Accounts of Chakra Meditation

Accounts of Chakra Meditation

By: Andrew Thomas, Lou Hicks and Matthew Humar

A quiet circle of people gathered around in an open room. The light fr om outside was becoming dim as we were approaching sunset. A statue of Ganesha surrounded by fl owers was overlooking the crowd. Everyone was holding hands with the people next to them. On my right was my soul mate and on my left was a new fr iend. There was an uncertain but calm feeling in the room. Everyone remained silent and had their eyes closed.

The yogi in the center of the room had a very powerful aura; he spoke loud but slow and calm. He had a memorable face; long beard but perfectly even with a symmetrical white turban. I had seen him at a quick glance before we positioned ourselves but with my eyes closed and calm breathing I was visualizing a perfect image of him. He began a brief explanation that the process was rhythmic breathing that would slowly speed up until the chakra moment when it would be long exhales and inhales. Also he emphasized the importance of controlling the mind and to not get distracted.

“The eff ect of this meditation is amplifi ed with more people. It is very powerful. Listen but also try to leave consciousness. Ready? Let’s begin.”

I inhaled and exhaled the deepest I had felt.

One…two…one…two….One…two…one…two…. One…two…one…two….One…two…one…two…. one…two..one…two...one…two..one…two...one…two...one…two...one..two..one..two.one.two.one. two.

“Exhale…focus on Muladhara.” Pure darkness and nothingness with eyes closed. Time began to slow down. I was avoiding a tidal wave of thoughts as I didn’t realize that I’d been in this moment just 20 seconds. Still darkness. But then a subtle red color started creeping in with landscapes surrounding in an environment that looked like Mars. “LAAAAAAAMMMMMM.” Was this just my imagination? I quickly lassoed my thoughts and went back to breathing. “Inhale…focus on Sahasrara.” The black had taken over again but my mind was focused and all consciousness began to fade.

“Exhale…focus on the Svadhishthana.” As I exhaled the visuals became more abstract, the darkness had turned to grey background with orange colors oozing into the landscape. “VAAAAAAAMMMMMM.” The breathing remained calm. “Inhale…focus on Sahasrara.” Nothingness returned.

One…two…one…two….One…two…one…two…. One…two…one…two….

As the chants repeated nothingness subtly evolved into rhyntic visual pulses.

One…two…one…two….one…two..one…two... one…two..one…two...one…two...one…two...one.. two..one..two.one.two.one.two

“Exhale…focus on the Manipura.” Consciousness continued to fade along with the time.

“RAAAAAAAMMMMMM.” Visuals had morphed into a feeling of hovering over a yellow void.

“Inhale…focus on Sahasrara.”

One…two…one…two….One…two…one…two….One…two…one…two….One…two…one…two…. one…two..one…two...one…two..one…two...one…two...one…two...one..two..one..two.one.two.one. two

“Exhale…focus on the Anahata.” My hands began to shake. The concept of controlling them was beyond me but the lack of control was understood by the people on either side of me. Body parts shaking during the most deep, calm breathing was foreign to me. “YAAAAAAAMMMMMM.” A glimpse of fear as I walked through a green forest was passed by consistent breathing. “Inhale…focus on Sahasrara.”

“Exhale…focus on the Vishuddha.” I was fl oating in what seemed like water. “HAAAAAAAMMMMMM.” Absolutely still with no movement anywhere in my body. “Inhale…focus on Sahasrara.”

One…two…one…two….One…two…one…two…. One…two…one…two….

Rapid fi re eye movement came out of nowhere.

One…two…one…two….one…two..one…two... one…two..one…two...one…two...one…two...one.. two..one..two.one.two.one.two

“Exhale…focus on the Ajna.” Intensity was nearing its peak. No concrete shapes, just fl ashes of indigo and white as the eye fl ashing got faster and faster. “OOOOMMMMMM.” The indigo began to be dominated by the white flashes and I noticed a propulsion fl ying straight up. “Inhale…focus on Sahasrara.”

