Getting your heart unstuck

This week we journey into Anahata, the heart chakra.

There is a light that shines beyond all things on Earth, beyond us all, beyond the heavens, beyond the highest, the very highest heavens. This is the light that shines in our heart. Upanishads

The Sanskrit word for the heart chakra is अनाहत, Anāhata, meaning “un-struck.” This name conceptualises the idea that the heart is resonant, an ‘unstruck’ instrument echoing the sounds of the celestial realm, as they manifest in our own unique being.

Anahata also means unhurt and unbeaten. Which is a nice image for those feeling a little weary of heart.

I must have read that word  – unstruck – about a hundred times while I was researching this post. But every time I read it as ‘un-stuck’. So I’m going to go with that. It makes sense to me that I could get ‘unstuck’ through my heart chakra.

So how do I get my heart unstuck? How do I get unstuck from the past and into present moment awareness?

Movement, sound and breath are the keys for me. Moving freely with my arms open, breathing deeply, expanding my chest and lungs, as I dance to harmonious music, always brings me back to my heart centre.

As Anahata is related to the element air, it is accessible through the breath. Visualising breathing through your heart centre, imagining love-filled light entering your body via your heart is a wonderful heart-opening exercise.

In Chakradance, to dance the heart chakra is to move with lightness, joy and compassion, as reflected in dances from ancient Spain, Egypt and China. Many of these dances used exaggerated arm movements to gently whirl into deep states of joyful harmony.

The dances of China symbolised balance, where mimetic movements expressed the union of heaven and earth.

In Chakradance, we have drawn inspiration from these dances, and move the arms to feel uplifted, light and free. Inspired by the whirling of the ancient ones, we dance a soaring journey of love, compassion and joy.

Wheresoever you go, go with all your heart. Confucius

Through your heart chakra, you have the choice to expand your consciousness through the power of love, openness and receptivity, or contract your consciousness through the power of fear.

The heart is so much more than the source of romantic love, many cultures believe the heart chakra is the seat of your soul in your body.

The heart is the ‘other’ mind of our body, the wisdom centre of the soul, and it is far more responsible for governing our lives and actions than we give it credit for.

Meditating on the heart chakra helps to shift from ego-based, fearful actions, or karma, to resonating with the energy of our higher self, and what yogis might call dharma or higher purpose.

Come and dance the Heart Chakradance Journey with us, save your spot here
Hari om tat sat. Namaste. Blessings!

Upcoming events at Raw Mojo Chakradance here

Enjoy a free heart meditation by clicking here

Art by Elena Ray 

The dance of the spiritual warrior


As the days become longer and the sun returns to our skies, what better time to ignite your inner sun.

This week we journey through the solar plexus chakra, our centre of personal power and will. Energetically, it is the fire that fuels our metabolism, and when activated it increases our energy, drive, and sense of purpose.

And really, who couldn’t use some of that?

The solar plexus chakra is where we experience our gut instinct, that inner knowing. Here we tap into the intelligence of the spirit.

From the energy of this chakra emerges the ego, our sense of self-identity. Concerned with assertiveness and personal power, it is easy to see where this chakra can be out of balance. Either in excess feeling a desire for material power and control over people, or deficient in allowing ourselves to be dominated by others.

When the solar plexus chakra is inactive we may feel lethargic, afraid, anxious, or withdrawn. There is a fear of taking risks, confronting people or issues, taking charge, and a lack of energy. An overactive solar plexus may cause us to be overly controlling, domineering, or even a bully.


To dance the solar plexus chakra is to call on the ancient dances of the warrior. In Chakradance, fast, dynamic and vigorous movements of the arms and legs, activate our core and ignite the fire in our belly, fuelling our dance with energy and strength.

Reining all this fiery energy in, movements then become strong, purposeful and clearly defined as our inner warrior emerges triumphant, brave and strong.

The solar plexus Chakradance is an inner journey with the Warrior archetype. What does being a ‘warrior’ mean in our world? Integrity? Standing up for ourselves?

The archetype of the warrior – standing strong in their power – is the vision of the healthy solar plexus chakra. It is not aggressive, but it will not diminish itself either. Pema Chodron talks of the tender-hearted bravery of the spiritual warrior. This warrior has the courage to face themselves in whatever they experience, no matter how afraid or uncomfortable they feel. 

Our fiery natures can get dampened by an excessive need for social conformity and a focus on relating to others. The epidemic of depression and anxiety in modern cultures could reflect a loss of connection to the vital core of spiritual power in the solar plexus chakra.


