Fifth Chakra – Axis or Center of Your Creation

Let’s begin moving through the chakras. Press your sit bones into the mat and focus on your root. Get a sense of being grounded. Move to your sacral chakra, between your hips, and find your center. Connect to your third chakra at your belly. Feel a sense of confidence and self-empowerment. Now move to the heart chakra, the place before sound, which, when in balance, allows us to become unstuck. Here, we reserve judgment, seeing the world objectively rather than subjectively, and cultivate compassion. When the lower chakras are in balance, we are grounded, centered, and confident in our personal strength, without the need to overpower others or become lost in our own sense of powerlessness. We develop a deeper sense of compassion and understanding. Now we move to the fifth chakra, which means to purify. It is located at the base of the neck. Its related functions involve the throat, thyroid, parathyroid, and vocal cords. Associated physical problems may include disorders of the throat, vocal cords, and thyroid. Blue is its predominant color, although it sometimes appears silvery and gleaming, like moonlight shining upon the ocean. Within the deep blue, hints of green may also be apparent. This energy center of the soulful body controls the throat area and vocal cords. It is the center of expression and purification. It is also the center of sound. Its polarity is life and death. Its openness must be balanced; otherwise, we can become loud, overbearing, and egotistical. The first orientation of this chakra is the ability to express ideas and communicate clearly with others. It reflects a general lack of fear and an ability to respond spontaneously to people and situations. The second orientation is an inability to express oneself clearly. A feeling of being "all choked up" is experienced in this center. This can result from holding onto emotions and being afraid to express them. The individual fears exposing themselves, lacks spontaneity, and finds it difficult to expand in work or life. Generally, this person is fearful and may struggle to create new ideas. One of the great fears in life is the fear of not being accepted. This fear can cause a person to lose their voice. Here, we clearly need to be open and flexible if we are to bring this center into balance. Let's get started: END: The lower five chakras connect us to our earthly world. When they are in balance, we are open and flexible. Finding your voice means expressing yourself from a place of balance, where grounding, centering, empowerment, and compassion give us the confidence to communicate clearly. It means being able to express our ideas, needs, and wants while remaining flexible and open to the ideas, needs, and wants of others. The single biggest problem we face as human beings is communication. Everything, from the cells in your body to the words you use, is a form of communication. So, stay grounded, empowered, compassionate, and open your throat to let life in. Express yourself without fear. Just remember that the wound of an arrow will heal, but the wounds of harsh and hurtful words can last forever. EGO: Flip your palms up and extend the index finger – the ego. Fear is embedded in the ego. No one wants to appear stupid, ill-informed, or exposed. This can cause us to lose our voice. Pull your finger in and place your thumb on top. Take a breath and surrender to the soul. When we temper our ego by surrendering to our soul power, we have the opportunity to realize that we are all accepted in life; otherwise, we wouldn't be here. The universe has accepted you into this life. It is up to you to find your voice and use it to better yourself. In doing so, you also make the world a better place. Find your voice and use it wisely. Namaste ~ May you go with health, happiness, and peace. Doctor Lynn Join me each week for Karma Yoga – how to work your karma so your life works for you!

