AstroChakras"

Why "AstroChakras"?
In the practice of Yoga there are certain recognized centers of energy within the human body. In today's realm of
wholistic health, chakras are frequently mentioned and referred to as centers of subtle life-force energy, or chi.
Usually this referral is meant to imply a unity of body, mind, and spirit.

As an astrologer with some years of working experience, I have noticed that the planets of our solar system
correspond to the body's chakra centers. Little Mercury, traditionally recognized as the 'ruler of communication',
corresponds to the Fifth Chakra within the throat, for instance. Although there is a lack of consensus among
astrologers as to the proper correspondences, I have chosen to utilize the following relationships:

1st Chakra Saturn

2nd Chakra Pluto
3rd Chakra Sun and Mars
4th Chakra Venus
5th Chakra Mercury and Jupiter
6th Chakra Neptune
7th Chakra Uranus.

How Do Chakras Relate to the Energies of My Astrology Chart?

Just as wholistic health counselors and practitioners recognize the balance and harmony of body, mind, and spirit
with the chakras; I use astrology to recognize your balance with yourself, the earth, and the cosmos. Imagine, if you
will, that each of the planets is like a receptor. Lines of energy flow from each chakra to each corresponding planet,
and from there the energies flow outward to the surrounding community of stars.

Not all of our chakra or planetary energies flow smoothly. Just like a dam blocking a rivers flow, our inner energies
can become blocked. What I have observed is that challenging aspects between planets may indicate a
corresponding blockage within that particular chakra. Why is this important to know, you may ask? Because each
chakra/planet corresponds to how we interact on a daily basis with others, and the environment. For instance, if
Mercury is 'square' or 'opposed' (astrological terms representing obstacles and blocks) to a planet, its ability to
communicate will be colored by the energies of that planet. (NOTE: For the sake of convenience, I may sometimes
refer to both the Sun and Moon as 'planets'.)

To further elaborate, if Mercury is square the Sun, for example, your ego tends to interfere with effective
communication skills; Mercury square to Neptune may indicate an inability to put into words your imaginative visions;
and if Mercury were square to Saturn, you may not be able to clearly deal with planning, goal-setting, and being
organized. So, as you can see from these examples, different areas of your life are influenced depending upon which
planets are being aspected.

The Correspondence of Each Chakra to Your Environment:

THE FIRST CHAKRA:

Saturn represents "structures". Your skeleton is a structure that holds your body in place; it acts as a foundation.
"Bones, foundations, security and structure" are all keywords for the 1ST Chakra. It represents the structures that you
deal with in life in order to survive physically.

If you are not able to deal effectively with the outer social structures of your world, then you tend to live from
paycheck-to-paycheck in a dog-eat-dog world. This seems to be a very common problem in our Western Culture
because we have forgotten how to ground ourselves with the energies of the Earth. People who are "grounded" have
a strong sense of who they are. They know how to acquire what they need in order to comfortably survive.

Nervousness and anxiety are conditions that result from not feeling grounded. Psychologically, it indicates that you
are operating too much from your head - the ego. Take a deep breath, relax, and look around you. Are you safe
where you are at? (1ST Chakra awareness puts you in the primal mode of "fight or flight".) If not, then you need to
separate yourself from unsafe people and places. 1ST Chakra awareness is a serious energy that requires you to
make some tough choices and decisions. Being "indecisive" and depending upon others to take care of you is a 1ST
Chakra weakness. Please do not confuse security and your ability to live comfortably with "lots of money".

HOW TO STRENGTHEN THE 1ST CHAKRA:

Establish healthy routines. Drink lots of "FRESH" water, eat healthy foods that are as natural as possible; eat, sleep,
exercise, and work at regular times. For example, eating late at night and drinking alcohol or doing drugs disrupts
your sleep patterns, which in turn disrupt your hormones, which interfere with your daily activities. You want to
establish "stability" - not predictability, that's too boring. Frequent changes of address are also very de-stabilizing.
Allow yourself to experience being in nature: go to a park and walk barefoot through the grass; visit an arboretum, or
plant a garden - even if it is just one flower! Hiking in the mountains, or just being around large rocks and stones is
very grounding.

THE SECOND CHAKRA:

Pluto represents your ability to "change and transform", and when doing so, you are being "creative". Without "desire"
- we can not "create"! At this point your everyday survival needs are being met, and you are now able to focus upon
the more earthy, sensuous desires that life has to offer. Years ago I remember reading a yoga book that described
the 2ND Chakra as "Her Special Place". Here, you crave and desire material and sensual pleasure. When people get
too focused on these sensual stimuli, their perception of reality is limited by the so-called "5 senses". People at this
level believe that things are real only if they can sense them. Remaining at this level invites "addiction", whether it is
to drugs, sex, or anything that you find to be pleasureable.
At the most basic level, people will express this creative energy through reproduction. The artists of our cultures are
the people who have found this inner creative-self and are outwardly expressing it through their mediums.

