Where have we got to so far? We have examined the existence of an envelope, the etheric, that is not a conscious centre in our series of bodies but an interface between our emotional envelope and our physical organism. The next topic in our journey to get a better grasp of what the etheric envelope is. This leads us to the discussion of Chakras. In the Etheric Envelope, as well as in our Emotional, Mental and Causal envelopes there are certain Force-Centres, or Chakras, as they are called in Sanskrit. This word meaning literally a wheel or revolving disc. The Chakras are situated on the surface of the etheric envelope that is about a quarter of an inch or 6mm outside the skin of the body. To clairvoyant sight, they appear as vortices or saucer-like depressions of rapidly rotating matter. The force flowing through the chakras is essential to the life of the Etheric Envelope. Everyone possesses such force-centres, though the degree of their development varies considerably in individuals. Where they are undeveloped they glow faintly and the etheric particles move sluggishly, just forming the vortex necessary for the transmission of the force and no more. In developed people, on the other hand, the chakras glow and pulsate, blazing with blinding brilliance like miniature suns. They vary in size from about two inches in diameter to about six inches. In a newborn baby they are tiny little circles; little hard discs scarcely moving at all and only faintly glowing. It is possible to gauge the activity of a chakra by holding a pendulum above it and watching it rotate. What you will notice is that each centre rotates in a different direction to the preceding one. The order of rotation also differs between men and women. A fun fact in case you were interested. It is also possible to gauge the health of a chakra by observing how the pendulum rotates. Does it follow a circular path? Does it oscillate back and forth? If it heavy in your hands. Conducting a simple experiment like this, shows you the variability of these force centres and how they relate to conditions you may be living through. It is also worth noting that chakras can be realigned if they are out of balance and it is always worth focusing your attention on them as you enter a “disturbing” environment. Imagine a shield of blue light protecting your entire body. Think of it as a filter protecting the delicate structures that are your chakras. Manage your chakras and they will manage your health.
The etheric chakras have two distinct functions. The first is to absorb and distribute Prana, or Vitality, to the etheric and onto the physical body, thus keeping these envelopes alive. The second function is to bring down into the physical consciousness, whatever may be the quality inherent in the corresponding emotional centre. It is the lack of development of the etheric centres, which accounts for the failure to bring into the physical brain, memory of emotional experiences. In addition to this, there is the etheric web, which actively blocks the transmission of images from the emotional envelope. We have discussed its form and function already. Many people are fully awake and vividly conscious on the emotional plane and lead active lives in their emotional bodies. They however do this at night and forget about their adventures when they wake up. There are relatively few people and by a few, I mean numbering in the millions, who do have knowledge of these visitations and can manufacture them if they choose to do so. They often practice as mediums, but as we have discussed on many occasions, this is a perilous gift due to the nature of the reality witnessed in this world. Often this “gift” is a result of a damaged etheric web, in this or previous incarnations. Certain drugs can also pull apart this curtain, but again this is not to be encouraged for obvious reasons.
However, for most of Humanity, when they return to their sleeping physical bodies, scarcely any memory of the emotional life filters through into the brain, simply because the necessary etheric bridge is not built; for the bridge, we are talking about the Antahkarana. When the etheric centres are fully developed, there is a full and continuous memory of emotional experiences in the brain. Congratulations; you are an initiate; pass go and collect your badge.
The image of a chakra, if viewed from the front, would have the appearance of a saucer-like depression or vortex. This would appear, as already discussed, on the surface of the envelope, standing proud about 6 millimetres or a quarter of an inch.
There appears to be no connection between the activity or development of the etheric chakras and moral qualities: the two developments are quite distinct according to Arthur Powell.
Although there is in the emotional body an emotional centre corresponding to each of the etheric centres, the difference is that the emotional centre is a vortex operating in four dimensions. It extends in a direction quite different from the etheric and consequently, the emotional centre is not a parallel structure equal in form and function to the corresponding etheric centre, though some part of it is always coincident. Whilst the etheric centres are always on the surface of the etheric envelope, the emotional centre is frequently in the interior of the emotional body.
This image tries to represent, two-dimensionally, something that is occurring in an interface between four (emotional) and three (etheric) dimensions. One of seven varieties of Vital Force will predominate in each chakra. The inrush of this Vital Force is what brings life to the physical body.
We have already mentioned that there are seven varieties of Prana, all of which are present in all the chakras; but in each chakra, one of the varieties is always the most predominant. The Prana rushes into the centre of each chakra from a direction at right angles to the plane of the chakra; “welling up” would perhaps be a better term, as the force comes from the emotional plane into the etheric. From the centre of the chakra, the force then radiates at right angles to the direction from which it came, i.e., in the plane of the surface of the Etheric Envelope, in several directions and in straight lines. The number of directions, which is similar to the spokes of a wheel, is different in each chakra.
The diagram shows the Primary Force “welling-up” at the centre and then rushing outwards radially along “spokes”. As mentioned, the number of these “spokes” differing in each centre. The spokes divide the chakra into several segments, like the petals of a flower; hence, in Hindu books, the chakras are often described as resembling flowers.
If we take the analogy of a bar magnet that is thrust into a coil of wire, it will set up or “induce” a current of electricity in the wire at right angles to the axis of the magnet. By analogy so does the primary force of Prana entering the chakra set up or induce secondary forces in the plane of the chakra. These secondary forces spin around the chakra, passing over and under the spokes, in the same manner as the material of the bottom of a circular basket passes over and under the ribs which radiate from the centre. Each of these secondary forces, sweeping round the chakra, has its own characteristic wavelength and in addition moves, not in straight lines, but in relatively large undulations, each of which is a multiple of the wavelength within it. The wavelengths of matter circulating around a chakra are very minute. What you then have is an undulation of energy weaving above and below each spoke of the chakra and contained within this undulation is the much higher frequency of the energy of the chakra itself. What exact frequencies these seven chakra centres vibrate at has not been disclosed but I am sure we will get an app on our phones one day that will measure it. The general effect of all these undulations and vibrations results in a shimmering and iridescent disc, like mother-of-pearl, or the effect that can be seen in certain varieties of Venetian glass.
The chakras are often spoken of as corresponding to certain physical organs. These organs are sighted because they are found nearest to the chakras. It should, however, be borne in mind that the chakras themselves are not in the interior of the body, but on the surface of the Etheric Envelope.
The list of the chakras and their names is as follows:-
7 Crown
6 Brow
5 Throat
4 Heart
3 Navel (Solar Plexus)
2 Sacral (Reproductive organs)
1 Base of Spine
(8) “Lower Organs”
(9) “Lower Organs”
(10) “Lower Organs”
Numbers 8, 9, and 10, are connected with the lower organs of the body and are not used by students of “white” magic, though there are certain schools in existence, which make use of them. The dangers connected with them are so serious that we should consider their awakening as the greatest of misfortunes, according to Powell.
The flow of vitality into or through any chakra is quite separate and distinct from the development of the chakra brought about by the awakening of Kundalini, which will be described in a later presentation. In the next presentation, we will begin to study each of the seven chakras in turn, examining its structure, appearance, function and the faculties associated with it. For reasons which will become apparent, it is convenient to commence with the second centre that is situated near the spleen.
See you in the next presentation.