from food.

In the diet for kundalini aspirants, condiments have a very important role to play. Condiments such as coriander, cumin seeds, tumeric, aniseed, black pepper, green pepper, cayenne, cloves, mustard seed, cardamom, cinnamon and so on are also called digestives as they aid digestion. These substances are not spices for taste; they are condiments which have the same properties as the enzymes in the body, and by helping to break down the food for digestion, they conserve vital energy and help to maintain the body's internal temperature.

Instead of cooking the food in your stomach, it is best to cook it properly in the pan. Five or six condiments should be added during cooking to liberate the enzymes and chemicals which enhance digestion. The combination of heat, condiments and enzymes breaks down the food into smaller and more basic components, thus making it easier to digest.

EXPERIENCES ON AWAKENING OF KUNDALINI

During meditation you behold divine visions, experience divine smell, divine taste, divine touch, hear divine Anahata sounds. You receive instructions from God. These indicate that the Kundalini Shakti has been awakened. When there is throbbing in Muladhara, when hairs stand on their roots, when Uddiyana Bandh, Jalandhara Bandha and Mulabandha come involuntarily, know that Kundalinihas awakened.

When the breath stops without any effort, when Kevala Kumbhaka comes by itself without any exertion, know that Kundalini Shakti has become active. When you feel currents of Prana rising up to the Sahasrara, when you experience bliss, when you repeat Om automatically, when there are no thoughts of the world in the mind, know that Kundalini Shakti has awakened.

When, in your meditation, the eyes become fixed on Trikuti, the middle of the eyebrows, when the Shambhavi Mudra operates, know that Kundalini has become active.

When you feel vibrations of Prana in different parts inside your body, when you experience jerks like the shocks of electricity, know that Kundalini has become active.

During meditation when you feel as if there is no body, when your eyelids become closed and do not open in spite of your exertion, when electric-like currents flow up and down the nerves, know that Kundalini has awakened.

When you meditate, when you get inspiration and insight, when the nature unfolds its secrets to you, all doubts disappear, you understand clearly the meaning of the Vedic texts, know that Kundalini has become active.

When your body becomes light like air, when you have a balanced mind in perturbed condition, when you possess inexhaustible energy for work, know that Kundalini has become active.

When you get divine intoxication, when you develop power of oration, know that Kundalini has awakened. When you involuntarily perform different Asanas or poses of Yoga without the least pain or fatigue, know that Kundalini has become active.

When you compose beautiful sublime hymns and poetry involuntarily, know that Kundalini has become active.