The Fourth Chakra – Expansion

The first three chakras teach us important lessons: the root chakra reminds us to stay grounded; the sacral chakra teaches us to let go of the desire to overpower others or situations; and the solar plexus reminds us to hold on to and cherish our personal power. And now we move to the fourth chakra – the heart. “Great thoughts always come from the heart.” — Vauvenargues In yoga, the heart chakra, or energy center, is a significant crossover point between the lower levels of earthly existence and the higher levels of consciousness. The chakras are energy centers that lie along the spinal column. Each chakra represents an aspect of consciousness, a mode of behavior, and a way of viewing the world. When energy flows freely and remains balanced within the chakras, we are better able to feel fulfilled and complete. The fourth chakra is the heart chakra. It corresponds to the color green, which is the middle color of the visible spectrum and the most abundant color in nature. Green is calming, balancing, and expansive. That is why, when we are surrounded by the green of nature, we often feel calm and peaceful. The heart chakra relates to love, expansion, and the strength of the human soul. When the heart chakra is open and balanced, we begin to understand what it means to give simply for the sake of giving, without expecting anything in return. From this energy center, we learn to give unselfishly. It is the first center associated with higher consciousness, moving us beyond the concerns of survival and toward compassion, love, and understanding. An imbalance in the heart chakra may cause us to have difficulty saying no, leading us to overextend ourselves until we feel overwhelmed. A closed heart chakra may leave us hardhearted, lacking in compassion, and unable to connect with others in a healthy way. An open and balanced heart allows us to express love, compassion, and understanding. In our class, we practice a shoulder stand or legs-up-the-wall pose to help open the heart chakra. These inverted poses encourage blood to return from the lower body toward the heart. They can also provide an opportunity to relax, release tension, and bring greater awareness to the body. As always, we choose the pose that is appropriate for our individual needs and abilities. By opening the heart, we tap into the energy of compassion and understanding. Here, we have an opportunity to connect with the interconnectedness of the universe. We are reminded that all human beings share the same emotions and feelings. We all laugh, and we all cry. It is our ability to find compassion and understanding for others through our own experiences that opens the heart. Let’s get started. Reflection When we think of the heart, we think of love. But what is true love? Is it the ability to offer compassion, understanding, and forgiveness, even when we are hurt or afraid? Remember, all human beings experience the same emotions and feelings. Rejection, anger, and hurt are universal, but so are love, happiness, and acceptance. Ego Turn your palms upward and extend your index fingers. The index finger represents the ego. It is often the defensive nature of the ego that hardens the heart and causes us to build walls around ourselves. When we do this, we may become hardhearted, lose our compassion, and find it difficult to forgive. Now, draw your index fingers inward and place your thumbs on top. Take a breath and surrender to your soul. Sit quietly and focus on your heart. In the quietude within ourselves, we have the opportunity to bring balance to the heart chakra. We begin to find clarity. An open and balanced heart begins within you. It is important to remember that we must first be compassionate toward ourselves. When we forgive ourselves for our own shortcomings, we connect with the universal energy of human existence. It is here that we begin to find the ability to forgive others. When your heart is open and balanced, great thoughts arise. From these thoughts, we discover the true strength of the heart chakra: the ability to find compassion and understanding in a chaotic and ever-changing world. Namaste — may you walk the path of life with health, happiness, and peace. Doctor Lynn http://www.doctorlynn.com

The Third Chakra – Personal Power

In balance, the first chakra, the root, gives us grounding. The second chakra, the dwelling place of the self, is the place of individuality. When these two chakras are in balance, we are grounded and connected to ourselves. The third chakra is closely related to feelings and emotions. It is located in the navel area, or solar plexus. Its frequency corresponds to saffron yellow, and its quality is fire. It is the seat of power and a reservoir for the energy of life. When energy flows freely and is balanced through this chakra, we are focused and fearless. We have a strong will and are better able to succeed in life. When the energy is blocked, we may tend to exploit others or allow ourselves to be exploited. We may also become “drunk” on emotions, intensity, passion, and power. When we transcend this polarity, we find our ultimate strength. We no longer need to exert power over others or feel powerless, both of which are elements of the ego. The third chakra is associated with digestion and the absorption of food in the body. In traditional chakra teachings, an imbalance in this center is also associated with digestive and other physical concerns. On a psychological level, this chakra is associated with a strong personality and vital energy. We may have a magnetic personality and the ability to influence situations. We can call this charm or charisma. However, competition, domination of others, personal success at any cost, possessiveness in relationships, and repressed emotions can be signs that this center is out of balance. To balance the energy of the third chakra, we need to be grounded and centered within ourselves. Once balanced, we find confidence in our own strength without needing to overpower others or become lost in our own sense of powerlessness. Think about what it takes to be grounded, centered, and confident. Flexibility, balance, strength, and peace. Let’s get started. END: Finding Balance Life is about polarity: the yin and the yang. We all move through times in our lives when we feel powerful and powerless. Somewhere in the middle, we find a sense of balance. When we balance this polarity, we find our ultimate strength. We no longer need to exert power over others or feel powerless ourselves. We are grounded, centered, and strong within ourselves, independent of the outside world. EGO: Releasing the Need for Power Flip your palms up and extend your index finger. This represents the ego. Feelings of power and powerlessness are the ego at work. The need to have power over others, or the feeling that we have no power in the world, throws us off balance. When we move to either extreme, we lose sight of our ultimate strength: the ability to remain grounded, centered, and balanced, no matter what life hands us. We never truly have power over others. This is a false perception. But we do have power over what we think, say, and do. When we harness this inner power, we are never truly powerless. Take a breath and surrender the ego to your soul. Remember to stay grounded, centered, and balanced, and you will find your true power through living a balanced, healthy, and peaceful life. Namaste ~ May you always go with health, happiness, and peace. Doctor Lynn Join me for the upcoming Karma Class: How to Work Your Karma So Your Life Works for You. For more information, contact info@doctorlynn.com or visit www.doctorlynn.com.

