Theories of the Chakras (Bridge to Higher Consciousness)

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THEORIES OF THE CHI' KRAS It is an outstanding book from both the scientific and spiritual points of view. It is the unique record of the pioneering experiments which presents clear, electro-physiological evidence of the existence of the network of chakras and nadis which form the infrastructure of the subtle energies existing in the pranic and psychic dimensions, which underline and activate the physical, material body of man. The experiments in the book successfully integrate the subjective and objective dimensions of knowledge, and will serve as guideposts and blueprints for experiments in the years ahead. The chakras and other components of the human energy field were largely brought to the attention of the Western world by clairvoyant Charles W. Leadbeater. His pioneering work is discussed in detail in this fascinating exploration of the subtle body, along with that of other respected seers and yogis

DR. HIROSHI MOTOYAMA holds doctorates in psychology and philosophy. He founded the Institute for Religion and Psychology and is author of over twenty books, including Karma and Reincarnation and Toward a Supercanseiousness: Meditational Theory and Practice.

It gives me great pleasure to introduce the work of Dr. Hiroshi Motoyama to the scholars, scientists, and spiritual seekers of the English-speaking world. For those who are already acquainted with current investigations into yoga and the psychic and spiritual sciences, Dr. Motoyama will need no introduction. His preeminence and reputation as a scientist are well known, for he is foremost amongst researchers in this field at the present time. His pioneering discoveries during the last ten years have carried orthodox science to the threshold of the spiritual dimension, and will serve as a basis for future investigations into the greater potentials inherent within the framework of the human body-mind. The practices of yoga and tantra which will awaken those greater potentials will become the quest of scientists during this century.

This present book-Theories of the Chakras: Bridge to Higher Consciousness-is an outstanding document from both the scientific and spiritual points of view. In the first place, it presents a unique and authentic record of the spiritual experiences of an adept in whom the kundalini has been awakened by yogic practices. And second, it is the unique record of the pioneering experiments conducted at the In stitute for Religious Psychology, Tokyo, which presents clear, electro-physiological evidence of the existence of the network of chakras and nadis which form the infra-structure of the subtle energies existing in the pranic and psychic dimensions, which underlie and activate the physical, material body of man.

Dr. Motoyama's experiments successfully integrate the subjective and objective dimensions of knowledge, and will serve as guideposts and blueprints for experiments in the years ahead. If secrets of the universe are to be revealed, the spiritual dimension must first be breached and science must emerge from its present limitations of the material dimension.

In this respect, Dr. Motoyama's experiments are uniquely valuable. The awakening of kundalini is the most monumental experience an individual can undergo in life, which brings into operation another dimension of awareness. At the physical level, kundalini manifests as a higher voltage of energy conducted through the nervous system, resulting in a wider range of activity of the various systems of the physical body, and heightened awareness and capabilities.

The altered states of physiological functioning associated with awakening of each chakra are quite distinct from disease conditions, although they may produce a variety of physical and mental symptoms which may temporarily imitate them. This fact must become clear to physicians, scientists, and healers. Dr. Motoyama has himself experienced the awakening of kundalini and has presented an analytical record of. that transition in the state of awareness. Further-more, he has devised laboratory equipment so as to demonstrate the psycho-physiological parameters of an awakened kundalini in experimental subjects, thus paving the way for scientists of the future.

The awakening of kundalini is an experience which accelerates an individual toward the conscious fulfillment of his purpose and role in life. Through scientific means, Dr. Motoyama has clarified the knowledge and experience of kundalini so that others may be able to understand. His remarkable contribution elevates the status of kundalini from that of a religious or mystical myth into a psychological and electro-physiological event which can be demonstrated and recorded by scientific evaluation. Scientists, and humanity as a whole, are indeed fortunate that he has under-taken such a formidable task.

I believe this present work to be the most revolutionary scientific discovery since the relativity theory superseded Newton's model of the universe. Due to the genius of an enlightened mystic of science, Dr. Albert Einstein, the world has entered the nuclear era. Dr. Einstein projected his awareness into the subjective realms in order to conduct his famous "thought experiments" on the nature of light, and as a result, the orthodox model of the universe was modified and revised. At that time, as scientists strained to grasp the implications unlocked by the equation E = mc2, a fantastic vision of the transformation of matter and the liberation of energy which underlies the manifested created world was awakened. Yet today the same concepts of nuclear fission and fusion are grasped by children of ten or twelve years of age in their elementary science classes at school. What better example can be cited as evidence of the evolving awareness or consciousness of man?

