Chakra Meditation

Begin by sitting in a comfortable postion where you can keep your back upright in neutral spine position.

You may like to sit in a chair with an upright back. If you can resist the temptation to fall asleep! and you have difficulty sitting up, then you can meditate lying down.

The yoga postures for meditation are the lotus, the half-lotus, sitting cross-legged and Baddhakonasana, the tailor's pose. They all enable you to keep your back upright. You need to be able to stay in the position for around twenty minutes without fidgeting, so choose one that is comfortable. Remember you can use pillows or cushions under your thighs to support your legs if you need.

Take your concentration to each chakra in turn. Yogis believe that chakras are centres of energy. Chakra means wheel in Sanskrit. Some people believe there is an electrical field associated with each human being and that the chakras are part of that system. I have heard yogis explain that Sahasrara the highest chakra is actually outside of the human body and at the moment of death, the energy we have in life is passed naturally into Sahasrara.

Muladhara .. the Earth Chakra. Make the sound "L" and then make it resonate into the sound "Lam"

Visualise a golden square, gold which is solid and pure and precious; a square which gives stability and allow the golden square to support and uplift the Muladhara Chakra.

Svadhishthana.. the Water Chakra. Make the sound "V" and then make it resonate into the sound "Vam"

Visualise a silver crescent moon with its tips touching. The moon governs the tides and the flow of water. The base of the moon is downwards, towards the base of the sacrum and the tips are nearer the top of the sacrum

Manipura .. the Fire Chakra. Make the sound "R" and then make it resonate into the sound "Ram"

Visualise a red triangle with its point downwards, centred over your navel. The red represents fire and heat.

Anahata .. the Air Chakra. Make the sound "Y" and then make it resonate into the sound "Yam"

Visualise two sky blue overlapping triangles one pointing upwards and one downwards lying over your heart area. The Anahata Chakra is where there begins to be an overlap from the energy needed for maintaining your body and that for spiritual matters. This is the Chakra of unconditional love.

Vishuddha.. the Space Chakra. Make the sound "H" and then make it resonate into the sound "Ham"

Visualise a white circle inside of which is a grey egg like shape whose pointed end touches the inside of the roof of your mouth and the base sits where your neck meets your trunk, by the jugular notch.

Ajna.. the Commander of the Elements Chakra. Make the sound "Ke" and then make it resonate into the sound "Ke-Sham"

Visualise five white beams of light coming down from above the location of Ajna. Imagine Ajna as being located inside your brain behind your third eye which is considered to be just above the point where your two eyes meet at the centre.

Sahasrara.. Beyond the Elements Resonate the sound "Om"

This is the site of the thousand petalled lotus above the crown of your head. Allow yourself to feel relaxed and at peace.

Stay in the six chakras for roughly the same amount of time, leaving yourself at least ten minutes to enjoy meditating in the position of Sahasrara.

When you are ready, bring back your thoughts to the everyday world, gently open your eyes, rest for a few moments and in your own time come back to your every day life, feeling refreshed and at peace.

Please note there are many different symbols attached to the chakras. The more you research, the more you find which is not surprising as they have become embedded into Hinduism and Buddhism and practised right across the vast sub-continent of India and up into the Tibetan plains for thousands of years.

I have followed here the way that Alan Finger recommends in his book Chakra Yoga and if you buy his book, you'll find there is a CD with it where Alan talks you through this meditation.