Studying the Chakras

Earlier this year in July, I returned to Kripalu Yoga Centre to study the Psychology of the Chakras with Anodea Judith. I had purchased her book “Eastern Body, Western Mind” a year ago for personal interest and found it an extremely useful resource for the energy work I do. It is an in-depth study of the chakra system.

The course was seven days – We studied one chakra per day. There were about 30 of us in total. A really interesting group of people – a third, I would say, were professional therapists in practice, a third were like me, involved in the healing arts for a solid number of years, and the newbies. I love the newbies (people who had never ever been to therapy people , let alone a week long retreat designed to dive in deep) because they remind me of when I first started out.

There was some serious releasing happening. We all went deep. But, for the ones who were experiencing this for the first time, there was a lot of unearthing, lots of tears, constant crying. On the last day, during the closing circle, one lady shared how she came to be there. Her friend insisted she needed to sign up for this, like insisted, dropped her off at the front door and sped away. “I feel like I’ve just been in rehab,” she said, “But, I’m so glad I came.” I laughed. But, I could relate. My first time was in 2007 for “Springtime Cleanse and Ayurveda”. I had never done a detox before and I had no idea what was happening to me at the time. I knew I felt very irritated, emotional and bone tired. But, with the daily lectures and ayurvedic hot but soaks, slowly things started to clear and by the last day, I felt FANTASTIC!

This Chakra course was very revealing for me and helped me confirm at lot of things about myself. It also brought to light things I still need to work on – my Shadow Self, for example….A reveal for another time.

Every morning started with what they called a “trance”, which I can only describe as being in deep meditation – I relate it to lucid dreaming, yoga nidra, shamanic journeying. Where things are processing and revealed upon awakening.

I learned that I get visions that show me what I need to know. I believe this is my third eye opening (the 6th chakra). I think it’s actually been open for a long time, but, I didn’t know it. I had no one to compare with. In this group, with seriously talented people, I learned this is not a skill that everyone has.

One of my visions involved a woman stroking my forehead telling me to rest and be still. My interpretation of this is that I move around a lot. I do a lot. I do a lot for others and now’s the time to exercise the other side of that – because, to be honest, I am tiring. The masculine side of me is depleting – being the strong one, leading, giving. Maybe, in certain parts of my life, I need to effort less and let someone else take over. I think I can follow – I’ll try anyways, if the Powers That Be say that it will do me good. I would like to receive more. I have a tendency, an impulse maybe, to “return the favour” or “pay someone back” asap! So that we’re even again. I don’t know where that came from or when exactly that started. But, I know that mentality is there – And I know that sometimes it shouldn’t matter.

Anyways, on the last day, we did this creative exercise, which I was dreading because I am not artistic that way – Drawing our chakras. It ended up being a very cool exercise and if I ever have a chakra series workshop, I will incorporate it.

From the top down: My chakra drawing shows my crown chakra is open and I am receiving messages. It shows my third eye is big and bright and directly aligned under the crown chakra, and my throat chakra (the blue circle) open and resonating (the blue squiggly lines). My group member, Gus, my Kripalu roommate, titled the drawing “Speak Your Light”, because I have a lot of things to say that will benefit the masses and it’s time to start sharing it.