“The four-petal lotus is adhar and the six-petal lotus is svadhisthana. At the navel is a ten-petalled lotus, and at the heart is a twelve-petalled lotus.
A sixteen-petalled lotus in the throat, a two-petal lotus between the eyebrows, a thousand-petalled lotus is in the opening of the skull on the "Great Path".
How can a yogi achieve perfection who does not know six centers (chakras), sixteen adaptations (adhar), three hundred thousand channels (nadis) and five spaces (vyoman) in his body? " Mahasiddh Gorakshanath, "Gorakshataka"
In the human body there are places of localization of five elements - chakras. These places are the control points of the five energies (pranas). Each chakra consists of a basic element:
~ muladhara - the element of the earth,
~ svadhisthana is the element of water,
~ manipura is the element of fire,
~ anahata is the element of the wind,
~ visuddha - the element of space,
~ ajna - consciousness,
~ sahasrara - the Supreme Source.
The element that controls the chakra sets the level of vibration and action of the chakra.
Concentrating on the point corresponding to the chakra, the yogi activates it, strengthening the desired element.
Strengthening the element, the yogi awakens all the qualities of the element and dormant karmas in the chakra. At this time, he experiences difficulties similar to the practice of Kundalini Yoga: burning, itching, pain in the center of concentration, trembling, vibration in the body, jumping, visions, goosebumps, light, etc.
The word "chakra" ("chakram") in translation from Sanskrit means literally "wheel, circle". Chakras stand out in the body as spheroidal energy-emitting formations, from which the petals - the closest sections of energy channels - depart. Chakras have many properties.
The ancient Indian tradition links the functioning of the chakras in many different planes, built mainly on the principle of correspondence between the macro- and microcosm. Chakras are associated with special properties of the human personality and behavior, that is, positive and negative properties of character, activation of certain sense organs.
Chakra connections
The awakening of mooladhara and ajna is related. Mulabandha, opening muladhara, gives the experience of energy in the eyebrow (in the ajna chakra). Concentration on the tip of the nose (nasikagra-drishti), shambhavi-mudra (bhrumadya-drishti) give the experience of awakening in muladhara. Concentrating on the manipura chakra also affects the awakening of energy in mooladhara.
Concentrating on the svadhisthana chakra increases the amount of nectar flowing from the soma chakra.
Vishuddha, bindu and lalana chakra are also related. Vishuddhi awakening simultaneously opens bindu and lalana.
Petals and roots
(kshetram and adhara)
All chakras, with the exception of mooladhara, have a surface (ksetram) and a base (adhara). Chakra-ksetram - the outer surface of the petals outward, the projection of the chakra channels in the physical body. Subjectively, in the body, kshetrams are located immediately under the skin at a depth of 2-3 cm. The base of the chakra (adhara) is directly adjacent to the central channel.
The location of the kshetrams of the chakras:
~ svadhistana - in front of the pubic bone,
~ manipura - navel,
~ anahata - the center of the chest,
~ vishuddhi - throat fossa,
~ ajny - between the eyebrows.
When concentrating on kshetras, the energy of the corresponding element spreads throughout the body, from the legs to the crown of the head. Concentration on kshetras is used to cleanse the chakra channels and control the elements. Concentration on the base of the chakra (adhara), closer to sushumna, serves to bring prana into the central channel.
Nadi
Nadi (Skt., "Channel", "tube") is a system of channels through which vital energy (prana, Qi) moves in accordance with the concepts of Yoga and Tantra. The nadi system is similar to the meridian principle in Traditional Chinese Medicine. The word "nadi" probably comes from the root nad "movement", "stimulus", "hesitation".
There are different guidelines for the number of Nadi channels. In Siva-Samhita it is said about 350,000 Nadis. Hatha Yoga Pradipika (AD 1500). mentions 72.000 Nadis. There are three main channels. These are Sushumna, Ida and Pingala.