Guest guest Posted March 16, 2004 Report Share Posted March 16, 2004 Western science has given us the ability to look at how these energies relate to physical matter in the body. Candace Pert's research on psychoneuroimmunology has been groundbreaking in showing how mental/emotional states are produced all over the body and are not confined to the brain. Pert explains that nerve cells have long finger-like endings which reach out and send neuropeptides to other cells. When we are sad, the nerves produces neuropeptides that promote sadness and send that chemical to all the cells in the body, so that every cell in the body becomes sad--your skin is sad, your bones are sad, your toes are sad; literally, the whole body is sad. An imbalance in the chakra/vritti creates an energy field that is picked up by very subtle nerve currents (nadiis in Sanskrit). The mind field becomes perturbed, which in turn stimulates or inhibits the secretion of the endocrine gland associated with that particular chakra causing an over- or under-secretion of hormone which then activates a certain physical/emotional response. Specific yoga postures can help strengthen the endocrine glands and sub-glands associated with the particular chakras and vrittis that are unbalanced. If you have an imbalance of the anger and fear vrittis, you can use postures which primarily balance the third chakra (see sidebar), though most asanas balance more than one chakra. Specific asanas held for specific periods of time put sustained, alternating pressure on the endocrine glands and help them to function better through facilitating blood circulation. The better functioning glands begin to shift the energy field of the chakra, helping to bring the disturbed vrittis into balance. There is a tremendous need individually and collectively to achieve balance in our body-minds. So much of what is happening in the world at present tells us that yoga's timeless gifts are invaluable to us in the here and now. Biopsychology gives us the tools to begin to change the things that dissatisfy, us about the world within ourselves first. All of us are seeking to unblock the energy of our fourth chakra, our heart chakra, and allow compassion, magnanimity, and love to flow freely. There is a deep, collective force within us that wants to surmount our lower vrittis and merge with others and with all of life. This is both the greatest desire of the human heart and its greatest challenge. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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