Energy Centers and Gemini🔗

Viśuddhi cakra: Expressing one's Uniqueness

There are 7 major energy centers in our body, called cakras in Sanskrit. They are directly connected to our emotions and impact different aspects of our personality and the way we relate to ourselves, others, and to Existence.

Each planet resonates with a particular energy center in the body. Mercury is connected to Viśuddhi cakra, which is located in the throat region. Viśuddhi flowers when you stop comparing yourself to others and express your own uniqueness.

We are always looking to achieve in the outer world. This is the root cause of comparison and the jealousy we feel as a consequence. People respect you only if you have achieved something tangible in the outer world. Educational degrees, beauty titles, company designations, published papers and bank balances are all scales that society uses to grade you.

First of all, you don't need to be graded by anyone, including yourself. Place trust in your own intelligence. There is much you can achieve in the outer world.

But understand that there is much to be achieved in the inner world as well. Outer-world achievements are all incidental. They will get you instant name and fame and money. But the real achievement is in the inner world.

Center yourself well with awareness and simply take part in the outer-world activities like a lotus untouched in a pond. Let the work in the periphery go on undisturbed, but center yourself in your Being. Automatically, you will stop swaying in accordance with the outer world achievements and feel stability and joy in the center of your own Being. Finding your center is the only way out of the whole cycle of comparison with others that does not allow you to express your uniqueness as easily as it could.

Generally, the Ayurvedic dośa (body constitution) related to Gemini is vata.

Vata influences the movement of thoughts, feelings, prana flow, nerve impulse, and fluids in the body.

Let's use this scale:

If you experience symptoms such as anxiety, worry, shyness, a tendency to insomnia, chronic tiredness, mental and emotional depression, physical tension, stress, a weak immune system, headaches, underweight, constipation, dryness of skin, mental confusion, inability to take decisions, fast speech, too many fantasies, then there is a good possibility you are suffering from vata imbalance.

If you have good mental alertness, abundant creative energy, a good elimination system of waste matters, sound sleep, strong immune system, enthusiasm, emotional balance and stability, then the vata principle is balanced in your body.

Here are some of the common characteristics of people who have a predominantly vata body constitution:

○ Quick to learn and grasp new knowledge

○ Slim body

○ Talk and walk quickly

○ Cold hands and feet,

○ Excitable, lively,

○ Changeable moods

○ Respond to stress with fear and worry and anxiety

○ Variable appetite and digestion

○ Tendency to be tired easily

○ Full of enthusiasm and joy ○ Impulsive

○ Generally good management and leadership ability

○ Dry skin, dry hair, don't perspire much

○ Headache, hypertension, sore throat, anxiety, muscle spasm, irregular heartbeat, constipation, winds, diarrhea, arthritis, neurological disorder.

Factors that can balance vata are warm and soothing food with added oil and fat, as well as sweet tastes. Cold items should be avoided and caffeine should be stopped, as it strains vata's nervous system. Mental and emotional peace and lifestyle routines are important to restore and maintain balance. Vata can be corrected by using warm sesame oil for self-massage. If you can't massage the whole body, at least apply warm oil on the feet and scalp. Maintaining a regular routine in terms of eating, sleeping and other activities will also help you to unclutch the mind.

Food items to balance vata:

Warm and cooked food with added oil and fat is good for pacifying vata.

Warm milk, cream, butter, vegetable soups, hot cereals, freshly baked bread, potatoes, cheese and nourishing food are good for stabilizing vata.

On the other hand, food such as salads, iced drinks and ice creams, raw vegetables and greens are not very good for persons with vata imbalance. One should avoid drinks with high caffeine as vata finds it disturbing. As a snack, it is better to prefer nuts that are heavy and oily, as opposed to dry and salty.

All sweet fruits are good for vata. One should avoid unripe fruit that are too astringent. Cinnamon, cardamom, cumin, ginger and cloves should be favored.

Mercury natives can be benefitted through techniques which enhance their natural devotion and ability to perceive higher principles of life. For them, meditations that foster the unclutched state (the state of deep inner peace) are a must!

Here is a meditation for you:

Step 1-Duration: 10 minutes - Sit in vajrāsana (kneel down and sit with your bottom resting on your heels). Place your hands on your hips. By doing this, you are establishing a connection between the upper and lower parts of your body. Chant ‘hoo’ for as long as possible with each exhale. Begin again with each inhale, holding the chant as long as possible as you exhale.

Step 2-Duration: 21 minutes - Continue sitting in vajrāsana. With the hands on the hips, bend down at the hip to touch the forehead to the ground. Continue to chant the ‘hoo’ sound in this position. This meditation will make your whole body to vibrate, contributing to lowering your inner chatter.