Host: Sheryl Glick R.M.T.
Special Guest: Dr. Susan Shumsky
In today’s episode of “Healing From Within”, your host Sheryl Glick author of The Living Spirit: Answers for Healing and Infinite Love which shares stories connecting you to your own inner energy system and that of Universal Life Healing forces to discover your inner world of human and divine possibilities, welcomes Dr. Susan Shumsky a former guest on Healing from Within, and author of her newest book, Color Your Chakras.
Dr. Shumsky helps people take command of their lives in positive ways as she shares forms of meditation prayer affirmation and intuition which uplift and empower individuals to move in grace and comfort throughout any or all life challenges. We will discuss the centers or chakras themselves, the deities, the elements, and the subtle energy currents that sustain our life force.
Universal Energy has different names but is inherently universal. The energy know as prana in India, chi in China, and ki in Japan is the Universal Life force that breathes life into matter. It is formless ubiquitous, potent energy that sustains both living individuals and also the cosmic order—the power within everything. Individual prana is the vital life principle in all animate life. Cosmic prana is universal energy that unifies the living and non-living in a coordinated whole. Prana is also the life force in water, sunlight air and thought. It is electro magnetic fuel that energizes every tissue and cell. It is imbibed through breathing eating drinking water bathing swimming exercising sunbathing meditating prayer and positive thinking. When your energy field is filled with prana you become healthy vibrant radiant powerful successful charismatic magnetic and influential. Prana is the energy that fills your aura and the degree to which your aura radiates this prana chi reflects a great deal about the state of your health and life experiences.
Dr. Shumsky goes on to describe how prana flows through the sheaths in fixed pathways called nadis (energy conduits) There are thousands of nadis. At hundreds of focal points networks of nadis form chakras. The nadis and chakras are non physical, invisible and extra dimensional. Yet they give the very breath of life to your body. Without them your heart would not beat and lungs would not move. The medical professionals often do not address this essential part of life as they are concerned with the physical body and parts that can be know by the physical senses. By merging an understanding of this aspect of our life force we could use energetic techniques and knowledge along with allopathic western medical practices to achieve a greater sense of wholeness and health including a mind body spirit connection.
The most important Nadi is Sushumna through which a subtle pranic energy known as Kundalini travels. Kundalini energy resides at the root chakra and is an illuminating energy that when experienced often begins the path towards higher consciousness and a more expanded view of our multidimensional life force. Many experiences may lead to an opening of this Kundalini energy and while many will not have this happen for those who do it is a life altering experience.
Two other major Nadis the white ida and the red pingala run along side the sushumna nadi taking a spiral route to the brain…Ida emanates from left side of root chakra and ends at left side of third eye.( symbolizes female moon and subjective nature.) Pingala runs on the right side of root chakra up to third eye.(symbolizes male sun and objective side) Since Ida and pingala nadis regulate your autonomic nervous sytem we know that for optimal health these two systems must be balanced.
Pingala and left nostril stimulate sympathetic outflow. Ida and right nostril stimulate parasympathetic outflow..You can notice which is more dominant by noticing which nostril is more open at a particular time.
Sympathetic sytem is stimulated during fight or flight and expends lots of energy speeds up life processes. The parasympathetic system slows down bodily processes conserves energy rests the body and directs energy to internal processes such as digestion.
Sheryl asks Susan why many physicians do not know that the caduceus symbol of the American Medical association which represents ida and pingala coiling around the central canal sushumna and which basically shows our dual nature as energetic beings having a physical life merging western and eastern philosophies is not more spoken of…though most doctors have no knowledge of nadis, the ida and pingala govern the parasympathetic and sympathetic aspects of the autonomic nervous system… The caduceus is an ancient symbol known as the staff of Hermes or Mercury in Greek and Roman mythology and It resembles the staff of the Greek Physician Asklepios revered as the diety of medicine and healing by the ancient Romans.
Dr. Shumsky goes on to tell us about our physical shell which is just one of your multi-dimensional bodies. Subtle bodies of pure liquid light in myriad brilliant crystalline hues, vibrating at various frequencies that pervade your physical frame and extend beyond it. Your subtlest body vibrates at the highest frequency. So your three fold body includes gross physical body visible to the eyes, the subtle body is visible only to spiritual sight and the causal body.Within these 3 bodies are five sheaths KOSHAS; annamaya physical sheath, pranamaya vital sheath manimaya, mental sheath;, vijnanamaya or intellectual and ego sheath, and anandamaya blissful sheath. These five sheaths like veils, hide your luminous higher self: your true nature, the unchanging “eternal atman,” separated from and witness to your sheaths or other bodies.
