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Christian Mystic Wants to Learn About Chakras

Open_Minded

Nothing is Separate
Hello Folks:

I'm not sure where to start with this, so I'll just plunge right in. I've decades of experience meditating. My path has been Christian Mysticism.

Although I've heard of Chakras I've never really given them much thought. They've not been "on my path" so-to-speak.

But, in the last few years, Chakras have started to present themselves along my path. I became aware that Chakras in the first place, because of my meditation. Some years ago, during meditation, I started to feel a tingling in my forehead. A friend of mine (who is a massage therapist) told me that it was my "third eye". I didn't know what that was, and asked her about it. Then she told me about Chakras. But, still even though the Chakra presented itself in my meditation, I didn't really pursue it.

Anyway in the last year or so other energy things are showing up in my life. The first energy signs to show up have been tingling in my palms and at the bottom of my feet. This is a continuous thing. I have noticed that if I pick up a picture of someone I love, put my hands over the picture and intentionally send healing energy and love their way, that the tingling diminishes.

I've sort of taken all this in stride, and not really pursued it further. But then a month, or so ago, another Chakra presented itself to me. And now I'm thinking I should be more intentional in learning about these things.

The latest Chakra to present itself is the crown Chakra.Currently I am going through a trying spiritual journey and have been praying for guidance. Specifically guidance to come to me in my dreams. Then one night I had a very vivid dream. The crux of which follows:

In my dream there was a lot of pressure in my head, and I was feeling a lot of pain. Then there was this very strong male hand holding a drill. The hand was over the crown of my head, as I lay down. Then the hand drilled through my crown - releasing all the pressure.
I woke immediately after this vivid dream - much of the spiritual pressure I've been feeling had eased - and I was feeling tingling in my crown. So I thought it might be a chakra and looked it up. Sure enough it is. I've found music to help heal the crown Chakra and that music has been helpful to my overall meditation.

But, I'm thinking I need to learn more about all of this, and that is why I'm starting this thread. The thing is, my background is western. I don't understand the eastern traditions, religions, mythologies, and languages. So.. please if you want to help .... keep this in mind.

Thanks in advance - Open_Minded
 

Aupmanyav

Be your own guru
I do not believe in chakras and I think you should stop meditation for some times, till you get normal (that means you do not feel the tingling any more).
 

Ingledsva

HEATHEN ALASKAN
You need to put this in the general area if you want a lot of replies.

I don't know about Chakras, but I have had the energy move, that is commonly called Kundalini.

*
 

Kirran

Premium Member
Open_Minded, I'm no expert on all this, but if you'd like to get a good general idea of the main seven chakras, Wikipedia actually seems to summarise it pretty well.

Start at the bottom with the Muladhara Chakra :)

I do not believe in chakras and I think you should stop meditation for some times, till you get normal (that means you do not feel the tingling any more).

You don't think they might be useful in their guise as psychological tools? Real in terms of their existence in our nervous system, as opposed to as actual organs?
 

Shantanu

Well-Known Member
Hello Folks:

I'm not sure where to start with this, so I'll just plunge right in. I've decades of experience meditating. My path has been Christian Mysticism.

Although I've heard of Chakras I've never really given them much thought. They've not been "on my path" so-to-speak.

But, in the last few years, Chakras have started to present themselves along my path. I became aware that Chakras in the first place, because of my meditation. Some years ago, during meditation, I started to feel a tingling in my forehead. A friend of mine (who is a massage therapist) told me that it was my "third eye". I didn't know what that was, and asked her about it. Then she told me about Chakras. But, still even though the Chakra presented itself in my meditation, I didn't really pursue it.

Anyway in the last year or so other energy things are showing up in my life. The first energy signs to show up have been tingling in my palms and at the bottom of my feet. This is a continuous thing. I have noticed that if I pick up a picture of someone I love, put my hands over the picture and intentionally send healing energy and love their way, that the tingling diminishes.

