Kenda Kumala is a resource for people who wish to share and access information about natural holistic practices that are vital for a healthy mind body and spirit.
Introduction Chakras: to Mind, Body and Spirit by LinaFortunai
Kenda Kumala is a resource for people who wish to share and access information about natural holistic practices that are vital for a healthy mind body and spirit. An understanding of the chakra system (fig a), your body and how each relates to your mind and spirit is the very first step towards overall wellness and self improvement.
Fig. A
The chakra system is most simply described as a vast network comprised of 7 "main" points along the spinal column (fig. b) as well as 144 lesser known pointswhich populate other areas including the aura (or outward expanse of ourselves (Fig. c)), which together serve to circulate energies.
Fig B
Those energies are then interpreted as sound-wave-vibrations (swv) or notes by the brain and organised by the mind into a sort of song. the song is interpreted by your self as feelings or emotions
Fig. C
As within, so without.. It is important to note that because the aura is a non physical aspect of oneself which encircles the body at least as far as the arms can reach, thereby making it possible to pick up and begin to resonate with the energy frequencies that surround you. This resonation effect can have either a positive, negative or neutral effect and is observable in every day life, the effect of syncing menstrual patterns among women, for instance. You are affected by your energy vibrations on a subatomic>atomic>molecular>cellular>bodily level and can even cause changes to your dna and so will usually respond with bodily manifestations.
All illnesses (eg; cold/flu, diabetes, Skin eruptions, schizophrenia, ADHD, alzheimer's, HIV, Cancer, etc). are caused by misalignment of energy frequencies, and more often than not have an underlying emotional cause.
Not Drinking Green Juice On An Empty Stomach - Recently a blogger friend of mine tried juicing for the first time, and when she finished her first juice she proclaimed to me that it gave her heart burn. Immediately, I asked her if she drank her juice on an empty stomach, and she said “No, I had it after breakfast.” Fresh juice should only be consumed on an empty stomach. The whole point of drinking juice is diminished if you don’t, and can end up giving you digestive issues like my friend experienced. Drinking juice on an empty stomach allows the vitamins and minerals in the juice to go straight to your bloodstream. Having fiber or a meal already in your stomach prevents your body from quickly absorbing the nutrients from the juice. A good general rule of thumb to follow is to wait at least 2 hours after a meal to drink a green juice and wait 20 mins after drinking a green juice to consume a meal.
Waiting Too Long To Drink Your Green Juice - As soon as your freshly made green juice gets exposed to air, its live enzymes begin to degrade, therefore decreasing the nutritional content. I can immediately tell the difference in how I feel after drinking fresh juice vs. an older juice. The live enzymes of a fresh juice give me immediate energy – where as older juice just doesn’t give me the same boost. For this reason, unless you have a slow masticating juicer, twin gear or Norwalk press juicer, I recommend always consuming the juice fresh and within 15 mins of making it. This is especially important if you make your juice without a juicer using a blender and strainer. For slow or twin-gear juicers, I recommend storing juice in an airtight container (filled to the top with no air gap) for up to 24-36 hours, and for a press juicer up to 72 hours. If you decide to store your juice, remember to keep it refrigerated at all times before consuming. This is also important to keep in mind when you buy pre-made, raw unpasteurized juice because as soon as the juice becomes warm, bacteria can begin to grow that could be harmful. Always keep your juice in the fridge or a cooler if traveling if you don’t drink it right away. If you notice your favorite juice bar keeping juices longer than 72 hours, make sure they are using high pressure pasteurization technology (like Suja Juice and Blueprint Cleanse) – otherwise, they are getting away with selling you lower quality and nutritionally degraded juice.
Using Too Many Sweet Fruits and Vegetables In Your Green Juice - Sweet fruits and vegetables like watermelon, apples, pears, and carrots are very nutritious when consumed whole, but if you consume too many of them juiced, the amount of sugar and fructose you are adding to your diet could be over the top. If a juice has too much natural sugar it can affect insulin levels pretty dramatically, causing cravings and other not so pretty things to happen, like gaining weight. This is why I recommend keeping the sugary fruits and vegetables in your green juice to a maximum of 1 per serving. For example, in the juice recipe below you can add one green apple for a bit of sweetness. It’s important to keep sugar in check to be able to sustain steady and consistent energy levels. I personally do not add any fruit to my daily green juice any longer, but I still love the occasional carrot (for their eye lash enhancing properties) and beet (for their detoxing capabilities). Exceptions to this rule are lemons and limes that are naturally very low in sugar and do not spike blood insulin levels like other fruits. (One caveat – if you are trying to get your children switched over to green juice, you can start by adding 2 fruits per serving, but then slowly decrease this over time as they become accustomed to the taste.)
