The Root of Self - A Perspective From Chakra Studies

If the self’s existence begins before the physical form, where does it lie in the physical form? Is it a piece of every cell? Is it buried beneath the layers, acting as a foundation to support the physical? Is it a seed protected by the mass that grows around it?

When I think about the core of who I am, or who any human is, I can look to a variety of cultures and find some similarities and some differences. The differences usually lie in the source of the self and the similarities generally lie in the principles of intangibility aethereal essence. I hear and read about the holy spirit or the soul or the inner self. These common descriptions lead me to believe that the self is not an organ like the brain or the heart, but does the self exist within the capsule of an organ?

Chakras are a familiar concept to those who have researched yoga. Yoga is a physical practice used by many to balance the inner or mental states. The position of your body relies on concentration and can act as a type of meditation.

The positions require focus on balance or pressure on specific parts of the body and each position can help to stimulate the focus on a specific chakra. There are a variety of chakra systems, and the one that I’ve been most familiar with have 7 chakras. In any system that I’ve seen, the chakras run vertically from the tailbone to the top of the head. Each “stores” a specific aspect of the self.

I like the chakra approach because it allows for a visualization of an intangible integration of the physical body. Going back to the initial question – “If the self’s existence begins before the physical form, where does it lie in the physical form?” the chakras can be a clue to that.

The 7 chakras, beginning at the pelvis and going up toward the final at the top of the head are (not traditionally named):

• Root

• Sacral

• Solar Plexus

• Heart

• Throat

• Third Eye

• Crown