From a general standpoint, in the Openhand approach, chakras are “consciousness exchange points” where the light of the soul feeds into a particular bodily energy vehicle. So the soul will come into a particular body — like the emotional or mental for example — and then animate it.
Where there is some kind of distortion, or lack of self-realisation by the soul, in a particular plane of density, then it will usually result in some kind of blockage in a particular chakra and a build up of energy in that particular body. If for example we have challenges letting go in relationship, then that might build through the sacral chakra and build emotional density, which then either gets repressed through avoidance, or else will bubble over and at times even explode.
So on the journey it is utterly essential to work at attuning the chakras. And it’s also crucial to realise that you cannot simply divorce inner chakra work from outer behaviours — because the two are seamlessly related. So work to attune the chakras, yes, but know that as the energy realigns and opens up, the transformation process will reflect into your outer world and require you to work on the behavioural patterns that are illuminated. Otherwise the chakra work will be ineffective.
An understanding of the chakras, and which bodily vehicles they relate to, will greatly help this inquiry. Here’s an understanding from the book, ‘5GATEWAYS’.
Base chakra:
Located around the coccyx and genitals, it relates to our connection to the physical plane including our immune system and sexuality. If the vibration here is low, we tend to be over attached and identified with the physical experience. We feel separated from the ‘All That Is’ and have overtly lustful and potentially exploitative sexual urges. As we transmute the energy in this chakra to the higher vibration, we are increasingly released from attachment to the physical plane and naturally aspire to higher spiritual growth.
Sacral chakra:
Located approximately where the spine and pelvis meet, the sacral chakra is the emotional centre which governs our state of being within relationships. If the vibration is low, then we tend to be overly attached in relationships, needy and jealous. As we transmute the energy and raise the vibration however, we discover increasing sensuality in relationships.
Solar plexus chakra:
Located on the spine, around the area of the top of the stomach. Its purpose is to accept and infuse higher spiritual knowing into the lower mind – what we may call subconscious mind. Indeed it can be considered to govern the correct functioning of lower mind. When the vibration is low, we are prone to mental programming and distortion and are therefore more susceptible to addictive behaviours such as attachment to caffeine, chocolate, sugar, alcohol, cigarettes and other drugs. When we fully transmute the consciousness here, we are able to take control over the base urges (of the lower animal), expand our consciousness and open up new channels of creative influence through etheric manifestation. “Telepathic Knowing Exchange” can take place from the higher realms into the Third Dimension through this chakra when functioning as it is designed.
Heart chakra:
Located at the level of the heart, this is the centre where the unconditional love for all life activates, what some call “The Christ Consciousness”. When the vibration is low, it manifests as judgmentalism and the radical adherence to a singular truth, thereby precipitating conflict in our lives and limiting us to the Lower Dimensional Realm. When the vibration here is transmuted however, judgmentalism falls away and is replaced by unconditional love for all life. We become able to see and hold multiple truths and through correct non-judgmental discernment, become able to choose Right Action in line with the guiding hand of Benevolent Consciousness (experienced as a heartfelt pull). When we attain a fully open heart chakra, we begin to unfold into the Fifth Dimension.
Throat chakra:
Located at the area of the throat, the fifth chakra connects directly to higher mind – our fifth bodily vehicle of expression (see Gateway 5). It governs our ability to receive, interpret and articulate the highest truth from the cosmic library of all knowing. The throat centre provides the direct connection into higher spiritual awareness. When the vibration is low, we tend to be more bounded by the notion of separate identity, thereby limiting us more to the lower dimensions. A low vibration here would manifest as an inability to express and be at ease with authentic reality; we are governed more by the limitations of lower conditioned thinking because of our attachment to false identity. Put simply, we are less able to express our inner truth and be awesomely okay with that. The chakra opens completely when we are no longer internally affected by the outer reaction to our fully expressed truth. We are able to ‘turn the other cheek’ and automatically express higher wisdom at whatever apparent personal cost; thus the doorway to multi-dimensional experience is opened for us.
