Chakra

Chakra has two meanings. In the first meaning it symbolizes the universal law and its reflection in the moral law of man; the focus of spiritual power in human consciousness; the universal sun and the inner light of illumination.
In a mystical sense in tantric yoga it is a centre of the body. There are six major chakras, namely, muladhara (base of the spine), svadhisthana (pubic region), manipura (midriff), anahata (solar plexus), visuddha (base of the neck) and ajna (between the eyes). The ajna chakra is also known as the third eye. The chakras run in a line from the centre of the pelvis to the ajna. Above these chakras there is still another mystical centre, the sahasrapadma, at the top of the skull, which is sometimes counted as the seventh chakra.

Each chakra contains a lotus, the petals of which represent different mystical and religious qualities, and are the seats of various deities. The goddess Devi (or Kundalini, the serpent power) is coiled around the muladhara and when properly awakened in tantrism through yoga, ascends in force to the sahasra-padma. It requires constant efforts at inner reflections in order to obtain this level of sadhana.

The ajna chakra indicates the level of the plexus and whose real operative part is at the back of the head whore the little brain (cerebellum) joins the large brain (cerebrum). This sounds quite logical also when we consider the two functions of the brain which regulate the conscious and the subconscious minds. This coincides with the description of the ajna chakra as a lotus with two petals.

The ruling deities of all the chakras are different forms of Shiva and Shakti (female energy) and it is at the ajna chakra that they are united as one into ‘ardha-narishwar’, a manifestation of Shiva which is half-male and half-female. This symbolizes the unification of the two minds and the two states of consciousness.