Fellowship Of Isis Lyceum Of Isis And Sophia Of The Stars Paper V Energy Ecstasy As stated in the opening paper

r of the Course this initial seven part section is concentrating upon the !uilding and improving of various !asic s"ills# $ou %ill have pro!a!ly found that as the months have passed the rela&ation' rhythmic !reathing and visuali(ation e&ercises have !ecome progressively easier# )e shall no% !egin to add a further dimension to the %or" %hich shall incorporate all of these s"ills contacting the energy centres %ithin the su!tle !ody# This is vital %or" no matter %hat system of meditation one speciali(es in and our ne&t three papers %ill !e concentrating upon this su!*ect and serve as an introduction to the %or" of the second level of the Course# The most accessi!le terminology on the su!*ect of these energy centres has !een imported from India and indeed terms such as +cha"ras, and the +"undalini, have !ecome %ell integrated into the language of the counter culture# Part of the reason for this is that meditation has held a prominent and valued position in Eastern society and as such has !een actively developed# In contrast the mystery tradition of the )est under the domination of Christianity has !een actively suppressed %ith the result of invalua!le "no%ledge !eing lost or driven far underground# There are indications that there has !een' despite Christianity' a continuing hidden tradition in the )est# The %ritings of Paracelsus contained references to %hat he descri!ed as +star, centres in the !ody %hich could !e activated to aid in healing# Also the %or"s of the -osicrucians and alchemists hold much in coded form %hich might !e interpreted along similar lines# It is certain though that %hether %ithin the teachings of the )estern .ysteries' $oga' Tantric /uddhism or others' it is uniformly stated that %ithin our !odies lies a vital "ey to the .ysteries# )ritings of the ancient 0ree"s contained veiled references to +hidden centres, %ithin the human !ody and these teachings %ere most pro!a!ly derived from Egyptian sources %here again are found indications of +physical po%er centres through the manipulation of %hich ordinary human !eings can enter into communion %ith the gods and share their mode of e&istence,# In the )est the su!*ect of su!tle energy systems came to prominence in the late 12334s %ith the emergence of the Theosophical Society' the Society of the 0olden 5a%n' and various $ogic and /uddhist groups# Indeed one of the ma*or techni6ues taught !y the 0olden 5a%n %as a %estern version of "undalini yoga the .iddle Pillar# 7or those unfamiliar %ith this techni6ue and the terms associated %ith it an appendi& follo%s the e&ercise section of this paper# The .iddle Pillar techni6ue' although rooted in the 8a!alah' is a!out the !est e&ample of a safe 9 sure method of %or"ing %ith this po%erful energy# :nli"e the "undalini yoga practiced in the East it does not %or" directly on the physical !ody !ut aims to have an effect upon the su!tle astral etheric !ody %hich indirectly effects the physical# It is also nota!le that it %or"s %ith the energy from the top do%n not raising the po%er from the !ase cha"ra up%ard# It is still possi!le that the infusion of energy into the cha"ras %ill stimulate the "andalini into %a"ing# There are very sound reasons for this# The average )estern practitioner due to cultural conditioning is less sophisticated in spiritual matters than his Eastern counterparts and' in general' his;her consciousness is more centred in the material plane# Therefore more care is needed in order not to raise these energies prematurely#

