First Steps in Mastering the Chakras

Joanne Karpinen, Ph.D. DCEP

ACEP Consultant for DCEP Certification

~

Eden Energy Medicine Certified Practitioner Eden Energy Medicine Foundations Teacher

Presentation Outline

• Introduction: What is a chakra?

• Location of the chakras

• Organs/glands and psychological correlates

• Two methods for balancing the chakras

• Three ways to connect the chakras

Objectives

On completion of this program, participants will be able to:

• Name the seven major chakras & identify their locations in relation to the physical body

• Describe at least two physiological (organ/gland) and psychological correlates of each of the seven major chakras

• Be able to clear & balance each chakra

Introduction

• The chakras are major centers of subtle energy that vitalize the body.

• They are vortices of energy that spin clockwise and counterclockwise at multiple levels as they metabolize our life experiences and bring new life force to us.

• They carry our history; family legacies and patterns; and cognitive, emotional and physical habit patterns.

• Some say they carry our karma and past life experiences.

• Always remember - chakra clearing does not have to be complicated or difficult to produce significant, positive changes in every aspect of a person’s life.

Chakra Locations 6th

Third Eye

Forehead

3rd

SolarPlexus

7thCrown

5thThroat

4thHeart

2nd

Sacral

1stRoot

Physiological (Organ/Gland) and Psychological Correlates

• Each chakra has connections to various organs and glands within the body.

• Each chakra also has psychological correlates.

• If you are familiar with these correlates, they can help you identify deeper meanings and additional aspects related to the issue at hand.

• When you treat the chakras you energize the aura & meridians

• The Root Chakra pulls energy up from the earth & sends it back down to the earth

• The Crown Chakra pulls energy down from above & sends energies back upward

• Similar to the double helix form of DNA

The Front and Back Chakras

Root Chakra (First)

• Location: base of spine (coccyx) - ‘pilot light’ • Basic instinctual drives - Tribal Nature

• Earth bound energy – grounds us • Organs/Glands: sexual organs - adrenals (F-F-F) • Psychological: Deep fears, trauma, abuse • Core Issue = Survival ~ right to be here • Unbalanced RC: over/underweight, hoarding, fear &

anxiety, basic restlessness, depression, lack discipline, difficulty standing up for oneself

• Balanced RC: Safety, trust & courage to pursue goals

Sacral Chakra (Second)

• Location: Between top pubic bone & navel (L5 & Sacrum)

• Energy of who we were (unafraid - free - pure) before life’s trials & hurts

• Organs/Glands: Reproductive system, small & large intestines, lower back

• Psychological: Relationships, self-concept & self-acceptance

• Core Issue = Emotions, Sexuality~ right to feel & want

• Unbalanced SC: Guilt, poor boundaries, emotional numbness or over reaction, fear of pleasure

• Balanced SC: Flexible & fluid, ability to feel sexual pleasure, comfortable identifying & feeling emotions

Solar Plexus Chakra (Third)

• Location: above navel (T12 & L1) • Organs/Glands: pancreas, adrenals, stomach, small

intestine, large intestine, liver, gall bladder, spleen • Psychological: fearful of their own & other people’s

emotions, over reactions, emotional blocks, disconnected from personal power, our identity

• Core Issue = power & will ~ right to discover personal power & be free to act on inner authority

• Unbalanced SP: shame, weak personal will, poor self-esteem or dominating, aggressive, blaming

• Balanced SP: strength of will & purpose, self-esteem

Heart Chakra (Fourth)

• Location: Heart (T4-5)

• Organs/Glands: thymus, upper thoracic vertebrae, ribs, lungs, breasts, heart, pericardium, blood circulation

• Psychological: issues regarding forgiveness, grief, closed off to relationships

• Core Issue: love & Relationships ~ right to love & be loved

• Unbalanced HC: holding grudges, inability to love or be loved, jealous, isolated, lack of empathy, lack of forgiveness

• Balanced HC: love, joy, compassion, self-love & acceptance, good relationships, decisions based on love & logic, connects to others. Tricky intersection of ‘best for Me & best for All’

Throat Chakra (Fifth)

• Location: base of throat (C7 & T1)

• Organs/Glands: thyroid, parathyroid, throat, neck, ears, arms, tongue, shoulders, cervical vertebrae, brain stem, occiput

• Psychological: Communication difficulties, blocked artistic expression, unable to speak one’s truth, unable to speak up for oneself or to listen, self-righteousness, rigidity of ideas

• Core Issue: Communication ~ right to speak your truth, be heard and hear the truth

• Unbalanced TC: excessive talking, inability to listen, fear of speaking, not being true to self (inauthentic)

• Balanced TC: clear communication, authentic, creativity

Third Eye Chakra (Sixth)

• Location: mid-brow • Organ/gland: pituitary, hypothalamus, eyes, ears, sinuses,

frontal lobes of brain, skull • Psychological: distorted reality, confusion, cut off from

intuition, difficulty with sight (physical & psychic), illusions, non-imaginative

• Core issue: Intuition & Imagination~ right to see & know deeply

• Unbalanced: unwilling to be truly open-minded, rigid mental constructs, focusing on intelligent thought while denying the intuitive/psychic side, headaches, nightmares

• Balanced: intuitive perception, accurate interpretation, imagination & clear seeing

Crown Chakra (Seventh)

• Location: crown of head

• Organ/gland: pineal, brain, skull

• Psychological: feeling disconnected from spirit & fulfillment of purpose, lost soul connection, apathy, l

• Core Issue: Awareness ~ right to have a spiritual connection

• Unbalanced CC: overly intellectual, spiritual addiction, confusion, dissociation, limited beliefs

• Balanced: unified with our wisdom, pursuit of knowledge, formation of a worldview & spiritual connection/pursuits

Eden Energy Medicine Balancing the Chakras

• Begin at Root Chakra. Move hand two to four inches above the Root in a counterclockwise direction. Circle the width of the body slowly for about 3 minutes – shake hands off.

