Words are a double-edged sword!🔗

Words are a double-edged sword! Whatever words you use outside to others, you will be unconsciously using the same words on yourself. Don't think that you can use harsh words outside and peaceful words to yourself! These words which arise out of your unconsciousness can cut both ways. In the Vedas, spiritual aspirants are counseled to always speak words which are satyam, priyam, hitam (truthful, pleasing and beneficial). Of these, hitam is considered the most important: a truth that is not going to benefit the listener in any way is better left unspoken. This is not just a moral code. It is a powerful technique for cleansing your own inner space. Once you realize this, you will be careful how you use your words – not only for the sake of others, but for your own sake also.

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At all times, keep your awareness on the words you are using. Whenever you use a harsh word or abuse someone else, just visualize that the same word has bounced off the other person and is penetrating you. The same word is vibrating inside you. The word is resonating inside you; it is describing you! In the same way, whenever you say a positive, compassionate word to another, visualize that the healing energy is flowing towards you also. The same peace is circulating inside you.

This is actually the truth. Words are energy, words are consciousness. The same consciousness which you direct at the outer world is naturally directed at the inner world also.

Actually, once you start using your words consciously, the very awareness will make you drop the words which are expressing violence. And once you taste the peace that comes with speaking healing words, you will no longer have to make an effort to censor your speech!

ABOUT THE TECHNIQUE

There are so many voices inside you! Though you are never aware of it, most of your opinions are inherited or borrowed. Parents, family, teachers, society – all kinds of people are sitting inside you and giving their opinions about how you should lead your life. Many of these may be voices you heard long ago, when you were a child – but they are powerfully influencing the choices you make even today. Now, if you want to find your own voice in this commotion, you will have to filter out layers and layers of other noises!

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When you are speaking, arguing, giving an opinion, just watch inside. Who is really speaking?

At first it may seem like your own voice, but soon you will be able to find out - it is your father, or your teacher, or somebody else whose voice has been stronger than your own.

When you are expressing an opinion that belongs to someone else, the moment you put your awareness on it, you will start feeling a certain shaking happening.

If this happens, just stop speaking. First be sure of what your real opinion is! If you lose an argument or two, it doesn't matter. It is important to be authentic to yourself.

When you are really speaking in your own 'voice', the expression will have a totally different quality. You will speak firmly without being assertive, because you are convinced in your being of what you are saying.

Learn to trust in and live by your own intuition, rather than readymade opinions. Understand, however precious an idea or opinion is, it is of value to you only when it becomes your own experience.

THE AURA

The aura is a subtle shield of bio-energy that surrounds the body and interpenetrates it to some extent. Auras not only reflect our distinctive personalities but are also a barometer of energy fields within our body, warning us of impending trouble well in advance The aura is a protective shield that keeps you healthy and joyful. However, stress and illness may adversely affect your aura. Certain diseases can even cause gaps in it. When something blocks the energy flow within the aura, the shield weakens, making you unhappy, depressed or sick. To those who can see it, the aura appears as a field of subtle, luminous radiation surrounding a person or object.

CHAKRAS: AN INTRODUCTION

Chakras are subtle energy centers in our body. The word chakra literally translates as wheel or disk. Chakras are visualized as spinning wheels or flowers with different numbers of petals. The main subtle energy channels of our body (nadis) are the ida (left), pingala (right) and sushumna (central) channels, which run along the spinal column. They correspond roughly to the sympathetic, parasympathetic, and central nervous system. Since the nadis run in a curved path, they cross one another several times. At the points of intersection, they form strong energy centers. These are the chakras.

Chakras are subtle energy powerhouses which are responsible for spinning and drawing the universal life-force (prana) into the body. They also act as batteries to store this energy and distribute it to the surrounding areas of the body. Each chakra influences bodily functions near its region of the spine. The chakras roughly correspond to, and influence the activity of, the important glands of the body. They interact with the body's ductless endocrine glands and lymphatic system by feeding in good bio-energies and disposing of unwanted bio-energies. They are linked to the nerve ganglia (plexus) of the body and influence nervous functions as well. The seven major chakras also correlate with different states of consciousness, and are directly linked to the ascent of the kundalini shakti in the body. The effort of all kundalini yoga is to awaken the tremendous kundalini shatki (the universal life-force which lies latent in us). The kundalini lies coiled and sleeping at the base of the spine. When aroused through yogic disciplines, the kundalini ascends up the spine, passing through the increasingly subtle chakras, until union with the Divine energy is achieved in the sahasrara chakra at the crown of the head.

Thus, the chakras are influential at every level of our functioning. They are responsible for keeping the spiritual, mental, emotional and physical health of the body in balance.

Although they have no definite physical location, these energy centers are represented in the physical body as aligned in an ascending column from the base of the spine to the top of the head. The seven major chakras are Mooladhara, Swadishthana, Manipuraka, Anahata, Vishuddhi, Ajna and Sahasrara.