This chakra is known as Manipura in Sanskrit, which means lustrous gem. Many cultures associate this solar plexus energy with our life force.

Manipura regulates our pranic – or life force – energy throughout our body, controlling our energy balance, vitality and strength. It governs our digestive fires and heat regulation in the body.

Krishnamacharya says that it is the prana that ‘connects everything in and of this universe.’ 

The ‘prana vayus’ are the ‘currents’ or ‘winds’ of the great prana (life force) within us. They are located in different regions of the body according to the direction of flow of that vayu. 

When prana enters the body it is the movement of the vayus that carry it to the different areas of the body so that the energy can be used to maintain the vitality and health of the body.

Prana vayu and apana vayu are like two opposite forces – the in and out breath, respiration and elimination – and it is said that these two forces alone rule the body. 

Samana vayu – is also known as the ‘middle’ breath and balances the energy of prana and apana. Samana governs digestion and the absorption of nutrients, bringing vitality to the pancreas, liver and digestive tract. Samana is the pause between the ‘in’ and ‘out’ breath and resides at the solar plexus.

Samana holds the flame that burns off the toxic residue of bodily functions. Samana has the ability to conjoin prana and apana and push the energy up through sushumna nadi (the central energy channel from which the chakras flow) which increases our pranic capacity and raises our consciousness.

Physically activating the solar plexus chakra promotes these vayus, allowing them to energise and revitalise our bodily systems.


The dance of Manipura begins with a flame, and as the music intensifies, and the fire increased, I found myself dancing like wildfire. I became one with the fire, I was fire, flickering and wild. It felt incredibly liberating and powerful. 

The fire burns away all that is no longer needed, and fuels us energetically to face life with purpose, passion and empowered will.

Dancing the solar plexus chakra was the catalyst for allowing myself to release all the ways I had been disempowered in life. And to step into my authentic power.

Without realising it, we may unconsciously give away our power all the time, in our choice of lifestyle, where we spend our money, the kinds of relationships we are in, what we choose to do with our time.

A balanced solar plexus chakra enables us to move through life with genuine confidence, inner strength and self-esteem.

Our inner warrior emerges when we create space for autonomy, instead of constantly worrying about others, we follow our own inner guidance. In this way, we are more likely to find our true purpose and direction in life and have the courage to pursue our goals.

If we don’t tend to our spirit, and to our life’s passion, if we don’t ignite and tend to our inner fire, part of our self is diminished, we have abandoned ourselves, and the lustrous gem we hold within. 

“Begin by visualising your solar plexus as a beautiful golden jewel, like a yellow diamond shining out.” Natalie Southgate

Join me for the Dance of the Spiritual Warrior – Solar Plexus Chakradance journey this Sunday at Raw Mojo.

Namaste,

Christina at Raw Mojo 


 

 

 Manifesting the divine into our lives through the Crown Chakra

This is the real secret of life – to be completely engaged with what you are doing in the here and now. And instead of calling it work, realize it is play. Alan Wilson Watts

Our Chakradance journey begins at the base chakra where we feel a strong connection to our bodies and relationship to Mother Earth, in the sacral chakra we explore our emotions and feelings, in the solar plexus chakra we encounter our personal power, in the heart chakra we unite our masculine and feminine energies in a sacred union, the throat chakra allows us to find our truthful expression and the third eye opens us up to higher powers of perception. 

In traditional Tantric philosophy the crown chakra is simply depicted as the thousand-petaled lotus. It has no seed sound, no element or other associations. Awakening the crown chakra it is really a consummation of our experience of all the other chakras. 

The beauty of moving up through all the chakras to our crown chakra, balancing and clearing our energy centres along the way, is that we create an open channel for this divine energy to pour in and to nourish us and our lives.

The seven chakras are embedded into our nervous system. When aligned, they form a vertical channel along our core. Within this channel, two major currents of energy move upward and downward: the currents of liberation and manifestation. Anodea Judith

While much chakra work focuses on the ascending energy flow, there is also a descending energy flow where we bring this divine cosmic energy of source down into our chakras and into our lives, this is the energetic flow of manifestation, as divine consciousness becomes denser and eventually manifests into physical form through the actions we create in our lives.

