Chakras and the Endocrine System

[Guest guest]

an interesting take on our endocrine issues....

nancie

CHAKRAS AND THE ENDOCRINE SYSTEM

Parallels have often been drawn, by supporters of the existence of chakras,

between the positions and functions of the chakras, and of the various organs of

the endocrine system.

The highest crown chakra is said to be the chakra of consciousness, the master

chakra that controls all the others. Its role would be very similar to that of

the pituitary gland, which secretes hormones to control the rest of the

endocrine system, and also connects to the central nervous system via the

hypothalamus. The thalamus is thought to have a key role in the physical basis

of consciousness.

The Ajna Chakra, or third eye, is linked to the pineal gland. Ajna is the chakra

of time and awareness and of light. The pineal gland is a light sensitive gland,

that produces the hormone melatonin, which regulates the instincts of going to

sleep and awakening. It also produces trace amounts of the psychedelic chemical

dimethyltryptamine.

(Note: some argue that the pineal and pituitary glands should be exchanged in

their relationship to the Crown and Brow chakras, based on the description in

Arthur Avalon's book on kundalini called Serpent Power)

The throat chakra, Vishuddha, is said to be related to communication and growth,

growth being a form of expression. This chakra is paralleled to the thyroid, a

gland that is also in the throat, and which produces thyroid hormone,

responsible for growth and maturation.

The heart chakra, Anahata, is related to love, equilibrium, and well-being. It

is related to the thymus, located in the chest. This organ is part of the immune

system, as well as being part of the endocrine system. It produces T cells

responsible for fighting off disease, and is adversely affected by stress.

The solar plexus chakra, Manipura, is related to energy, assimilation and

digestion, and is said to correspond to the roles played by the pancreas and the

outer adrenal glands, the adrenal cortex. These play a valuable role in

digestion, the conversion of food matter into energy for the body.

The sacral chakra, Swadhisthanna, is located in the groin, and is related to

emotion, sexuality and creativity. This chakra is said to correspond to the

testes or the ovaries, that produce the various sex hormones involved in the

reproductive cycle, which can cause dramatic mood swings.

The base or root chakra, Muludhara, is related to security, survival and also to

basic human potentiality. It is said the kundalini lies coiled here, ready to

uncoil and bring man to his highest spiritual potential in the crown chakra.

This center is located in the region between the genitals and the anus. Although

no endocrine organ is placed here, it is said to relate to the inner adrenal

glands, the adrenal medulla, responsible for the fight and flight response when

survival is under threat. In this region is located a muscle that controls

ejaculation in the sexual act. A parallel is drawn between the sperm cell and

the ovum, where the genetic code lies coiled, and the legendary kundalini,

<http://www.crystalinks.com/kundalini.html>ready to express itself as a fully

developed human being.

Chakrology is a neologism sometimes employed by Alternative Medicine

practitioners or esoteric philosophers for the study of chakras. There are many

different chakrologies, some of them based on ancient Indian Hindu Tantric

esoteric traditions, New Age interpretations, or Western occult analyses, as

well as ancient Greek and Christian references. Croatian esoteric philosopher

and physicist Arvan Harvat notes that it would be very difficult to develop a

unified coherent chakra science that would integrate all the elements of the

various present chakrologies.

TANTRIC CHAKRAS

Tantra (Shakta or Shaktism) describes eight primary inner chakras:

1. Sahasrara

2. Ajna

3. Vishuddha

4. Anahata

5. Manipura

6. Swadhisthana

7. Muladhara

8. Bindu

THEORIES

The idea of chakras as understood in Eastern philosophy does not exist in

Western medical science. In Eastern thought, the chakras are thought to be

levels of consciousness, and states of the soul, and 'proving' the existence of

chakras is akin to 'proving' the existence of a soul. A mystic deals with these

metaphysical concepts on the metaphysical plane, as a model for their own

internal experience, and when talking about 'energy centres', they are generally

talking about subtle, spiritual forces, which work on the psyche and spirit, not

about physical electrical or magnetic fields.

The primary importance and level of existence of chakras is therefore posited to

be in the psyche and in the spirit. However, there are those who believe that

chakras have a physical manifestation as well. Although there is no evidence

that Indian mystics made this association themselves, it is noted by many that

there is a marked similarity between the positions and roles described for

chakras, and the positions and roles of the glands in the endocrine system, and

also by the positions of the nerve ganglia (also known as " plexuses " ) along the

spinal column, opening the possibility that two vastly different systems of

conceptualization have been brought to bear to systemize insights about the same

phenomenon. By some, chakras are thought of as having their physical

manifestation in the body as these glands, and their subjective manifestation as

the associated psychological and spiritual experiences.

Indeed, the various hormones secreted by these glands do have a dramatic effect

on human psychology, and an imbalance in one can cause a psychological or

physical imbalance in a person. Whether these changes in body state have a

bearing on spiritual matters is a subject of dissent even among the Indian

theorists, and the different systems of conceptualization, Indian and Western,

make only a partial convergence in this case.

Perhaps the most psychologically dramatic and potent secretion of these glands

is the psychedelic drug DMT (which is synthesized by the pineal gland,

corresponding to the brow chakra). At least in the West, some individuals have

sought spiritual breakthroughs through the use of such chemical aids,

occasionally referred to as entheogens in this context.

