Chakra Anatomy Series - Crown

7th Chakra - The Crown

Western Anatomy:

The pituitary gland is a pea-shaped gland situated at the base of the brain behind the nasal cavity. It has been dubbed the "master gland", despite the fact that it only acts when the hypothalamus tells it to. But when the pituitary gland says "Go", the other endocrine glands obey by releasing or inhibiting their own specialized hormone production. Powerful hormones such as prolactin, oxytocin and cortosal are influenced by this important gland.

A fontanelle, or soft spot, is an anatomical feature of the infant human skull There are four membranous gaps between the cranial bones of an infant's skull. Fontanelles allow for rapid stretching and growth of the neurocranium as the brain expands faster than the surrounding bone can grow.

Eastern Energetics:

Conscious and present-moment living, awareness of higher consciousness and the sacred, connection with the formless, liberation from limiting patterns, transcendence of our limitations. This is the place of paradox, where opposites are one. This is the center for transcendence.

As we are immersed in the energy of the crown chakra, we feel a state of blissful union with all that is. It is a spiritual ecstasy. This chakra grants clarity and enlightened wisdom. Some describe this chakra as the gateway to the cosmic or divine self, and simultaneously a gateway to the universal consciousness.

East meets West:

It is fitting that the "master gland" is governed by the "master chakra". No chakra is of more importance than another, but it seems significant that transcendence is experienced here. That is no because the crown chakra itself is so "important" but because it occurs after the work in all the preceeding chakras has been done. It's the grand finale. It's the summation of the whole chakra system working together as one. Shri Mataji Nirmala Devi's writings revealed to me for the first time the profound correlation between this seemingly inane label "fontanelle" and the experience of kundalini awakening. In her own words:

"Self-Realization is the awakening of the Kundalini through the central channel, as it pierces the six chakras above the sacrum bone and emerges at the top of the head (at the fontanel area) as a gentle "fountain" of coolness. (The word fontanel means "little fountain" which indicates again the ancient knowledge about this phenomenon of Self-Realization.)"

Chakra Anatomy Series - Third Eye

6th Chakra - The Third Eye

Western Anatomy:

The third-eye point governs the pineal gland. It's like this: light or dark is experienced through the retina of the eyes, which stimulates the visual cortex and the suprachiasmatic nuclei simultaneously (because they're both connected to the retinal nerve fibres). These nuclei are located deep within in the hypothalamus of the brain. When they are stimulated, a signal is sent to the pineal and pituitary glands.

The pineal is an almond-shaped gland situated immediately above the brainstem and directly behind and in line with the third-eye brow point. The pineal gland secretes melatonin in response to signals received from the retina (via the hypothalamus). In darkness, melatonin is secreted, inducing sleepiness and fatique, while the presence of light suppresses it. Melatonin directly influences the function of a number of endocrine glands and plays an important role in the regulation of the sleep cycle. The pineal glad is known as the "third eye", even in allopathic medicine, because of its response to light and dark.

Eastern Energetics:

The gate that leads to inner realms and spaces of higher consciousness and awakening. Senses, intuition, telepathy, meditation, self-reflection, clairvoyance, envisioning.

East meets West:

There is a direct corollary found in the word "awakening". Melatonin is a physical hormone that regulates our sleep/wake cycle. When the pineal gland is healthy and functioning and this chakra is activated, not only is our circadian rhythm in balance but our spiritual sleep/wake cycle begins to manifest. The third-eye (both the pineal gland and the chakra point) is affected and ruled by light and dark.

Chakra Anatomy Series - Throat

5th Chakra - The Throat

Western Anatomy:

The 5th chakra governs the throat, largely the thyroid and parathyroid glands. The thyroid is a butterfly-shaped gland situated low on the front of the neck. It lies below your Adam's apple, along the front of the windpipe. The thyroid is the production house for two major hormones that modulate metabolism and growth. Despite it's small size, it has a big influence on the function of many of the body's most important organs, including the brain, heart, liver, kidneys and skin. It is attached to the larynx, or the voice box, which not only aids in breathing, talking and swallowing, but also protects the lungs from inhaling foreign particles.