HOW TO STRENGTHEN THE 2ND CHAKRA:

Honor your self by finding a hobby or activity that provides you with pleasure. Paint, draw, sing, act, dance, exercise
your body, garden, construct bird houses, something that expresses WHO YOU ARE to others. If you are not sure
what you want to do, then think back to when you were about 10-12 years old. What did you dream about doing with
your life's energy that would make you happy and fulfilled?

THE THIRD CHAKRA:

The Sun and Mars are co-rulers of this chakra; and very appropriately, it corresponds to the "solar" plexus. This is a
chakra of personal "power" and indicates your ability to be "sovereign". Think of the symbolic energies of the Sun and
Mars. The Sun radiates its essence: it either blinds us (a negative expression of self-dominance), or it enables us to
enjoy its presence by honoring our own inner essence ("Wasn't it a beautiful day"?). Mars becomes the warrior
principle that either enjoys shoving others around, or responding to life's challenges with inner strength. People who
lack courage to take a risk usually have a blocked 3RD Chakra; they are afraid to express themselves because they
have not learned how to set limits. "This is who I am - and you can take it or leave it"! How many of us have the
courage to let others know where we stand, especially when dealing with our families? We don't want to be "I-sol-
ated". Where do you shine like the Sun, or do you hide your inner radiance?

HOW TO STRENGTHEN THE 3RD CHAKRA:

Practice acts of personal courage. Do what makes you happy, not what makes everyone else happy. When we fail to
do so, we waste too much personal energy blaming others for not being able to do what we would rather be doing.
Do it, be yourself! When you do so, others will recognize your individuality, and they will know what your limits are.
They will respect you more because they will know what to expect of you. As long as you are allowing others to also
be themselves, do not allow yourself to be swayed by accusation of "selfishness".

NOTICE THAT THE FIRST THREE CHAKRAS HAVE TO DEAL WITH "SELF-AWARENESS". IT IS VITALLY
IMPORTANT TO HAVE THESE CHAKRAS IN BALANCE BEFORE MOVING ON TO THE HIGHER SPIRITUAL
REALMS OF AWARENESS.

THE FOURTH CHAKRA:

This chakra is ruled by Venus; it corresponds to the "heart". Your ability to love (both loving to others, and being able
to recieve expressions of love from others) acts as a "FULCRUM" between the lower 3 chakras of self-wareness, and
the upper 3 chakras of your awareness of yourself in response to others. This chakra of "balance" is the first place
where we are able to recognize that there is more to life than meets the eye, and we are able to perceive higher,
spiritual realms. In yogic texts, this chakra is noted as the "sound of one hand clapping". Think about it, when you
express acts of love, you do so without the thought of reward. The "reward" is that your action made yourself and
others feel good.

People who have suffered emotional hurts and woundings tend to block their 4TH Chakras. They are afraid to make
themselves "vulnerable". This is a deliberate act of creating an "emotional wall" as a method of self-protection.

HOW TO STRENGTHEN YOUR 4TH CHAKRA: 

Sadly, we have ALL experienced the pain of being hurt, trashed, and beaten-up. One of my favorite sayings is by
Gandhi: "The person who has experienced great pain and sorrow, is able to have more compassion for those who
are suffering". A closed heart chakra is from too much self-absorption, self-focus, and self-pity. Get beyond yourself!
Get involved with others. Volunteer at your church, or within a social organization that needs help. At this chakra level
you need to become aware of the "vibrations, magnetism, or resonance" that you feel when you are around others.
Spirit will begin to provide you with "synchronicities" that will attract or direct you to people or events that are
beneficial for your evolution as a soul.

THE FIFTH CHAKRA:

Jupiter and Mercury are the co-rulers of this chakra. People with this chakra open are very persuasive and
charismatic; socially, they can be great orators, teachers, speakers, and writers. They have a natural ability to sense
what people are thinking, and can put it into words. How many times have you listened to someone, and later realized
that they were able to put into words ideas that you're only able to think about? When this chakra functions you are
able to "speak your personal truth with conviction". This is exactly what the ancients referred to as "the power of the
Word". Once you are able to speak your own Truth, then you are able to create your own reality through the power of
your words. Use "reaffirmations", like, "I am strong, powerful, wealthy, loving, etc." When this chakra is not operating
smoothly, you tend to limit your conversations to superficial concerns, and when someone asks you for a serious
opinion, you may respond with, "If you really want to know...".

HOW TO STRENGTHEN THE 5TH CHAKRA:

Pay attention to all of the thoughts that you don't express. How often do you "bite your tongue"? Learn that it is OK to
speak your mind. Most people do not speak their truth because they don't want to appear foolish. At this chakra you
are able to speak words that come directly from the heart and Spirit, and most people may lack the courage or
conviction to express their innermost beliefs. For instance, in writing this entire web-site, I have sat at my computer,
quieted my mind, and allowed the words to simply flow out of me.