However we mistakenly identify ourselves as these sheaths.. believe our physical body thoughts or experiences. YET THIS IS NOT WHO YOU REALLY ARE….INDEED YOU ARE THE UNBOUNDED UNDIFFERENIATED RADIANCE OF BRAHMAN—PURE CONSCIOUSNESS
All energy practitioners are working with the Chakra system.Chakras are energy centers in your subtle body—vortexes of life force energy that govern and regulate your physical body…According to ancient scriptures of India there are 14/ 7 major ones along the subtle energy corridor in your spinal column and 7 others most of which are in your brain. Each chakra performs a specific function and is related to certain body parts and aspects of the mind. The word chakra means, wheel, because it is a hub of interconnecting energy conduits which spokes radiating life energy. Chakras are likened to lotuses with petals that exude life energy. Sanskrit letters in the hub and on the petals of the chakras vibrate mantra sounds. The entire Sanskrit alphabet vibrates within the chakras. Specific deities reside in each chakra and the chakras have specific features colors and relationship to the five elements, days of the week planets gemstones and colors. Chakras are vital energy centers in your subtle body hubs where many conduits of prana (nadis) intersect. Their function is to control pranic circulation throughout your system. There are hundreds of chakras but 7 primary chakras maintain life in your body as they control bodily functions near the region of the spine. They also govern sense perception mental activity higher awareness and spiritual awakening.
The 7 major chakras relate to elements of nature, your senses and also nerve plexuses organs and endocrine glands in your body. They are:
1. Root Chakra at base of spine-associated with organs of elimination and adrenal glands..Symbol is downward triangle representing earth and sense of smell
2. Pelvic or Sacral Chakra at navel associated with genitals Symbol is crescent and represents water and sense of taste
3. Navel chakra or Solar Plexis associated with pancreas and abdominal organs, representing fire element and sense of sight symbol is larger downward triangle
4. Heart Chakra at heart associated with heart thymus and lungs Symbol is 6 point stare representing air element and sense of touch.
5. Throat Chakra at throat and laryngeal plexus is related to thyroid gland and ether element
6. Third Eye Chakra at the center of cranium at pineal gland symbolizes higher mind wisdom intuition and spiritual discernment
7. Crown Chakra above head is associated with hypothalamus and pituitary gland and with the height of spiritual awakening
Each chakra indicates specific frequency levels and progressively higher states of consciousness from basic survival instincts associated with Root Chakra to intuitive powers in Third Eye Chakra and finally enlightenment in Crown Chakra. The three lower ones are concerned with material life and bodily survival. The upper chakras deal with spiritual life and higher creative expression. The key that unlocks this entire system is the middle chakra—Heart chakra.
The Tree of Life from Kabbalah (Jewish Mysticism) corresponds to the energy field and chakras. Ein Soph is the masculine limitless undifferentiated infinity and the Shechinah is the feminine manifest creation of dualistic differentiated matter. The Sephiroth are emanations of the infinite through which Ein Soph reveals itself. Some of the Sephiroths are Kether(crown) Chochmah (wisdom at the third eye) Binah Understanding at Throat Chakra) Gewurah (power at left arm) Chesed (Mercy at right Arm) Tiphereth Beauty at navel chakra to Sun and fire element in yoga) Jesod (foundation is equated with Pelvic Chakra) Tiphereth (glory at Sacral Chakra) Root Chakra is Malchuth (Kingdom)where the Sephiroth can enter.
We have learned more about the energetic centers of the body known as the chakras and how they support and help us merge our energetic and physical lives. Utilizing this knowledge is the key to success progress well being and a greater understanding of our human and spiritual connections.
As Dr. Shumsky writes, “Chakras are vital energy centers in your subtle body…Their function is to control pranic circulation throughout your system. There are hundreds of chakras, however seven primary chakras maintain life in your body as they control bodily functions near their region of the spine. They also govern sense perception, mental activity, higher awareness and spiritual awakening.”
Susan and Sheryl would ask you to begin your spiritual awakening which will result in the full development of human potential enhance your spiritual gifts and bring more joy to life. Read, go to mediation groups, experience energy healing sessions to allow yourself to connect to your soul and chakra vortexes and open your mind to the inner feelings of your heart wisdom so you may know yourself as the energetic presence you really are.