The mooladhara chakra (root center) is located in the sacral area, at the base of the spine. The swadishthana chakra (spleen center) is located two inches above the mooladhara chakra and two inches below the navel The manipuraka chakra (navel center) is located at the navel, two inches above the swadishthana chakra. The anahata chakra (heart center) is located in the heat region, in the center of the chest. The vishuddhi chakra (throat center) is located in the hollow of the throat. The ajna chakra (brow center) is located on the forehead, between the eyebrows. The sahasrara chakra (crown center) is located on the crown of the head.

Strictly speaking, the chakras are not present in the physical body at all. They exist on the metaphysical plane, and link together our three shareeras or bodies.

The individual is made up of three shareeras - the physical or gross body (sthula sharira), the mental or subtle body (sukshma sharira) and the causal body (karana sharira). While the five layers (body, breath, mind, intelligence and bliss layers) are categorized according to their functions, the three bodies are categorized according to the states of consciousness where they come into play. Each of the shareeras or bodies is associated with a particular state of consciousness. The physical body is the body we know in the waking state, which eats, speaks, moves about and so on.

This is the only body we are really familiar with. The mental body is what we use when we dream. While our body is lying fast asleep in our bed at home, in our dream we may be traveling in another country. How does this happen? At this time, we are using the mental body to travel around! In the dream state, the mental body is as real and functional as the physical body in the waking state. We also use our mental body in the waking state to think, verbalize, visualize and so on. The causal body is the one we use when we are in deep restful dreamless sleep. It is made up of pure tamas (inertness). During our sleep cycle there are phases when the mind becomes dormant and there are no thoughts. This is the time when we experience the causal body.

These three bodies are not separate as we may think. They are tightly coupled. Consider two curved lines drawn on a piece of paper in such a way that they intersect at seven different points. If one of the lines represent the physical body, the other line represents the subtle body and the paper represents the causal body, the seven points at which the physical and the subtle body meet the causal body are the locations of the seven chakras or energy centers. So the seven chakras are present at the intersection of the physical, subtle and the causal body. Some recent research in aura photography has been able to even photograph these energy centers.

The seven chakras are associated with particular emotions in our Being. What is the relationship between chakras and emotions?

All emotions, both good and bad, are nothing but the effect of the engraved memories or samskaras which we have accumulated in the past. When you are carrying too many negative samskaras, naturally the energy flow in the body will not be smooth. In particular, samskaras block the energy hubs or chakras, causing physical and mental disturbances. Most of our diseases are psychosomatic. They have their roots in the mind. What we see is just the effect and so we never really understand this mind-body connection. When a particular chakra gets blocked, the part of the body near that chakra gets affected.

Each of our major chakras is related to some emotion in us. For example, love is related to the anahata chakra, the heart center. Worry is related to the manipuraka chakra, the navel energy center. That is why, if you receive some news that worries you, the first blow will be to your stomach. You will say, ‘I can’t digest it!’ or ‘I can’t stomach that!’ These expressions can be found in many languages around the world.

Kirlian photography has recorded the effect of emotions on the chakras. If an emotion is handled properly, the corresponding chakra functions well, expanding to the size of even a cartwheel! If the emotion is not handled properly, the corresponding chakra shrinks to the size of even a coat button, which causes low energy in the system. This low energy ultimately manifests as disease in the mind-body system

Several factors like childhood problems, societal conditioning, improper habits, physical and emotional injuries, or even just lack of attention, affect the energy flow through the chakras.

Ultimately, all these energy blocks are caused by the absence of awareness. When we flood awareness on the chakra, it is washed clean of negative emotions, and we start radiating positive emotions like love and compassion. Keeping the chakras clean and energized is essential not only for our physical health, but for our mental and emotional well-being, and spiritual growth as well.

Your aura is a protective energy shield around your body. If your aura is strong and healthy, you cannot catch an illness even if you are in a high-risk environment. Do you know, all your diseases express in your energy body at least six months before they are physically expressed! Just by checking the health of your aura, you can get advance warning of many physical diseases. On some days, we feel exhausted for no reason, even when we are in good health, and even when we haven't been doing any strenuous work. If this happens to you, it is possible that you are living or working in an environment where a lot of subtle negative vibrations are being transmitted by people, mostly unconsciously. People are constantly broadcasting their tension, their anxiety, their anger, in subtle waves. If you don't know how to protect yourself, you may pick up these vibrations automatically. When your aura is strong, it can work as a protective shield around you. Your aura is a field of conscious energy. It is your point of interchange with the cosmic life-force. When you sensitize yourself to your aura, you are accessing an inexhaustible source of positive energy.

Step 1:

Before you go to sleep, sit up on your bed. Visualize an aura of energy around you. It is about six inches wide, surrounding your body like a halo. This aura is caring and protective. Nothing can enter it. No outside vibration can affect you. Feel the loving energy of this aura. After a few minutes, fall asleep inside this aura. Feel as if you are falling asleep in the lap of the Divine.

Step 2:

When you wake up in the morning, don't open your eyes right away. Again feel this protective aura for a few minutes before you get out of bed. Keep this aura with you throughout your day. This visualization will go deep into your unconscious and give you tremendous energy. You will experience a protective energy that surrounds you and protects you from negative influences at all times.