Chakras, Petals, Nadis, Mantras, Mudras and TCM meridians

[Nuralshamal]

Dear Dao Bums,

What I wanted to share today was my very interesting discovery about the parallels between the TCM and qigong meridian system, and the chakra, nadi and petal system in Yoga and Sri Vidya.

The two channels in the agyna chakra:
Ksham  (क्ष) is the left side of the forehead, it is the left, outermost bladder meridian in TCM.
Ham (हं) is the right side of the forehead, it is the right, outermost bladder meridian in TCM.
The bladder branches into 2 channels on each side of the spine, i.e. 4 channels in total. An innermost and an outermost on each side of the spine.

The four channels in the muladhara chakra:
Sam (सं) is the left, lower kidney meridian (i.e. from the muladhara chakra and down to under the foot)

Vam (वं) is the right, lower kidney meridian (i.e. from the muladhara chakra and down)
Sham( शं) is the upper part of the right kidney meridian (from muladhara chakra and up through the body, through the lung and finally into the brain)
Ssam (षं) is the upper part of the left kidney meridian (from muladhara chakra and up)

The six channels in the swadistana chakra:
Lam (लं) is the left, lower part of the spleen meridian (running from svadistana chakra and down to the big toe)
Bam (बं) is the right, lower part of the spleen meridian.
Bham (भं) is the right, upper part of the spleen meridian (running from svadistana and up)
Mam (मं) is the innermost bladder channel to the right of the spine, running from swadistana chakra and up alonside the spine
Yam (यं)  is the innermost bladder channel to the left of the spine, running from swadistana chakra and up alonside the spine 
Ram (रं) is the upper part of the left spleen meridian (from swadistana and up).

I can't wait to journey through the rest of the chakras and nadis, and clear the channels even more (nadi shuddhi).

I'll keep you posted as I discover more

If you'd like to know a bit more about the background, read on:

There are mantras for 6 chakras and their individual nadis. There are 2 nadis in the agyna chakra, 4 nadis in the muladhara chakra, 6 in the swadistana, 10 in the manipura, 12 in the anahata, 16 in the vishuddi.

That means you need to memorize a total of 50 sanskrit letters and their mantra, which is going to take some time

Saying the sound of the sanskrit letter in the "petals" of the chakra, activates the nadi. Saying the sound of the sanskrit letter in the middle of the chakra, activates the chakra.

All of this knowledge is from Hinduism, namely the Yoga and Sri Vidya tradition, as taught by Guru Karunamaya. I've written about my experiences with it here: 

The method is simply "sandwiching" an empowered mantra from your guru in between the sanskrit letter for each channel. This 1) activates the channel, 2) sends energy from your guru mantra into the channel, 3) closes the energy inside the channel. For example: lam aum nama shivaya lam.

So far, I've only mastered the agnya, muladhara and swadistana (which I've described above), so the next one I'll work on memorizing and opening is the manipura chakra and its 10 nadis

Be blessed by the Divine! May we all enjoy good health, long life, prosperity, happiness, wisdom and peace
 

Edited April 27, 2022 by Nuralshamal

[Nuralshamal]

Dear Dao Bums,

 

An update on the manipura chakra

It has 10 channels, here are their corresponding TCM/qigong meridians:
pam पं - the left, lower part of the liver channel, from manipura, down the leg, the knee and into the big toe (left side of the big toe=
pham फं - the left, lower part of the stomach channel, from manipura down the front of the leg to the middle toe
daam डं - the right, lower part of the stomach channel, from manipura and down the front of the right leg to the middle toe
dhaam ढं - the right, lower part of the liver channel, from manipura down the right lag
naam णं - the right, upper part of the liver channel, from manipura, through the liver, the heart, the neck, through the brain to the eye
tam तं - the right, upper part of the stomach channel, from manipura, through the stomach and ribcage, into the right jaw

tham थं - the right, gall bladder channel, up through the gallbladder, side of ribcage, scapula, onto the head

dam दं - the left, gall bladder channel
dham धं - the left, upper part of the left stomach channel
nam नं - the left, upper part of the left liver channel

 

I am very pleasantly surprised by the power of chanting the mantra, while visualising the letter on a yellow petal in the corresponding location.

I have suffered from life long sleep problems. Up until 19 years of age, I couldn't fall asleep (in TCM this is usually something with the Heart).

After 19 years of age and up until today, I could easily fall asleep, however, I wouldn't "stay asleep" through the night. I would wake several times, turn over, them continue sleeping. This is usually related to the Liver in TCM.

I've tried everything under the sun for sound sleep: TCM, qigong, sleeping qigong, maintaining same waking and sleeping times rigidly, avoiding electronics and light before bed, having a warm shower before bed, drinking hot milk with honey, herbs, meditation, amino acids (tryptophane), supplements (melatonin, magnesium) you name it. Everything I've ever read about to improve sleep, I've tried it.