I've sort of taken all this in stride, and not really pursued it further. But then a month, or so ago, another Chakra presented itself to me. And now I'm thinking I should be more intentional in learning about these things.

The latest Chakra to present itself is the crown Chakra.Currently I am going through a trying spiritual journey and have been praying for guidance. Specifically guidance to come to me in my dreams. Then one night I had a very vivid dream. The crux of which follows:

In my dream there was a lot of pressure in my head, and I was feeling a lot of pain. Then there was this very strong male hand holding a drill. The hand was over the crown of my head, as I lay down. Then the hand drilled through my crown - releasing all the pressure.
I woke immediately after this vivid dream - much of the spiritual pressure I've been feeling had eased - and I was feeling tingling in my crown. So I thought it might be a chakra and looked it up. Sure enough it is. I've found music to help heal the crown Chakra and that music has been helpful to my overall meditation.

But, I'm thinking I need to learn more about all of this, and that is why I'm starting this thread. The thing is, my background is western. I don't understand the eastern traditions, religions, mythologies, and languages. So.. please if you want to help .... keep this in mind.

Thanks in advance - Open_Minded
If you are a thinker, you must listen to your mind and follow up any leads as it might be telling you something about reality. When dreams are really vivid, they may be classified as visions to awaken you to search for your spirituality. I have a story about this that might help. About 18 years ago I was bowing to a murti of Ganesh while sightseeing in Odissa in India and I immediately felt a great sensation flowing over my entire body. I kept my religious artefacts with me all these years and still wear and carry them with me wherever I go. Now I reflect on it as if God was telling me that I was not foolish in thinking that a God did exist and that I was destined to realise this fully in my life.

So if you feel chakras are on your path that you should follow them with an open mind because God can do anything with your mind and body for His own purposes. It may be His way of sending you a message if you have been genuinely seeking the truth about God. In Hinduism we take all kinds of paths individually to our realisations. And tools like chakras do help in this search.
 

Open_Minded

Nothing is Separate
I do not believe in chakras and I think you should stop meditation for some times, till you get normal (that means you do not feel the tingling any more).
I don't intend to stop meditation because of the tingling. It is quite normal, on the meditative path, to have new understandings and concepts present themselves along your path. .. This isn't just one Chakra anymore. Another has recently presented itself. And I assume the tingling in my hands and feet is also energy of some kind, although I don't know what. But that energy has been present for months. It diminishes in only one of two ways...

  1. Either when I intentionally use my hands to send healing energy to someone I love.
  2. Or when I am ill myself (I assume my own energy levels are in need of balancing and that is why the tingling diminishes). But, as soon as the cold (or whatever passes) the tingling resumes at it's normal level.
  3. Oh... I should also say the tingling in my feet diminishes when I walk in nature (Again, I don't know what that means, but I assume there is a reason)

If you are a thinker, you must listen to your mind and follow up any leads as it might be telling you something about reality. When dreams are really vivid, they may be classified as visions to awaken you to search for your spirituality........ So if you feel chakras are on your path that you should follow them with an open mind because God can do anything with your mind and body for His own purposes. It may be His way of sending you a message if you have been genuinely seeking the truth about God. In Hinduism we take all kinds of paths individually to our realisations. And tools like chakras do help in this search.

We agree completely. I did not go searching for Chakras, they presented themselves to me. This (if nothing else) convinces me of the need to follow through.

In Hinduism the path is slow and steady. There are definite prerequisites to raja yoga. The steady balanced path is highly recommended. You don't want to drive across a bridge before that bridge is built. You may well fall into the chasm below.
I would agree with this approach as well. I've been practicing Christian Mysticism for decades, and have found the benefits of slow and steady. In fact you may want to review another thread (The Fear in Meditation) I've recently participated in. It will give you some background on my own approach to meditation.

