IMPORTANT NOTICE: The Manthan Yoga Foundation and the editor of this document insist and caution that “Integral Chakra Psychology” should NEVER BE APPLIED to other people without at least completing the Integral Chakra Psychology Level course. 1,2,3 and 4” while having fulfilled the necessary requirements and duties. In addition, as a MINIMUM REQUIREMENT to be in possession of a Yoga Teacher Diploma TTC 500 or Ayush Level 3 is absolutely essential.

Summary of chakra psychology (Swadyaya)

This is a complete summary of Swadyaya (chakra psychology). The editor tried to condense all what he considers really important in order to create a good picture of the topic, including a case study.

So how does chakra yoga work? In our body there are according to the sages 72’000 energy centers, the so called chakras. But there are 7 main chakras that are the most important ones as they define major parts of our psychological energy. These and their psychological connection are the one that interest us:

1. Muladhara: connected to our security and survival
2. Swadisthan: connected to our comfort or comfort zone
3. Manipur: connected to power and influence
4. Anahat: connected to love and affection
5. Visshudhi: connected to self-confidence and expression
6. Ajnya: connected to intellect and intelligence
7. Brahmasastra: connected to higher reality or power we attribute to what isn’t within ourselves

It is most important to know und to be understood that all these chakras. It helps patients to recognize obstacles, dangers, problem zones. First preventing to get in or lost in all these negative thoughts and situations that may obstruct them on their path of life, but it also helps to find a way out if the person already is entangled. And way too often having no “map”, no clue how to go through life we’re hitting our heads against one or many brick walls, sometimes for a lifetime.

How do the Chakras work?

The chakras can be balanced, under- or over active. Ideally they are balanced, which of course isn’t always the case. Usually if under active, we’re struggling using the potential of that particular chakra and often in other chakras as well. If overactive, the chakra dominates, also over other aspects in life or in other words over other chakras affecting them in a negative way. It will be more easy to understand this, explaining the chakras one by one.

Chakras explained one by one:

Please note that this is a condensed explanation of larger topic; here chakras are explained very briefly. The chart below indicates the location of each chakra in the human body. Please note the location reflects somatic diseases connected to a defunct psychological state.

Muladhara Chakra - Root chakra (security, survival, relations, career, school):

It’s the psychological energy that we have for our survival; the chakra resides between our genitals and anus. Somewhat at the base of our body, reason why its’s also called the base chakra.
People whose security wasn’t or isn’t guaranteed in life or suffer(ed) from deprivation usually have an underactive Muladhara chakra: they often were or are exposed to abuse, neglect, violence, poverty, etc
They will ultimately be very anxious; be scared of abuse even there’s no threat. They horde, to guarantee their security, chose any, even the worse job or environment; always go for the cheapest bargain; never treat themselves. Such an unbalanced Muladhara chakra can easily affect all other chakras negatively.
IMPORTANT: In the Muladhara chakra lies the so call Kundalini energy: it’s what empowers us and has a tremendous impact on all other chakras. If Muladhara chakra is not activated there will be a lack of energy and motivation and as a result, such people usually struggle in relations, have addictions, often poor financial situation and other issues that aggravate their condition.
People whose security was or is guaranteed in an excessive way (too much of wealth or care) usually suffer from an overactive Muladhara chakra: money and other excesses without sense of responsibility, sense of privilege and entitlement, arrogance, not valuing material good or relations, have poor risk assessment.
Overactive Muladhara will affect their Visshuddhi chakra as ultimately there’ll be a too high self-confidence and lack of responsibility, empathy, etc living in the illusion that no matter what they do, they’ll be safe anyway.
IT IS THE CHAKRA THAT IS MOST RELEVANT FOR PEOPLE WHO WERE ABUSED AND MISSTREATED!

Swadhistana – Sacral chakra (well-being and pleasure):

Swadhistana is the chakra that motivates us because it’s the one that’s connected to our wellbeing; for that reason, all other chakras are directly influenced by it: we avoid to suffer, want to enjoy pleasure. Underactive, the person cannot enjoy and the psychological priorities do not really contribute to the well-being: for example, if a drug addict uses drugs to make him feel better, but ultimately the drugs destroy the body and mind making everything worse. Overactive Swadhistana chakra leads to indulgency. If Swadhistana is balanced, there is a right balance between Dherma (duty) and pleasure.

