balance chaos and peace

Chakras seem to be illuminated by the sunset (Image of Robin Ellen Lucas © Simeon Schatz)

My advanced studies through the last 20 years of yoga have taken me on quite the crusade through yoga philosophy. I experienced these lessons in my own yoga practice through the nuanaces of the subtle body. In summary,

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Chakra system

Through living life and yoga with balanced chakras—one of yoga's many benefits—I get in touch with much of my own darkness and light through my subtle body. When darkness arises in yoga, I have learned that you can demystify the fear by facing it head on. This is a study in neuroscience. I wrote this poetic version of how I experience the chakra system.

You transfix me: You are my chakras

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Ashtanga Yoga - The Eight-Fold Path

Ashta stands for eight and Anga stands for limbs or parts. As such, there are eight limbs of yoga. Yoga asks you to practice and experience for yourself a world you may not have otherwise known.

[Note: Mysore-style Ashtanga yoga is otherwise known as Ashtanga Vinyasa Yoga, whereas the Eight-Fold path covers the umbrella over all Hatha yoga.]

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Yoga sutras and gunas

The system of Yoga is best described in Patanjali’s Yoga Sutras. The sutras contain a whole philosophical description of yoga with 196 sutras, divided into four chapters. Each chapter contains a wealth of ideas and wisdom to guide the aspirant towards full knowledge of his/her own real nature.

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koshas - subtle body

The subtle body (kosha) consists of five layers or "sheaths," according to yogic philosophy. The energetics of this subtle body overlap the physical body and contain the chakras. Anodea Judith articulates, "At the core of the body, the subtle field appears as spinning discs—chakras. The chakras are the psychic generators of the auric field. The aura itself is the meeting point between the core patterns generated by the chakras and the influence of the external world." (Source: Wheels of Life, Anodea Judith).

Yoga's purpose is mainly for accessing the subtle body energy; it works quickly and faster than accessing the physical body.

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