Applicable to this discussion is the following post, that I wrote:

But, I would add one more reason for fear. Earlier when I talked about a kind of fear that had a sense of impending danger, this is a different type of fear (to me at least) than what Windwalker refers to. In this situation, I think the danger was of pushing too far ... too fast with the meditation.

This is difficult to explain, but not so mysterious as it seems. It's possible (for instance) too push too hard and too fast with physical exercise. There are negative consequences of pushing ourselves to a certain threshold, before we are ready. This can happen in meditation as well.....

For my own part, I think this fear (with a sense of impending danger) was simply warning me not to "go there" just yet.... that I needed more time where I was at...

About your last bit of advice...
However ... if these cautionary words have no effect on you, and you feel a strong need to explore this side-path, so to speak, I'd recommend a different forum called spiritualforums, where all new-age stuff is discussed at length by many.

You all know these forums, better than I do. I'm not a frequent flyer. And I'm willing to ask a mod to move the thread. However, it is BECAUSE I prefer to approach Chakras from a more classical approach, that I first posted here. I come from a classic Christian Mystic background. There is value in what the ancients teach.

My problem ... and it is very real ... is that even though Chakras are presenting themselves to me, I do not have the classic cultural exposure that one gets when one is raised in the religion. I think what very well may be happening, is that I may already be taking the path of Chakras without knowing it - because I simply have no background with which to gauge what is unfolding.

And - because most of you don't have a background in Christian Mysticism, we may very understandably run across issues of communication. I don't mind moving this to a more appropriate forum. But... I don't consider these experiences "new age" and if that's what I'm going to receive there, then maybe that's not the best place for this thread. I await your advice, patiently .... :)
 
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Aupmanyav

Be your own guru
You don't think they might be useful in their guise as psychological tools? Real in terms of their existence in our nervous system, as opposed to as actual organs?
I am a non-believer in chakras. I accept that they might be useful as psychological tools, but I think the dangers out-weigh the benefits. Many people get hung on it forgetting other things in life. I do not think chakras are mentioned in Vedas.
 

Vinayaka

devotee
Premium Member
I'm sorry, but you came into the Hinduim DIR, to get advice, and two traditional Hindus have offered it up as best we could. Then we get a debating type of response. Therefore, I deleted my post, and won't add anything else, because it won't be fruitful. I've also requested the thread to be moved to comparative or some other place. Hindus rarely know anything about Christian mysticism, and we're (especially me) are not in the business of upsetting people or debating in areas we know nothing about. If you want chakras from Hinduism POV, this is the right place, but that's not what you're looking for.

Now ... I sincerely wish you the best in finding answers that are more to your liking. They're obviously not mine.
 

Maya3

Well-Known Member
I´m a little confused with what you mean about Chakras presenting themselves?

Kundalini movement is a slow process that starts at the bottom of your spine and moves upwards. It wouldn´t start at the crown Chakra.

If you feel pressure in your head when you meditate, I advice to take it very slow, don´t force anything.

Maya
 

Open_Minded

Nothing is Separate
I'm sorry, but you came into the Hinduim DIR, to get advice, and two traditional Hindus have offered it up as best we could. Then we get a debating type of response. Therefore, I deleted my post, and won't add anything else, because it won't be fruitful. I've also requested the thread to be moved to comparative or some other place. Hindus rarely know anything about Christian mysticism, and we're (especially me) are not in the business of upsetting people or debating in areas we know nothing about. If you want chakras from Hinduism POV, this is the right place, but that's not what you're looking for.

Now ... I sincerely wish you the best in finding answers that are more to your liking. They're obviously not mine.
Vinayaka .... It was not my intent to come across as "debating", and I'm sorry if that's the way it was perceived. Sometimes communication in writing can be a bit misleading, because one can not hear the inflections of the others voice.

Thank you for requesting that the thread be moved to comparative. As I mentioned before, you know these forums better than I, and I'm willing to accept that there's a better place for this discussion. I agree, that our different backgrounds may be source of frustration in communicating.