Manipur – Solar Plexus chakra (power and influence):

An underactive Manipur chakra leads to submission and usually people who have a low Manipur also have a low Visshudhi chakra (self-confidence and expression) as well; it’s not rare that they are affected by abuse earlier in their lives.
An overactive Manipur leads to abuse of others and addiction of power: Often people who got used to and are given a lot power, sometimes since they are children are affected by it. But it happens that people who experienced abuse or neglect earlier in their lives have an over active Manipur chakra. Then they react to it by overcompensating, projecting their flaws and negative feelings onto others using and abusing power. This often happens with parents towards their children.

Anahat - Heart chakra (love & affection):

People affected by an underactive Anahat chakra were and are usually exposed to abandonment, rejection, criticism, violence, severe punishment, etc; many were orphans, people with too many siblings, with busy or irresponsible parents, etc.
An overactive Anahat chakra is due to abundance of love, being pampered, overprotected. The reaction often is a dependency on love, permanently scared of not getting or losing it.
As a response of the lack of love, but also because not expecting love and affection, such people try to please others, feel overly responsible, insecure getting love, have suppressed feelings, focus on others and not at all on themselves. It becomes a vicious circle where they invest all in others and usually get nothing in return.

Visshuddhi - Throat chakra (expression and self-confidence)

Related to Asmita (Identity), Visshuddhi chakra relates directly to the way and manner we identify ourselves. This identity is influenced by others, in either a positive or negative way. Then there remains the opinion we have of ourselves and whether we are fit for life or if we aren’t. An underactive Visshuddi chakra is usually triggered by limited finances, appreciation, severe punishment, control. The result is low self-esteem, continuous self-criticism, unable to listen to one’s own intuition, reclusion, avoidance, over-cautiousness. *
But also being overprotected, pampered (self-esteem becomes conditional: loved only if accepted, encouraged, supported) can lead to this undesirable condition.
An overactive Visshuddhi chakra can be triggered by abundance of experiences, exposure, much success, power, resources, praise
* However, deprivation and a fight back reaction by projecting all flaws onto others can also lead to an overactive Visshuddhi. By doing so these people sort of make themselves over confident, hence as already mentioned they have an overactive Visshiddhi chakra.
People like this become brash, arrogant, aggressive, inconsiderate, opinionated, dominating.
In both cases, under or overactive, the expressions, whether verbal or non-verbal, are in tune of their Visshudhi chakra.

Ajnya – Third Eye chakra (Intellect and intelligence)

This is a chakra that is usually influenced by other chakras; please read the case studies for better understanding. It’s usually (an) other chakra(s) that is (are) out of balance impacting Ajnya.
The main problem is that the intellect (Ajnya) sort of becomes a slave of these unbalanced chakras.
However, in some cases it can occur that Ajnya chakra is overactive and the person might have too high intellectual standards compared to average individuals. They get frustrated at them as their intellect doesn’t match their own. This is bad for relationships and causes frustration.

Brahmasastra – Crown chakra (higher reality or power we attribute)

In life we need to attribute power, temporarily or over longer periods of time, to others and authorities for matters that aren’t within the reach of our influence. We just can’t do everything by ourselves. That can be for tangible (other people, organizations, etc) or intangible (god, spirituality, etc) subjects. People who give power to someone else with her/his limited potentials or a higher reality with supposedly unlimited potentials need faith, trust and often to follow blindly. It is also because humans need a reference, or a leader to sort of “anker” themselves.
Therefore, an under active Brahmasastra chakra lacks faith, an overactive has blind faith. Both are bad as lack of faith ends up in anxiety, blind faith is often unreasonable (childish) as it gives away full power and control.

Additional note:

This file has been created to make people unfamiliar with the topic to understand Swadyaya without making it long and complicated.
Please let me know where clarification is necessary and please indicate what or why you do or you don’t understand.

Thank you very much

With kindest regards
Christopher

Part of the UNION PROJECT, The Yoga Institute / Manthan Foundation

Neuchatel, August 16th 2022