Music of the Heart

The fourth chakra, located around the heart and lungs, is governed by the planet Venus or "Shukra" in Sanskrit.  Venus represents what we value,  what we are passionate about and our capacity to share our love unconditionally. I also assign "higher" rulership of the fourth chakra to the planet Neptune, as it is Neptune that represents the process of transcending our own individuality and merging with spirit or divine love.  

 
 The fourth chakra is the bridge between the lower and higher chakras.  It has been said that our western culture primarily relates to the issues of the first three chakras; money, sex and power.  As we clear the emotional attachments of the first three chakras then we can begin to open to the expansive qualities of the higher chakras. If the fourth chakra is blocked we might have fears of not being loved, fears of giving and receiving affection or relationships that are unfullfilling. 

The key to healing  the heart chakra is through the development of compassion, devotion, and a sense of connection with others.  Music, in the form of devotional singing, can open the heart and decrease feelings of separation.  The Dances of Universal Peace from the Sufi tradition of Samuel Lewis are an excellent way of combining  sound and movement to facilitate a sense of mystical connection or oneness with others.  Combining sacred mantras from different spiritual traditions with simple circle dances, the Dances of Universal Peace help us to let go of the artificial walls that keep us separate.  They are also a very safe way of practicing how to give and receive love unconditionally.  Repeating Venus’ mantra, “ Om Shukraya (pronounced Shu-cry-ah)  Namaha,” on Venus’ day (Friday) also helps to open our hearts to receive, apprciation, love, and support.

Opening the Throat, Third Eye & Crown Chakras

The fifth chakra, located in the throat region, is governed by Mercury or "Buddha," the planet representing  all forms of communication and Chiron, the planet representing the mentor/teacher archetype. It is through the fifth chakra that we develop personal expression and the ability to create our own reality. If the fifth chakra is blocked then we might have fears of asserting or speaking up for ourselves.  It may also be difficult to express our needs or the feelings that we experience emanating from the heart chakra.  Another common manifestation  of a blocked fifth chakra is disbelief in our ability to create our lives the way we want them to be.  If we grew up having no voice in the choices that were being made for us or having our choices ridiculed then eventually we stop believing in the power of our free will or voice. 

Healing the fifth chakra is imperative if we want to open to the intuitive awareness that comes from the sixth and seventh chakras.  If the fifth chakra is blocked we may be overly mental and not open to the subtle intuitive information that is constantly being channeled through the higher centers.  In terms of healing modalities, singing is one of the best methods for opening the fifth chakra.  Since many people with fifth chakra blockages have literally “lost their voice”,  the greatest way to reclaim our voice is to vibrate it with sound!  Chanting sacred mantras such as OM is also beneficial as OM is seen as the fundamental, or primordial sound of the universe. As we chant OM we align ourselves with the creative sound that is thought to bring all material form into existence. Repeating Mercury’s mantra, “Om Buddhaya (pronounced Boo-die-ya)  Namaha,” on Mercury’s day (Wednesday) also helps to bring in earth energy and help us ground and create a solid center. 

The sixth chakra, located in the middle of the forehead between the eyes, is co- ruled by the Sun (Surya) and the Moon (Chandra.) The sixth chakra is associated with our higher mental abilities of introspection, self-examination, perception and intuition.  Traditionally, the sixth chakra is seen as having two poles.  The moon pole, located at the medulla,  is where receive the “breath of god” or universal energy.  The sun or active pole, located at the third eye, is where we express this universal energy through the vehicle of our own individuality.     

 A blocked sixth chakra may manifest as fear of looking inside ourselves, fear of using our intuitive abilities,  refusal to learn from life’s experiences, or the inability to access inner guidance. Physical symptoms could include migraines, anxiety, depression and learning disabilities. One of the best ways to open the sixth chakra is through meditation, visualization and accessing  the imaginal realm through dreamwork.  This opening can be facilitated by music that evokes the imagination and opens us to the realm of non-ordinary insights.  Specifically, there are many CD’s available that help the brain to access deeper states of alpha, delta and theta consciousness that are otherwise only produced through meditation practices. Repeating the Sun’s mantra, “Om Suryaya (pronounced sir-eye-ya)  Namaha,” on the Sun’s day (Sunday) and the Moon's mantra, "Om Chandraya (Chaan-dry-a) also helps to open up the third eye, strengthening inner knowing and guidance.

 Lastly, we reach the seventh chakra, located at the top or crown of the head.  The crown chakra is viewed as another point of entry of  life force energy and represents our connection with universal consciousness. I associate the seventh chakra with the planet Uranus, as it is Uranus that represents the universal current of energy that nourishes mind, body and spirit. From the Vedic perspective of India, Uranus represents the kundalini energy that resides at the base of the spine in the first chakra.  As we awaken and open each of the chakras the kundalini energies rise up the spine and activate the seventh chakra leading to enlightenment or illumination.  Many of us experience this in orgasm as the kundalini moves through the lower chakras and activates the crown chakra.  The reason we  go to sleep after orgasm is that we are not used to channeling that much energy in the higher centers so we end up shutting down, or going unconscious.

If we have blockages in the seventh chakra  this may manifest as low life force energy, disbelief that we can be supported by the universe, or feeling disconnected from a sense of meaning or direction in our lives. The interesting thing about the seventh chakra is that it is the polar opposite of the first chakra so we can open it from “above” or “below”. Pranayama or breathing practices help to open the seventh by expanding our capacity to channel energy through the top of the head.  As we expand our capacity to channel energy we can withstand more aliveness moving through our bodies without resistance. 

 As we open the lower chakras through movement and sound we decrease the resistance we have to being more alive and release the kundalini energy that is dormant at the base of the spine. In other words,  opening the higher chakras does not mean that we need to ignore or “transcend” the lower chakras as some traditions would have us believe.  Rather, it requires that we work on opening up the entire chakric field so that we have the capacity to experience higher states of consciousness in a grounded or embodied way.

© 2009 - Shivaraj (James Jarvis, M.A.) is a Master Vedic & Western Astrologer, Career/ Dharma Coach and Transpersonal Counselor (M.A.) Through his international astrology, coaching and counseling practice, Shivaraj has helped thousands of people draw out and productively use their inherent gifts and talent. For those who want support in discovering, clarifying and manifesting their vision and life purpose, Shivaraj is available for Vedic Astrology , Career/Dharma Coaching and Transpersonal Counseling sessions by phone. For more info visit: www.lifeqwest.com, call toll-free (866) 851-2906, e-mail: This e-mail address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it