The endocrine system is a series of ductless glands, which up until recently the medical world did not know what their full function was. Some argue that we are so complex, and so many bolily processes are governed by our endocrine system that we are still discovering its functionality.
The chakras are refered to as energetic wheels or spheres that match up the endocrine system, For centuries modalities have included balancing the chakras which minimises the body’s chances of dis-ease. The following pranayama has been developed to clear and balance the chakra system.
If you already have a regular meditation routine and posture, settle into it for a few minutes. Feel how your inhalation expands the front of your body, the back of your heart space. Feel how your exhalation sinks you further into the Earth.
Take your awareness to your sitting bones and pelvic floor. Feel the tip of your spine, your Base Chakra (Moolodhara Chakra) rooted into the Earth. Imagine you have an extra vertebrae that anchors you deep into the Earths core, and the rest of you is suspended above this point.
Inhale from the depths of the Earth through your pelvis into your lower abdomen (Sacral Chakra), a place of desires, pleasures, relationships and creativity. Exhale back into the Earth.
Inhale from the base and pool the breath in the upper abdomen, Solar Plexus, the house of emotions, drive, power, strength. Exhale back into the Earth
Inhale up the spinal body and pool the breath in its fullness int he heart space (Anahata Chakra ), your place of love, compassion, empathy, feelings. Exhale down the length of your spine.
Inhale up to the fullness of your throat and neck area (Visshudi Chakra) your place of communication, actions, truth. Exhale and connect with the Earth
Inhale the whole length of your body and allow the breath to pool in your skull, face, head. Feel the front of the forehead expand with a bright light breath. Exhale into the Earth.
Continue travelling the breath up the chakras one and a time, each time drawing in the breath longer, pausing at the top of the inhalation and the bottom of the exhalation. Feel that you are taking any stale emotions, activities and intent away from the body with your exhalation – creating room for fresh prana to enter your body and balance your endocrine system, your hormonal system.
Continue this breath pattern for 5-10 minutes. You can then start to release the practise and focus onto the natural breath, eventually your body will release it spontaneously as you enter a space of nothingness. You will know when you are in the void – as you will only realise you were in there when you sense you have just come out of it. This process cant be forced, only facilitated with intent.
Next time you meditate on the chakras, you can imagine breathing in colour to represent each chakra. Visualise the colour spectrum of the rainbow, firstly breathing in the colour red with the base, orange for the sacrum, yellow for the solar plexus, green for your heart, blue for your throat, indigo for your eyebrow centre and purple )or golden light) for your crown.
Namaste.
