Rainbow Chakras

The information below comes from The Rainbow Chakra Poster by Terry Saiterthwaite. For details about this poster including the purchase information click this link.

MYSTERIOUS ORIGINS

Ancient in origin, keeper of secrets, the chakras are a system of cosmology, language, dwelling place of deities, the light that shines in every human being. Viewed as a light encoded matrix that created the human dimension of consciousness, they are the rainbow essence of grace. From time memorial they have been incorporated into every religion and faith. They have been the study of all prophets and mystics in their journey toward liberation. They are the Grail Cup that feeds all humankind with an abundance of compassion. Their true origins will forever remain a mystery hidden in the world’s great cosmologies. They are the Seven Lights, the Seven Virgins, the Seven Heavens and the Seven Seals. We will someday come to understand them from a DNA-Light scientific view as well as from a spiritual embrace of unity.

Together they compose the Aura of humanity, our interconnected breath. Just as the rainbow reflects the visible vapors of the Earth’s life, the chakras reflect the radiance of our interconnected being. When void of emotional stress and thought confusion, the universal nature of being is known. We call it Unconditional Love. When this love is experienced, we feel happy, elated and well. Experiencing the inner connectedness of all living things is the key to consciousness transformation. Working with the chakras using breath, visualization -yantra – and sound – mantra – can bring about an experience of this interconnectedness of all things.

NOTE ~ SANSKRIT ~ VOWEL
Sound is the primordial essence of light. Using sound while visualizing colored light is an age-old practice to clear and cleanse the charkas. A simple and powerful exercise is to chant the Sanskrit sounds in repetition, like for example LAM, LAM, LAM, LAM, LAM, LAM, LAM, LAM. On inhale imagine that you are inhaling colored light of the chakra that you are working with, and on exhale make the corresponding sound.

Vowels are toned using the colors of the rain&ow. On exhale, for example, make a tonal sound of all the vowels together AH-A-I-E-O-U, The note scale can also be applied to the toning exercise to increase the effects. A daily practice of toning the vowels or chanting the Sanskrit sounds will clear and cleanse your charkas, strengthening your energy field.

LA ~ OM ~ U
so ham o
fa yam e
me ram i
ra vam a
do lam ah

SAHASRARA ~ CROWN

Sahasara is the place of chitta – love -, the self-luminous soul or essence of being. Manifesting in the area extending from just above the crown of the head to the area above the “third eye”, it is associated with the brain centers of the cerebral plexus. The yantra or form of this chakra is a lotus of a thousand petals arranged above the cranium like an umbrella covered with golden white light. The petals contain within them the totality of all pure sounds, including those contained within the Sanskrit language. The yogi who has raised the primordial life force energy found in the breath or “prana” up to this chakra is ” sat-chit-ananda”, truth being bliss, the most elevated state of consciousness. When the prana reaches the highest point of this chakra, the illusion of duality ceases to exist, and the yogi lives in a world of non-duality and non-attachment.

The Sahasrara chakra has no manifest sound; it is the sound of silence, a steady stream of ever-present silence, the backdrop of everything. It is where the frequency of AUM, or OM, originates, and then continues to manifest as sound in the Ajna chakra at the brow.

AJNA ~ BROW

The Ajna chakra is found at the brow between the eyes at the center of the forehead. It is associated with the pineal plexus and medulla plexus. The pineal gland is connected with Ajna, which emerges in the embryo on the 49th day after conception. This is the number of letters in the Sanskrit alphabet and the number of days one spends in the intermediate state before reincarnation according to the Tibetan Book of the Dead. The two hemispheres of the brain are also connected to this chakra. When the left and right sides of the brain are united the true nature of reality can be seen and the experience of duality ceases. We see the world as a united Heaven and Earth. Its yantra is a luminescent white circle with two lotus petals representing the end of duality, the union of love and compassion. The element associated with Ajna is Mahat or Mahatattva. It is the supreme element within which the essences of all the other elements exist. Those who have raised their Kundalini to this energy center have attained the awareness of their own divinity and see this reflection in others.

The seed sound or primary sound is OM, It is from the sound OM that all the remaining letters of the Sanskrit alphabet emerge, and it is also into the sound OM that all Sanskrit letters dissolve. OM is the alpha and the omega, the beginning and the end. The petal sounds are KSHAM and HAM.

VISHUDDA ~ THROAT

The Vishuddha Chakra is located at the throat and extending out to the shoulders. The thyroid gland, which regulates the internal organs of the human system, is associated with this chakra. This chakra is about communication and creative expression. Its elemental fuel is aether, which is a composite element of water, earth, fire and air. The DNA matrix, which is the base core of all composite things in the universe, is represented in this chakra. The yantra of Vishuddha is a circle with a downward facing trine inside it. Sixteen lotus petals, sky blue in color, representing the sixteen voids of space, surround this circle. It is space, like the clear blue sky offering the unlimited possibilities found in every moment. It is to remind us that the nature of everything is interdependent, energetic, and prana flows relatively free of restriction from one form to another.