Level 1 Paper < == Page > )e can vie% the planes of e&istence as !eing of a similar nature to the 8a!alistic +emanations, moving from the su!tle spiritual levels to the density of matter in successive stages# This is not to say that the physical %orld is evil' only that its vi!ratory nature is more dense and there!y more open to distortion# )hy this should !e so is the su!*ect of much speculation and indeed it may !e our very thin"ing that aids in the creation of this solidity# A very interesting e&ploration on the su!*ect of our +co creation, of physical reality can !e found in the records of ?ane -o!ert4s Seth .aterial# @er mediated %ritings such as +The Aature of Personal -eality, and her novel +The Education of Oversoul Seven, contain concepts that *er" the mind of the reader out of its usual ruts and ma"es fascinating if demanding reading# There is no overall agreement as to the num!er of energy centres some systems consider <' others B' 13 or more# Initially %e shall e&amine the seven energy centres defined !y yoga and this month4s e&ercise %ill involve ma"ing contact %ith these vital centres and !eginning to e&plore the energy relationships !et%een them# Later %or" shall involve connecting %ith various god;desses through each centre# The names of the cha"ras are given in Sans"rit and %hen referring to them individually %e shall use either this name or their location as a "ey%ord# )e need to emphasi(e that it %ould !e impossi!le to more than lightly introduce in these fe% pages %hat is a comple& system of spiritual development# Paper VI %ill go on to cover the su!*ect of the "undalini and related phenomena and the source !oo"s listed at the end of this paper suggest further reading for those interested in going more deeply into the su!*ect# )e !egin %ith the .uladhara Cha"ra %hich is located at the !ase of the spine# In the .iddle Pillar se6uence this centre has !een shifted to !eneath the feet %hich stresses further the relationship !et%een this centre and the element of Earth# The Tattva Prithivi C$ello% S6uareD %or"ed %ith in Papers II 9 IV is associated %ith this centre as is the sense of Smell and the reproductive organs# It represents our deep connection to the physical %orld and here is the seat of the sleeping "undalini energy and the li!ido %hich is more than se&ual energy alone !ut indicates the life energy in general# The ne&t centre' the Svadisthana' is located in the region *ust !elo% the navel and associated %ith this centre is the element of )ater and the Tattva Apas Csilver crescentD and the very aesthetic sense of taste# In the martial arts much emphasis is placed on the +hara, %hich is similar in location to this cha"ra# The @ara is a prime place of !ody centeredness and strength# The health of the organism is under the province of this cha"ra# The .iddle Pillar assigns this cha"ra to the Sephira of $esod' the 7oundation# This cha"ra shares %ith the .uladhara a close affinity %ith the earth and underlines the importance of %ater in our !odies and to the planet# )e proceed to the .anlpura located at the solar ple&us %hich is traditionally a centre of po%er and %e see here the attri!ution of the element of 7ire and the Tattva Te*as Cred triangleD and the sense of sight# The .anipura shares an affinity %ith the heart centre and in the .iddle Pillar these t%o centres are lumped together in the sun centre of Tiphareth# .oving into the Anahata' the @eart Centre is possi!ly the most important for )esterners for it is a centre of synthesis !et%een the three higher centres %hich are concerned %ith transpersonal and transcendental states and the three !ody orientated centres# It is the seat of compassion and associated %ith the sense of touch the medium through %hich %e ma"e contact %ith our environment# The element of air and Tattva Vayu C!lue circleD are attri!uted here# The Vishuddha cha"ra located at the throat is the threshold centre associated %ith the sense of hearing' the Ether and Tattva A"asha Cindigo; !lac" ovalD# Consistent %ith this' the .iddle

Level 1 Paper < == Page E Pillar associates this centre %ith the multi dimensional Sephira 5aath and in each system it is seen to !e a gate%ay to the superconscious# The A*na located !et%een the !ro%s is the seat of the +third eye, associated %ith this centre are all mental faculties and it is also the place from %hich the su!tle energies are mediated# In the .iddle Pillar this centre is *oined %ith the Sahasrara as the Supernal Fether point# Of the Cro%n Centre it is depicted as a thousand petal led lotus %hich opens to the 5ivine# Attri!uted to it is intuition and the facility to perceive direct insight into the true nature of reality# The summary chart that follo%s illustrates a fe% more attri!utions to the cha"ras# The functions listed !elo% are the traditional areas that the individuals cha"ras are said to influenceG li"e%ise there is thought to !e some correlation !et%een the su!tle !ody cha"ras and the ductless glands of the endocrine system# The colours listed differ slightly from some other sources these given %ere chosen !ecause they relate to the visi!le spectrum the rain!o% %hich %e %ill !e %or"ing %ith in these and future e&ercisesH S:..A-$ C@A-T Endocrine Centre Location Function Colour Planet/Element Influence .uladhara /ase Cof spineD Se& -ed Saturn ;Earth 0onads Svadisthana Spleen @ealth Orange ?upiter;)ater Spleen .anipura Solar Ple&us Po%er $ello% .ars;7ire Adrenal Anahata @eart Compassion 0reen Venus;Air Thymus Vishuddha Throat Creativity /lue .ercury;Aether Thyroid A*na /ro% Paranormal Indigo Sun 9 .oon Pituitary Po%ers Sahasrara A!ove Cro%n Li!eration Violet Pineal of @ead A/ == Some schools list the Pineal as A*na and the Pituitary as Sahasrara HHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHH Exercise There are a num!er of sections to this month4s meditation and they need to !e approached progressively hence you may spend the first t%o or three sessions esta!lishing the first sphere then moving on to the Cro%n centre and %or" %ith this for the ne&t fe% sessions then introducing the /ro% centre and continuing thus through the entire se6uence# 5o not !e concerned if you fail to complete the entire se6uence as given in the time period# This %or" %ill !e continuing ne&t month and the energy e&ercise %ill !e !ecoming an integral part of future %or"# It is much more important that you gain a good grasp of the techni6ue# As mentioned %e %ill !e %or"ing at present %ith the seven centres as defined a!ove and the e&ercise is similar in many %ays to the .iddle Pillar techni6ue descri!ed in the appendi& especially in the circulation of energy after the esta!lishment of the central centres# 1# 5o the opening along %ith the rela&ation se6uence# /egin your rhythmic !reathing and continue %ith this alone for some%hat longer than usual# To a degree throughout this e&ercise it is necessary to remain +mindful, of your !reathing and the coordination !et%een this and the visuali(ation %ill come %ith practice# ># )ith your eyes closed visuali(e %ell a!ove the top of your head a sphere of !rilliant %hite scintillating light;energy# /efore proceeding further ma"e sure you have a strong sense of this sphere4s presence# E# Once it is esta!lished imagine a ray of light emerging from its !ottom as a spectrum so there forms a rain!o% !and of light a!ove your head# On an in!reath dra% in from the