In the process of liberation, we work to clear and open each chakra by letting go of fixed patterns, blocks and imbalances. In the process of manifestation, we bring energy down from the crown, condensing and focusing it into a denser pattern. We do this by expressing ourselves through each chakra, and moving the energy downward step by step toward the earth.

As we do in Chakradance, the upward liberating current should be cleared first, as it opens the pathway that makes manifestation easier.

We are now at the gateway to the spirit whose entrance is at Sahasrara, the crown chakra. The divine spark of inspiration is awakened at the crown chakra. It aligns us to our soul purpose -what we are doing here – who we are meant to truly be. This chakra connects us to the source of all creation. Take a deep breath and surrender yourself to the oneness. Chakradance

This week, we explore the crown chakra, or Sahasrara, which means “thousandfold.” It implies the infinite nature of this chakra, which provides us with our most direct connection with the divine. It is from this connection that we can open to the divine spark of inspiration. 

The dance of sahasrara is an invitation to the soul to enter the body through the crown chakra in the top of the head. 

The crown chakra is the highest of the seven chakras. Visualised at the crown of the head as a thousand-petalled lotus flower, which according to ancient Indian Hindu-tantric tradition, represents enlightenment, wholeness and infinity.

The crown chakra opens upward, like a funnel. This chakra is our avenue to higher states of consciousness. As we develop it, we become increasingly aware of consciousness itself – the eternal part of us that is beyond ego, thought, feeling, and body. 

From a psychological perspective, Carl Jung says that it is at the crown chakra that the ego and the self unite, the self being that inner spark of perennial wisdom whether that is God, Buddha or the white light. Awakening of this chakra is said to be the last step in the evolution of human consciousness.

Developing this chakra unifies us with the Divine Source, as well as everything else in the universe. This is unimaginably blissful.

As we are opening to higher levels of consciousness, we may start to receive spiritual insights or messages. Although these experiences may be subtle, they are deeply powerful.

In our modern culture many of us get caught up in our day-to-day living and often lose contact with the deeper significance of our lives. This can leave us feeling empty and our lives can begin to feel meaningless. This is why finding this spiritual connection is so important. The more connected we are to our spiritual source, the more harmonious our lives can be. Natalie Southgate

The more connected we are to our spiritual source, the more harmonious our life can be. Many chronic issues may just drop away; answers to deep questions and problems intuitively drop in. We come to know our spiritual purpose, our reason for being. We feel a sense unconditional love and oneness with all life. We feel truly liberated, seeing how we can live a life of great clarity, meaning, and value.

This divine spark cannot enter a full mind, so the state that precedes this is emptiness. Like Kevin Costner’s character in Tin Cup, who commands before each pitch of the baseball “clear the mechanism,” it is only when we can let go of our thoughts of what is that we can be filled with inspiration for what could be.

The crown chakra represents the spark of creativity that is transformed into personal consciousness. It governs the process by which we receive inspiration, and then ask ourselves how it relates to our life purpose.

Inspiration has multiple meanings: a divine influence, a moment of creative intelligence, or the drawing in of breath.

The seventh chakra is the gateway to universal or divine consciousness. In this sense, we begin by “downloading the Divine.” Anodea Judith

Anodea Judith describes the chakras as organizational centres for the reception, assimilation, and expression of life force energy. The crown chakra is the entry point of universal spirit into the individual body. 

This chakra represents consciousness itself, in the form of thoughts, intelligence, understanding, ideas, beliefs, thinking, interpretations, and intentions.

Consciousness enters the crown chakra from the divine source, the conscious universe of matter, space, energy, time, and awareness.

We begin the manifestation process when we open to the divine, invoking through prayer, meditation, worship, and devotion. We align with spirit and with our life purpose, ask questions and set our intentions. You may feel the presence of grace, a whisper of guidance, a sudden insight or idea, or receiving information that sparks your intention to create something new. Anodea Judith

This is the wisdom of the crown chakra – focusing within, focusing on our breath, focusing on our creative vision, and setting intentions for each day to bring that vision from thought into being. 

In this way we become a vessel, a unique expression of the divine source energy expressed through our being.

There is a time for action, but first, it is a time for allowing the inspiration to come and trusting it when it does.

Affirming actions to open your crown chakra

Every day I read something insightful and inspiring.
Every flash of inspiration reminds me that my inner resources are all-knowing and all-powerful.
I accept my inner voice with reverence and respect.
I am ready to act on all inspiration that comes to me.
I ask that the work I do provide me with its own inspiration and energy.
I combine inspired thought with intelligent action.
I dare to follow my inner voice.
My inspirational signals are clear and strong.