Chakra Two – Your Personal Power

Where is your personal power? First, we need to get grounded. We begin at the root. Sit quietly and let’s find our grounding—a quiet place from which to begin our journey today. When we are grounded, we feel reliable, secure, dependable, and centered, and our earthly life becomes more stable. Breathe deeply into your root chakra. As you exhale, feel it drawing you toward the earth, grounding and steadying you. Now we move to the second chakra, known as the dwelling place of the self. It connects us to our relationships and influences how we connect with or disconnect from others. This center draws energy from the sun through the aura and disperses it throughout the body. When in balance, this chakra gives us a sense of personal power. There is a strong desire here to love and be loved. When overly developed, this chakra may express itself through extroversion; when underdeveloped, it may express itself through introversion. Its polarity is attraction and repulsion, like and dislike, and it is here that our desires arise. To balance this chakra is to move beyond our preferences and find a place of inner harmony. Its frequency corresponds to the color orange, and its element is water. This is the realm of sensations. When energy flows freely through this center, we become expressive, balanced in our relationships, and comfortable with our personal flair and sense of individuality. Our practice is to balance this energy so that we find the perfect place of personal power between putting out too much energy and not putting out enough. When we expend too much energy, we feel stressed and overtaxed, and we begin to lose our personal power. When we have too little energy, we may feel lethargic, lost, and unmotivated. Again, we lose our personal power. Breathe deeply into your sacral chakra, located between your hips. Find your personal power—a place where you are grounded, balanced, and open, connected to the world and relating harmoniously to all of life. END When you feel stressed and scattered, take a moment to center and ground yourself. Sit close to the earth and imagine its energy filling your root chakra. Remind yourself to be like a tree, holding steady and standing strong through the storms of life, supported by your grounding roots. Then find your balance in the sacral chakra, for how you relate to life influences the vitality of your body, mind, and soul. Here you discover your personal power: the ability to use your energy constructively, wisely, and harmoniously with all of life. EGO Turn your palms upward and extend your index fingers to represent the ego. When relating to others, it is easy to put up walls, give false impressions, and become defensive. The ego does not like to show weakness or admit to a loss of personal power. When we feel that we are losing our personal power, the ego rushes in to defend and protect us. But this is not always a bad thing. It is the ego’s job to defend and protect us so that we may survive. However, it is important to remember that sometimes, when we put up walls and become defensive, the ego itself contributes to our loss of personal power. Pull your index fingers inward and place your thumbs on top. Take a breath and surrender to the soul. Learn to recognize the difference between protecting your personal power for survival and giving it away through defensiveness or a false projection of who you really are. You are a beautiful soul here on earth to learn, to know, and to master the art of living. Let your soul be your guide, and you will find a beautiful balance in your personal power. Namaste - may you walk the path of life with health, happiness and peace. Doctor Lynn

