“The chakras profoundly affect your spirit, mind and body. It is through the chakras that these aspects of your being are connected and can be aligned and balanced.” ~ Carolyn Shola Arewa, Way of Chakras

What Are Chakras?

I am the first one to admit that I am not an expert on chakras. I am familiar

with them and with the body’s energy centers in general, but I have not

specifically done chakra work. I plan to remedy this lack of education because

the more the learn about them, the more fascinated I am!

The word chakra means “wheel” in Sanskrit and refers to cone-shaped

vortices of energy which spin and vibrate within our energetic body. Humans

have many chakras (energy centers). Seven of the major chakras radiate out

from different points along the spine forming a vertical axis and are connected

to and regulate the various aspects of our body, mind and spirit.

A Bit About Quantum Physics

In order to understand what chakras are and how they work we need a little knowledge about quantum

physics. Science has finally proven that everything that exists is made up of energy. This is nothing new, it’s

something Socrates and the ancient rishis in India knew thousands of years ago. Quantum Physics says that as

you look deeper into the workings of the atom, you see that there is nothing there (i.e. matter) – just energy

waves. It turns out an atom is actually an invisible force field, a kind of miniature tornado that emits waves of

electrical energy (vibrational frequencies). Those energy waves can be measured and their effects seen, but

they are not a material reality. They have no substance because they are just electricity.

Our body, of course, is made up of atoms and these atoms are continuously giving off and absorbing light and

energy. Every cell in our body is lined up in such a way that it has both a negative and positive voltage, inside

and outside. This is what the Chinese call ‘Chi,’ a natural force of life energy that can be directed and used in

various ways. For example, It is believed that this is the energy used in hands-on healing. This brings us back to

chakras, the energy centers in our body that make up our energy field that, in turn, governs the wellness of our

mind, body and spirit.

The Labyrinth Project NEWSLETTER

July-August 2017 Issue 12

Welcome to the July-August issue of the Labyrinth Project newsletter. This issue focuses on the use of labyrinths in Chakra work.

Chakra Colors

The chakra energy centers act as pumps or valves, regulating the flow of energy through our body’s energy

system. The functioning (or malfunctioning) of the chakras can impact our health and well-being so it is

important to know that that chakras can slow down or close off and that they need to be cared for in order to

function smoothly. You will notice that each chakra has an associated color and that the chakra/colors are

numbered moving from the bottom up:

7. Violet – Crown (Spiritual connection)

6. Indigo – Brow/3rd eye (Imagination/thought)

5. Blue – Throat (communication/creativity)

4. Green – Heart (Love / balance)

3. Yellow – Solar Plexus (Transformation)

2. Orange – Sacral (Movement/connection)

1. Red – Root (Foundation)

Practitioners who work with chakras have many different ways of monitoring and caring for their energy

centers (mostly involving focused meditation) in order to keep them functioning efficiently. One of the lesser

known ways of working with chakras and keeping them healthy is the focus of this month’s newsletter: using

the 7-circuit labyrinth as a walkable chakra mediation path.

The Chakra system is rich with symbolism drawing not only on color and sound, but also on the mystical quality

of the number seven, believed to be a number of transformation and vision. In medieval times, the number 7

was seen to correspond to the seven visible planets and can also represent the seven days of the week, musical

notes, harmonic chords, and of course, the seven circuit labyrinth.

Walking the Rainbow Path

The classical labyrinth, an ancient meditative tool, can be used to help us connect more

consciously with the chakra centers to help unblock chakra pathways in a way that facilitates

finding balance and experiencing the labyrinth on a deeper level. Notice that the paths of the

7-circuit labyrinth, numbered 1 through 7, plus the center, can correspond to the numbered

chakra pattern.

With labyrinths, we count the circuits from the outside-in. A circuit is the number of times the

path moves around the center of the labyrinth. Any 7-circuit labyrinth will work. Each labyrinth

path corresponds to the colors of the same-numbered chakra center. Also, Notice that you

don’t walk these paths in numerical order, from 1 to 8, the way you would work with chakras

on their own.

In a 7-curcuit labyrinth the sequence of the labyrinth paths are: 3-2-1-4-7-6-5-8 as you walk inward toward the

center. When you exit the labyrinth, you walk the pathways in reverse: 8-5-6-7-4-1-2-3. The chakra points will

be worked in the same sequence as the labyrinth is walked.

Working with Chakra/Labyrinth Meditations

There are many different levels at which we can work with chakras. The most basic work is focused on ensuring

that each energy center is open and working optimally. How well a chakra works is dependent on how open it

is. Psychologically, the chakras take us through our emotions and experiences. Painful experiences and strong

emotions can cause us to unconsciously close or block the chakra associated with it. Like everything else,

emotions are energy! Fully opened and functioning chakras influence your entire being and can result in greater

spiritual awareness, psycho-emotional development and improved physical health. We can use a simple

visualization on each chakra to ensure it is open and functioning while walking the labyrinth meditatively. Here

is a very basic sample meditation you can try:

Chakra cleansing labyrinth walk visualization:

At the opening of the labyrinth, pause, breathe, ground.

