|
Articles Index
Newsletter Information
Newsletter Archives
Healing Products & Services For Purchase
Register For Workshops and Certifications
Directions
Holistic Integrative Breathing CD's and Online Store
Wisdom Of The Earth Medicinal Therapeutic Grade Essential Oils
DVD's Coming Soon!
Holistic Community Circle Links
|
|
Articles
Transcendence Through the 2nd Chakra??
By Rusty Stewart, Ph.D.
You're kidding right? No I'm not! Many of us have learned that the higher chakras are more spiritual and more related to the process of spiritual evolution. However, Tantric Yoga in Gurdjieffian work treats the second chakra as the last center to master in merging with Spirit.
Typically, Yogic philosophy is about working up in order through center one, the root chakra (perineum, between our anus and genitals), to the seventh chakra (crown, at the top of the head). In Tantric Gurdjieffian philosophy there are six centers associated with the chakras where we evolve spiritually from center to center rather than from chakra to chakra. These centers are described as follows: 1– lower moving center (first chakra, perineum), 2 – lower feeling center (third chakra, solar plexus), 3 – lower thinking center (fifth chakra, throat), 4 – higher thinking center (sixth chakra, third eye), 5 – higher feeling center (fourth chakra, heart), and the last center 6 – higher moving center (second chakra, tan tien) (Lozowick, 1996). For a more complete description read "The Alchemy of Love and Sex" by Lee Lozowick.
I resonate with this system for several reasons. The first is my foundation in spirituality, which is premised on "A Course in Miracles." Love is the only thing that is real and fear is an illusion made up by our illusory egos. Sin means separation. Original sin is separation from God or Spirit. As a result of this illusory separation from God our ego rationalizes that we must have done something wrong and experiences guilt. The demon of the second chakra is guilt. Once we reclaim our innocence we will transcend back to the oneness with Spirit. Guilt in the course is what brought us to form. The sex chakra is the second chakra where human form manifests. It all makes sense.
I also tend to experience growth in my life and that of my clients as more of a pattern in the movement in the chakras from 1, 3, 5, 6, 4, 2 and then shooting up naturally to 7. Remember nothing is absolute or linear as we are always moving in and out of specific issues to deal with in our chakras (physically, mentally, emotionally, and spiritually). I've observed many of my clients working between the third and fifth chakras, which I call the ego chakras. These are the lower feeling and lower thinking centers. While healing third chakra issues (releasing anger and shame, owning our power, self-confidence, self-worth, and self-esteem), there is an increased desire for healthy expression (fifth chakra). Many times we feel energy rising from our solar plexus up to the throat in a kind of lump, choking sensation, or crackling voice as we get in touch with speaking our truth, tapping into our creativity, and expressing ourselves in healthier ways.
We now begin to experience the higher thinking center of self-knowledge, intuition, and are more able to discriminate between truth and ego (sixth chakra). This enables us to uncover our wholeness and experience our oneness with others in compassion, love, and forgiveness through our heart (higher feeling center, fourth chakra). When we experience our wholeness through love of self and others we naturally extend love and are ready for the highest center, the higher moving center of organic innocence (second chakra). "Within this center, you simply move in relationship to stimuli as empowered by, or under the power of, the Will of God" (Lozowick, 1996). Eventually we will naturally evolve to the seventh chakra and begin to live with the soul as we release our guilt.
Lastly, I experience this system as a much healthier way to approach ourselves and others as sexual beings. It has often been said that kundalini energy can be dangerous if practiced too soon. When we progress more or less in this type of order we leave the sex till last. We have become accustomed to engaging in sex early on as a way to seek wholeness through others. SEX DOES NOT MAKE US WHOLE. When two people come together in sexual union in Tantric Gurdjieffian philosophy both are already whole and are celebrating their oneness and deep human compassion with one another. It's already a spiritual union. Sex is a natural way of expressing our divinity.
I want to reiterate that this is one way to transcend, not the only way. I have found this to be extremely helpful in experiencing healing and wholeness with myself and others. It makes sense. It's organic. It feels like the link between the human condition and the divine. Namaste.
Yoga Living, July/August 2003
|
