Th e 3rd & 4th Chakras

The 3rd Chakra located at your navel center is the last of the three chakras that are associated with the pelvic area. It's associated color is yellow, it's element is fire, and the Ram is the animal that represents this chakra. The following physical ailments may occur in the body when this chakra is out of balance: ulcers, diabetes, and hypoglycemia. Some poses (asanas) that help balance out this chakra are the following: Warrior I pose (Virabhadrasana I), revolving standing postures that build heat and confidence in the body - Revolving Triangle pose (Parvritta Trikonasana), and inversions, such as Headstand (Salamba Sirasana) or Handstand (Adho Mukha Vrksasana).

Joesph Campbell describes the 3rd Chakra as follows:

The function of Chakra III is organizing your life, establishing a family, building a business, learning how to master the world in terms appropriate to your condition and place. Self maintenance, family maintenance, society maintenance, world maintenance, - but maintenance in the sense of transformation: life is maintained, not in a petrified condition, but in a growth condition, as is a tree by the gardener that cultivates it.

The 4th Chakra or the Heart Chakra is said to be the opening to the spiritual dimension. The color associated with it is green, it's element is air, and it's function is love. When this chakra is out of balance the following symptoms may occur: high blood pressure, heart disease, lung disease, and asthma. The following asanas can help bring this chakra back into balance: Cobra pose (Bhujangasana), Camel pose (Ustrasana), and Wheel pose (Urdhva Dhanurasana), or any other back bend pose that opens up and expands the chest or heart center.

The Sanskrit name for the Heart Chakra is Anahata meaning unstruck. Joseph Campbell says:

All the sounds that we hear are made by two things striking together. What would the sound be that is not made by two things striking together? It is the sound of the energy of which universe is a manifestation. It is, therefore, antecedent to things.

Until next Wednesday,
Namaste~
Chica