Chakras & symbols

12-12-1999, 06:23 AM

Hi All,

On another list I just gave a short list of the 7 chakras with a few
attributes: colors, elements, etc. Someone objected to the colors, and I
acknowledged that I should have said other systems of attributes could be
used. And gave some text from Govinda... thought you might enjoy it.
-------

Lama Anagorika Govinda in his _Foundations of Tibetan Mysticism_ says that
it is a mistake to ever think that the chakras are identified only and
irrevocably with certain colors, deities, elements, etc. Different colors
and symbols can be used for the chakras depending on the purpose of the
work for which the symbolic structure or the mandala system is intended.

It is not even necessary to speak of 7 chakras. Govinda does discuss them,
but then uses the Tibetan yoga system in which they are seen as 5
chakras... the lower two chakras being viewed as one, and ajna as part of
sahasrara. In that method the elements appear like this:

Root Centre...........Earth
Navel Centre.........Water
Heart Centre.........Fire
Throat Centre......Air
Brain Centre.........Ether or Akasha

Govinda says:

>... it is clear that in the Buddhist _Cakra-Yoga_ the importance of the
>Centres depends on the particular process of meditation, on the
>starting-point as well as on the aim of the practice in question. Even
>the elementary qualities of the Centres are modified by these processes,
>which depend on the meditator's level of consciousness, the direction of
>his inner movement, and the attitude of his mind. In the Buddhist Tantric
>system the elements are being more and more detached from their material
>qualities or from their natural prototypes. Their mutual relationship is
>regarded to be more important than their organic functions or any other
>objective content associated with them. The five Centres of the Buddhist
>system are related to each other like the five elements; but not in the
>way that the same Centre would necessarily always represent the same
>element, or that the same element would necessarily stand for one and the
>same property. The symbolism of the elements moves on many planes: on
>that of Nature, on that of abstract concepts, on that of sense-perception,
>and equally so on the emotional, the psychic, the intuitional, the
>spiritual plane, etc.
> The element 'Fire" is not only...
>snip<

> Each system of symbolism has therefore its own associations, and these
>are dependent on development or growth. They are not built upon abstract
>logic, they are not intellectually thought out, but ripen and unfold in
>the course of time. They are like things in a state of flux: the sequence
>of the various phases of movement depends on many factors, from the
>initial direction, the original impetus, the surroundings, resistance or
>new impulses of movement.
> The starting-point of the Buddhist yoga is neither of cosmological nor
>of theologic-metaphysical character, but psychological in the deepest
>sense. Thus the character of the psychic Centres is not determined by the
>qualities of the elements, but by the psychological functions which are
>ascribed or consciously attributed to them.
>snip<

> In every many-sided symbolism one main point must prevail, and the more
>manifold and complicated a system, the more restricted are the meanings of
>its single constituents.
> In the symbolism of meditative processes, however, the leading
>principle is not a theoretical point of view, but the practice and the
>experiences derived from it. For this reason each school of meditation
>and each particular sect has its own system, which is maintained by
>tradition and passed on from master to pupil.
> Therefore in the distribution of Dhyani-Buddhas and their mantras among
>the psycho-physical Centres of the body, there can be no single and fixed
>system. It depends on the meditator, which particular symbol he wants to
>place into the centre of his contemplation, and from this choice depends
>the position of all the other symbols of the mandala. The body itself
>becomes a mandala during meditation, and within it there are innumerable
>smaller mandalas, because each Centre is such a one. The term 'cakra' is
>in fact often used as a synonym for 'mandala.' Even the external world
>surrounding the body, grows into an all-embracing mandala, whose
>concentric circles, like those caused by a stone thrown into a calm
>expanse of water, spread wider and wider, until they disappear in the
>infinite.
> Therefore it is said in the _Demchog-Tantra_ that 'one should regard
>oneself and all that is visible as a divine mandala' and that 'every
>audible sound is to be regarded as mantra and every thought arising in
>one's mind as a magic manifestation of the Great Wisdom.'

Love,
Dharma

Peace be with you.