even Windows to the Soul: The Chakras as the Structural Yoke of Yoga By Anodea Judith, Ph.D. “The body is the vehicle, consciousness the driver. Yoga is the path, and the chakras are the map.” ~Anodea Judith Travelers, both ancient and modern, need a good map to guide them. If you seek the journey of higher consciousness, personal healing, or a better world, a good map is essential. As we face the twists and turns of the evolutionary journey – both personal and collective– our maps need to be updated. The surface features may change, but the underlying territory provides a consistent foundation. The chakra system, with its roots in ancient India and its relevant application to modern life, is a bridge between past and future. In keeping with its Tantric lineage, the chakra system also forms a bridge that connects universal polarities: spirit and matter, heaven and earth, mind and body, masculine and feminine. The chakras are the stepping stones along that bridge, bringing polarities into union. To navigate that territory is to take an exciting journey of awakening – integrating body, mind, and spirit. “Union or yoke” is the true meaning of the word yoga, and the chakra system can be seen as the structure of that yoke – the archetypal pattern through which these polarities unite. The practice of yoga is a means to awaken the chakras, through a combination of postures, breath, sound, visualization, and meditation. In my work I also combine yoga with bioenergetics exercises, developmental psychology, and sacred ceremony, layering modern practices on the foundation of the ancient ones.
Posted on: Wed, 26 Mar 2014 13:34:22 +0000
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