Chakradance is sound healing, movement and meditation all rolled into one relaxing and enjoyable practice. Why not try it for yourself?

Hari om tat sat. Namaste. Blessings.

Christina at Raw Mojo

Try Chakradance – Rhythm for your soul

Join us for the Crown Chakradance Journey on August 6

Balancing stress, sleep and hormones through your Third Eye Chakra 

It is easy to dismiss the third eye chakra as being a bit woo-woo. I mean it’s all about psychic abilities and visions isn’t it?

Well yes, and no.

The third eye chakra is certainly pertinent to our sixth sense or intuition. But that’s only half the story.

This chakra, known as Ajna in Indian Sanskrit, is believed to be the command centre of our energy body, where our main energy channels meet and intersect. But beyond this, the third eye chakra is also associated with the pineal gland which has several key functions which are absolutely vital to our health and wellbeing.

The pineal gland regulates melatonin. While many of us know this as the hormone that regulates sleep, it also regulates our absorption of light and keeps our circadian (biological) rhythm in balance. The circadian rhythm governs our sleep-wake cycle, which in turn triggers a whole host of biological functions that happen according to whether the body is asleep or awake.

There is evidence that this relationship between light and melatonin levels may have a balancing effect on female hormones and the menstrual cycle.

Melatonin has also been found to have a positive effect on cardiovascular health and blood pressure. It reduces hypertension, or high blood pressure.

The pineal gland is also linked to mood and mood disorders, with findings that a lower pineal gland volume may contribute to developing schizophrenia and other mood disorders.

In addition, studies are finding links between melatonin levels and some cancers, and a possible beneficial effect of increased melatonin levels in cancer recovery.

While there is much to learn and understand about the pineal gland, it is clear that it performs a balancing function in the human body, through the endocrine or hormonal system.

In the Hindu-tantric tradition, the third eye is the energy centre that unites the major energetic channels as well as balancing the intellect and intuition.

Here at ajna, the three major nadis merge, the Ida, Pingala and Sushumna, creating the Mukta (meaning freedom or liberation) Triveni. From an energetic perspective, the Hindu-tantric texts which describe the chakras and corresponding nadis, or energy channels, described ajna as the twofold “see” and “command” function of the chakra system. It is understood to be the monitoring centre of the entire energy system, including the mind, as it oversees both intuition and intellect.

So there you have it, aside from being the centre of the sixth sense, the third eye chakra is the command centre of balance in the physical (and energy) body as well. Not so woo-woo after all!

Would you love to awaken your inner vitality and wellbeing? To feel balanced, centred, joyful and free?

Sometimes all you need is a map or a practice to guide you back to your inner sense of authenticity, vibrancy and freedom.

Chakradance is designed to do just that.

Chakradance is a holistic (mind, body, spirit) wellbeing modality – a fusion of ancient wisdoms and modern music. Think of it as a kind of musical sister of yoga, but without the set asanas.

It uses very specific music, created to resonate with each in turn of the 7 major chakras, with free-form movement and mandala art-making at the end of each class, to help integrate whatever has come up for participants in the dance.

Chakradance is sound healing, movement and meditation all rolled into one relaxing and enjoyable practice. Why not try it for yourself?

Hari om tat sat. Namaste. Blessings.

Christina at Raw Mojo

Try Chakradance – Rhythm for your soul

Dancing through the dark times

The self of my dreams came the day I found out that there was gold hidden in my darkness, that there was light shining in my bad behaviour, and that there was power hidden in the traumas of my past. Debbie Ford

Chakradance is a journey within. Using the chakra system as a map to consciousness, we dance beyond the everyday, five sensory awareness into a deeper experience of ourselves. This allows us to move through the issues that may be causing us difficulties in life, and to find a sense of inner peace.

One of the less obvious influences on Chakradance, often overshadowed by the more apparent influences of the Hindu-Tantric chakra system and shamanic trance-dance practices, is Jungian psychology.

While the Chakradance facilitator is all too aware that his or her role is to ‘hold space’ for the experiences of the dancers, a very Jungian concept, as is the use of mandala art to ‘contain’ the numinous experiences and energy of the dance. These Jungian aspects are often not obvious to the dancer.

I often refer to Jungian archteypes that people may encounter in their dance journeys, these will often manifest as visions of scenes that play out as interactions between archetypes like mother and victim, warrior and servant.