The seed sound of Vishuddha is HAM, made at the back of the throat. The sixteen petal sounds of its yantra are the vowels of the Sanskrit language: AM, AAM, IM, IEM, UM, UUM, REM, REEM, LEM, LEEM, EM, EEM, OM, AUM, ANM, AHM.

ANAHATA ~ HEART

The Anahata chakra manifest at the center of the chest, the heart level. This chakra is often referred to as the true mind or the center of being. Anahata’s element is air, the wind, the breeze and the breath. It is to remind us that everything is in a constant state of flux or change in the world we live in. Its yantra is a six pointed star made up of two overlapping triangles representing the harmonic balance achieved when the energies of Shiva, the infinite supreme consciousness, and Shakti, the eternal energy of supreme consciousness, are united. Surrounding this yantra is a circle of twelve forest green lotus petals representing the twelve stages of dependent origination found in the Heart Sutra teachings of the Buddha. These stages represent a symbolic view of the stages of creation: Mental, Consciousness, Mental Material, Sense Base, Contact, Feeling, Craving, Attachment, Becoming, Birth, Aging & Death, and Rebirth. Those who have raised their prana to the Anahata chakra emanate the energies of love, peace, and clarity. They have faith in themselves and they are an inspiration to others.

The seed sound of Anahata is YAM, made at the soft palate at the roof of the mouth. Anahata has twelve petal sounds in the Sanskrit language they are: KAM, KHAM, GAM, GHAM, NAM, CAM, CHAM, JAM, JHAM, NAM, TAM, THAM.

MANIPURA ~ SOLAR PLEXUS

The Manipura chakra is located a few inches above the navel. This chakra represents our personal beliefs and will center. Its yantra is an inverted triangle of fiery red symbolizing the element of fire. The circle surrounding this yantra has ten petals representing the Eight Fold Path and the refuge of Body and Speech. The Eight Fold Path is core to all of Buddha’s teachings. It includes Right View, Right Intention, Right Speech, Right Action, Right Livelihood, Right Effort, Right Meditation, and Right Concentration. Taking refuge involves recognition of the three sacred vessels: Body, Speech, and Mind. Body and Speech are primordial expressions or reflections of the Bodhi or Mind, the state of unconditional love. It is through practice of the Eight Fold Path that we can enter into expanded states of awareness and lead kinder lives while liberating ourselves from the effects of cyclic duality.

The seed sound of Manipura is RAM, made at the forward slope of the roof of the mouth. The ten petal sounds in the Sanskrit language for this chakra are: DAM, DHAM, NAM, TAM, THAM, DAM, DHAM, NAM, PAM, and PHAM.

SVADISTHANA ~ PELVIC

The Svadhishthana Chakra appears at the pelvic area. This chakra represents our sexuality but also the core of our creative energy. In the esoteric teachings of the chakras it is viewed as the first chakra. Water is the elemental counterpart symbolizing the water womb from which we are all born. Every human being on this planet emerged from our mother’s water womb into the world. The yantra of Svadhishthana is a silver crescent representing the moon inside a white circle. Surrounding this, there is a circle with six lotus petals. The six petals are symbolic of the states of mind associated with the teachings of Samsara/Nirvana, the eternal cycle of birth, death and rebirth. The six Samsaric stages are Attachment, Pain, Struggle, Fear, Action and Passion. The counterparts in the Nirvanic stages are Compassion, Kindness, Generosity, Love, Attitude, and the goal of Enlightenment for the benefit of others. The transformation of vision from Samsaric to Nirvanic occurs via a spiritual path.

The seed sound is of Svadhishthana is VAM and is made at the lips. The sounds of the six lotus petals in the Sanskrit language are BAM,’B HAM, MAM, YAM, RAM, and LAM.

MULADHARA ~ ROOT

The Muladhara chakra forms at the base of the tailbone. This chakra represents our ability to manifest, to bring into being. It’s element is Earth, the grounding force. In the esoteric teachings of the chakras it is considered to be the second chakra. We emerge from our watery womb into the earth; and we can now take root and grow. It is this rooting process which can assist us in no longer being at the effects of Samsaric vision. Buddha taught that the effects of Samsara could be eliminated within us by embracing The Four Noble Truths – everything is in a constant state of change; due to attachments we have sensations which arise; perceptions within us determine the sensations as good or bad; and liberation from these perceptions is possible. It is through an understanding of The Four Noble Truths that we can begin to stabilise the effects of our past karma and begin to develop as kinder beings. Elevating our prana beyond this chakra we are released from the heavy influence of attachment to external things.

The seed sound for Muladhara is LAM and it has four petal sounds in the Sanskrit language: VAM, SSAM, SAM, SHAM.