THE SIXTH CHAKRA:

Commonly referred to as "The Third Eye", this chakra is ruled by Neptune. People who are highly imaginative,
coming up with original and insightful ideas have an open 6TH Chakra. Artists, musicians and inventors will frequently
mention that the idea "just came to me". That's because they are allowing this chakra to "feel" incoming messages,
"intuitions and dreams". Usually, the whole concept appears suddenly, and then they become driven in an effort to
"share and express their message" to others.

People with blocked 6TH Chakra's lack imagination, sadly. Even when provided with a visual image of an abstract
concept (did you have problems with algebra or physics?) they may not be able to grasp the logic behind the idea.
Wholistic concepts are difficult for these people to understand. People on drugs who experience "visions" are getting
these strange realizations from this higher dimension. Because they lack conscious control it just flows out as
disturbing patterns and concepts.

HOW TO STRENGTHEN YOUR 6TH CHAKRA:

In order for this energy to smoothly function you must have an awareness of yourself as a spiritual being, and the
other 5 chakras must be in balance, otherwise the incoming "visions" creates a chaotic disturbance of images. During
the Sixties there was nothing worse than a "hippy" who had "seen God" and rambled about snippets of Truth.

Live a life-style that has supportive, sustaining, and healthy routines. Attend to your dreams (keep a journal of your
dreams), meditate or pray at regular times of the day, and listen to your unconsciousness. How many times do you
berate yourself by saying, "If only I had listened to myself"? If nothing else, keep a journal of all your ideas, mental
images, hunches, "ah-ha" moments, and intuitions. This small practice will help you to verify your own spiritual gifts
and abilities. By meditating and trusting my intuition, I was able to "know" a year in advance before both of my
children were to be born. Being intuitive is nothing more than paying attention to the subtle flows of energy - it is not
the dramatic stuff that you see in Hollywood's special effects! Allow yourself quiet moments so you can hear Spirit's
whispers - everything you need to know is right there inside your mind, but it will not scream at you!

THE SEVENTH CHAKRA:

The planet Uranus corresponds to this center of energy. At this level of awareness you are able to see all events as a
reflection of God's Will. (If you are uncomfortable with the term 'God', then substitute Spirit, Universal Force, Great
Spirit, or however you choose to recognize this divine energy.) When out of balance, people trying to express this
energy can become extremely depressed, full of obsessive thoughts, and confused. Because this energy/chakra
operates at such a high vibrational frequency one must become selfless. Hanging onto ego-awareness brings up
images of bleakness and morbidness.

HOW TO STRENGTHEN THE 7TH CHAKRA:

At this level, one must "become empty to become full". Many spiritual writings refer to the body as an empty vessel
that best expresses its spiritual potentials when it allows itself to be moved by Spirit. Even in the world of sports, there
are all kinds of anecdotes by athletes who claim they suddenly entered a quiet space, and they were able to perform
physical feats that they were not otherwise capable of doing. Many people on a personal crusade will say that they
had no need of sleep or food - they were driven by Spirit to perform a selfless act that was beneficial to others. In
order for this chakra to function most effectively, one must have a clear understanding of their purpose for having
incarnated upon this planet Earth.

The arrangement is quite sensible given the job of each chakra.

Mula-dhara [Kundalini]Chakra
Saturn does 1st-chakra grounding/stabilizing/

Sva-dhi-sthana Chakra
Jupiter does 2nd-chakra procreating/creating
Mani-pura Chakra
Mars does 3rd-chakra competition/action

Anahata Chakra
Venus does 4th-chakra loving/embracing

Vishuddha Chakra
Mercury does 5th-chakra speaking/articulating thoughts

Ajna Chakra
Sun-Moon do 6th-chakra perceiving/intuiting.

Sahashra-padma
Sahasra-nama Chakra
(7th chakra might be speculatively said to be ruled by Rahu-Ketu.)

Frawley's description of energy point along the central nadi channels being the rationale for exaltation points certainly
makes sense, especially in lieu of any other explanation of uttama and nichha positions.

Chandra gives best results at heart chakra on the lunar side = unconditional feeling love

Mangala gives best results at root chakra on the solar side = maximum action and accomplishment

Budha gives best results at throat chakra on the solar side = maximum outward articulation

Guru gives best results at 3rd eye on lunar side = peak"teachable" intuitive wisdom point

Shukra gives best results at sex chakra on the lunar side = maximum attraction and sensual pleasure

Shani gives best results at heart chakra on the solar side = active but detached pursuit of justice and order

Surya gives best results at navel chakra on the lunar side = fullest expression of vital Willpower