sabrinamari | IG Workshop Material: The Psychological Functions of the Major Chakras I

Lots of info here. I will summarize for workshop participants at the IG below. Others may want to skip this.

General info

All from Brennan 1987, "Hands of Light," Chapter 9
"Most of us react to unpleasant experiences by blocking our feelings and stopping a great deal of our natural energy flow. This affects the development and maturation of the chakras, resulting in inhibition of a fully balanced psychological function. For example, if a child is rejected many times when he tries to give love to another, he will probably stop trying to give love. In order to do this, he will probably try to stop the inner feeling of love that he is responding to with action. In order to do this, he will have to stop the energy flow through the heart chakra. When the energy flow through the heart chakra is stopped or slowed down, the development of the heart chakra is affected. Eventually, a physical problem will very likely result."

* Whenever a person blocks whatever experiences he is having, he in turn blocks his chakras, which eventually become disfigured, blocked with stagnant energy, spin irregularly, backwards, or in the case of disease, become severely distorted or torn

* A normally functioning chakra will spin clockwise and be "open", drawing energy in

* A 'closed' chakra spins counterclockwise, with the current flowing out of the body. In other words, the energies that are needed and that we experience as psychological reality are not flowing into the chakra---instead, we send our energies out into the world, sense the energy we have just sent, and say it *is* the world. This is called projection in psychology.

Summaries of chakra function in front and back chakras 1-3

Root chakra or coccygeal center (first chakra starting from the bottom):

Related to the quality of physical energy and the will to live in physical reality. When fully functioning, it indicates a powerful will to live in physical reality, giving physical potency. When blocked, the person does not make a strong physical impression in the world, will avoid physical activity, be low in energy and may even be 'sickly'.

Front pubic center (second up from bottom on front):

Related to the quality of love for the opposite sex the person is able to have. When open, it facilitates giing and receiving sexual pleasure. If open, will enable pleasurable sexual intercourse and orgasm.

Rear pubic center (second up from bottom on back):

Related to the quantity of sexual energy of a person. With this center open, a person feels his/her sexual power. If blocked, he or she will have a low sex drive, tend to avoid sex and disclaim its importance and pleasure.

Solar plexus chakra (third up from bottom on front):

Assocated with the great pleasure that comes from deeply knowing one's unique and connected place within the universe. Firmly grounds a person in his place in that universe when open. Directly related to a person's emotional life: open, it facilitates a deeply fulfilling emotional life that does not overwhelm a person. When this center is open but the protective membrane is torn, the person will have great uncontrollable extremes of emotion. He could be influenced by outside sources from the astral which will confuse him. He may get lost in the universe. He will eventually have physical pain in that area from overuse of that chakra which may eventualy become adrenal exhaustion.

The diaphragmatic center (third up from the bottom on the back):

Located behind the solar plexus and associated with one's intention towards one's physical health. When open, indicates strong health-love and an intent to keep one's self healthy. Also known as the healing center and associated with spiritual healing. Can be large on healers. Usually smaller than other back chakras on non-healers.