Chakra Meditation crystals

This simple meditation is designed to help you become attuned to the individual energy of each chakra.  It can help you get a feel for how each one is working and of their effects on your physical, mental and emotional bodies. Balancing and cleansing your chakras promotes harmony on all levels and can assist with spiritual growth and awareness.

Preparation

Choose which chakra you would like to work on and select the corresponding crystal or gemstone.  It is best to lie down in a quite place where you will be undisturbed and to have subdued lighting. Incense and candles can help create a lovely environment but take care as they may present a fire hazard.  

Place your chosen crystal on the relevant chakra.  For example, if you chose Carnelian, put it on your sacral chakra which is about 5 inches below your belly button. The Crown chakra is not on the physical body but immediately above the top of your head, so you would position the crystal just above your head on a pillow or cushion.  The Base chakra is situated between your legs immediately at the base of your spine around the genitals.  It can be difficult to balance a crystal here; therefore placing it on the floor immediately adjacent to this area is fine.   

Meditation

Let your mind and body relax by concentrating on your breathing.  Wait until you feel your breathing is calm and rhythmical.  When you feel ready, gently focus your attention to the part of your body you will be working on.  Imagine now you are breathing through that area. If we use the example above (Carnelian on the Sacral chakra) then you would imagine vibrant orange being breathed into this area. Keep doing this for a little while, then with an open, still mind, mentally scan that area.  Take note of any reactions. It may be a physical sensation, a mental image or you may get an emotional response. Does the energy feel too fast, too slow or sluggish?  Does it feel vibrant or dull and lacklustre?  

 

You may also notice sensations in other parts of your body which seem unrelated to the specific chakra you are working on, but of course they are not!  If this happens, take note of them and then when you’ve finished the meditation, look for the link. For example, if someone suffered from Irritable Bowel Syndrome and was working on the Sacral chakra, but experienced a sensation in their chest, it may be an indication of the emotional effect that the condition was having on them. Or they may feel a sensation in their throat, which could signify that they needed to express how the condition affects them, but previous they haven't really spoken about it. 

 

Results

By taking time to get a 'feel' for each of your chakras through meditating on them individually, your consciousness as a whole will begin to grow.  We begin to see the way our body really works; the relationship between different areas and the effect that external stimuli has on us. For example, if you were worried about something you might assume, quite naturally, that this worry was being experienced in your head (where we think), but the physical effects may actually be felt in your stomach - worry can make us feel sick and excessive mental stress can result in a stomach ulcer. Therefore, we would need to work on the Solar Plexus as well as the Third Eye (Brow) chakra.

As a beginner it would be advisable to start by meditating with each chakra individually, in order to acquaint yourself with their unique properties and links to your body.  As you progress, however, you can choose to work on all seven main chakras in one session, taking time to focus on each in turn (working up from the Base to Crown).  It is not always easy to lay all of the crystals on yourself, so you may need to ask a friend to help.

Whilst it is best to start out with the corresponding crystal for each chakra, if as you progress you feel drawn to use a different crystal, then you must trust your instincts; you can't make a mistake!  

Finishing Your Meditation

When you finish your mediation it is important to remember to ‘ground’ yourself; to bring your energy and focus fully back to the physical. This process applies the same to any subtle energy work undertaken; meditation, healing, divination, etc. A cup of tea and a biscuit is always a good way to do this (any non-alcoholic drink and a snack will suffice) or even a walk in the garden if you have access to one.

It takes time and experience to piece the bits of information together, but the energy of the crystals will automatically help to balance and realign your chakras when you use them without any conscious input or effort.

It can be very useful to keep a chakra diary; to record any sensations, emotions or images felt or experienced when working with your disc set. Over time this is a very effective way of learning the relationship between crystals and color and the effect they have on different areas of your body. 

Basic Chakra Meditation Techniques

Meditation is the process of expanding your awareness. Meditation is the process of silencing your thoughts and getting in touch with the deepest part of yourself. Meditation makes you powerful, happy, and eventually enlightened. 