Man now stands at the doorway of the spiritual dimension. Within the next few years many scientists will validate the theory of kundalini and the chakras. Dr. Motoyama is a visionary scientist of Einstein's calibre. Just as Einstein unlocked the vision of the pranic dimension to reveal the energy underlying material creation, so too Dr. Motoyama's investigations have clarified the next step in the evolutionary transformation of the awareness of mankind as a whole.

This introduction is intended primarily for those approaching the subject matter of this book for the first time, in the hope that it will help clarify the content of what follows.

In India, the techniques and practices of Tantra Yoga-an esoteric branch of yoga-have been handed down for thou-sands of years. Among them, there is a group of methods for awakening the Kundalini and the chakras. Through this awakening, the practitioner is said to be able to transcend ordinary human limitations and to evolve into a free and immortal being fully aware of the world and of an existence where there is no death. In the course of Indian history, a number of great saints have appeared who have attained this highest stage of spirital enlightenment through the methods of Tantric Yoga or their equivalents (Shakyamuni Buddha, for instance). It is precisely these methods that this book at-tempts to describe and elucidate. This introduction will give a general description of what is meant by "exoteric" and "esoteric," by "chakra" and "n5dT," and by "the body" and "the mind".

The Esoteric and the Exoteric: Yin and Yang

Everything has two aspects; a surface aspect, which is ex-posed to light, and an interior, hidden aspect which is not so exposed. A plant, for example, has above the ground a stem, branches, and leaves which are warmed and lit by the sun, whereas its roots are underground, untouched by any beam of sunlight. In winter, the portion above ground may appear to have died; but as spring brings its warmth, the branches burst with life, fresh green leaves appear, and buds open. None of this could happen were it not for the roots, the hid-den part of the plant. It is the unexposed roots that supply the energy to sustain the portion that lives out in the snow, rain, wind, and sun, and it is thanks to the roots that this part returns from its wintry state to life. The latent, dark, unexposed aspect of things is known in Chinese philosophy as "yin", while "yang" is the name given to the patent, the bright, the exposed. Similarly, all religions have both a yang aspect and a yin aspect.

The yang aspect, that which is open, public, and generally known, is called the exoteric aspect. Yang/exoteric teachings speak of God, Buddha, or the Absolute in terms of their relationship to this world, the world of concrete forms. God. Buddha, and other deities are presented in ways comprehensible to the average man. Shakyamuni and Kennon (Avalokiteshvara) in Buddhism, God the Father in Christianity, and Amaterasu Omikami in Shintoism are just such examples. These deities are all said to be at work for man's salvation and the maintenance of peace in the world. The exoteric part of religion, therefore, represents man's faith and devotion to deities working in close proximity to the physical world. It is religion centered on the world of human beings.

In contrast, the yin aspect of religion, that is, the inner, hid-den part, is what we term the esoteric. This phase of religionis centered on the world of deities rather than ordinary humans. The ultimate goal of esoteric teachings is to elevate human beings to a state where they are no longer merely human, but have become transcendent beings themselves. In the esoteric branches of religion, methods designed specific-ally for the transformation of human beings into greater beings are taught and practiced under the strict supervision of qualified teachers.

In Christianity, then, it is possible to regard Protestantism as the exoteric teaching and the sacraments of Catholicism as the esoteric. In Japanese Buddhism, the Jodo and Shin sects can be considered exoteric and Shingon Buddhism esoteric. In the yogic tradition, hatha yoga and kriyii yoga, both of which emphasize control of the physical body, are exoteric, and tantra yoga, the hidden core of all the different types of yoga, is esoteric.

The Three Bodies and The Three Minds of Tantra Yoga

The legend behind the existence of tantra yoga is that it was created and taught to mankind by the Lord Shiva. Lord Shiva, known as the Destroyer, ranks with Lord Brahma, the Creator, and Lord Vishnu, the Maintainer, as one of the three great Gods of Indian religious teaching. The tantra yoga given by Shiva provides the means whereby a man can transcend himself and attain a state of being unified with and equal to that of God, the Absolute, Himself.

According to the teachings of tantra yoga, man has three bodies and three associated minds, one in each of the three major dimensions of being. During spiritual growth, a man must ascend the evolutionary ladder through these dimensions step by step, gradually increasing his awareness of the higher realms. In this way man can liberate himself from the limitations of the three bodies and their corresponding minds, finally entering the kingdom of god.

**Contents and Sample Pages**