Does imagining make it so?

[Celtaur]

Working on the chakra's is a great opportunity for me to become more aware of those areas associated with the chakras that need work, as well as allowing me to improve my ability to work with the energetic, visual qualities.

However, I'm wondering a bit about a meditation I read instructing how to cleanse the chakra's. It very much focused on visualizing the energy of each chakra's color and cleansing the chakra if it seemed that it required work. The cleansing process involved mostly visualization. Upon working in this manner through all the chakra's the meditation instructions concluded stating that all the chakra's were cleansed and clear.

I'm not sure how I feel about this. I would guess that the chakras are very complex in their associations with our spiritual, emotional, mental and emotional self. Together, these are very complex systems of energy working together that influence our lives, and we as the beings experiencing and manifesting these systems have a lot of influence on them in return. I find it difficult to accept that doing a meditation of visualization and imagining the chakra's can balance all these parts of our lives in such a short period of one meditation. The way our bodies work together is an accumulation of our thoughts and experiences over many years. I also would guess that astrological influences among many other unseen forces impact our energy centers.

So this leads to my question - Does imagining make it so? To imagine the chakra's during a meditation to be cleared and vibrant, would my physical, emotional, spiritual, mental bodies be balanced just like that?

[Haruth]

Its an interesting rather sweeping conclusion to be made, isn't it. Voila! Your chakras are now clear, balanced and operating in an optimum fashion.

The idea initially compelled a negative response. But then I got to thinking... always dangerous...

What is it that we are actually doing when we concentrate on something in a meditative state? And is it really just imagination, or can the exercise described be considered "intention", and clearly focussed intention at that!

I remain doubtful at such immediate effect with such resounding success, but do wonder if the energy dynamics involved during concentrated periods of 'intent' would not have some positive effect. It may not be apparent immediately at all the levels mentioned, but may have profound effects at the subtle level of the energy system operating through and within the chakra system.

Just thoughts...

Namaste

[Celtaur]

Great points. The sweeping statements on having chakra's fully cleared did have me a bit confused, and these statements are found at the end of a lot of meditations for the chakra's I've noticed. I can see the value in setting the intention on having them cleared and visualizing this as such, much like an affirmation I would suppose.

I have already noticed some changes since starting the chakra meditations though, if its any consolation.

[Ashwini]

Super late response, but have to put in my two cents here as it is an area that I am really interested in.

What Celtaur pointed out is completely true. It is not abracadabra and I don't think nothing can happen in just one session. It can happen if you are a very powerful energy worker and have been working with energy for a long time. But for most of us, I think it does require a lot of time. If you are looking at healing, balancing etc, it takes a while. The deeper the scars your chakras carry, the longer it is going to take to mend it.

But coming to the point about imagination. We were just discussing in another threat that there seems no be no clear distinction between imagination and reality per say. Every though process have a vibration. Vibrations of one nature can affect those of another. Chakras as a mass of vibration and so are thoughts. So, it is possible, but whether they can happen as soon as just one meditation session is highly questionable.

[Echo]

There is no distinction between reality and imagination, in my personal opinion.. its all a matter of the level of manifestation. Call up the image of a face you love more than any other and you will feel the emotion exactly the same. The brain makes little distinction between the image and the reality.

With magic. and I use the term loosely to include most esoteric practices, imagination is 'the ass that carries the ark' and focussed imagination, with intent, the hing that distinguishes the trained mind of the occultist from the beginner.

Results are not only possible based on imagination.. or visualisation.. but inevitable.. the only problem being the degree of focus and the relative difference of time between the levels of manifestation. What can be changed on the subtle planes may take an apparently long time to manifest on the physical plane.

Mind, that is just my opinion! And as always.. I my well be wrong, but it is the way I work and what I base my working around.

[HuongNhien]

I've also had meditation classes with the focus on clearing the chakras. For me the primary benefit was the focus applied to each chakra. Seeing it, feeling it, recognizing the intensity of the color, opening and closing the energies. Some were much easier than others. To me it was simply a way of connecting with focused energy. One exercise consisted of picturing each chakra opening, feeling the specific energy and then closing it down again, like the lens of a camera. Another I really liked was taking each out in a rain storm and letting each be cleansed with rain-water. These types of exercises help you get in touch. Each session was ended with an affirmation/proclamation that they were all cleared and aligned. At first, I thought I had missed something because I just didn't "feel" them all. After several weeks practice, I was much better tuned in. I think the intent/expectation helps give you something to work towards. Years later in a Kundalini class we did an exercise on the crown chakra and I felt it opening up (pretty much like the top of my head was removed) and the warm purple air was incredible. Part was from practice, part from expectation.
You have to start somewhere. If you were told initially you may or may not feel anything I believe your outcome would be vastly different. Intent is very powerful.

[dpa]

Within each chakra their is a certain kind of vital energy that is stored. Chakras are as crystals, and the meeting point between spiritual energy and physical energy. Just as the body has three levels of reality the soul body, the astral body, and the physical body so does this energy have its three levels. Each chakra has its own seed sound. Focusing attention on the area of that chakra, visualizing it, and chanting its seed sound will open that chakra, releasing its energy. Psychic abilities and phenomena are associated with the opening of the chakras. There are various Tibetan and Tantric exercises for opening the chakras in a constructive manner, since they are like Pandora's boxes of raw energy that can open for good or evil. There is much secrecy surrounding the methodology for working with chakras because of their volatile powers, which are like nuclear energy.

[Tanzy]

I have actually thought about "imagination" a bit. I have a "kind of crazy, but logical in its own way" view on the topic.

There are "ailments" where people's imaginations can make them sick. People can make themselves physically ill, and also "insane people" ARE experiencing what they claim. I see it as people are able to create their own realities. If you intend to clear your chakras and you believe you have done so, then you have. I believe the brain is able to conjure up all sorts of "magik," and accomplish unbelievable tasks.

You just have to believe in yourself. "Imagination" is something you have done since you where born, society today just does not see it for what it is.

[dpa]

I have actually thought about "imagination" a bit. I have a "kind of crazy, but logical in its own way" view on the topic.

There are "ailments" where people's imaginations can make them sick. People can make themselves physically ill, and also "insane people" ARE experiencing what they claim. I see it as people are able to create their own realities. If you intend to clear your chakras and you believe you have done so, then you have. I believe the brain is able to conjure up all sorts of "magik," and accomplish unbelievable tasks.

You just have to believe in yourself. "Imagination" is something you have done since you where born, society today just does not see it for what it is.

I strongly agree to what you have just said Tanzy, our thought patterns determine our course, what we think is ultimately what we believe. If one so strongly believes in their heart that it is true then is it true. As we visualize we are manifesting a kind of reality that we create on the physical plain it may not be manifested as quick as our minds think it because our thoughts do tend to wonder. People's thoughts both conscious and unconscious dictate the reality of their lives, whether or not they're aware of it. The phrase Law of Attraction, came to mind when reading this (thread quote) Essentially if you really want something and truly believe it's possible, you'll get it, but putting a lot of attention and thought onto something you don't want means you'll probably get that too.

[HuongNhien]

And ************** brought up a very essential point about the "levels", which pertain to just about everything. You can have surface knowledge or you can delve much deeper. The people teaching beginning classes are there to provide a "taste" of the subject matter. When I took my first class I was no where near ready for deeper levels. I have been practicing for years and still don't feel I'm ready to devote the time and effort it requires to fully embrace Tantra. One of my current teachers has studied Tantra for 30 years so the teacher is here, I'm just not ready yet. There is a lot more work and discipline than most people imagine.