Chakras, posture and meditation

There is something magical about the spine and the way, if you align it just right, things start to flow. You can try it now - allow the vertebrae to find their natural position, connecting one after the other, and then allow the body to relax. You might find a sense of energy flowing and, if you look closely, you might be able to detect little energy spots inside your body otherwise known as the chakras - you find them at the base of the spine, somewhere near the belly button, at the solar plexus, the heart, throat, forehead and crown of the head. If you tune into these areas then there is a sense of the energy lighting up within the body.

Scientifically speaking the body is a bundle of fibre optic cables and muscles all wrapped up in a bag of skin. Now, if you imagine the muscles and fibre optics all sharing the same space, then tightening a muscle has the effect of cutting off information - perhaps that's why we tense up when we are in pain. Anyway, chronic tension in the body through stress and defensiveness has the same effect of deadening our sensitivity. Luckily, in the reverse direction, relaxing our muscles has the opposite effect and the amount of sensations we feel increases. So, if we get our posture right, the spine is connected, the muscles are able to relax, and information flows nicely up and down through the body. People often talk about posture being important in meditation and this is why - it gives us a head start into openness and relaxation.

Now I am beginning to think that good posture IS meditation at a certain level and that is where I am going to leave it today. Find the posture, feel the chakras, and explore the freedom of a relaxed body and mind.

Comments