The experience of Chakradance is described like a ‘waking dream’ where the dancer lets go of their conscious, thinking mind and allows the unconscious mind to communicate through images, feelings, colours and insights.

Chakradance is a way to interact with our shadow, a Jungian concept for the aspects of self that we are either unaware of or actively suppress because we are ashamed of that aspect of ourselves.

Chakradance is a journey within. Using the chakra system as a map to consciousness, we dance beyond the everyday, five sensory awareness into a deeper experience of ourselves. With our eyes closed and our imagination as a guide, during Chakradance we experience our inner world as a waking dream. Many people see visions in their mind’s eye, encounter beings, ancestors, animals, different landscapes which all tell a story about the disposition of our inner self.

In the new Chakradance cycle, called Freedom, we have a different guide for each chakra who takes us on this journey. But I have found many people intuitively find their own guides in the dance as well, be they humans, ethereal beings or animals.

After participating in a Chakradance cycle, many people are surprised at the visions and experiences, not to mention the insights and transformations in their real lives, that they encounter.

It is so astonishing to uncover this unconscious aspect of ourselves, and to realise our conscious, day to day self is like the tip of the iceberg in terms of the multitudes we all contain.

So when we immerse ourselves into the sound and movement of chakradance, what will often arise is aspects of ourselves that we have not been aware of. This can be visions, emotions or insights that are experienced in a loving and beautiful way. Sometimes we are ready to shift and release less attractive aspects of ourselves. These might be long buried memories, strong emotions, or even aspects portrayed as creatures who come out of our subconscious dark zones. 

Like a deep-water diver, encountering sharks or other prehistoric and primal creatures that we may be afraid of, our first reaction to these is often fear or repulsion.

So what is this shadow? And why do we have it. And yes, you do.

Renowned psychologist Carl Jung believed that on the journey to discover your inner secrets and mysteries, you will encounter the dark, hidden crevices within your psyche. He called this place the “shadow self.” It is also called the lower self, animal nature, the alter ego, or the inner demon – the place where the unowned side of your personality lives.

The shadow is the parts of ourselves that we may try to hide or deny. According to Carl Jung, it can be said to consist of energy patterns, known as selves or sub-personalities that were disowned — pushed down into our unconscious in childhood, as part of our coping strategies.

Jung created the Archetypes model, a concept to describe how our unconscious minds are fragmented or structured into different “selves” in an attempt to organize how we experience different things in life.

Your shadow self is the part of you that stays unknown, unexamined, and out of the light of your conscious awareness. It is the part that is denied or suppressed because it makes you uncomfortable or afraid. Whatever doesn’t fit your image of your ideal self becomes your shadow.

Jung asked, “Would you rather be good or whole?” Many people choose goodness, or more accurately ‘correctness’ as a means to belong in society, and as a result, are internally fractured. There is your persona, the part you want the world to see, and your shadow, the part that you don’t.

When I found myself at a rock bottom, crashed and burned emotionally, mentally, physically and spiritually not long after my fortieth birthday, I was searching for answers.

When I stumbled upon Chakradance, something lit up inside of me. Here was the best of the New Age. A practice that combined ancient wisdom with modern psychology. It drew upon the Chakra system, shamanic dance and Jungian psychology. All practices which resonated with me. 

And best of all, it was music and dance! I had always found great freedom and liberation from my difficulties by pumping up the stereo and dancing myself silly. Chakradance gave me a framework to use this for my healing.

Any practice which takes us out of the conscious mind and engages with the unconscious, be it dance, creating art or music, meditation, immersing ourselves in nature, will help this more primal side of ourselves to emerge.

In Chakradance we dance into our unconscious, and then we create a mandala drawing so we can express all this beautiful untapped energy, and all the powerful images we encounter which help us to recognise these hidden parts of ourselves.

Because the shadow is often made up of primal instincts and urges we have repressed, as well as tribal and ancestral traits we have rebelled against, I feel that the base chakra is particularly relevant to this work.

When my shadow self seems to be bursting out causing me to act, think and feel in ways I find very overwhelming and challenging, I have this beautiful practice of Chakradance to ease me back into my body, to help me integrate all these aspects of self. 

Chakradance is gentle like that, it doesn’t force things to come up in the psyche, Jung believed that could be counter-productive. But when stuff is ready, it rises, and it feels so good to be able to dance through and integrate my shadow work.