Eastern Energetics:

The place of communication, creativity, self-expression, sense of hearing, the voice of the body, speaking your truth, accepting your originality, honesty, saying "No" and "Yes" when you need to

East meets West:

There's a butterfly perched on your throat! God is truly an artist. It's made of human tissue, but no less magnificent. Butterflies have always been a symbol of renewal and metamorphosis and it's presence along the airway and voice box bespeaks the power of truth spoken and the ability for our words to create. That the thyroid gland governs metabolism in the body (the conversion of food into energy) also seems quite pertinent to the art of self-expression (converting words into life). Both processes take something dense (food/words) and break it down into something that gives life and vitality (energy/life). In the Hebrew language the word DABAR means "word" or "thing". In English those two things would seem very difficult to use interchangeably, but perhaps the ancients understood that words and things were essentially the same "stuff". Even more explicit is the origins of the hocus pocus word "abra-cadabra" wielded by magicians for ages, deriving from the Hebrew DABRA. The word "abra-cadabra" became a gibberish-imitation word to express the concept that "It came to pass as it was spoken". Here we have not East meets West, but Ancient meets Modern.

Chakra Anatomy Series - Heart

4th Chakra - The Heart

Western Anatomy:

The heart is a powerful muscular pump through which the blood flows in a forward direction only. Backflow is prevented by 4 valves which maintain proper circulation. Blood flowing into the heart travels through the body's vast system of veins, pouring first into the right atrium, then the right ventricle, and then passes into the lungs. It's there, in the lungs, that CO2 is deposited and fresh O2 is picked up. From there the blood then travels back into the heart, first into the left atrium, then into the left ventricle, and finally up and out through the aorta where the blood is pumped back out into the arteries of the body.

The thymus gland is positioned in the upper chest cavity. It is located above the heart, below the thyroid and between the lungs. The thymus has two lobes, each of which has smaller divisions known as lobules. Interestingly, the thymus grows larger in childhood until it reaches its peak function at puberty at which point it shrinks and turns into fat. Its main function is the production of a hormone that stimulates growth and maturation of T-cells which build the immune system and prevent dangerous infection.

Eastern Energetics:

This chakra governs the thymus, heart, lungs, arms, hands, shoulder blades and the body's circulation. It is the sacred place of free-flowing love, generosity, altruism, healing and compassion. It is here we experience the appreciation of beauty and deeply fulfilling relationships. It is the center-point, the melding and refining place for all of the chakras.

East meets West:

The cardiac and circulatory systems are interdependent. Without one the other ceases to function properly. When fully functioning, they keep you alive. This reminds us that we as humans must achieve interdependence with God and others. We need each other. Consider these verses from the Christian Biblical canon:

Romans 12:5
So in Christ we who are many are one body, and each member belongs to one another.

1 Corinthians 12:26 

If one part suffers, every part suffers with it; if one part is honored, every part rejoices with it.

In this area of circulation and cardiac activity, flow is essential. Flow is life. The moment that flow pools, or back flows, death ensues. These body systems in conjunction with the energies at play are about forward-moving, continuous flow, keeping things moving and processing.

Chakra Anatomy Series - Solar Plexus

3rd Chakra - Solar Plexus

Western Anatomy:

By definition, the solar plexus is: a complex of ganglia and radiating nerves of the sympathetic system at the pit of the stomach. It is located in the abdomen, where the celiac trunk, superior mesenteric artery, and renal arteries branch from the abdominal aorta. It is in back of the stomach and in front of the diaphragm, level with the first lumbar vertebra, L1.

One might go through life without paying any notice to their solar plexus, that is until receiving an unexpected blow to the stomach. This is the sensation commonly known as "getting the wind knocked out of you." In most cases, it isn't the solar plexus itself that is impacted, but the effects on the surrounding area which causes this to happen.

Medically speaking, a hard blow to the stomach area causes the diaphragm to spasm, which makes it difficult to breathe and results in the "wind knocked out of you" sensation. With that said, an accurate and powerful blow to this area could also affect the solar plexus directly, disrupting the function of the viscera and causing debilitating pain.

Eastern Energetics:

This Chakra is situated just below the sternum where your ribs attach in front. It is associated with the digestive and metabolic processes of the human body and corresponds with the feelings of fear, anxiety, introversion, personal power, opinion formation, and spiritual growth. In martial arts, this is known as the Dantain, the "sea of qi", "elixir field" or "energy point".

The Solar Plexus represents the core of our personality, the perception of who we are (the "ego") and the center of willpower. The gift of this chakra is sensing your personal power, being confident, responsible and reliable. The third chakra is the center of your self-esteem, self-discipline and the ability to transform inertia into action and movement. It allows you to meet challenges and move forward in your life. The main challenge for the third chakra is to use your personal power in a healthy and balanced way. 

East meets West: 

It's fascinating that "having the wind knocked out of you" is as debilitating energetically as it is emotionally, a lot like the idiom "having the wind knocked out of my sails". The reference to the word "wind" is not isolated to the breath alone, but also to Prana or Qi, which are ancient understandings of Life Force. To deflate someone energetically, to tear down their confidence and self-esteem, is to defeat them physically.