I would - actually say - that I am interested in Chakras from a classical POV, and to me that means Hindu. I hope that you continue to participate in the thread, even when it is moved to Comparative.

I´m a little confused with what you mean about Chakras presenting themselves?

Kundalini movement is a slow process that starts at the bottom of your spine and moves upwards. It wouldn´t start at the crown Chakra.

If you feel pressure in your head when you meditate, I advice to take it very slow, don´t force anything.

Maya

Actually, I'm more than a little confused myself. :) I've done enough reading to know that the energy movement is a slow process, and that (like you said) it starts at the bottom of my spine and moves upward.

So ... it is confusing to me ... that the first Chakra to awaken (I use that word because I'm not sure what other word to use) was my "third eye" Chakra. Then to have my crown Chakra so dramatically present itself in that dream, and to feel immediate release of some very serious spiritual stress that I've been dealing with ...... Well ... it is confusing to me.

But... .there have been benefits. Odd as it may sound, humor is returning. So.... much so that others who are close to me have mentioned it. Just this morning, I awoke from a humorous dream and had the best belly laugh I've had in a good long time. This is not normal (for me), and it is quite healing, for the thing humor is helping me see how I've been taking some things much too seriously.

The benefits that have arisen since that dream are very real... and I want to nurture this... so that they are long lasting. But.. I'm with you - it's confusing - . This is all from another tradition, I'm not equipped to interpret it, or nurture it, and I wish I had the answers...
 

Vinayaka

devotee
Premium Member
Classical Hindu POV ... the first chakra BELOW the muladara chakra is fear. That ties into your thread on meditation quite nicely.
 
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Open_Minded

Nothing is Separate
Classical Hindu POV ... the first chakra BELOW the muladara chaktra is fear. That ties into your thread on meditation quite nicely.

Hello Vinayaka:

OK - a couple of questions...

  1. You write about fear as a Chakra and Muladara as Chaktra .... what is the difference?
  2. If Muladara is the 1st Chaktra (or "root" Chaktra) then how can there be a Chakra BELOW Muladara?
  3. This question may take some exploration between us, but I'll start off with a statement. Although I've experienced fear (in relation to meditation) in the past. This has not been part of my more recent experiences. I would say the most dominate emotion I've been experiencing is "confusion as to the way forward".... The question "how do I go forward from here, Lord" ??? Has been at the top of my mind/spirit.
Only after that vivid dream (about the crown) Chakra, has that pressure diminished somewhat. I've still got a long way to go, but I don't feel the overwhelming pressure that I have been feeling. You probably don't have an answer to these mussings, and yet letting you know about them seems important....
 

Maya3

Well-Known Member
So ... it is confusing to me ... that the first Chakra to awaken (I use that word because I'm not sure what other word to use) was my "third eye" Chakra. Then to have my crown Chakra so dramatically present itself in that dream, and to feel immediate release of some very serious spiritual stress that I've been dealing with ...... Well ... it is confusing to me.

How did the Chakra present itself to you? What happened when they awakened? What makes you think it is Chakras opening?

Maya
 

Vinayaka

devotee
Premium Member
You see, in Hinduism, we're not interested in the study of chakras per se. That is very much a new-age thing. But we know they are there. Let's use a couple of analogies to try to explain. The first is the road map. Chakras are like a road map. Seers of yore saw them, and correlated to them to levels of awareness through observation. A person can study the road map for hours and hours, but until he jumps in the car and starts driving somewhere he simply won't actually go anywhere. So Hindus are interested in driving the car ...getting somewhere, and in mystical terms, raising awareness upwards, no matter at which point it is currently at.

Another analogy is the heart. A cardiologist is a heart specialist. In order to help people, he knows the anatomy of hearts and how they work inside and out. He is to cardiology what the Realised Satguru is to Hinduism. But average Joe just wants to keep his heart pumping. He has no actual interest in the anatomy of the heart. It won't help him one iota.