Treating Green Juice Like A Meal (unless on a fast or having it as a snack) - Juice isn’t a meal replacement, rather it is a meal enhancer or snack. Juicing is nature’s vitamin pill and should be consumed like a supplement within 20 mins before a complete meal. It’s really hard to eat the amount of vegetables recommended by most experts (6-8 servings) in a typical day. It’s rare to see Americans eating vegetables for breakfast, and at lunch a typical vegetable serving could be as small as a piece of lettuce or tomato on a sandwich, making it probable that your target amount of vegetable servings for the day will not be met. It takes a few pounds of vegetables to get a 12-ounce glass of juice – which gives you an entire day’s serving in one glass. Juicing should be like taking a vitamin but of course it’s a billion times better. Additionally, drinking juice before a meal (like I recommend in the Eating Guide Program) reduces carb and sweet cravings and completely changes your taste buds to want something plant-based versus something heavy or processed. Juicing allows you to absorb many more vitamins and minerals than you would otherwise by consuming smoothies or eating fruits and vegetables with the fiber. The only time I wouldn’t consume a meal after juicing would be during a juice fast.
Not Chewing Your Green Juice - Juice (and smoothies) are food and should be chewed. It’s important to swish around the juice in your mouth or move your jaw up and down for a couple of seconds before swallowing it to release saliva that contains important digestive enzymes. The digestive enzymes are crucial in delivering key nutrients to your cells. When I visited with Dr. Mercola for lunch, it was fun witnessing him doing this when he drank his green juice – he swished it back and forth quite energetically! I personally like to use less of an obvious gesture and keep the juice in my mouth a few seconds before swallowing it.
Leaving Your Juicer Dirty - I know juicing can take time and life can get busy, things like cleaning your juicer right away can get pushed to the side, but let me tell you, cleaning your juicer (at least rinsing it off) will save you and your knuckles a lot of scrubbing later. If I know time is going to be tight, I’ll often throw all the parts of the juicer in a sink and let them soak with water and a little soap – that way, when I get back to cleaning the juicer, it will be much easier. Also, to save time when I juice in the morning, I’ll pre-wash the vegetables the night before, eliminating this step the next day, and allowing me more time to clean the juicer right away. I’ve gotten my juicing routine down to 20 mins using a 2 step press juicer, which is pretty darn good if you ask me! When I use a centrifuge or another type of juicer, my timing is usually around 15 mins from start to cleanup.
Juicing Spinach or Kale Over and Over Again - Variety is the spice of life, and it’s key for juicing correctly and safely and to avoid hormonal issues. Remember to rotate the greens (kale, chard, spinach, mustard greens, collards, dandelion, arugula, etc.) in your juice each week to prevent build up of oxalic acid (which can affect the thyroid gland) and provide a balanced amount of different vitamins and minerals for your body.
You Stopped Green Juicing Because You Heard That Drinking Smoothies Is Better (or maybe you never started) - For the record, I consume both smoothies and juices, but I also know there is no other way to get the extraordinarily amount of powerful nutrients trapped inside green vegetables than to juice them. Drinking juice has the power to make you feel like you have never before – it’s quite magical and something I wouldn’t give up for every smoothie in the world. Our soil is nutritionally depleted due to the use of pesticides, genetically modified seeds, and conventional farming practices, drastically reducing the amount of many vitamins and minerals once abundantly available to us. Eating a piece of broccoli now vs. 20 years ago does not yield the same amount of nutrition. It’s crucial that we try to compensate for this fact by juicing. Juicing allows you to get the extra boost you need much more efficiently than trying to chew an unachievable amount of vegetables all day. When I started drinking carrot juice, my eye lashes immediately started to grow longer within just a couple of weeks. Feeling the extra energy boost is one thing, but seeing the results in the mirror can be quite dramatic and make you a firm believer of the powers of drinking juice. Drinking juice reduces the amount of energy your body uses for digestion, giving your cells a chance to repair and rebuild. It’s the ultimate preventative medicine when it comes to avoiding disease. Don’t wait until you are already sick or trying to get better to consume juice, it’s about creating a healthy body from within now so you never get sick in the first place.