Level 1 Paper < == Page I rain!o% the colour violet and visuali(e it !ecoming a sphere in the area of the Cro%n cha"ra# On your ne&t in!reath !ring further energy light into the violet sphere and continue this for a!out si& Inhalations# 7ollo%ing this *ust o!serve any sensations you may !e having# If you need to you can dra% in further energy from the source sphere# I# Once this is %ell esta!lished return your attention to the sphere and rain!o% a!ove your head and dra% do%n a shaft of %hite light that %ill emerge from the Cro%n centre and at the point of the /ro% cha"ra visuali(e this !ecoming a sphere of violet coloured light;energy# Although your main concentration has shifted to the !ro% do ma"e sure you still are a!le to hold the image of the sphere at the Cro%n cha"ra# <# As you gain %hat you feel is a strong sense of this centre again dra% in a shaft of %hite light;energy of the rain!o% %hich %ill !lossom as a sphere of !lue at the place of the Throat cha"ra# J# Proceed %ith this e&ercise in stages so that %hen you have a good sense of one cha"ra you move on to the ne&t lo%er one using the rain!o% colours in the se6uence given in the summary# 5o ta"e note of any variations in the colours as you hold them and of any sensations or strong thoughts you encounter in the meditation# $ou may find that your thoughts %ander off the e&ercise and %hen this happens *ust gently dra% your attention !ac" to the tas" at hand# B# Therefore at the completion of this stage of the se6uence you %ill !e holding a visuali(ation of the seven centres as spheres of coloured light;energy connected !y a ray of %hite light along the line of the spine# 2# Once the seven are esta!lished %e %ill !egin to do the circulation of force e&ercise# Start this first !y visuali(ing a surge of energy coming from the glo%ing sphere a!ove your head Cthe first visuali(edD and this pouring into the Cro%n Centre energi(ing that centre then travelling do%n the shaft of light to the /ro%' Throat' @eart' Solar Ple&us' Spleen and /ase cha"ras in turn# 5o this at first very slo%ly to get the feel of it and then 6uic"en your pace so that on a single inhalation you are pulling the energy from the Cro%n through to the /ase cha"ra# At this stage on the e&halation of !reath *ust rela& and allo% the energy to %ash through your !ody Cincluding legs and feetD and !e a%are of any sensations you may e&perience# HHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHH At present this is pro!a!ly enough to "eep you !usy throughout the month ho%ever if you have done similar %or" in the past and you find the a!ove se6uence comes very easilyG do feel free to move on and %or" %ith the further circulation of force e&ercises given %ith the .iddle Pillar meditation# Also' as any %or" %ith the cha"ras can have very po%erful effects !e a%are of your reactions to it# .onitor yourself closely and do not overdo the visuali(ation %or"# If you feel you need to discuss any results you are getting or you encounter difficulties or feel the need for clarification of the procedure please don4t hesitate to get in touch# HHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHH Sources and Suggested Further Reading: Energy Ecstasy and Your Seven Vital Chakras ' /ernard 0unther' The 0uild of Tutors Press' :SA Cdistri!uted in :#F# /y ThorsonsD 1>3pgs# Little theory !ut a %ealth of valua!le e&ercises# Foundations of Practical Magic Chapter on +The Art of True @ealing,' 7rancis Israel -egardie' A6uarian Press# On the .iddle Pillar and circulation of force %or"# Introduction to the Mystical Qabalah' Alan -ichardson' Path%ays to Inner Po%er Series' A6uarian Press# A primer on the su!*ect#

Level 1 Paper < == Page < Kundalini in the Physical orld ' .ary Scott' -outledge Fegan and Paul# An e&cellent !oo" concentrating on theory %hich is a synthesis on the su!*ect of cha"ras and the "undalini from many various sources# !antra for esterners' 7rancis Fing' A6uarian Press# A guide to tantra %hich includes correlations %ith the %estern mysteries and some practical meditation and ritual %or"# K CopyrightL Centre of Isis and Sophia of the Stars' 7e!ruary 1M2B#