Balancing

Your Chakras
By Jungshim Lee

Want to stay balanced and in tune with your body? Try these simple, easy-to-follow exercises to balance your chakras!

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EEPLY MOVED after participating in Ilchi Lees Healing Chakra Training last year, a woman from back east was hard at work to get the most out of reinforcement training. One day she came to me for advice. She told me that she has suffered from chronic back pain of an unknown cause for two decades, since she was twenty years old. On the third day of reinforcement training, she told me of a memory from when she was seven years oldsomething she had completely forgotten until she was opening her second chakra during meditation.
bodies, to the various issues of our lives, and to how we handle these issues. If a chakra is not healthy or the circulation between chakras is not smooth, a state of energy imbalance develops, causing problems for our bodies, minds, and spirits. What is most important for the health of the chakras is balance. Problems develop when the energy of the chakras is blocked and decient and, conversely, when it is excessive. We lose balance in life as well, if only some of the seven chakras are developed. Most of us pour a great deal of energy into the rst, second, and third chakras, since they correspond with family, physical desires, and ego. If these chakras are energy decient, we have difficulty securing a stable foundation of life. On the other hand, if these chakra energies are out of balance, we neglect the importance of spiritual life and concentrate on broadening our material foundation. People engaged in artistic or creative pursuits have relatively well-developed fourth, fth, sixth, and seventh chakras. In these cases, decreased activity of or imbalance among the lower chakras can result in neurosis, compulsive disorders, and depression. Externally, the lower bodies of such people are often underdeveloped. They may also struggle to maintain healthy personal relationships or emotionally and economically stable lives. The purpose of chakra training is to resolve imbalances by opening weak chakras and calming over-developed ones and to condition each chakra so that it naturally manifests its unique characteristics. Chakra training allows us to grasp the spiritual lessons of the chakras as our own and to learn to face all of lifes challenges bravely and wisely, and, ultimately, to live our lives to the fullest of our potential as human beings.

She recalls sitting on the toilet at home, when her tenyear-old male cousin opened the bathroom door suddenly without knocking. Feeling intense shame, she jerked her body into a ball and covered her face with her hands. Painful spasms shot through her lower back while constrictions hurt her chest. That memory lay dormant until the training hinted that her chronic pain could be a result of the shock she received as a young girl. I told her, No one knows for sure. But why not trust your intuition? I encouraged her to do both deep chest and abdominal breathing and recommended several meditation techniques for opening the chakras of the chest and lower abdomen. I also told her to comfort, encourage, and love the hurt seven-year-old girl inside her. She continued meditation class and chakra practice daily. Although her back still troubled her a couple of times a month, she nally had a handle on it. One day she shared, I now understand the saying, The chakras are a map of life written in our bodies. Chakra is a Sanskrit word meaning a wheel or circle, and refers to energy centers in our bodies. They were called chakras because life energy swirls and gathers around the axes of these points, circling like a wheel. The concept of the chakra is important to the yogic traditions of India, as well as to the mind-body traditions of Asia. In the Korean traditions, a chakra is called a Dahnjon. Our bodies have seven major chakras. The chakras are not only points that accept, absorb, and distribute life energy, they are also valves that control energy ow. They are highly attuned sensors that respond to the state of our physical, mental, and spiritual health. Each chakra has unique characteristics and all are closely connected to our

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awakening
THE CHAKRAS
TO FEEL AND AWAKEN
the chakras, we use Naegwan, which literally means inner observation. Through Naegwan, we use our minds eye to look deeply into our body. We begin to awaken and activate the chakras through deep relaxation and concentration. The principle of energy movement, ShimKi-Hyul-Jung, states: Where mind goes, energy follows; where energy goes, blood follows; where blood goes, strength follows. Accordingly, we can activate the chakras by rst concentrating our mind. Due to initial unfamiliarity, it is difficult to feel the exact location of the chakras within our bodies. The rst step in this process is to identify the location of each chakra and to focus on the feeling until we become familiar with its sensation. Chakras do not exist as anatomical organs nor can they be seen or touched, because they are a kind of energy pattern. The chakras are located roughly along the line of your spine. It is easier to try to imagine the exact location of each chakra by locating its corresponding point on the front of the body. By identifying general physical landmarks on the front of the body, it will be possible to pinpoint the location of specic chakras on which to x ones attention. Chakra exercises are designed to facilitate the flow of energy throughout the body by stimulating the associated energy channels. The following exercises will help you locate, consciously feel, and explore the nature of the individual chakras.