In the base Chakradance we connect with our power animal. Dancing our power animal is one of the most powerful shamanic practices to revitalise and strengthen our spirit. Each animal brings its own strength, wisdom or medicine, and a connection to our primal, instinctual nature.

Through Chakradance, I have found peace with myself again. And beyond that, these angry and hurt ‘shadow’ parts of myself actually taught me a lesson or two about how I could be kinder and support myself better in my life.

In India, the Hindus practise Aarti, which literally means an illuminating light in the darkness. I believe by bringing the light of awareness onto our shadow we can find gold there. Don’t throw away the treasure in your cave because you’re scared of the dark – light a candle and see the gold in there.

Hari om tat sat. Namaste. Blessings.

Christina at Raw Mojo

Try Chakradance – Rhythm for your soul

Experience Freedom – the brand new Chakradance journey

chakra_mantras

Would you love to awaken your inner vitality and wellbeing? To feel calm, centred, joyful and free?

Sometimes all you need is a map or a practice to guide you back to your inner sense of authenticity, vibrancy and freedom.

Chakradance is designed to do just that.

Chakradance is a holistic (mind, body, spirit) wellbeing modality – a fusion of ancient wisdoms and modern music. Think of it as a kind of musical sister of yoga, but without the set asanas.

It uses very specific music, created to resonate with each in turn of the 7 major chakras, with free-form movement and mandala art-making at the end of each class, to help integrate whatever has come up for participants in the dance.

I am super-excited to be offering my first cycle of the new Chakradance Freedom series. This is a magnificent new cycle with masterfully composed music designed to resonate to each chakra with beautiful new guided meditations. 

The feedback from participants is that this series is even more powerful and exquisite than ever. I can’t wait to share it with you.

Freedom is an in-depth Chakradance experience.

Over an 8 week cycle, you will experience transformational soul work through your chakra system, which can create shifts in all areas of your life, from love, success and confidence to happiness and inner peace.

Every one of us has seven major chakras and each chakra influences an aspect of our lives – from our instincts, sexuality and personal power through to how we love, communicate, use our intuition and connect to our deepest source of spirituality.

Dance is a powerful way to move and shift our energy, allowing blocks to surface and be healed. Chakradance combines the power of the shamanic dance journey and the wisdom of the chakra system to create a system of soul healing like no other.

This is a deep dive into your energy system, your essence, your spirit. Held in a beautiful sacred space, with a small group, this is an opportunity to journey deep into your innermost self and rediscover your sense of freedom and vitality.


Join me on a brand new Chakradance Journey. Dance your way into your authentic self through your seven chakras.

Meet with seven spirit guides to take you deep on an inner voyage to the seven different landscapes, seven different, inner worlds of your subtle energy body or chakras.

At the base chakra a spirit Elder will guide you in a sacred dance journey to deepen your connection with Mother Earth.

A Divine Goddess will lead you on a sacred water journey diving deep into your sacral chakra.

Entering the Solar Plexus dance, you will meet your Spiritual Warrior who will guide you through a powerful solar fire dance, connecting you with your divine protection, power and inner strength.

Immersing yourself in the delicious, healing energies of the Heart dance, you meet an Angel guide who will guide you on a journey to connect with the deepest yearnings of your soul.

In a sacred cathedral of sound, your Ethereal Being guide will take you on a journey of sound and vibration. You become a clear channel for your soul.

At the peak of a mountain, your Seer guide invites you on an initiation journey, to activate your Third Eye vision, your portal to the insight of spirit.

Finally a Light Being escorts you on a journey to celebrate your soul’s journey, to remember who you truly are and your divine connection with all the other souls on your journey.

In the final week, we integrate all these divine rituals into one dance. You reflect on the divine being that you are. You celebrate all the support from your beautiful spirit guides. You feel the freedom of truly being YOU.

I do hope you will join me on this truly exquisite journey.

Bookings are essential as spaces are limited.

For those of you who are new to Chakradance, there is also an Introductory session on Tuesday 16 May or Thursday 18 May

Session times:

Every Tuesday or Thursday night for 8 weeks from 23 May or 25 May, 7:00-8:30pm
The Chakradance series consists of 8 x 90-minute workshops (a workshop on each of the 7 chakras, and an integration workshop).

This cycle is run over 8 weeks.

Each workshop begins with a white light  moving meditation, then each week a specific Chakradance journey for the chakra in focus, followed by a mandala art exercise, and finally a closing meditation.

