Hi Friend!

I am so glad you are here! Let's go on a journey! Chakras may appear to be another new age fad but it's anything but that! They are part of a much larger philosophy about the composition of the universe and affect our mental, physical, and emotional health and come from an ancient tradition. Yoga is this ancient practice designed to transform and awaken us to our divine nature of pure consciousness (we will have deeper look at this in 7th chakra).

Yoga and the chakras were mentioned first in the vedas(a series of hymns that are the oldest written tradition in India). The vedas were created from an even older tradition in the Aryan culture. The Aryans were said to have come to India on chariots and so the word chakra got its original meaning (wheel) from the chariots of the invading Aryans. The correct sanskrit spelling is actually cakra (pronounced with a cha sound).

The chakras are also mentioned in the Upanishads, and then later in Patanjali's yoga sutras.

Think of chakras as a vortex of energy in the body capable of governing and programming our lives. They are also a big part of a spiritual practice called Kundalini Yoga which takes years to master. Kundalini refers to a life force energy that lies dormant at the base of the spine, like a coiled serpent waiting to ascend. This kundalini energy rises through several energy centres within the body which are called *drum roll please* Chakras!

The chakra system is a profound system for spiritual growth. The chakras exist in our subtle body (the non physical psychic body) which interpenetrates the physical body and is the point at which two nadis (channels through which energy flows) meet. The sushumna is the most important nadi, running down the central axis of the body through the spinal cord. There are 114 chakras in the body, 2 of which are outside the body and 112, there are 7 major chakras which will form the focus of this course.

Mastering the chakras can easily take years. Chakras can be open or closed, excessive or deficient and each one affects the other, just like the mind and body affect each other and are interrelated. If a chakra is blocked, it is difficult for it to receive energy in relation to its elements and characteristics such as love or balance or communication or power, but once chakras are awakened and balanced, it is believed that their transformative effects on the human body will contribute to happiness, energy, health, longevity and mental clarity. My research and personal experience have affirmed this :)

Are you ready to explore the chakra system? Let's do it! It's time to RISE UP and ascend up the energetic ladder of the spinal column :) Let's go!

Love,

Stephenie