1st Chakra I live.

Location: Base of spine (Perineum, Hoeum acupressure point). Color: Dark red. Associated body parts: Base of spine, legs, feet, bones, and large intestine. Signs of deciency: Feelings of fear or anxiety and signicant changes in our bodies, families, nances, and businesses. Signs of excessiveness: Greed, selshness, and attachment to possessions or money. Gifts of the 1st chakra: This chakra is associated with our survival needs, our sense of grounding, and our connection to the physical plane. It brings us health, prosperity, safety, security, and physical vitality.

Awakening the 1st Chakra

1. Stand with your legs shoulder width apart and bring your knees together, leaving a space the size of a fist between your right and left knees. Raise your arms straight out in front of you. Straighten your back and hips. 2. As you breathe in, expand your abdomen and bring your thighs toward the middle while tightening your sphincter muscle. At the same time, make your hands into fists. Then pause. 3. Breathe out, while you relax your sphincter muscle and suck your abdomen in. Repeat this exercise for ten minutes in the morning and evening.

2nd Chakra I feel.

Location: End of tailbone (sacral, pubic region, Lower Dahnjon). Color: Soft red. Associated body parts: Hips, sexual organs, lower back, genitals, womb, bladder, and kidneys. Signs of deciency: No appetite for food and sex, aimlessness, guilt, fear of pleasure, and resistance to change. Signs of excessiveness: Overly emotional behavior, sexual addiction. Gifts of the 2nd chakra: The second chakra is related to emotions and sexuality. This chakra brings us creativity, depth of feeling, sexual fulllment, and good circulation.

Awakening the 2nd Chakra

1. Lie flat on your back. Interlace your fingers behind your head. Raise your knees and bring your heels toward your hips. 2. Breathe in and raise your hips up lifting your lower back, bring your knees together and tighten your hips. Breathe out and lower your hips. Repeat this motion three times.

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3rd Chakra I do.

Location: Solar plexus (Joongwahn acupressure point). Color: Orange. Associated body parts: Solar plexus, navel, and digestive system. Signs of deciency: Digestive problems, eating disorders, feeling like a victim, and low self-esteem. Signs of excessiveness: Perfectionism, anger, hatred, overemphasis on power and status. Gifts of the 3rd chakra: This chakra controls our personal power, will, and autonomy. It also provides self-esteem, spontaneity, and concentration.

Awakening the 3rd Chakra

1. Lie on your stomach and raise your upper body by pushing up with your arms. With your toes pushing against the floor, breathe in and pull your upper body up and back as far as it will go. As you breathe out, relax. 2. This time, as you breathe in, tighten your whole body, including your toes until they are off the ground. Breathe out and relax. Raising your legs just a little bit stimulates your digestive organs a great deal. 3. When doing this exercise, concentrate on the parts of your body that are being worked, including your abdominal area and legs. This exercise stretches the front abdominal and quadriceps areas, stimulating the energy channels related to digestion. Repeat 6-8 times daily.

1. Bring your hands together in front of your chest and Location: Heart (Dahnjoong acupressure point). make them into fists. Color: Gold. 2. As you breathe in, pull your arms back and expand Associated body parts: Heart, upper chest, and upper back. your chest as much as possible. Keep your head back Signs of deciency: Feelings of shyness and loneliness, attachment, slightly and back straight, with a slight tightening of an inability to forgive, lack of empathy. your shoulders and chest. Pause for 10 seconds. Signs of excessiveness: Possessiveness, jealousy, heart disease, and 3. Breathe out and bring your hands together in front high blood pressure. of your chest again as you bend forward a little. Gifts of the 4th chakra: This chakra is related to love and is the inteRepeat this motion 10 times. This exercise will bring grator of opposites in the psyche: mind and body, male and female, a refreshing feeling to your chest and shoulders, ego and unity. This chakra brings us boundless love, wholeness, comwhile relieving stress. You will also feel your mind passion, a deep sense of peace and centeredness, and empathy. recover comfort and peace.

