From the desk of The Spiritual Explorer
Swami Himalaya
With great anticipation your Spiritual Explorer awaited Swami Himalaya’s workshop on May 8th at Kashi Ashram. It was to be a workshop on Transformation and Empowerment, focusing primarily on the third chakra. The third chakra, known in Sanskrit as manipura, is located in the solar plexus and is associated with the color yellow. Known to be the seat of power, attention to the third chakra promised to teach tools to restoke the fire of one’s willpower, thus breaking old patterns of procrastination and unworthiness.
I thought this workshop promised an abundance of gifts and as it turned out, it met every one of its promises. Swami Himalaya was the perfect person to lead this workshop as she carries within herself a very powerful and calming persona. She had been ordained as a Swami by Ma Jaya and holds the position with a very unassuming, yet spiritually uplifting presence.
Third Chakra Workshop
Swami Himalaya started by discussing some of the imbalances within the third chakra, most particularly the oft-mentioned ones of powerlessness and lack of self-esteem. These imbalances of the third chakra could manifest as allowing oneself to be a victim of both ourselves and others or in a trap of trying to make peace in difficult situations, even though asserting oneself and speaking out might be called for. I could certainly relate to Swami Himalaya’s discussion of how women sometimes find themselves in this well-known trap of trying to make peace in difficult situations so as not to make waves.
She then drew on the wonderful mythological Hindu story of the Great Mother Goddess Durga whom it was foretold would conquer evil in the world. Given ten weapons by all the Gods and riding her lion which represented power, will and determination, all qualities latent within the third chakra, Mother Durga did indeed accomplish her task of removing evil from the world. As a woman myself, I feel Mother Durga is a true exemplary model to embrace when asking for one’s own mastery of will and determination.
Swami Himalaya then laid the groundwork for awakening the power of the third chakra and utilizing its inherent will power to take responsibility for one’s life; this could be accomplished by letting go of old habits of behavior and thought. She also said how the “will” can again be renewed even though people might have lost their connection to it.
Kali Natha Yoga Booklet
We were then given tools to not only awaken and make one aware of the third chakra, but also energize and cleanse. These were the bhastrika breath and kapalabati breaths, both amply described in Light on Yoga by B.K.Iyengar. The Maha Vayu energizing breath of the Kali Natha Yoga tradition is described fully in the Kali Natha Yoga Booklet. What I thought was interesting that anybody, even some who have extreme physical disadvantages, can use these breaths to further their spiritual and physical well-being. And of course, I have heard of these breaths as giving great assistance in overcoming depression and addictions.
I was also reminded that mantras can be very empowering such as: The power of God is within me; the grace of God surrounds me; the God within heals me, as well as any favorable mantra that anybody can create that is healing, positive and empowering.
Third Chakra Oil
Swami Himalaya concluded the workshop with meditations to also awaken the heart chakra so that we might experience the warmth and compassion of our hearts’ kindness to ourselves and others.
When visiting Ma’s India after the workshop I was pleased to find that my favorite anointing oil by Triloka was available for the third chakra. Solar Plexus Chakra Anointing Oil has essences of fennel, sandalwood, lavender, champa flowers and cardamon, a veritable potpourri of delight. Placing some of the oil on my third chakra, I felt a delicious tingling and knew it was only a matter of time before I would feel the power conveyed to me by this workshop and the oil!
Om Shantih, Om Shantih!