The Root Chakra: Grounding and Stability

In a world such as ours, it can sometimes seem impossible to get your feet on the ground and find a sense of stability. Everything is changing at an incredible speed. Sometimes it can seem impossible to know what to believe or to find any semblance of reality in our chaotic world. Focusing on the chakras can give us a sense of stability because grounding and stability begin within the core of our being. So, we begin with the root chakra. The first chakra, the root chakra, is located at the base of the spine.. It relates to the color red and connects us to the earth. On a physical level, conditions associated with this chakra include low vitality. The flaming colors of this chakra are red and orange. Physiologically, this chakra is associated with the endocrine glands. The human endocrine system includes 8 major endocrine glands. There are seven chakras and an eighth, which symbolizes the blending of all seven. This is the center of elimination, instincts, survival, habits, and the ordinary or mundane aspects of everyday life. The root chakra supplies prana to the upper chakras. It is the center of survival and procreation and vibrates with the basic energy of the physical body. The incoming and outgoing breath represent the polarity of this chakra. Going beyond our animal survival instincts means learning to balance the energy within this chakra. When this chakra is malfunctioning, we may feel stuck, clingy, overly stubborn, or show signs of addictive behavior. We may feel disconnected from the material world, the physical body, and concrete reality. We may have difficulty giving and receiving in relationships, feel unstable, or become lost in dreams rather than grounded in reality. Think of it this way – fiery red overstimulates and dark red zaps our vitality. A balanced root chakra is a soft hue of red tinted with a bit of orange. When the root chakra is in balance, our orientation is toward the basic material needs of life—home, money, food, and possessions. It is the focus of survival and reproduction. When we are stable, we relate well to our bodies and to physical reality. We are grounded, dependable, realistic, and secure. The way to balance the chakras is to balance the energy of the body, mind, and soul. Focus on the color red. Imagine taking the bright, fiery red and softening it into gentle hues of red and orange. Focus on your breathing and on the poses that ground us as we attempt to balance this chakra. Let’s begin with Om, followed by a few breaths. Closing Go to your root chakra and feel a sense of stability and grounding. When we are grounded at the base of our being, we can draw that energy upward through the other chakras, creating a stable and balanced sense of self. Here, we are able to find our inner strength. Remember: You must be grounded and stable if you wish to fly. So, whatever you attempt to do this week, stop and take a moment to ground yourself. Begin at your root and work upward toward becoming the most grounded, stable, and best version of who you can be. To fly, you must first be grounded. The Ego and the Root Chakra The ego exists for our protection and survival. But when it takes on the role of righteousness, controlling and dictating, it loses its ability to use the instincts that help keep us grounded and reliable. We sometimes call this flying off the handle. When this happens, the energy of our being becomes unbalanced, and our aura may seem to spew out a bright, fiery red. That is why we sometimes describe anger as being red hot. The ego has an important purpose: survival and protection. But when the ego becomes controlling, it can overpower the deeper wisdom of the soul. Pull your finger in and place your thumb on top. Take a breath and surrender to your soul. When you feel the fiery ego emerging, try to sit quietly and breathe deeply into the root chakra, where you can find your grounding. Imagine the fiery, hot red giving way to a soft hue of light red and orange. From here, lift yourself upward, and you will begin to discover what it means to fly from the soul. Namaste ~ may you walk the path of life with health, happiness, and peace. Doctor Lynn