The best time to meditate is in the morning after you have taken a shower. If you meditate in the morning, you will have a great day. Your aura will be pumped up, and you will have more fun and energy during the day. According to the Dalai Lama, “Meditating in the morning gives you a good mental state that will positively affect your whole day.”

The next best time to meditate is early in the evening around sunset. You should start by meditating 15 minutes twice a day. You can sit on the floor on a cross-legged position with your back against the wall, or against the edge of your bed, or you can sit on a chair. The important thing is that your back is straight. When you sit down to meditate you should listen to music that will help you relax? The music of Zazen, Kitaro, or Joaquin Lievano is highly recommended. In particular, the album entitled “Enlightenment” by Zazen will help you block out all of the thoughts and impressions from the world, just like if you were sitting on top of a mountain. 

While meditating, you are going to concentrate on three different chakras or energy centers. A chakra is an energy center that exists within the subtle physical body – the body of energy. The body of energy contains your aura, which is a protective shield of energy that surrounds your body, your chakras, and other energy channels. The chakras are circles of energy where energy lines connect within the body. These energy points, also called meridians, are used in acupuncture to stimulate the body's energy flow. According to Mantak Chia, “Acupuncture and Chinese medicine are based on a person's ability to maintain the proper circulation of the bioelectric energy throughout the body. This energy is what the Chinese call chi, and it can be stored and generated by concentration on the chakras.”

The subtle physical body is not perceptible to most individuals. However, it is visible with the help of Kirlian photography. According to the writings of John Iovine in Kirlian photography: A Hands-On Guide, "This type of photography uses high-voltage electricity to expose film. The high-voltage electricity creates a corona discharge around the bject being photograph that allows us to see the image of the energy that surrounds the object."

According to Rama – Dr. Frederick Lenz, “We have seven main chakras, but by concentrating on just three of them, we will awaken all of them.” First, concentrate on the navel center— the center for power. It is located about one inch below your navel. Place your fingers there while you meditate to help you concentrate in that area. Then, concentrate on the heart center — the center for balance and happiness. It is located in the center of the chest. Again, place your fingers there while you meditate to help you concentrate in that area. Finally, concentrate on the third eye — the center for wisdom. It is located in the center the forehead, right above the eyebrows. Place the fingers there while you meditate to help you concentrate. 

Concentrate on each center for 5 minutes. You should keep your eyes closed while you are meditating. When you are meditating, you are trying to move your energy from the navel chakra up the spine to the heart, and then up the spine to the third eye. If thoughts come in and out of your mind, just ignore them. Focus on the music and concentrate on your chakras. Sometimes you will feel a warm sensation or energy vibrating around your chakras. Concentrate on that feeling or just concentrate on the pressure of your finger over that area. 

At the end of a session, we always bow down to the ground, this our way of giving the meditation to Eternity, of letting go of it, and letting go of ourselves. Finally, remain quiet for a few minutes in order to absorb the energy that you have generated during your meditation.

You could also try meditating with your eyes open and concentrating on a yantra. A yantra is a geometrical design that was created in Tibet. It is an ancient secret tool for empowerment. It symbolizes a relational representation of the forces of the Universe. Life is very much like a yantra, in the sense that life is truly relational. True wisdom is to see and understand your relationship with the Universe. When you start to understand your relationship with the Universe, then success, happiness and love will follow. Concentration and meditation are tools that will help you clear your mind, so that you can understand where you belong in life. 

If you are serious about meditation, you should start by meditating 15 minutes twice a day, then increase that time to 30 minutes, then 45 minutes, and eventually 1 hour twice a day. You should also meditate with a teacher of meditation as often as you can. 

According to Master Fwap Sam-Dup of the Rae-Chroze-Fwaz Order of Tantric Buddhism, “Every person has, within the subtle physical body, three powerful channels of energy. The two channels on the sides are called the Ida and the pin gala. The center channel is the shushumna.”

When you are meditating, you are trying to awaken the shakti energy that is dormant at the base of the spine in the lowest chakra. By concentrating on the different chakras, you are awakening this energy and moving it up the spine through the shushumna, which is the main channel of energy. As this energy passes through each chakra, different states of consciousness are experienced. 