4th Chakra I love.

Awakening the 4th Chakra

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5th Chakra I express.

Location: Pit of throat (Thyroid glands). Color: Blue-green. Associated body parts: Neck, throat, teeth, jaw, and mouth. Signs of deciency: Lack of conversational or speech skills, depression, thyroid disease, neck stiffness, shoulder tension, grinding teeth, jaw disorders, and a fear of speaking. Signs of excessiveness: Excessive talking, an inability to listen, hearing difficulties, stuttering, and an 1 overactive thyroid. Gifts of the 5th chakra: This chakra is related to communication on all levels. It brings us harmony, balance, healing, expression of our truth, and an ability to listen to our inner voice.

Awakening the 5th Chakra

1. With your hands on your thighs, step one leg forward and the other leg back. Your front leg should be bent at the knee, the back leg straight. 2. Breathe in as you tilt your head backward, stretching your neck. Breathe out and bring your head back to its original position. Repeat this motion three times. Also switch legs and try this.

6th Chakra I see.

Location: Forehead (third eye, Indang acupressure point). Color: Navy blue. Associated body parts: Brain, nervous system, eyes, ears, nose, and pituitary gland. Signs of deciency: Poor memory, eye problems, lack of concentration, and difficulty in recognizing patterns. Signs of excessiveness: Headaches, vivid dreams, nightmares, and lack of concentration. Gifts of the 6th chakra: This chakra is related to the act of seeing, both physically and intuitively. It brings us insight, intuition, wisdom, and the ability to see the big picture.

Awakening the 6th Chakra

Stand with your legs spread widely and bend your knees about 15 degrees. Make a triangle by touching your thumbs and index fingers and place it over your forehead. Breathing naturally, visualize the energy of the sun entering through the triangle into your Indang. Direct your gaze abut 15 degrees skyward. Continue for five minutes.

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7th Chakra I am.

Location: Crown of the head (Baekhoe acupressure point). Color: Lavender, purple. Associated body parts: Muscular system, brain, cranium, and skin. Signs of deciency: Early senility, lack of inspiration, spiritual skepticism, and materialism. Signs of excessiveness: Being overly intellectual, spiritual elitism, depression, and chronic fatigue. Gifts of 7th chakra: This chakra represents the highest state of enlightenment and facilitates our spiritual development. It brings us condence, altruism, humanism, devotion, spiritual connection, and totality of being.

Awakening the 7th Chakra

1. Sit comfortably in a half lotus position and focus your mind. Raise both hands and gradually bring them to your forehead. Leaving a little space in between, focus on the feeling that comes alive between your hands. 2. Slowly expand and contract the space between your hands. Imagine your hands are a lotus flower, petals blossoming when you pull your hands apart, and contracting into a bud when you bring your hands together. 3. Breathe slowly as you sweep down with your hands from your head to your lower abdomen. 4. Focus on your lower abdomen and continue with the meditation.

Jungshim Lee is an asssistant Healing Chakra Trainer and a master at HSP Earth Village in Vancouver, Canada.

BALANCING THE CHAKRAS

Standing Posture
1. Stand with the feet shoulder width apart. Bring your hands with palms up to your lower abdomen. 2. Leaving your left hand near your lower abdomen, slowly bring your right hand up to the seventh chakra while you breathe in. 3. Turn your right hand over so that it faces the ground. As you breathe out, bring your hand down all the way to your lower abdomen, sweeping down the length of your torso. Repeat this motion three times.

Sitting Posture

1. Sit in a half lotus posture with your palms face up. Breathe in as you bring your hands to chest level. 2. Breathe out as you lower your hands to your abdomen once more. Repeat this until you feel your body enter a state of comfortable relaxation. Then lower your hands onto your knees and conclude the training by internally observing each individual chakra.

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