Pineapple is the king of tropical fruits. It’s no doubt a really tasty fruit but did you know that it is full of vitamin B1, B2, B3, B5, B6, and C, manganese, copper, potassium, beta-carotene, folic acid and dietary fibers? And you know what is the best way is to get all these nutrients? Well it’s consuming it in the juice form because it helps in delivering the nutrients faster. Though pineapple juice is not everyone’s first choice, I am sure you will consider it as an option once you read about all the health and beauty benefits it has to offer.
Pineapple Juice Health Benefits
Image: Getty
1. Effective Arthritis Solution:
Pineapples juice is loaded with an enzyme known as Bromelain. Many scientific studies show that bromelain is a natural anti-inflammatory agent. It is particularly effective against arthritis so if you have arthritis then you should add it to your diet immediately. Bromelain also has healing properties which get accentuated when it’s used with turmeric.
2. Treats Indigestion & Digestion Related Problems:
Bromelain helps to break down proteins. Proteins are hard to digest and often act as a cause of indigestion and digestion related problems. It also contains small bits of fibre that can help to de-clog the digestive and intestinal tracts so instead of your favourite digestive aid or antacid, drink a glass of pineapple juice.
While we all know that an apple a day keeps the doctor away, but not everyone loves an apple and might not like having it every day. If you bored of apple but want the health benefits it offers, try pineapple juice. Pineapple juice is a natural diuretic helps in maintaining the health of your kidney which is the organ responsible to get rid of the toxins in the body.
4. Maintains Cardiovascular Health:
The vitamin C, beta carotene and antioxidants in pineapple juice help your body to maintain cardiovascular health. It also helps to reduce blood pressure and is very effective to counter hypertension, which in turn contributes to reducing your risk for heart disease.
5. Remedy for Menstrual Disorders:
Pineapple juice is a very effective remedy when it comes to menstrual disorders. Bromelain has analgesic properties that can help women who suffer from uncomfortable or painful periods.
The manganese present in the pineapple is good as it helps in the development and maintenance of strong and healthy bones. When you juice up a pineapple, the juice contains almost 73 per cent of the manganese that the body requires. It is especially beneficial for growing kids as it helps in the growth and development of bones while for adults; it prevents bone related problems like osteoporosis by strengthening them.
7. Maintains Eyesight:
Beta-carotene and vitamin A help in maintaining eyesight as they prevent macular degeneration which is the primary reason behind loss of vision at the old age.
If you want to ensure good health of your teeth and prevent the frequent trips to the dentist then add pineapple juice to your diet. Pineapple juice contains high amount of vitamin C which help in strengthening the gums and keeping your teeth healthy and strong. Vitamin C also helps in preventing plaque formation and reduces the risk of periodontal diseases and gingivitis as they restrict bacterial activities.
Pineapple Benefits for Skin
9. Makes Skin Clear:
The vitamin C in pineapple juice is a very effective acne treatment. You can get rid of acne and acne marks by using this as a toner or applying and letting it dry and then washing it with cold water. Thus, pineapple for skin is one of the perfect remedies to make skin clear.
As pineapple juice is full of Vitamin C and potassium, it is one of the best sources of anti-oxidants out there. The anti-oxidants not only boost your immunity but also help to keep your skin and body feel and look younger.
So don’t just use the pineapple to beautify your glass of juice or cocktails but also consume its juice. It’s particularly refreshing in summers. Here’s a small tip – add few drops of lemon. This will not only enhance the taste but also increase the Vitamin C content which as I mentioned has numerous benefits for your body.
The root chakra is powerfully related to our contact with the Earth Mother, providing us with the ability to be grounded into the earth plane. This is also the center of manifestation. When you are trying to make things happen in the material world, business or material possessions, the energy to succeed will come from the first chakra.
Root body parts include the hips, legs, lower back and sexual organs. CLEAR: When the first chakra is clear we feel secure, grounded, and stable. We can use good "common sense" to balance our finances as well as our everyday responsibilities and still initiate new activities and interest. Our eliminatory system functions well, neural activity in our legs and feet is healthy, and our ability to initiate sexual encounters is comfortable and natural. Our root chakra is the home of the Sleeping Serpent, our Kundalini. When this chakra is clear and balanced the Goddess Kundalini Shakti can awaken and begin her gradual rise towards reunion with Lord Shiva. UNCLEAR: When the first chakra is unclear we feel insecure and fearful. We can also become absent-minded because we are ungrounded. We may also have a difficult time with our finances and day to day necessities. Whatever security we derive from material things can become threatened. There can also be problems with our home, which is our base of operations in physical life. We can become self-indulgent and self-centered and suffer from depression and grief. We may suffer from hemorrhoids, constipation, sciatica, or prostate problems. All of the above emotional, behavioral, and physical health issues have to do with the ability to let go. We cannot let go of our sadness, let go of material sources of comfort when finances require, or even let go of the waste material of our bodies. If we cannot release what is holding us back, we cannot move forward. Difficulties with our sciatic nerve and problems with our legs and feet display this dynamic. Prostate problems can arise from frustrated sexual or creative drives.