The chakras can be represented by seven small yantras, this way you can get a geometrical representation of each energy center. Each chakra is also represented by a mantra. 

The Muladhara, or root chakra, is located at the base of the spine. This is gathering center of shakti energy. Its symbol is a square with an inverted triangle. In the center of this yantra is the snake symbol of the latent shakti energy. Its mantra is lam. 

The svadhishthana, or sex center, is located in the center of the pelvic region. It is the center for sexual energy. Its form is a circle with six petals, containing a white crescent moon. The center is inscribed with the mantra of the water element vam. 

The manipura, or navel center, is located about an inch below the navel. This is the center of willpower and energy. It is represented as a lotus with ten pedals. Within the lotus is a red triangle. Its mantra is ram. 

The anahata, or heart center, is located in the center of the chest. It is the center of balance, love, and harmony. Its form is a lotus of twelve petals with a hexagon in the center. Its mantra is yam. 

The vishuddha, or throat center, is located at the base of the throat. This is the center of creativity. Its symbol is the sixteen-petal lotus with a downward pointing triangle. At the center of the symbol is the ether element. Its mantra is ham. 

The ajna chakra, or third eye, is located in the center of the forehead. It is the center for wisdom and psychic seeing. Its form is a circle with two petals and an inverted triangle bearing a lingam emblem. Its mantra is om. 

The sahasrara, or crown chakra, is located at the top of the head. It is also called the thousand-petal lotus of light. This chakra represents the ultimate goal of meditation, the union of shiva and shakti.  It is represented by an inverted lotus of a thousand petals.

Symbolically, it is showering the subtle body with its spiritual radiance. 

The ida and the pingala help you to move the shakti energy from the lowest chakra, up the spine through the shushumna, and through all the chakras, so that you can reunite with the shiva energy with its shakti. The union of the dynamic shakti with shiva brings power, liberation, and enlightenment. 

When you initially practice meditation, it might not seem like you are doing anything, and you may find yourself just thinking a lot. But, as long as you are trying, you are doing something. It is like doing push-ups: the more you practice, the stronger you become. After you practice meditation for a while, you will begin to see and feel the difference. Your mind will become clear, sharp, and defined. You will feel better, and you will be more in touch with everything in your life.

In Secular Meditation, the Dalai Lama states, “Meditation is the instrument to transform and shape our mind. Meditation should not be considered a religious subject. Compassion, love, forgiveness, spiritual harmony, sense of brotherhood, all of those things is religious subjects. Meditation is the training of the mind. Meditation makes the mind more alert. Concentrating on one point in meditation helps you to develop your analytical mind. Therefore, more success, determination, self-confidence, and willpower will come into your life.”  

This is the basic guide to chakra meditation. If you follow this program, you will find a tremendous increase in your mental awareness. Most people who do this see dramatic increases in their level of personal power and success. You will accrue more power and higher levels of mind will start to open for you. According to Sri Sathya Sai Baba, “True meditation helps us discover our inner identity. It enables us to hear the divine voice in our heart, which illuminates the path ahead. It allows us to perceive and develop greater qualities.”

Roger Cantu is a teacher of meditation and self-discovery. He is the president of the Meditation Club – an organization dedicated to teaching meditation. He has studied with of great spiritual teachers, including: Bhagawan Sri Sathya Sai Baba, Rama – Dr. Frederick Lenz, and Lama Ole Nydahl. Roger Cantu teaches under the spiritual guidanceof Khenpo Choga Rinpoche the 33rd Dzogchen Lineage Holder of Tibetan Buddhism.

The Breathless Samadhi Chakra Meditation Posture

One of the persistent challenges of meditation is posture.   From one point of view meditation can be practiced in any posture.  There are many wonderful dynamic types of meditation.  However, for the person wishing to gain skill in the quiet phase of meditation, posture is an important consideration.  For example, a reclining posture may lead a person to drowsiness because that is the posture we commonly adopt for sleeping.  The purpose of quiet meditation is to achieve a state of deep physical relaxation, but at the same time to maintain a high level of alertness.

