Chakras and Nadis for Beginners

Kundalini passes through seven chakras (energy vortices) in the spine and uses three main nadis (energy channels). The gradual awakening of the chakras transforms the personality and eventually makes one superhuman. This book is a must for those who wish to convert insignificant life into something worthwhile and meaningful, and thus attain inner peace and happiness.

Swami Atmananda (formerly Professor Ravindra Kumar) is a Ph.D. in mathematics from IIT Delhi. He has taught in ten countries. His kundalini is awakened. He is Founder President of Academy of Kundalini Yoga and Quantum Soul (AKYQS), and guides people in yoga/meditation for self-realization.

Kundalini energy is the basis of evolution and it works through the centres of energy, called chakras, and associated nerves, called nadis. Transformation of personality in a practitioner takes place gradually as the various chakras open up. It also depends on the nadis. Each one is important — the most important being sushumna through which the Kundalini is supposed to rise for self-realisation. It is the continuation of “Kundalini Yoga” on the practical side.

This book provides concise information on what one should know about chakras and nadis. The next book, titled ‘Kundalini’ is based on my personal experiences over the years of awakening, although a large number of publications have been consulted from time to time. An exhaustive theoretical study as well as practical’s are possible at the Academy of Kundalini Yoga and Quantum Soul at any of its centres around the world. Things were made easy through computing and related facilities provided by Jytte Kumar Larsen, to whom I am very grateful.

There are seven stations or chakras along the spinal column through which the Kundalini passes, on awakening. These stations are defined differently by different people according to their interest, training or perceptions. Thus, a doctor may call a chakra a bunch of nerves that forms the plexus, a clairvoyant may call it a vortex of energy moving in a circular path, a yogi or mystic may define them as points of varying consciousness, a tantric may define them as centres of paranormal powers, and so on. Each one of them is correct in his / her description since all these properties and some more are possessed by the chakras.

A chakra cannot be seen as a physical object since it belongs to the subtle realm. It can only be visualised through its properties, just as mind can be visualised through its thoughts, electricity can be visualised through the fan as it rotates, and so on. People engaged in pranayama activate energy, which can be seen through fluctuations in impulses recorded in chakra-machines which have been invented recently. Similarly, the functioning of nadis can be measured and used for diagnosing disease tendencies before their manifestation through machines invented by, for example, Dr Hiroshi Motoyama of Japan.

Chakras are symbolised by lotuses, since a lotus corresponds to three different levels of spirituality. It is rooted in the mud - ignorance, endeavours through water to reach the top - action, and finally reaches out in the air to receive the light from the sun - enlightenment. This represents the quest of man from dusk to dawn. There are other things associated with the chakras, such as, colours, mantras, experiences, etc.

In layayoga one actually locates the trigger points of chakras and then concentrates on them. In kundalini yoga and kriya yoga one concentrates on reflections of actual trigger points on the front surface of the body. The sensation thus created on the surface passes to the chakra through the nerves and then to the brain in this order.

There are three psychic knots, called granthis, which may obstruct the path of the awakened kundalini. Brahma granthi lies around the root centre and it corresponds to inertia, attachment to objects of pleasure and selfishness. Vishnu granthi lies around the heart centre and it corresponds to action, ambition, passion, attachment to people and inner visions. Rudra granthi lies around the eyebrow centre and is related with attachment to paranormal powers (siddhis). For spiritual progress to be made, one has to take and pass tests at all the three levels.

It is through the awakening of the chakras that the practitioner gains awareness of and entry to the higher realms of existence. Practises of opening the chakras one after the other, is the practical side of kundalini yoga.

Accordingly, it is advisable to study the theory of kundalini yoga before coming to the chakras and nadis, or the two should be studied in association. Although I had been a professor of mathematics for more than thirty years, having taught in about eight countries, I regularly practised yoga and meditation. Therefore, the transformations through chakras are described according to my own experiences with kundalini over the years. Nevertheless, the classical experiences of established yogis have been the guidelines.