First Energy Center: The Power Center

 

Maxims: a) “I am creative.”

               b) “I am truthful.”

 

The first energy center is associated with the throat and mouth. It involves the uses of the power of speech. From the first cries of a baby to the sophisticated oratory of an adult, we use this power throughout our lives.

It is here that we take in food and drink that we need to survive. This use of our power in an active way is how we make our first imprint on the world.

The first question in life is whether we will be willing to use our power, to offer our gifts to the world, to have our gifts multiplied. Without this willingness, our whole life will eventually shut down. True, we sometimes need to use our gifts judiciously, but, in the words of Martin Luther King Jr., life begins to end the moment we are silent on issues that are important to us.

This is the center of creativity as well, where we make use of our power to voice ourselves as infants. As infants, we sample the world through our mouths as well, tasting the world. It has been remarked that taste is perhaps our most trusted sense. We may see mirages or hallucinations, or hear such things that “we can’t believe our ears.”, but taste doesn’t lie. This retreat into the comfort and reliability of eating can be a cause of overweight.

The first energy center is paired with the fifth energy center, which is the vision center, as we will learn about later. As we articulate ideas in the form of speech, we refine and formulate a vision, and this vision feeds back to influence our speech.

Once we learn to use our speech power to articulate ideas and thoughts, we can experiment with creative fiction, also known as lying. This tendency is, of course, a misuse of the power of the first energy center which leads to its depletion. Such a tendency also causes problems for the vision center (fifth energy center), because if we can’t trust our own speech, how can we see the truth clearly?

Another misuse of the first energy center’s speech power is the use of sarcasm, or ironic speech. This misuse comes from a feeling of anger, and possibly the desire to dominate another person through speech, which again leads to a depletion of the first center’s energy.

 

 

Second Energy Center: The Wisdom Center

 

Maxims: a) “I am accepting the possibility of change and challenge.”

               b) “I am accepting change and challenge.”

               c) “I am embracing change and challenge.”

 

The second energy center is the wisdom center. It is located at and above the top of the head.

Divine wisdom is always concerned with the present, never the past or the future. Our past accomplishments hold no currency for this divine guidance. When it encourages us to go on a new path, we may resist, choosing comfort, stability or some other supposed value over the guidance. This leads to a blocking of the guidance, and thus problems with this energy center. Furthermore, we will be blocked in our spiritual progress if we do not heed divine guidance, making no further advancement until we listen and act.

A key issue with the second energy center is the issue of living in the present. This means adapting to change and flowing with it. If we don’t flow with change, it leads to a feeling of constriction, and aging, and a sense of being left behind by life.

We can see challenges as an opportunity for growth. If we do so, we can grow as a result. While it feels natural to resist change sometimes, even to resent it, this causes trouble for the second energy center.

We need to accept change and flow with it, to embrace change. Beyond that, one can even welcome challenge, which is perhaps the ultimate wisdom, and can lead to enormous reservoirs of personal power.

When the second energy center, which in chakra terminology is called the “thousand-petaled lotus” is perfectly balanced, indeed you are in heaven, seeing universes winking in and out of existence like dust motes dancing in the light.

Other important and distinct aspects of the second energy center include:

- Faith: the belief in a positive outcome

- Patience: ability to accept short-term delays in pursuit of our goals

- Wisdom.

- Resilience (as described above).

- Independence: Not caring what others think of you.

- Fear of God: Fear is part of our being, whether we like it or not. Everyone fears something, whether it is public speaking, standing out, being ostracized, losing status, losing money, or something else. If we consciously choose to fear God, and fear displeasing Him, it leads to a greatness of spirit (whereas the other types of fears described above lead to a type of shrinking).

Problems that can occur with the second energy center are related to such issues as defeatism, or doubt, for example.

 

Third Energy Center: The Purity Center

 

Maxim: “I am clean and good.”

 

This center is concerned with purification, purity and connection to the earth.

Purity and humility are key attributes of a person whose third energy center is working optimally.

This center is the locus of the feeling of being pure and clean, or feeling impure, unclean and unwholesome, depending on whether it is functioning optimally.

How does one become pure? The answer is simple: one becomes pure by getting rid of impurities. Elimination of waste is the physical component of this process. The spiritual counterpart is to get rid of thoughts and beliefs that don’t serve us, leading to a newer, higher form of cleanliness.

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The Twelfth Energy Center: The Joy Center

 

Maxim: “I am glad I am alive.”

 

This center is the locus of a feeling that resists description. It is the center that is related to the desire to exist in the world. When this center is healthy, it leads to a great sense of peace, satisfaction, joy and grace.

It is located at the center of the back, at heart level.

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How to Strengthen a Given Energy Center

 

1. Place your left hand on the test point for the energy center.

2. Use your right hand to test the energy center for weakness or strength. You make a ring with the thumb and middle finger of the right hand and try to break the ring by pushing your middle finger outwards. If the ring breaks easily, it indicates weakness in the energy center in question.

3. A) Repeat the affirmation for the energy center until the center no longer tests weak. Try to test after each three repetitions of the affirmation.

                                                -OR-

B) Pray for healing of the energy center until it no longer tests weak. Try to test after each three repetitions to see whether the center is now strong. A suitable prayer is: “I pray for strength and healing of this energy center,” although you can use any modification that appeals to you.