A standing posture is not suitable for deep relaxation because a relatively high level of muscle tension is required to keep the body balanced while standing.  Sitting postures provide the middle path of allowing relaxation while at the same time promoting alertness.

Many sitting postures are used for meditation.  Probably the three best postures for sitting meditation are the Diamond Posture (kneeling Japanese style), the Lotus Posture (one or both feet folded up over the thighs), and sitting upright in a chair (for those whose legs and knees are not suited to the Diamond or Lotus poses).

As a meditating person goes deeper into his meditation, the body relaxes.  If there is any fatigue in the system, there may be a tendency to slump.  The head lolls forward, and the chest caves in.    The body may begin to lean against a chair back, a wall, a bedstead, a tree or any other convenient object.   As the body reclines, the head no longer sits erect on the neck.  Soon gravity imposes a variety of pressures on the neck, back, and internal organs.

The Breathless Samadhi Chakra Meditation Posture is a simple way to resolve this problem.  In the next few paragraphs I will describe the key points of this posture using the chakra system as a mnemonic guide.  Immortal aspect of the individual.  It is light energy and connects to the Sun as the physical representation of the Higher Self.  The “posture” for the Light Body chakra is simply an intention to dedicate one’s thoughts and activities to the Highest Good of all.  This is called Bodhicitta, the Thought of Enlightenment for All Beings. 

Chakra 1

Khat (The Physical Body or Root Chakra) this chakra forms the physical   foundation for successful meditation.   The correct posture is Mula Bandha with Aswini Mudra also held as a bandha. Men and women both gently contract thes phincter muscles of the anus.  Men also gently contract the perineum muscles, and women gently contract the vaginal muscles.  This integrates the Root all the way to the Crown. 

Chakra 2

Ka (The Electric Body or Sex Chakra) this chakra contains the trigger for the powerful Kundalini energy.  The proper posture for this chakra is Vajroli Mudra for men and  Sahajoli Mudra for women.  These mudras should be held gently as bandhas (i.e. pretty much continuously) without straining.  Basically the posture involves a gentle contraction of the smooth muscles of the urethra.

  

Chakra 3

Sekhem (The Chemical Body or Solar Plexus or Belly Chakra)  This Belly chakra controls digestion and breathing.    Do not meditate on a full stomach.  It is best to meditate about an hour after a light snack and several hours after a larger meal.  The correct posture for the Belly is Uddiyana Bandha.  This involves gently pulling the Belly inward without straining.  

 As the belly muscles pull the lower abdomen in, the intestines push the diaphragm upward.  This in turn pushes all the air out of the lungs, preparing you for the breathless state.  It also generates a sense of alertness.  

You do not need air in the lungs because in the breathless samadhi you stop breathing.  The breath may not completely stop, but will greatly reduce in volume and pace.  There is no forcing or holding of the breath.  The meditation process combined with Uddiyana and Jalandhara will suffice to reduce breathing greatly. 

Breathe spontaneously as needed.  My theory of this phenomenon is that during the breathless samadhi the body shifts to a different mode and internally generates from its own body water whatever oxygen and hydrogen it needs for cellular metabolism.

Chakra 4

Ab (The Heart Body or Heart Chakra) this chakra is the centerpiece of successful meditation. If the posture slumps, it puts pressure on the Heart chakra and tends to shut it down. The Heart chakra should be open.  The Egyptians optimized for this in the physical body by using what they called “Prisoner Pose”. (See my article on Egyptian mudras.)  Holding this pose is Anahata Bandha.  Place the hands behind the back, and pull the shoulders back so that the chest expands forward.

This automatically tends to open the Heart chakra and produces clearer, more comfortable meditation experiences. The hands may be clasped or rest on a pillow or seat cushion behind the sacral area or buttocks. Experiment to find what is the best placement of palms and fingers for the sitting posture and for whatever cushions you use.

Chakra 5

Ren (The Name Body or Throat Chakra)   this chakra is for expressing thoughts in speech.  It also partially controls the flow of breath.  During the breathless samadhi meditation speech and breath are reduced to faint mental activity or none at all.  The correct posture for the throat is Jalandhara Bandha, the Throat Lock.    Tuck the chin downward without straining.  This slows the breath and heart beat.   It also reduces the flow of blood to the brain, further reducing mental activity.   It generally reduces the metabolism rate and stabilizes awareness. 