Remember to walk at your own natural pace.

We enter the labyrinth on the 3rd

path (Solar Plexus-Yellow) – As you walk visualize the

area of your solar plexus and visualize a bright, sparkling yellow light spinning clockwise.

As it spins, visualize it becoming brighter. It will spin at its own pace, not too fast or slow,

and will stay the same size. As it becomes brighter the light will heal any unwanted energy

accumulated at the chakra and allow it to open fully. Keep this visualization throughout

the walk on this particular (3rd

) path. At the turns, the paths change number and color.

Follow the same process for the rest of the other chakra-paths using their respective

colors:

Labyrinth Path

Color Chakra

3 Yellow Solar Plexus

2 Orange Sacral

1 Red Root

4 Green Heart

7 Violet Crown

6 Indigo Third Eye

5 Blue Throat

Center Sacred Center/ Axis Mundi

Once at the center, take your time. Stay as long as you need to. When you are ready,

begin to make your way back out of the labyrinth along the path.

Again, walk at your own pace. Focus only on putting one foot in front of the other. Simply

notice any thoughts or feelings you may have. Don’t judge anything that may come up.

Upon leaving the labyrinth, pause, breathe, give thanks.

Afterward you may want to journal about your experiences.

Note that Finger labyrinths can also be used. It can also help to have a labyrinth (finger or walking size) where

the paths are colored to reflect the colors of the chakras. If using a walking labyrinth you may want to use visual

cues for the color of each path. You can line each path with a ribbon the color of the chakra the path is

associated with, use colored rock to line the paths, use colored mulch or even colored flags! People who have

combined the labyrinth path and chakras in this way have reported that the effect of physically walking the

chakra meditation is extremely powerful and effective.

ABOUT THE LABYRINTH PROJECT The Labyrinth Project was created to promote and support community wellness throughout Amador County. It is supported by Northern California Mental Health America, a 501c3 nonprofit program using Proposition 63 funds, through the Mental Health Service Act with Amador County Behavioral health. The focus of The Labyrinth Project is to promote personal wellness and stress reduction by introducing the benefits of labyrinth walking through workshops, presentations and labyrinth walks. Labyrinth Facilitator: Marla Vander Meer (209) 256-3750

Web sites: Labyrinthos www.labyrinthos.net The Labyrinth Coalition www.labyrinths.org PAX works www.paxworks.com Peaceful Endeavors www.peacefulendeavours.com The Labyrinth Shop www.labyrinthshop.com The Labyrinth Society Labyrinthsociety.org The Wellfed Spirit-labyrinths www.wellfedspirit.org Veriditas Veriditas.org The World-wide Labyrinth Locator labyrinthlocator.com Facebook: The Labyrinth Project of Amador County Children and the Labyrinth Global Healing Response Labyrinth Community Journeys Labyrinth Makers Forum Veriditas Labyrinth Group The Story Path for Children Information The Labyrinth Society The Labyrinth Society – Global Group Recovery Labyrinth Project Discover Labyrinths Labyrinthos Find us on Face Book! The Labyrinth Project now has a Face Book page! Find us under The

Labyrinth Project in Amador County. Here you can find out what is going on with The

Labyrinth Project, activities in our area, and learn more about labyrinths.

EVENTS AND ANNOUNCEMENTS

Friday, Aug. 11 & 18; Sept. 8 & 22: Labyrinths for Stress Reduction Group at Sierra Wind, 2:00 to 3:00p.m. Other special monthly events to be announced! Check our facebook page or give Marla a call! ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

Back Issues Available:

Get this monthly newsletter and back issues for free!

Call Marla at 209-256-3750.

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~ Labyrinth Project support services are available AT NO COST! Schedule a presentation, workshop, labyrinth walk, labyrinth event, or labyrinth building consultation. Talks, workshops and walks are offered with a variety of focuses and can be tailored to your specific needs. For more info. Contact Marla, The Labyrinth Project Coordinator @ (209) 256-3750. ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~ Do you have ideas for labyrinth talks, classes or walks that you would like to participate in? Suggestions are welcome!

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flyer distribution, labyrinth events planning and labyrinth facilitation!

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HAVING AN EVENT? Why not include the labyrinth?

Do you have questions about the newsletter

or the articles? Would you like to comment

or make suggestions ? Contact Marla at:

mvandermeer@norcalmha.org

COMING NEWSLETTER TOPICS:

September – October 2017~ Sacred Center November – December 2017 ~ Highlights

from the Labyrinth Society Annual Conference.