by Dr. Alberto Villoldo: The Third Chakras is among the five lower energy centers (Earth Chakras) which, like the roots of a tree, keep us grounded to Mother Earth…
It is also one of the three chakras (solar plexus, heart, and throat chakras) that are nurtured by the finer energies of love, compassion, and empathy.
Its properties are:
Element: Fire
Color: Yellow
Body Aspects: Stomach, abdomen, liver, pancreas, storing and releasing energy, spleen
Instinct: Power
Psychological Aspects: Courage, power, expression in the world
Gland: Pancreas
Seeds: Autonomy, individuation, selfless service, fulfillment of dreams, longevity
Negative Expression: Gastrointestinal disorders, anorexia, sorrow, pride, ego inflation, neurotic symptoms, low energy, victim mentality, temper tantrums, shame
Located at the solar plexus, the third chakra is associated with the pancreas, the body’s energy banker, whose currency is glucose. When the third chakra is functioning properly, the body has plentiful energy for all its activities. Since the brain is the largest fuel consumer in the body, a balanced third chakra is essential for clear thinking.
It also influences the liver, which is the body’s fuel storehouse. Individuals with third-chakra disorders often suffer from low energy. Problems with sustenance may appear on the psychological and spiritual levels. When the third chakra is not functioning properly, a person may fail at his endeavors. Even though he has all the resources for success at hand, he lacks the stamina to get to the finish line.
The third chakra is the power center in the luminous energy system. Used constructively, its power can manifest our aspirations in the world. If used destructively, it can repress our primary nature or libido, and manifest as neurotic symptoms of shame or guilt.
This chakra corresponds chronologically to the ages of 14 to 21, the years that precede adulthood. The feminine power of the first chakra and the primordial sexual energy of the second chakra are transformed into a fine fuel that the third chakra employs for the fulfillment of our dreams and replenishes the reserves in the Luminous Energy Field. When we awaken the power of this chakra, we experience fearlessness and a resolve that cannot be deterred by adversity. Obstacles in our path crumble.
The downside is that this can result in the inflation of our ego. We feel capable of creating or destroying the world and become dictatorial and manipulative, striving for personal power and fame at whatever cost.
When this chakra is cleared, our family and interpersonal relationships become stable. We become effective communicators and discover the power of the spoken and written word. This center makes us true to our own nature. Our life purpose becomes clear, and we can align ourselves to it.
When you want to improve the world around you, bring balance to your third chakra. The tool of this center is visualization. The fire element that rules the third chakra provides the fuel to manifest dreams. Be careful that you do not exercise this power for personal gain, but rather for the common good. The key word for this chakra is service.
The function of the third chakra is to translate vision into reality. Its name in Sanskrit is Manipura, which means “the palace of jewels,” referring to its ability to transform dreams into living treasures. The shaman understands that we dream the world into being. This center is the alembic on which our dreams are alchemically turned into gold.
THE FOURTH CHAKRA, also called the heart chakra, is located at the cardiac plexus, in the center of the chest, and not over the heart itself.
Its properties are:
Element: Air
Color: Green
Body Aspects: Circulatory system, lungs, breasts, heart, asthma, immune deficiencies
Instinct: Love
Psychological Instincts: Love, hope, surrender to another, compassion, intimacy
Gland: Thymus
Seeds: Selfless love, forgiveness
Negative Expressions: Ego aggrandizement, resentment, selfishness, grief, loneliness, abandonment, betrayal
The heart chakra is the axis of the chakra system. Just as the belly is at the center of gravity of the physical body, the heart is at the center of the luminous body. Chronologically, the heart chakra is associated with the ages of twenty-one to twenty-eight. It is the center from which we form our families.
Through the heart center we share and experience love, however the quality of love of the heart chakra is neither the affection we exchange with each other nor the romantic love we “fall” into. The heart chakra thrives on the love of Creation. It is not object-focused, nor is it dependent on another for its existence. It is not sentimental. It is impersonal, selfless. Christian theologians call it agape. The Inka call it munay. This kind of love is not a means to an end. It does not lead to marriage or relationships. It is an end in itself.
To experience selfless love, we must die to who we have been in the past. Thus, shamans have devised intricate practices for experiencing the death of the ego and egotism. However, we do not need to go through the complicated death rites of the jungle shamans to experience the love of the heart chakra. We simply need to surrender to love — to translate love from a feeling into a practice and a meditation. We need to stop falling in love and become love itself. When you experience your heart beating, remind yourself that it is love that is beating.
One of the negative expressions of this chakra is an infatuation with the self. We all know people who claim to know that “love is the answer,” who spout all the right clichés about love. These individuals are more interested in demonstrating their “enlightenment” than in practicing charity or selfless love. Another negative expression of our love instinct is the inability to show compassion for ourselves. When self-love is absent, we become stuck in self-criticism and shame.
The heart chakra regulates the thymus gland, which is responsible for cell-mediated immunity. The thymus is one of the main players in immune response, critical in the development of B and T lymphocytes, the body’s “killer cells.” Persons with a depressed immune system respond excellently when the heart chakra is cleared through the Illumination Process.
The Sanskrit name for this chakra is Anahata, which means “unbound.” It refers to how we become free from the material measures of success. Money, automobiles, fame, and fortune cease being the measures of achievement. Freedom, joyfulness, and an abiding peace become the hallmarks of a person who dwells in his heart center.
What can you do today to fire up your third chakra to follow the call of spirit and download divine love from your fourth chakra into your lower chakras?
