Body energies, yoga/chakra exercises, Benthe Ploug

Introduction

I will outline the intimate interaction that exists between body and mind, based on the psychic centers or chakras. These centers are energy levels, and they have a bodily, psychological and spiritual function. They represent the interaction between body, soul and spirit.

Chakra means wheel or circle in the sense of life wheels. The word is Sanskrit. The Indian tradition describes each chakra as a lotus flower, each chakra has a different number of petals, which means that they have their own vibration or pulsation energy. Each chakra has its own power, but is also mutually dependent on the other chakras as communicating vessels.

Chakras are located along the spine and has an energy radiating to the body front. There are different experiences of where these chakras are located exactly and therefore there are different descriptions, depending on what experience each may have. My description is based on my own experiences. Try them out and find additional literature. It is of outmost paramount importance to do your own experiences, without thereby infringing others' experiences. My intention with this book is that it serves as impulse for you to continue working.

It is cosmic energy or life force which flows into the body through the chakras, distributed along the spine and routed to the rest of the body. Is this energy for whatever reason out of balance, body or mind will also become out of balance. With a knowledge of what each chakra represents both physical, psychological and spiritual, you can by using the assigned exercises even take care of your health and personal or spiritual development. You may by using the exercises get more clarity and awareness about yourself, your reaction patterns, feelings and thoughts. The book is a workbook and I think that it only can satisfy an intellectual curiosity, if only read. If you want your own experiences about the effects of exercises, you must do them.

The described physical exercises form the foundation and will therefore be the key to start to perform. I give a wide sampling of the many exercises available and the severity is varied so that anyone could perform at least a few exercises described by each chakra. Do not try to force through those exercises where you do not have the physical strength or flexibility needed. Start with the easier exercises. More difficult exercises are not necessarily more useful than light exercises. The exercises are best performed on an empty stomach.

I would guess, that a period of minimum three months is required to give you an idea of the impacts, just be aware that the creation of experience takes time, and often longer than imagined.

I recommend that you keep a diary while working with the described techniques. First, we have a tendency to forget or overlook the progress we make. Progress is gradual and slow. Therefore, a diary can keep us in a process. For example tell us how we feel when we perform the exercises, and when we do not perform them. We can look back and discover the progress we would have missed if we had not written them.

The psychological, creative and meditative exercises can be performed in parallel with the physical. You might want to start the day with physical exercises and end it with creative or meditative techniques. Use your experiences with a due regard to any blockages, that always will be present. Identify the areas that relate to you most. The exercises recommended for each chakra will give energy to the entire area around the chakra.

It often means that those exercises most important to us, are those that either hurt the most or we have the most resistance towards them. Here the exercises go deepest and we fell most concerned that the energy levels can be unbalanced. A locked door is harder to open than an open and requires more effort, but locked doors prevent us from finding out what is behind them - they conceal our vision and understanding.

Because the chakras are interrelated, you will, by working with a one chakra, affect the other chakras. However, the exercises for the first chakra the base, so it is recommended that you start with these. You must be very aware that the the physical as well as the meditative exercises can be very powerful and you can get reactions like headache, abdominal pain, light euphoric or depressive. If you get negative reactions, take a break.  For a period of time you may only work with 1st chakra exercises. The Maintaining exercise is very beneficial if you suddenly feel ill.

It may also be a good help, support and inspiration to work with a friend or in a group. That way you can support and help each other by the physical or emotional reactions, that are triggered by the exercises.

All the exercises described are tested in many groups and in many different contexts. There are countless exercises and techniques, and I do not say that the book is complete. However, it is my hope and desire that you will find useful inspiration and that you will enjoy the exercises, experience growth, and thus promote what is most important for us all - love.

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