One…two…one…two….One…two…one…two…. One…two…one…two….One…two…one…two

The hand shaking returned as the eye fl ashing got overwhelming and the speed got so fast that I would have fainted if I were conscious. It got brighter as I soared higher and higher. The moment of my eyes and hands were about to explode. But being in the state of consistent breathing my mind was kept intact.

one…two..one…two...one…two..one…two...one…two...one…two...one..two..one..two.one.two.one. two

“Exhale…focus on Sahasrara.” The room was completely silent. Soaring through the fl ashing colors had slowed to a smooth fl oat in space. The concepts of sound and movement were forgotten. A deep lack of consciousness through a void of nothingness was the stage as I sat still for what felt like years. I was aware but was no longer me. “Inhale…focus on Sahasrara.”

I continued to be still and conscious as the smooth breathing continued to wash all thoughts away. Aft er some time the yogi spoke a few more words that I didn’t exactly hear but it was analogous to a magician’s snap but it was very slow and gradual and not instantaneous.

As where I was and what I was doing began to gradually return I sat on the fl oor for a few minutes to grasp what I had just experienced. I tried to wrap my head around it but quickly just took a deep breath and decided to not overthink it and to just be present. I looked around and saw the two people I was holding hands with and one person down I knew all had big smiles on their faces. We all got up and were leaving the temple when I saw the yogi was staring right into my eyes. I was no longer in fear and put my hands together and said “namaste.” He said nothing but smiled, put his hands in the same position and then left .

-AT

We are running late. I think, ‘how classic, how typical tourist, to be running late to a breath work and meditation session’. The room is much bigger than I had anticipated. And there were a lot of people. I remember later thinking that I didn’t think it was possible to have such an intimate experience in such a large room with such a mass of strangers. The buzz of rushing to get to the session subsides and the mild tingle of social awkwardness replaces it - a fl eeting self-consciousness that occupies me when I enter a space to do something new and project onto every other person in the room that they are far more attractive, experienced and enlighten than me. This feeling has no room to linger, as our teacher’s striking presence and kind but loud and commanding voice grabs my attention. I realise I am still standing near the door that we entered through and the people I arrived with have dispersed to far corners of the room. I quickly sit between two strangers to join the circle.

The circle grows still - the last fi dgeting and rearranging of legs and cushions now complete. Our teacher’s loud and direct voice signal to me that this is perhaps not a passive lie-back-and relax type of class. The breath work method and the purpose is explained. My nerves are back. I am confused and already forgetting the details of what we are about to do. I am at once struck at the potential seriousness of this practice, and at the same time anchored, when he commands, “Whatever happens, don’t leave the circle. Anything that happens is ok. You are ok. Laughing. Crying. Screaming. It is all ok. Let it happen and do not leave the circle. Remain holding hands.” “COME WHAT MAY” he yells. Almost stunned by the energy in the room before we have even started, I join hands with the people either side of me, I am worried. Of what, I have no idea.

There is no warm up. Again, no time for the worry or distracting thoughts to linger. The room is now further fi lled with music, we are told to begin. The deepest, fastest and most expansive breathing of my life begins. My belly pumps hard. I break out in a cold sweat. We are not even past the fi rst round when my internal survival system has alarm bells ringing. My mind fl icks on to tell me there is no way I can do this for more than a couple of minutes. I note the discomfort of my legs, the dip in my energy, the feeling of tightness and struggle, and the regret of where I had chosen to be. My mind has told my body I’m in distress.

I push on. And I really try. Even if i am only going to be able to last a few minutes, I will give it my all. Without me realising it things get dark, my body roots down and begins to feel heavy but strong. My thinking mind is now off and the rest of me is fr ee to wander. All sense of time is now gone. I am travelling. The only moments where my visions are interrupted or pierced come fr om a few sharp pains shooting up my left leg, the odd scream or laugh or expletive fr om someone in the room,

or the crushing feeling of the woman to my right squeezing my hand so hard that I began to lean my whole body towards it, unconsciously trying to absorb the pressure. “COME WHAT MAY” our teacher cries, again and again. I don’t break my breath. I’m locked in. My muscles are in memory mode and I flow.

I see black and white geometric shapes early on - something like what you see when you rub your eyes. Then blackness - some kind of beautiful dense blackness that I could swim and move through. The expanse of this space fi lls me with lightness and a sense of myself beyond my body. Then the woman comes…

As we approach the fi nal chakra, a soft -edged purple ring appears and grows in size, as though it is coming towards me, or me towards it. In the centre a small fi gure. As it draws near I see it is a woman, also purple, sitting cross-legged. The session ends before I reach her. I don’t remember her having a face.