This is a deep dive into your energy system, your essence, your spirit. Held in a beautiful sacred space, with a small group, this is an opportunity to journey deep into your innermost self and rediscover your sense of freedom and vitality.

Bookings essential as spaces are limited. Book here on eventbrite 

***Early bird prices finish on May 7***

Hari Om Tat Sat. Namaste. Blessings.

Christina at Raw Mojo

Mantra your chakras 7 The Crown Chakra

anneliesolis

I hope you have enjoyed this series of bija chakra meditations. This week brings us to the crown chakra, located at the top of your head. 

According to the yoga tradition, the crown chakra connects your individual awareness with infinite consciousness.

Sahasrara in Sanskrit means “thousandfold,” so Sahasrara chakra literally means a thousand-petalled lotus. The thousand representing a number so big, it is infinite.

Traditionally, this lotus is visualised upside down with the stem and roots rising to the sky and the petals pointing downward. A lotus flower with its roots in heaven bringing down divine grace through the crown of our heads.

Considered to be of the highest vibrational frequency and the pinnacle of the seven major chakras, Sahasrara is regarded as a gateway to the energy of the universe itself. It is an energetic passageway that connects you to the divine.

Play the video – you many want to set a timer for 5-15 minutes as the video goes for an hour.

Divya-jyoti or Divine Light Meditation

1. Sit in a comfortable meditation pose with your legs crossed and your back straight.

2. Rest your hands in your lap, palms upward, with your left hand on top. This is the mudra (hand position) for receiving energy. Close your eyes and let your breathing become slow and even.

3. Visualize a thousand-petalled lotus at the crown of your head. Imagine its petals gently opening to reveal an intense light. Let this divine light flow down into you through your crown chakra.

4. Feel the light spiralling down your body. Enjoy the warm glow as it saturates your entire being. Feel the light slowly moving down and permeating every cell and pore of your body.

5. Focus your senses on the intensity of the light so that you not only see it, but hear, smell, taste, and touch it.

6. Feel like a pure channel for the light: allow yourself to be at one with it. In this state of oneness, intuitive thoughts and inspirations may enter your consciousness. Be thankful for this guidance. Rest in the blissful awareness for as long as you wish.

7. After 5-15 minutes, take a few deep belly breaths, wiggle your fingers and toes to ground your energy, and open your eyes.

Feel yourself connected to the source and yet grounded in this divine energy as you go into your day.

Hari om tat sat. Namaste. Blessings.

Try Chakradance – Rhythm for your soul

Art credit: This beautiful feature image is by Annelie Solis

Mantra your chakras 6 The Third Eye Chakra

There’s so much mystique around the idea of the third eye chakra and psychic abilities, so for me it really helped to simplify the concepts associated with this chakra into ones I can get my head around, like intellect, intuition and imagination.

Agya in Sanskrit means “centre of divine command.” This chakra is visualised at the centre of the forehead, in between the brows and just above the brow line.

Agya is the junction of the three main nadis or energy channels – ida, pingala and sushumna – that run alonside your spine. This is where all your subtle energy channels unite, making it a very powerful centre to meditate upon.

The traditional element associated with the sixth chakra is called mahat, meaning supreme, the culmination of all the elements into one. 

This element is often perceived as light, without which the third eye would be unable to ‘see’ or perceive things.

So let’s chant and meditate on our third eye. 

Play the video to begin. (Set your alarm for 5-10 minutes, or up to 20 minutes if you like.)

Sit in a comfortable cross legged position. You may also sit on a chair or lean against a wall for this meditation.

Elongate your spine upwards, lengthen your neck and subtly bring your chin back and in. This will align the spine with the back of your head.

To begin, take 5 deep, slow breaths though your nose. 

Keeping your head still, use your eyes to look up at an imaginary point in the middle of your forehead, just above the eyebrows. This eye position is called shambhavi yoga mudra. Close your eyes while holding this mudra. Do not strain excessively.

Rest your hands in any comfortable position, you can place them on your knees.

Try to remain as still as possible.

Now inhale deeply and begin to chant in a soft, slow, steady voice the manta OM (pronounced AUM). 

One chant of OM (AUM) Mantra should last for the entire exhalation. It’s a long “Oh,” followed by a semi-long “Mmmm” during each exhalation.

Once all the air has been expelled, inhale fully again and begin to chant the mantra once more. 

Visualize the OM sound coming from a point in the middle of the forehead just above the eyebrows and emanating throughout your entire body.