The colors used for this chakra are red, brown and black. The gemstones are Garnet, Smoky Quartz, Obsidian, Black Onyx, and Black Tourmaline.
NOTE: A man¹s sexual organs are located primarily in his first chakra, so male sexual energy is usually experienced primarily as physical. A women's sexual organs are located primarily in her second chakra, so female sexual energy is usually experienced primarily as emotional. Both chakras are associated with sexual energy
Unblocking the Root Chakra Unblocking the root chakra is the first step to clearing the physical, mental or emotional baggage that may be holding you back from achieving your goals. This first video is more instructional and breaks down in some detail the way to connect with the root chakra and clear it out. If it is your first time trying any type of meditation it may take a little time to get used to but keep trying, the results will be well worth it.
LOCATION: The first chakra is located at the base of the spine.
COLOR:
The color for this chakra is red, which is the lowest frequency of human's visible light spectrum. Red is the color of anger and/or vitality.
RULES:
The Root chakra is about being physically there and feeling at home in situations. If it is open, you feel grounded, stable and secure. You don't unnecessarily distrust people. You feel present in the here and now and connected to your physical body. You feel you have sufficient territory.
If you tend to be fearful or nervous, your Root chakra is probably under-active. You'd easily feel unwelcome.
If this chakra is over-active, you may be very materialistic and greedy. You're probably obsessed with being secure and resist change.
SENSE:
The sense of smell is related to this chakra.
ASTROLOGICAL SIGN:
The astrological sign associated with the root chakra is Taurus. The symbol for Taurus is the bull. Like our root chakra, the bull is a symbol of masculine power and fertility. The bull roots in the earth with his front hooves and lowers his nostrils toward the ground to warn any who would threaten his "herd". There are many cows in the herd, but only the strongest bull will be able to preserve the genetic integrity of the group.
The first chakra is actually the basis of both our masculine and feminine energy. It represents our masculine will and male sexual organs as well as the feminine energy of the Goddess Kundalini. Therefore, a man can learn to integrate his feminine power and a woman can learn to integrate her masculine power through the clearing and opening of this chakra.
CONSCIOUSNESS:
The first chakra rules our survival consciousness and represents our deepest unconscious and most primitive self. This chakra represents the reptilian portion of our brain, which is our brainstem, our center for life support. The brainstem and the area immediately above it are called the reptilian brain because it is possessed by all creatures from reptiles to humans. For reptiles, this area is their entire brain, but for humans it is the base, or stem, of their brain. In fact, part of this area is known as the brainstem.
PERSONAL TIMELINE: The first chakra represents birth to two years of age. This is the time before we have completed our process of individuation and still perceive ourselves as a part of our parents. This chakra represents our struggle to come to terms with our physical life and physical body. Our Multidimensional Spirits are new to the limitations and separation of our new 3D reality, and we struggling to learn how to control our physical earth vessel. Fortunately, we naturally travel into the higher dimensions at this age and can return Home whenever we are desperately in need of comfort and understanding.
ENDOCRINE GLAND: Each chakra feeds prana into a different endocrine gland. Just as there are seven chakras, there are seven endocrine glands. Both the chakras and the endocrine glands are located along the spinal cord. The endocrine glands manufacture hormones and supply them to the bloodstream. These glands are called "ductless" because there is not a duct to any specific part of the body. Instead, hormones are released into the bloodstream where they are carried by the blood to every organ and tissue to exert their influence on all functions of the physical body.
Each gland is internally related to the other glands and also works closely with the nervous and circulatory system. In order for the organs of the body to work efficiently, the blood must contain certain chemicals. Many of these chemicals are secreted by the endocrine glands, and this secretion is vital for the health of the entire system. Our bodies can become diseased if there are too many or too few hormones.
The endocrine gland for the first chakra is the adrenal glands. There are actually two adrenal glands located with one on top of each of the two kidneys. The adrenal glands are the body's call to battle. When adrenaline is released into the system our perceptions become clearer, we have added vigor and feel more courageous.