The exertion of breathing stopped, but my body is pumping. Still with my eyes closed and not wanting to leave wherever I had travelled, my senses are already practicing the sharpness of their upgrade. I can hear, smell and feel everything. Our teacher encourages us back to our bodies and to the room. The relief of uncurling my crushed right-hand helps me to do this. I start to look at the fl oor, then the windows in fr ont of me, then a few faces and bodies across the room. I bring my attention back to my own body as I massage my hand and encourage blood-fl ow to my left leg. I notice two large wet patches on my clothing on my chest. My fi rst thought is it was fr om the cold sweat at the start of class, or the hot sweat I most likely would have produced fr om the vigorous breathing done in a warm room full of people. To further “wake myself”, I gently place my hands over my eyes and sweep them out and downwards, diagonally across my cheeks. My hands are now wet. I realise the wet patches on my chest are fr om tears falling fr om my face. I have no recollection of crying.

-LH

The Meditation…

We rush to make the class, arriving just in time - the circle is near complete. The teacher, a Sikh man with a welcoming face, greets us warmly and gestures to sit, join the circle, fi nd your place. I cross the room, unconsciously moving away fr om fr iends I have just arrived with. Why? I fi nd a seat between two males and exchange a quiet hello. The generosity and warmth in the room is a palpable, but I also feel that there is intensity, focus, searching; perhaps a-knowing of what is to come?

The session begins. First with a welcoming and then thanks. Whilst this goes on, I look around the circle, scanning faces; everyone’s squarely focused on the teacher. My fr iends too are preoccupied, fi xated on the teacher. Enamoured by his face and words, and perhaps his mysticism? I re-divert my gaze and attention. Focus. The Chakras’ are explained - all new information - and then a preview of what to do, what to expect, what may happen. I think this information was more than

I had anticipated, although I really didn’t know what I had anticipated. A pre-recording begins, a voice speaks “…is a very powerful breathing technique…a very powerful tool to open the kundalini…”. What do they mean by powerful, I wonder?

The meditation starts and we go fr om zero to 100 just like that. Inhale, exhale, inhale, exhale, inhale, exhale. One two, one two, one two. I think to myself ‘Well, this is intense, especially for a meditation’, or what I thought meditation to be. I obey, controlling breath to the tempo, meeting the beat head on. My head is racing, circling with thoughts: how long did he say this would go for? How many charkas? Am I doing this right? I tell my self to just breathe. The rate crescendos, and the recording guides - instructs - a full inhalation and then hold. Focus on the charka.

I try but instantly get distracted. My thoughts centre on relief; relief the rapid breathing has stopped, and enjoyment; the head fuzziness is strange, new, pleasurable. Fully exhale. The recording comes back in instructing, permitting? an outward breath. No sooner had I exhaled, than the breathing instructions cycle again. Inhale, exhale, inhale, exhale, inhale, exhale - circling around and around. We continue this cycle, rapid cyclic breathing - in out, in out, in out. Inhale, hold, focus; exhale, hold, focus; and repeat seven time over; visiting all the charkas.

Current day…

Too many years have passed to precisely remember, recall, and recount the full experience of that day. However, I recently revisited this meditation; something I regularly did directly aft er, but then less and less over the years. During this reunion, there was a memory there that felt very familiar. The feeling of preceding anticipation, although now I knew somewhat] what to expect. The uncomfortableness of the rapid breathing, and the wonder of how, if, I want to continue this seven times over. And each and every time I’ve done this meditation, every single time, this mindsets dominates for the fi rst four cycles. But by the fi ft h chakra, Vishuddha (the throat chakra), this all changes, dissolves away, and I stop wondering so much and start simply ‘being’; removing expectations and acknowledging the moment.

During this particular meditation, the tetany in my hands - fr om the hyperventilation - was particularly strong, which has only happened a few times over the years. It almost felt like my hands weren’t mine, although - with eff ort - I could still move and control them if desired. Aft er the fi nal chakra, I lie down

in savasana and bathed in the aft ermath, the whole-body hum; I’ve think this referred to as a kundalini awakening. I start moving, and as I do I feel awash with ‘Love’. I am at home alone, but at this moment I want to be close to the people I love most. I call family members fr eely, where I’d usually hesitate, and want to speak to them about nothing in particular; just to let them know that I am here and that I love them.

-MH