Chakra 6

BA (The Prana Body or Brow Chakra)    this chakra relates to the breath, thoughts, and the visual attention.  The breath and thoughts will naturally follow the meditation process and the influence of the correct postures of the other chakras into a state of extreme reduction.  Breath may even stop for short or extended periods. 

The visual aspect of the BA is placing of the attention very gently in the foveae spot.  This is the small circular area in the middle of the visual field where the highest visual resolution resides.  Imagine looking at a small circle or other small object about six or seven inches in front of you.    

You can actually do that for about a minute and then close the eyes but gently keep attention on the small circular area in the center of the visual field.  This procedure, known as Trataka, assists the opening of the Inner Eye of Wisdom.  Do not concentrate or put a lot of attention on trying to hold the attention there.  During the transcending process of meditation the focus of the attention will disappear as you follow the mantra.

 

Chakra 7

Khaybet (The Shadow Body or Crown Chakra)   This chakra represents the integration of all aspects of the individual and his world and is embodied in the technique of meditation [dhyana] that you use.  Silent mantra meditation is generally the best way to enter the breathless state.  I recommend the Transcendental Meditation technique (TM) as taught by Maharishi Mahesh Yogi. This japa technique of Dhyana meditation is easy to learn and simple to practice.

It involves the proper use of a meditation mantra that quickly and effortlessly will take the attention to subtler states of awareness and into transcendental pure awareness.  Methods of meditation that involve breathing are fine for certain purposes, but generally do not lead to the “Breathless” Samadhi. If a person is not inclined to practice TM, and prefers another meditation, that is fine.  Practice whatever technique that you enjoy.

General Remarks

At the beginning of meditation sit comfortably and assume the pose described above.   Adjust each “chakra” area gently to its proper attitude and then begin the meditation.  During the meditation  the attention will shift and transcend, following the mantra and with thoughts also  intervening from time to time.    

When you find the attention on thoughts, check the posture of each chakra and then go back to the meditation process.  In other words, during a twenty-minute meditation session you may readjust the posture several times.  You can very briefly run through the postures of the physical chakras one through six in sequence (Mula, Vajra, Uddiyana, Anahata, Jalandhara and Trataka) and then resume the Dhyana meditation.  

This is much more preferable than allowing the body to gradually slump into awkward positions or trying to hold a rigid posture.  You will find that as your meditation practice progresses the experience will become increasingly profound and pleasant.  If not, first have your meditation checked by a trained meditation guide.  Then make sure your posture is correct.    Remember that correct meditation practice always takes precedence over “correct” posture.  

 

If you are tired or not feeling fully healthy, you will probably find that it takes more effort to sit in correct posture.    At that time do not strain to do so.  It is better to go sleep for a while and then give the meditation another go.    If you are not feeling healthy, continue your meditation routine, but do not try to force yourself to sit in the correct posture.  You will find that as the health increases it will be easier to sit up correctly.  I also highly recommend practicing a light regimen of Hatha Yoga postures to keep the body flexible and in good health.  

You may substitute other similar routines.  Personally I find full Lotus Posture the most comfortable and Diamond Posture the next best.  Ancient Egyptians publicly practiced the Diamond Posture.  Often they crouched on their toes to raise the heels higher.    During group meditations they used the Prisoner Pose variation. 

There is some evidence in papyrus documents that they also used  Full Lotus Posture in the more advanced meditations and yogic procedures in the temples, but they did not illustrate this posture publicly on walls or in statues such as the Indians did and still do.  They also trained youths in Hatha (Khat) yoga and various dynamic acrobatic and athletic regimens as well as martial arts.

If you have any comments or suggestions about this posture or would like to share experiences or research, you may contact me by email: dpedtech@dpedtech.com, Re: Breathless Samadhi.  Please note that this information is for personal research and entertainment purposes only.   You assume full responsibility for any results or lack thereof obtained by the postures described in this article.

Meditation 3D Images, Photos