Yoga and Reiki are spiritual healing arts based on the theory that the body contains seven major chakras, or energy centers. To understand how this works, we first need to first need to know the meanings of several words:
• The word “reiki” comes from two Japanese words – “life” and “energy” – meaning “universal life energy”. Reiki is a hands-on method used by trained practitioners to promote emotional, physical, and spiritual healing. The ability to do Reiki is passed from teacher to student in a process called “attunement.” Practitioners perform Reiki by placing their hands above the chakras, restoring the body’s natural flow of energy. Reiki is based on intention and may be done on oneself or by distance.
• “Yoga” is derived from the Sanskrit word “Yuj” – meaning “unite or join” – and its life energy is known as “prana”, a derivative of the Sanskrit word for “vital life or breath”. Although Yoga has eight limbs, it is best known for its use of poses, meditation, and breathing techniques to bring about a union between the soul and the Divine.
• “Chakra” means “wheel” or “vortex” in Sanskrit. The healing principles of both Yoga and Reiki are based on the chakra system. Similar systems have been recognized for centuries by different cultures and are known by various other names. The chakras are centered along what western medicine calls the spinal column and organs. When there is an imbalance in one of these areas, it can affect both the subtle and physical body.
The Seven Major Chakras
• The 1st, or root chakra is located at the base of the spine. It is represented by the color red and represents physical security.
• The 2nd, or sacral chakra, is just below the belly button. It is associated with the color orange and is considered “the seat of the soul.”
• The 3rd chakra, located between the naval and the sternum, is known as the solar plexus and is represented by the color yellow. It reflects personal power, energy, and self esteem.
• The 4th, or heart, chakra radiates thousands of times more magnetic energy than the brain. It is associated with the ability to give and receive love and is associated with the color green.
• The 5th, or throat chakra, is the center for communicating a person’s truth and is represented by the color blue.
• The 6th chakra, or the 3rd eye, is represented by the color indigo and is the center for self-realization and intuition. It is just above the eyebrows in the center of the forehead.
• The 7th chakra, or the crown, is the center for transcendence, or union with a higher consciousness. It is associated with spirituality and the colors white or violet.
Conclusion
Although specifics and terminology sometimes vary, the chakra system is always associated with the body’s ability to circulate energy, thus enabling it to heal itself. Yoga and Reiki not only share a common goal, but they each work together to strengthen the power of the other.
© Copyright 2011 – Aura Wellness Center – Publications Division