Continue for the duration of the meditation. If your eyes tire from shambhavi yoga mudra release the mudra but continue to chant the OM (AUM) mantra as above. Reapply the mudra again when ready.

Once you have completed the meditation, rub the palms of your hands together and then place them on your eyes as you open them slowly. This will relax and comfort your eye muscles.

Take a few minutes to ground and centre yourself. Be aware of the presence of your intuitive mind as you go about your day.

Hari om tat sat. Namaste. Blessings.

Try Chakradance – Rhythm for your soul

Mantra your chakras 5 The Throat Chakra

As you rise up into the energy of the throat chakra, you will begin to notice a shift in energy. Each of the four lower chakras corresponds energetically to a physical element. By the time you reach the throat, you are moving out of the physical plane and into the non-physical realm of ether.

Vissudhi, the Sanskrit word for the throat chakra, literally means purification. In the throat Chakradance, we chant and sing to cleanse the throat chakra, and enhance our ability for self-expression. 

The non-physical element associated with Vissudhi is ether, the field of subtle vibrations surrounding all things. The throat chakra, more than any other, governs our relationship with vibrations and resonance.

It is from the throat centre that you produce sound through vibration. As such it is incredibly susceptible to vibrational energy, and responsive to resonance of all kinds.

Chanting and humming, listening to vibrational sounds are among the best ways to clear and balance this chakra. 

Physiologically this chakra governs the health of the throat, nose, ears, mouth, neck and vocal cords, as well as the thyroid and parathyroid glands, which are responsible for our metabolism.

The throat chakra carries the energies of truth, integrity, honesty, and communication. It also governs the ability to listen, both to the words of others and your own internal dialogue within your body. 

The throat chakra energy is resonant with authenticity and purification. Paramount to Vissudhi, is the expression of self through speech and creativity. Finding your true voice.

The Humming Breath is a wonderful pranayama or breath practice to stimulate the throat chakra.

Sit in a comfortable position with a straight spine.

Begin by exhaling as much air as possible from your lungs before taking in a deep, slow breath through your nose, refilling your lungs.

On your next exhalation, make a soft humming sound like a bee.

When you run out of breath, take another deep inhalation, continuing the humming sound as you exhale.

Begin with a few minutes practice, working up to 10-15 minutes at a time. 

Now play the video and chant the mantra “ham” pronounced “hum” as you exhale.

When you have finished your humming breath and mantra practice, lie down and relax for a few minutes.
Let your humming throat chakra energy fuel your self-expression in your day.

Hari om tat sat. Namaste. Blessings.

Try Chakradance – Rhythm for your soul

The beautiful art work used is Throat Chakra by Qahira Lynn

Mantra your chakras 4 The Heart Chakra

The Sanskrit name for the heart chakra is Anahata or ‘un-struck’ – in the Indian Vedic tradition there are two kinds of sounds, and ‘unstruck’ means an inner resonance or subtle vibration that is perceived through the heart centre.

The heart is the place of the awakened self. Here we move from group consciousness, defined by family, tribe, society into a more individual, self-reflective consciousness. Here we find our own heart truths.

This chakra builds a bridge between the physical and spiritual dimensions of your self. Carl Jung described the heart chakra as the centre of thinking and feeling, the beginning of reflections, values, and ideas.

Bring your hands palm to palm, in prayer position in front of your chest, connect the base of your thumbs to your sternum – this position is called Anjali Mudra.

Breathe into your belly and lightly close your eyes. Turn your focus to your breath.

Next, rub your palms together vigorously. Bring your right palm to the centre of your chest at Anahata and place your left on top of your right.

Feel the warmth and radiance of your heart and chest. Visualize the green, radiant glowing light emanating from your heart, in all directions.

Play the video and begin to sound the mantra “yam” pronounced “yum.” (This is the seed mantra of the element air. The heart centre is associated with the cosmic element of “prana” or “air.”)

(Note: this video goes for about an hour so you may want to set a timer for a shorter period of time, say 5-10 minutes)

Release your palms to face up on your lap. Direct some of your lightness and heart energy to someone in your life in need of compassion or healing. Finally, inhale your arms overhead and exhale your arms down to connect to the Earth before completing your practice.

Carry this open and loving heart energy with you into your day. Yum.

Hari om tat sat. Namaste. Blessings.

Try Chakradance – Rhythm for your soul

Art credit: artist unknown