Third eye:
Located in the pineal gland roughly in the centre of the head at the level of the eyebrows. The third eye may be regarded as the centre of consciousness for the soul within the body. Whilst we are engaged in the transmutation of consciousness within the lower chakras, we tend to be unaware of it because our actions are governed more by the false self rather than the soul. Put simply, Soul Consciousness from the third eye is swallowed up in identification with the body-mind and its attachments to the external drama. However, as we release these attachments, the vibration in the lower chakras transmutes and then Soul Consciousness is liberated rising up the spine and reconnecting in the third eye with Unity Consciousness flowing ‘downwards from the Source’. This is referred to as “kundalini activation” (fully explained below). When the third eye activates, we become increasingly able to see reflections of ourselves in other people and all life. We are able to identify and align with our true sense of beingness. Thus, the soul’s purpose is now being unleashed.
Crown chakra:
Located just above the fontanel where the three bone plates of the skull meet. This chakra only really activates when we have transmuted much of the density in the lower chakras and liberated enough Soul Consciousness from bodymind identification. At this point, the crown chakra opens and infuses energy into our highest bodily vehicle – the “spirit light body” (or “merkaba”). This paves the way for correct rationalisation of the multidimensional influences we are experiencing, including for example the underlying synchronistic patterning through all events. As the crown chakra fully opens, multi-dimensional living through the spirit light body becomes a reality for us. We become centred in the universal flow of Right Action and are increasingly able to shift consciousness between dimensions as required by the natural flow of the universe.
It’s also essential to have a good chakra meditation to support the inner work. Here’s one you can work with that we generally use in the Openhand 5GATEWAYS work, again taken from the book…
• Take a few deep breaths inhaling into the area of the eighth chakra several inches above the crown.
• Now inhale into the eighth chakra, hold the breath, then move attention down to the crown chakra and exhale into the front of it.
• Hold the breath on exhale and feel a sense of release, opening and expansion. You can visualise to help, so perhaps see a flower opening or a sun coming up or ripples flowing outwards on a pond.
• When you naturally feel it is time to inhale again, move the attention through and out of the back of the crown chakra and once more up to the eighth. Inhale into the eighth chakra.
• When fully inhaled, hold the breath and move attention to the third eye entering it through the front. Exhale and release tension and effort as before and then once more inhale back up to the eighth.
• Continue the process down through each chakra to the base and then repeat the sequence in reverse upwards beginning with the base (so we open the base chakra twice in succession). Remember, we always inhale into the eighth chakra and then exhale into the chakra we are opening.
• When complete, attune to the rise of energy from the base chakra up through the other chakras stopping at the third eye; feel yourself drawing the energy upwards with sense of purpose.
• If the energy gets stuck in a certain chakra, keep exhaling into it and releasing tension and effort there. It is likely you will need to repeat this over weeks and months to fully unleash the flow.
Don’t expect that necessarily major things will happen the first few times you do it — although it pretty much always activates things on the courses where the energy is amplified in the group environment more strongly. Those who practice it daily for several months, usually experience a profound transformational effect.
Another point to add, is that you may have heard about practices of “removing chakras”. To me this feels like a distortion of truth. In that when the chakras are attuned and fully opened into the various bodily vehicles, it can feel like they’ve disappeared. Because everything is flowing smoothly. But that doesn’t mean to try to ‘remove them’, rather to attune them in the ways described. Then the sense of them, ultimately, will disappear (probably after enlightenment).
Also to add, I don’t personally believe in purposefully “closing the chakras down”. I would rather they be completely open to sense and feel all that I can — to be aware of as many influences and energies in the field as possible. That said, you’ll likely find a particular bodily vehicle — like the energy or causal body for example, when fully attuned, will naturally expand and contract in different circumstances, depending on what the soul is given to do.
So do join in our exploration of the chakras, and essentially, how they reflect and impact into your outer life. There’s great transformation to be had.
Wishing you all well,
Open