References:

Morgen, (2005). Personal Mastery: Develop Your True Inner Power by

Awakening Your Kundalini, 1st, Windhaven Press

Sharp, Dr. (2005). Dossier of the Ascension: A Practical Guide to Chakra

Activation and Kundalini Awakening, 1st, Avatar Publications

http://www.crystalinks.com/chakras.html<http://www.crystalinks.com/chakras.html>

--------------------------------------------------------------------------------

Looking for last minute shopping deals? Find them fast with

Search.<http://us.rd./evt=51734/*http://tools.search./newsearc\

h/category.php?category=shopping>

[Guest guest]

CHAKRAS AND THE ENDOCRINE SYSTEM Parallels have often been drawn, by supporters of the existence of chakras, between the positions and functions of the chakras, and of the various organs of the endocrine system. The highest crown chakra is said to be the chakra of consciousness, the master chakra that controls all the others. Its role would be very similar to that of the pituitary gland, which secretes hormones to control the rest of the endocrine system, and also connects to the central nervous system via the hypothalamus. The thalamus is thought to have a key role in the physical basis of consciousness. The Ajna Chakra, or third eye, is linked to the pineal gland. Ajna is the chakra of time and awareness and of light. The pineal gland is a light sensitive gland, that produces the hormone melatonin, which regulates the

instincts of going to sleep and awakening. It also produces trace amounts of the psychedelic chemical dimethyltryptamine. (Note: some argue that the pineal and pituitary glands should be exchanged in their relationship to the Crown and Brow chakras, based on the description in Arthur Avalon's book on kundalini called Serpent Power) The throat chakra, Vishuddha, is said to be related to communication and growth, growth being a form of expression. This chakra is paralleled to the thyroid, a gland that is also in the throat, and which produces thyroid hormone, responsible for growth and maturation. The heart chakra, Anahata, is related to love, equilibrium, and well-being. It is related to the thymus, located in the chest. This organ is part of the immune system, as well as being part of the endocrine system. It produces T cells responsible for fighting off disease, and is adversely affected by stress. The solar plexus chakra, Manipura, is related

to energy, assimilation and digestion, and is said to correspond to the roles played by the pancreas and the outer adrenal glands, the adrenal cortex. These play a valuable role in digestion, the conversion of food matter into energy for the body. The sacral chakra, Swadhisthanna, is located in the groin, and is related to emotion, sexuality and creativity. This chakra is said to correspond to the testes or the ovaries, that produce the various sex hormones involved in the reproductive cycle, which can cause dramatic mood swings. The base or root chakra, Muludhara, is related to security, survival and also to basic human potentiality. It is said the kundalini lies coiled here, ready to uncoil and bring man to his highest spiritual potential in the crown chakra. This center is located in the region between the genitals and the anus. Although no endocrine organ is placed here, it is said to relate to the inner adrenal glands, the adrenal medulla, responsible

for the fight and flight response when survival is under threat. In this region is located a muscle that controls ejaculation in the sexual act. A parallel is drawn between the sperm cell and the ovum, where the genetic code lies coiled, and the legendary kundalini, ready to express itself as a fully developed human being. Chakrology is a neologism sometimes employed by Alternative Medicine practitioners or esoteric philosophers for the study of chakras. There are many different chakrologies, some of them based on ancient Indian Hindu Tantric esoteric traditions, New Age interpretations, or Western occult analyses, as well as ancient Greek and Christian references. Croatian esoteric philosopher and physicist Arvan Harvat notes that it would be very difficult to develop a unified coherent chakra science that would integrate all the elements of the various present chakrologies. TANTRIC

CHAKRAS Tantra (Shakta or Shaktism) describes eight primary inner chakras: 1. Sahasrara 2. Ajna 3. Vishuddha 4. Anahata 5. Manipura 6. Swadhisthana 7. Muladhara 8. Bindu THEORIES The idea of chakras as understood in Eastern philosophy does not exist in Western medical science. In Eastern thought, the chakras are thought to be levels of consciousness, and states of the soul, and 'proving' the existence of chakras is akin to 'proving' the existence of a soul. A mystic deals with these metaphysical concepts on the metaphysical plane, as a model for their own internal experience, and when talking about 'energy centres', they are generally talking about subtle, spiritual forces, which work on the psyche and spirit, not about physical electrical or magnetic fields. The primary importance and level of existence of chakras is therefore posited to

be in the psyche and in the spirit. However, there are those who believe that chakras have a physical manifestation as well. Although there is no evidence that Indian mystics made this association themselves, it is noted by many that there is a marked similarity between the positions and roles described for chakras, and the positions and roles of the glands in the endocrine system, and also by the positions of the nerve ganglia (also known as "plexuses") along the spinal column, opening the possibility that two vastly different systems of conceptualization have been brought to bear to systemize insights about the same phenomenon. By some, chakras are thought of as having their physical manifestation in the body as these glands, and their subjective manifestation as the associated psychological and spiritual experiences. Indeed, the various hormones secreted by these glands do have a dramatic effect on human psychology, and an imbalance in one can cause a

psychological or physical imbalance in a person. Whether these changes in body state have a bearing on spiritual matters is a subject of dissent even among the Indian theorists, and the different systems of conceptualization, Indian and Western, make only a partial convergence in this case. Perhaps the most psychologically dramatic and potent secretion of these glands is the psychedelic drug DMT (which is synthesized by the pineal gland, corresponding to the brow chakra). At least in the West, some individuals have sought spiritual breakthroughs through the use of such chemical aids, occasionally referred to as entheogens in this context. References: Morgen, (2005). Personal Mastery: Develop Your True Inner Power by Awakening Your Kundalini, 1st, Windhaven Press Sharp, Dr. (2005). Dossier of the Ascension: A Practical Guide to Chakra Activation and Kundalini Awakening, 1st, Avatar Publications http://www.crystalinks.com/chakras.html

Looking for last minute shopping deals? Find them fast with Search.