subtle state, lustrous like lightning and fine like the lotus fibre, she goes
to the flame-like Íiva, the Supreme bliss and, of a sudden, produces the
bliss of liberation.
SCN 51Based on S ̄amkhya’s metaphysical scheme of the five basic elements thatÓ
constitute the cosmos and the human organism, Tantra holds that the
cakrasare subtle essences or tanm ̄atrasof these elements existing within
functional loci of the body. The ÓSaÓt-cakra-nirupa ̄ Ónadescribes the six cak-
raswith their associated colors, deities, seed-sounds (b ̄ıja-mantras) and
other characteristics, as shown in the table below.^39
The nad ̄ısor channels that carry the body’s energy are 72,000 in
number according to Tantra. The most important of them is the
suÓsumna, ̄ which is parallel with the spinal column and leads to the high-
est cakra. The two other main nad ̄ısare the iÓda ̄ to suÓsumna’s ̄ right, and
the pi ̇ngal ̄a to its left [SCN,1]. The ascent of kuÓnÓdalin ̄ı is stimulated by
yogic practices such as asana ̄ or postures, kumbhakaor retention of
breath, and bandhasor ‘locks’ (√bandh, ‘to bind’). When the bandhas
148 religious therapeutics
The Seven Cakras
Cakra Location Element Seed-sound1 M ̄ul ̄adhara ̄ between anus and genitals Earth lamÓ
“Root,” “Substratum”
2 Svadhi ̄ ÓsÓthana ̄ at root of genitals Water vamÓ
“Abode of the self”
3 MaÓnip ̄ura solar plexus Fire ramÓ
“Jewel of the navel”
4 Anahata ̄ heart Air yamÓ
“Unstruck” (referring to the unstruck sound)
5 Vi ́suddha throat Space hamÓ
“Pure”
6 Åjña ̄ between eyes Mahat Aum
“Commander,” (Mahatis the Great:
“one who knows includes all elements)
Additional to the six, because it is partly within body, and partly beyond it:
7 Sahasr ̄ara top of and above head visarga
“Thousand-spoked” (a release
of breath)