Astride Wheels of Fire

YOGI ASHWINI

Whenever we are angry, we feel a certain unstoppable rush within us. This rush, in yogic terms, is called an ‘imbalance’ in the body. To be able to manage anger, we need to balance our chakras system. Clairvoyantly, chakras are seen as whirling centres of energy which function like exhaust fans taking in fresh prana and throwing out used prana. There are seven major chakras in our body. ‘Mooladhar’, at the base of the spine; ‘Swadhishthan’, two inches above the Mooladhar; ‘Manipoorak’, at the navel; ‘Anahat’, at the centre of the chest cavity; ‘Vishuddhi’, at the Adam’s apple area of the throat; ‘Ajna’, the master chakra, at the point between the eyebrows; ‘Sahastrar’, above the head. Whenever you experience anger, it is the result of inadequate or excessive prana at any chakra. To control it, practice a simple kriya called ‘Chakra Santulan Pranayam’. It aids in redistribution of prana from one area of the body to another such that the body gets back into balance. To do this kriya, sit in vajra asana. Close your eyes and take a full yogic breath (a combination of abdominal and thoracic breath), release the breath and take your palms to the Mooladhar chakra. Begin inhalation and simultaneously move your palms up, stopping momentarily at each chakra, from Mooladhar to Swadhishthan, Manipoorak, Anahat, Vishuddhi and Ajna. Then extend your palms towards the skies and be aware of your Guru with “Aum Shri Gurave Namah Aum”. Hold the inhaled breath and then slowly start exhaling, bringing the palms down, stopping momentarily at each chakra, till you come to Mooladhar. This completes one cycle of the kriya. A set of seven such cycles will complete one set of Chakra Santulan Pranayam. The key point to note in this kriya is that every cycle involves a synchronisation between the hand movements and breathing. The first few times, maybe for a month, you will find your hands moving up and down very fast. Regular practice will slowly and steadily increase your capacity. This kriya not only keeps your anger under control but also gives your body a natural glow. To be in a constant state of balance and bliss, you can then go for Sanatan Kriya.