• Move your hand clockwise over the Root Chakra for about 3 minutes.

• Continue in this manner through all seven chakras.

• NOTE: At Crown Chakra for MEN, move hand CLOCKWISE for 3 minutes; then stabilize COUNTERclockwise for 3 minutes

• End with figure 8 patterns over each chakra to help anchor the healing effects.

• If person gets a headache, do a Crown Pull (stretch the scalp) & move to the Crown Chakra & clear from the Crown down.

Connecting Chakras

Root (primal sense of self)

Sacral (emotional sense of self – childlike wonder)

Solar Plexus (ego identity with boundaries)

~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~

Heart (sense of self expands - love connections)

Throat (self-expression in the world)

3rd Eye (intuition – sense of self transcends ego)

Crown (transcendence – universal connections)

Eden Energy Medicine Ways to Connect Chakras

1. Connect Chakras with hands • One hand on Root Chakra (top of thigh) & other hand on Sacral

Chakra. Hold one minute. Switch hands & hold one minute.

• One hand on Sacral Chakra & one hand on Solar Plexus. Hold 2 min.

• One hand on Solar Plexus & one hand on Heart Chakra. Hold 2 min.

• One hand on Heart Chakra & one hand on Throat Chakra. Hold 2 min

• One hand on Throat Chakra & one hand on 3rd Eye. Hold 2 min.

• One hand on 3rd Eye & one hand on Crown Chakra. Hold 2 min.

2. Make Figure 8s between chakras

3. Taking Down the Flame (Energy Medicine, p. 237 & YouTube)

Lynn Karjala, Ph.D., DCEP & Stephanie Eldringhoff, M.A., DCEP

Breathing the Chakras

• The Comprehensive Energy Psychology program teaches a way to clear negative feelings & beliefs by starting at the top of the Crown Chakra and moving downward. This is followed with instilling positive feelings & beliefs by starting at the Root Chakra & moving upward.

• Focus your breath through each chakra, like an accordion, breathing in new energy and breathing out/releasing the energy of the problem state.

• Breathe in & out of both the front and back chakras at the same time.

• Focus your thought on releasing the problem state from the 7th to the 1st chakra and then instilling the desired state of feeling, belief or action from the 1st to the 7th chakra.

Breathing the Chakras

1. Tune your mind to the problem. 2. Give it a SUDs (Subjective Units of Distress) rating or

simply notice the intensity of the issue in your body sensations.

3. Choose an action verb statement (e.g., “Releasing this ____” or “Healing this ____”).

4. Focus on the 7th chakra and begin conscious breathing, as if the chakra has its own respiration. You can touch the chakra with one or both hands if it helps to sustain the focus.

5. Repeat the action verb statement and take four conscious breaths.

Breathing the Chakras (cont.)

6. Turn your focus to 6th chakra. Touch it with one or both hands if necessary. Repeat the action verb statement. Take four conscious breaths. Consider the image of an accordion so that your focus is breathing in and out of both front and back of the chakra.

7. Repeat step 6 for the 5th, 4th, 3rd, 2nd & 1st chakras.

8. Pause and notice your feelings, thoughts, sensations about the issue. What is your current SUDs rating regarding the problem?

Breathing the Chakras (cont.)

9. Choose a positive state that you want to cultivate opposite to the problem state—a feeling, thought, action or physical response. Put that desired state into a statement: “I am now feeling ____” or “I believe ____now” or “I will now do _____.”

10. State that positive intention out loud.

11. Turn your focus to the 1st chakra and begin breathing through that chakra from front and back and down to the core of the earth. With each breath in, bring the healing state into your core, and release what ever remains of the problem state on the out breath.

Breathing the Chakras (cont.)

12. Continue the process in Step 11 with the 2nd through the 7th chakras, breathing in and out both the front and back of the chakra like an accordion.

13. Pause and notice your feelings, thoughts, sensations about the problem issue and your positive intention. What is your current SUDs rating regarding the problem? To what degree have you embodied the desired, positive intended state?

14. Choose a small action to take as soon as possible to support the new state that is opposite to the old problem state.

Evaluation

Please answer the following evaluation questions:

• Name & locate the seven major chakras.

• What are two physiological (organ/gland) and psychological correlates of each chakra?

• Describe two methods of clearing and balancing the chakras.

Suggested Reading

• Chakras for Beginners by David Pond

• Eastern Body, Western Mind by Anodea Judith

• Energy Medicine by Donna Eden w/ David Feinstein, PhD

• Hands of Light by Barbara Brennan

• Light Emerging by Barbara Brennan

• Vibrational Medicine by Richard Gerber, MD

• Wheels of Life by Anodea Judith