The Chakras

The word chakra means “wheel.” In a symbolic sense, it represents the wheel of vitality. Our bodies are constantly changing, and to live, they must be supplied with energy from three sources. The first is food, the second is air, and the third is vitality from the etheric, astral, and causal layers of our being. We draw energy from the universe just as we draw energy from our food. We also release energy, just as we eliminate waste from our bodies. The chakras are spinning wheels that both draw energy in and release it. We draw vitality from the causal layer, the focal point of consciousness that carries our personality. We also draw energy from the astral layer, known as the desire body or emotional body. Negative thoughts and emotions produce darker colors in the astral body, and this is reflected in the physical body. That is why, when someone is in a bad mood, they may appear darker or seem to give off a darker energy. It works like this: We pick up energy, or vibrations, from the energy sources around and outside our physical bodies. If we are surrounded by negative or discordant energy, we can pick it up. We must then spin the wheels of the chakras in such a way as to release that energy and restore balance. There are seven major chakras connected to the endocrine system and twenty-one minor chakras throughout the body. When the chakras are in balance, our aura becomes lighter. The condition of the aura, also known as the shadow body, is believed to influence the health of the physical body. The aura can be thought of as an eighth chakra because it represents a blending of all the other chakras. When you walk into a room, you may pick up an energy from another person even before they speak. We call it a vibe or vibration—something we sense as either friendly or hostile. Pay attention to how you feel when you have finished the class today. Do you feel lighter, more peaceful, and more balanced? If so, your aura will reflect that energy. Reflection -The Soul and the Body To fully understand the chakras, we must first understand the relationship between the body and the soul. We often speak of the body as though it is the real self, with the soul as an appendage of the body—almost like a captive balloon floating above us, somehow attached. According to Karma Yoga, this is an inaccurate description. We are souls that possess a body—several bodies, in fact, including the etheric, astral, and causal bodies. The physical body is simply the lower level of energy through which we conduct the business of living in the lower world known as Earth. The chakras are spinning wheels that draw energy in and release energy outward. Be careful with what you draw in and what you throw out. Ego Flip your palms up and extend your index fingers. The index finger represents the ego. The ego believes that it is a body in possession of a soul, with the soul delegated to a lower level than the body. We worry about the body, compare our bodies with others, and continually find fault with and criticize our physical presence on Earth in an attempt to usurp the soul. Now pull your finger in and place your thumb on top. Take a breath and surrender to your soul. The soul quietly reminds us that the physical world is superficial and constantly changing. What matters is allowing the soul to be our guide. If we do, we may discover that the soul has a body—not the other way around. The energy we take in and the energy we give off help shape the nature of our lives. The chakras are spinning wheels that remind us to seek balance in all things and, in all things, find balance. Live from your soul, and your aura will reflect it. Namaste ~ may you walk the paht of life with health, happiness and peace. Doctor Lynn

The Three States of the Mind

The practice of yoga encourages us to observe what are often described as the three states of the mind: The Conditioned Mind – This is the mind shaped by our experiences, habits, beliefs, and past impressions. It influences how we think, react, and move through life. The Aggressive Mind – When the mind is driven by the ego and seeks constant fulfillment, it becomes restless, reactive, and dissatisfied. If its desires are not met, it can become agitated and disruptive. The Balanced Mind – This is a calm, steady state in which the mind remains centered despite the events happening around us. It is a place of happiness, creativity, clarity, and peace. When we practice yoga, we are doing much more than developing strength, flexibility, and balance in the body. We are also training the mind, cultivating focus, inner balance, and a sense of peace. Peace is a profound achievement, yet it can easily be disturbed by the challenges of everyday life. By learning to manage the state of our mind, we begin to influence the quality of our life. Everything begins with the mind. Physical tension often reflects a disturbed mental state. When we are stressed, we feel tired, our muscles tighten, and our movements become restricted. This is often the aggressive mind, driven by the ego. When we relax, release our attachment to external events, and return to the present moment, the body softens, energy returns, and movement becomes more fluid and natural. As we work with the body today, let us also practice cultivating a balanced and peaceful state of mind. Closing Reflection There are three states of the mind: the conditioned, the aggressive, and the balanced. One of the aims of yoga is to bring the body, mind, and spirit into harmony. This journey begins with the mind, for as the mind goes, so goes the body. When you notice tension in your body, pause for a moment, take a slow breath, and reflect on the state of your mind. Then gently guide yourself back toward balance—the place where happiness, creativity, and peace naturally arise. EGO: Flip the palms up and extend out the index finger – the ego -The Aggressive Mind. When the mind is driven by the ego and seeks constant fulfillment, it becomes restless, reactive, and dissatisfied. If its desires are not met, it can become agitated and disruptive. Pull the finger in and place the thumb on top. Take a breath and surrender to the soul. The Balanced Mind – This is a calm, steady state in which the mind remains centered despite the events happening around us. It is a place of happiness, creativity, clarity, and peace. Seek balance in all things and in all things find balance. Namaste ~ may you walk the path of life with health, happiness, and peace. Doctor Lynn