So this is how we view chakras ... a derailment to the actual goal ... that of lifting awareness. An interesting study perhaps, but not actually helpful on the path. It would be helpful to the caring Satguru because at one glance He could tell where the individual's awareness was, and give personal advice based on that.

Now .. all this sensations , these tinglings ... totally unnecessary and not at all indicative of where awareness is actually flowing. Just incidental happenings from too much thinking about it, or postures, and definitely not something to focus on, as it won't have permanent effect. We want permanent effect. Thus ... back to the gateway, the muladara, where Lord Ganesha sits. The yamas are there. Stability is there. That's where Hindus want to go. It's the key to the car in the road map analogy. It's physical exercise and proper diet in the heart analogy. We want that heart to keep running.
 

Open_Minded

Nothing is Separate
How did the Chakra present itself to you? What happened when they awakened? What makes you think it is Chakras opening?

Well ... in regards to the Third Eye Chakra, it started presenting itself during meditation. Just a tingling in the center of my forehead, above and between my eyes. But overtime this sensation started to happen just in my daily routines. I didn't have to be meditating. It seems to have a calmness, or calming effect associated with it.

In regards to the crown Chakra, I've already explained my dream. It was quite vivid. I don't usually have such vivid dreams and when I do, they usually mean something. With this dream there was an immediate release of pressure that I'd been feeling. I've felt much pressure and weight of responsibility in a certain area of my life. As if I know I have the ability to affect things for the good, but can not find a way forward to do so... So... there is "weight on my shoulders" so-to-speak. And like I've mentioned earlier, I still have a long way to go to find the path out of the forest that I'm currently wandering in, after this dream I felt a considerable ease to the pressure. Now - there is this underlying feeling that outward appearances may not have changed much, but inwardly the weight is lessening. Although outwardly there are no answers, inwardly I know there is this guiding hand and it is using my Chakra to help open my inner vision.

What makes me think it is Chakras???

I don't know what else they could be. I mean feel free to inform me otherwise... but in all honesty ... what is happening is associated with energy. Ever since it started happening I've experienced it as energy. Especially the release that came from the dream...

And if it's energy and it's showing up in the general area of a Chakra, isn't that what I should be looking at?
 

Open_Minded

Nothing is Separate
You see, in Hinduism, we're not interested in the study of chakras per se.

Hello Vinayaka --- I can totally relate to that statement, but from a different cultural perspective. And to your description of the map vs. actually traveling the road. There are parallels within the Christian tradition. So ... what you are saying makes sense to me (on one level).

But... I'm afraid my complete ignorance of these things is already side tracking me. For instance, going back to the Christian tradition. I grew up in this tradition, and absorbed it just by living it. ... so... it is quite easy for me to see how a constant fixation on the Crucifixion, for example, might derail me from actually drawing closer to Christ. I grew up with the Crucifixion, it's so much a part of my religious culture that it is a part of who I am. It's not necessary for me to fixate on the Crucifixion for it to have power in my life. It has power in my life, simply because it's always been a part of my life.

In this situation, I don't have the cultural grounding. So... these things are happening. They are outside my own tradition. I know nothing of them... and that in itself is a distraction. (Hope that makes sense)

Now... back to your points

Now .. all this sensations , these tinglings ... totally unnecessary and not at all indicative of where awareness is actually flowing. Just incidental happenings from too much thinking about it, or postures, and definitely not something to focus on, as it won't have permanent effect. We want permanent effect. Thus ... back to the gateway, the muladara, where Lord Ganesha sits. The yamas are there. Stability is there. That's where Hindus want to go. It's the key to the car in the road map analogy. It's physical exercise and proper diet in the heart analogy. We want that heart to keep running.

I'm not trying to debate you hear. I really am trying to find a way forward....

I don't know if they're indicative of where awareness is actually flowing or not (I hope to find that out). But.... I do know....

