Monday 22 July 2013

How "Real", and "Objective" are the Chakras?


The following article comes from the kheper website which indicates that many "descriptions" of the chakras are not necessarily in accord. The "only" way to know how "real", and "objective" they are may be is through the development of the new emerging paradigm of Multi-Dimensional Science. RS







Within every living body, although on the subtle rather than the gross or physical level, there are said to be a series of energy fields or centres of consciousness, which in traditionalTantric teachings are called chakras [1]("wheels" [2]) or padmas ("lotuses").  They are said to be located either along, or just in front of, the backbone, even though they may express themselves externally at points along the front of the body (navel, heart, throat, etc).  Associated with the chakras is a latent subtle energy, called Kundalini in Shaktism, andtumo in Tibetan Buddhist Tantra.
Speculations and teachings concerning the chakras have occured independently in the religious, spiritual, yogic, and occult traditions of India, China, and the West.  Although having certain basic points in common, these also differ in many details.  So we have a number of different chakra-doctrines that have developed in different esoteric traditions to greater or lesser completeness.

Notes
click on the reference number to return to the point in the essay.

[1] a note regarding pronounciation.  It seems that just about everyone nowadays says "shar-kra".  The origin of this particular pronounciation is unclear, but the fact is that the Sanskrit word cakra is - depending on the accent - either pronounced "cha-kra" with the "a"'s like the "u" in "but", or "cho-kro" with the "o"'s as in "box".  So: "chakra", not "sharkra"
[2] The modern use of the term chakra - "wheel" - claims this is how they appearaer to yogic and clairvoyant perception, but there is no evidence that the tantrics considered or even experienced the chakras in this manner.
[3] Sometimes two lines of chakras are described - one for the front of the body and the other for the back.  See Barbara Brennan's work in this respect.





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