The release of adrenaline activates the fight/flight syndrome, which prepares us for “fight or flight.” Release of adrenaline and activation of fight/flight is brought on by real or imagined danger. Therefore, our emotions can activate a release of adrenaline when we feel extreme fear or even chronic anxiety. The first chakra is the "survival chakra," and the fight/flight syndrome is vital for the survival of every species.
NERVE PLEXUS: The first chakra is located near the sacral plexus. The sacral plexus is the nerve center, which rules the skeleton, legs, feet, eliminatory system, male reproductive organs, and the prostate. If there is a problem with the leg or foot on the right, masculine, side of the body it can indicate issues of trust in one's will. If there is a problem with the leg or foot on the left, feminine, side then it can indicate issues with trust of one's emotional life.
NOTE & MANTRA:
The note for this chakra is C and the mantra is "lam" or "e" as in red. Chanting these mantras in the key of D while focusing our attention on this area of our body can enable us to more consciously access the first chakra.
CLEAR: When the first chakra is clear we feel secure, grounded, and stable. We can use good "common sense" to balance our finances as well as our everyday responsibilities and still initiate new activities and interest. Our eliminatory system functions well, neural activity in our legs and feet is healthy, and our ability to initiate sexual encounters is comfortable and natural. Our root chakra is the home of the Sleeping Serpent, our Kundalini. When this chakra is clear and balanced the Goddess Kundalini Shakti can awaken and begin her gradual rise towards reunion with Lord Shiva.
UNCLEAR: When the first chakra is unclear we feel insecure and fearful. We can also become absent-minded because we are ungrounded. We may also have a difficult time with our finances and day to day necessities. Whatever security we derive from material things can become threatened. There can also be problems with our home, which is our base of operations in physical life. We can become self-indulgent and self-centered and suffer from depression and grief. We may suffer from hemorrhoids, constipation, sciatica, or prostate problems.
All of the above emotional, behavioral, and physical health issues have to do with the ability to let go. We cannot let go of our sadness, let go of material sources of comfort when finances require, or even let go of the waste material of our bodies. If we cannot release what is holding us back, we cannot move forward. Difficulties with our sciatic nerve and problems with our legs and feet display this dynamic. Prostate problems can arise from frustrated sexual or creative drives.
EARTH'S CHAKRAS: Just as the first chakra represents our physical body, the Earth's first chakra represents Her physical body. The planetary first chakra is located at Mt. Sinai in the Middle East.
DIMENSIONS: The first chakra rules our first and second dimensional selves.
SUMMARY: The body of Mother Earth and Her consciousness, Lady Gaia, is the third dimensional planet that supports our physical body. Just as our physical body communicates with our consciousness by its state of health, disease, comfort, and discomfort, Lady Gaia communicates with us via the health of Her planet.
Our Western society has traveled so far into our third dimensional individuality that we have lost sight of the fact that we are members of a greater whole. We have forgotten that we are members of a planet that we must all share. This forgetfulness has allowed us to overlook the fact that our individual destinies are intrinsically tied to the destiny of Mother Earth who houses and feeds our physical self.
Our physical bodies and the body of Earth send messages to us via the first and second dimension. If there are disruptions and diseases on a genetic and cellular level, if the elements of earth that are around and within our bodies are disrupted, if plants and animals are becoming extinct on a daily rate, there is a message that is being sent. We can say that we have heard these messages, but if our behavior has not been altered, then we have not LISTENED.
We can deny or ignore our bodies and the body of Earth upon which we live, but it is difficult to deny or ignore our behavior. Our actions interact with our environment and with others to create a mirror that forces us to look at ourselves. We can hold on to a victim mentality, which allows us to stay in denial and lie to ourselves, but our actions do not lie. In today's world, a lot of our needs for survival are "getting what we want". We must learn to recognize that our actions dictate to us what we truly want, for that is what we find time to "do". Only when we can recognize the messages from our unconscious as they are displayed in our behavior, can we take full responsibility for our actions.
However, how much time do we have to learn to listen to the needs of our planet and Her future generations? Has our individuality, which we so dearly prize in the West, cost us our ability to see the bigger picture? When our first chakra is closed, it is difficult for prana to infuse our physical body. We are then out of touch with our own power to listen to and respond to the needs of our body and the home of our body, Earth.
Our actions then become reactions, and our ability to take responsibility for our personal power is diluted into a dismal struggle for survival. However, when the first chakra is awakened, spirit lives in matter and all of our behavior is directed by spirit, the spirit within our physical bodies and the spirit within our Earth.