  1. They showed up without pursuit. I did not even know to pursue them (I had no background from which to chase them). So... "too much thinking about it" doesn't seem probable. Especially with the crown Chakra. When I prayed for guidance the last thing I expected to have such a vivid dream about was a male hand drilling into my head and releasing pressure. That is so out of the realm of possibilities for a Christian Mystic that it really took me by surprise. And then to have so much pressure released from the experience... well I don't know any other way to interpret it.
  2. You say .... "Thus ... back to the gateway, the muladara, where Lord Ganesha sits. The yamas are there. Stability is there." .... OK I'm open minded about this. It seems to make common sense, but what are the yamas? What is the muladara ...how do I "go back to the gateway"....
Maybe the best thing for me would be to find some kind of book that interprets this for a western world-view.... Again the mussing and I'm open to suggestions...
 

Maya3

Well-Known Member
I don´t mean to be confrontational, I´m just asking questions to see what you have experienced so that I can answer.
Chakras and Kundalini are often misunderstood. People who are not familiar with it sometimes speak about it as if it is a phenomenon that happens to people as easy as if it rains one day.

I´m not saying that you are not experiencing it, I can´t know that, but I want I think it´s fair to ask you questions about it.

The tingling in your forehead sounds like you have energy moving, but your dream I´m not so sure about.
Vivid dreams and premonitions can be a result of kundalini, but I don´t know about dreams where pressure is released in your head with a drill. Could that symbolise something else?

Maya
 

Open_Minded

Nothing is Separate
I don´t mean to be confrontational, I´m just asking questions to see what you have experienced so that I can answer.
Chakras and Kundalini are often misunderstood. People who are not familiar with it sometimes speak about it as if it is a phenomenon that happens to people as easy as if it rains one day.

I´m not saying that you are not experiencing it, I can´t know that, but I want I think it´s fair to ask you questions about it.

The tingling in your forehead sounds like you have energy moving, but your dream I´m not so sure about.

Maya - I can sense that you are trying to help. Don't worry about it, I'm not taking it as confrontation. Like I mentioned earlier, communicating by writing can be somewhat limiting...

Vivid dreams and premonitions can be a result of kundalini, but I don´t know about dreams where pressure is released in your head with a drill. Could that symbolise something else?

Yeah ... I know what you mean. Pressure being released with a drill was a complete shock to me. I absolutely hate power tools. I have my whole life. I've used them, out of necessity, but a power tool in a symbolic dream is a real puzzle to me. :)

If it had been just the dream, I'd have let it go. But, it's not just the dream, it's the result. There's been a shift in my awareness since that dream. I don't feel nearly the amount of responsibility and pressure that I did. I much more willing to step back and let others step forward, and they have noticed. And humor is coming back, I'm much more willing to see humor in things I wasn't able to before the dream, and others have noticed that as well. If nothing else convinces me that I should be paying attention to this phenomenon, it's that others have noticed. For them ... I'm much easier to live with. I'm less stressed out... and that counts for something.
 

Maya3

Well-Known Member
That sounds nice, enjoy it. If the dream has a positive result then it is wonderful.
Maybe it symbolizes that you can let go of outer pressures and just enjoy life.

Maya
 

Open_Minded

Nothing is Separate
That sounds nice, enjoy it. If the dream has a positive result then it is wonderful.
Maybe it symbolizes that you can let go of outer pressures and just enjoy life.

You give good advice Maya, you and Vinayaka...

The more I read through this thread, the more I realize maybe the key here is that I don't have to analyze. Maybe all I have to do is enjoy it....

I just want to be able to nurture it, so that it is long lasting. I guess that's why I started this thread.... hoping that I could find a way to nurture this and not so much hold onto it, but find lasting benefit from it.

As Vinayaka said earlier ... "We want permanent effect."

My experience with meditation, in general, is exactly what Vinayaka said, that one should work towards long-lasting and foundational growth. So..... I guess this thread is my way of trying to fully integrate the benefits of this experience into a long-lasting and permanent effect on my character...
 
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