The best was herbs (zizyphus sleep from K'an herbs which target the yin and blood of the Heart and Liver), and the amino acid Tryptophane (which is a precursor to the sleep hormone melatonine).

However... Last night I had the best and most refreshing sleep!!

Yesterday, when I meditated on the manipura chakra petals, I was shocked to find that naam and nam (the right and left upper parts of the liver channels) were completely closed and blocked in the part that went through the heart. These blocked channels are what have been messing my sleep up!

And no amount of qigong, sleeping qigong, herbs or meditation had allowed me to open these channels so far (I'm talking about more than 14 years of TCM herbal treatments, 9 years of daily practice of meditation, 7 years of daily practice of qigong, 4 years of sleeping qigong and 3 years of tryptophane treatments).

However, one sitting of deep meditation on these two petals busted open these two channels, alleviating me of life-long sleep problems. I am prostrating before the Almighty, as well as the rishis who have maintained this knowledge of the chakras up until our day, for having granted me the cure to a life long sleep problem, which has haunted and disturbed my life beyond belief, and given me tremendous suffering.

It's my own karma from past lives, my own doing, however, finally the bad karma was paid off, and the Almighty put me into contact with the Rishis' knowledge, thank you dear Lord

May you all be blessed!

May there be sufficient grains, food and water for the satisfaction of all living beings.

May the whole world enjoy prosperity, happiness and peace.

Edited April 28, 2022 by Nuralshamal

[awaken]

恭喜你練功進步，成功治好睡眠障礙。

 

但是中醫的經脈主要講的是病態，和瑜伽的中脈是因為練氣所形成的脈輪不同。

 

膀胱經也不是在額頭，而是在後背。

 

額頭是胃經。

 

瑜伽的中脈系統，是從光的出現開始。

 

紅橙黃綠藍靛紫七色光如北極光那般的旋轉，屬於左右脈的層次。

 

到了花瓣一般的曼陀羅出現，才進入中脈層次。

 

這時候的曼陀羅有非常精細的紋路，已經不是左右脈的霧狀極光了。

 

曼陀羅也不是只有花瓣形狀，還有各種幾何圖形。

 

而練出這些現象，跟咒語一點關係都沒有。

 

只要方向對就可以了。

 

Congratulations on your progress in your practice and your successful cure for sleep disorders.

However, the meridians of traditional Chinese medicine mainly talk about pathological conditions, and the central meridians of yoga are different from the chakras formed by practicing Qi.

The bladder meridian is not on the forehead, but on the back.

The forehead is the stomach meridian.

The central system of yoga begins with the appearance of light.

The seven-color light of red, orange, yellow, green, blue, indigo and purple revolves like the northern lights, and belongs to the level of the left and right channels.

Only when the petal-like mandala appears, does it enter the midrib level.

At this time, the mandala has very fine lines, and it is no longer the fog-like aurora of the left and right veins.

Mandala is not only the shape of petals, but also various geometric shapes.

And practicing these phenomena has nothing to do with mantras.

Just go in the right direction.

 

中醫有一本書叫做傷寒雜病論。

 

裡面有一個方劑稱為『黃連阿膠湯』

 

這個湯治療因為心血不足所造成的失眠非常有效。

 

There is a book in Chinese medicine called Treatise on Febrile Diseases and Miscellaneous Diseases.

There is a prescription in it called "Huanglian Ejiao Soup"

This soup is very effective in treating insomnia caused by insufficient heart blood.

Edited April 28, 2022 by awaken

[Nuralshamal]

Dear Dao Bums,

Here are my experiences with the anahata chakra, its related nadis and their relation to TCM meridians:

tam - टं  - left pericardium channel down the arm
tham - ठं - left gallbladder channel down through the torso to the left leg
kam - कं  - right gallbladder channel down
kham - ख - right pericardium channel down the arm 
gam - गं - right large intestine channel down the right arm 
gham - घं - right lung, down the right arm
aam - ङं - right heart channel, down the right arm 
chaam चं - right small intestine channel, round the back of the shoulder and down the right arm 
chham छं - left small intestine channel
jam - जं - left heart channel 
jham - झं - left lung channel
niyam - ञं - left large intestine channel

I was very shocked to find my heart chakra was very, very blocked. Pretty much all channels except for pericardium were in bad shape.

However, the good news are that now I know, and now I can work on them through mantra and visualisation.
 

[awaken]

我不認為通過咒語和視覺化可以開啟心輪

 

因為我已經教過無數多的人開啟心輪

 

用的方法都不是咒語和視覺化

 

而是另外一篇正在討論的非二元

 

也就是中觀

I don't think the heart chakra can be opened through mantras and visualizations

Because I have taught countless people to open the heart chakra

The methods used are not mantras and visualizations

but another non-binary article under discussion

that is, the middle way

[Desmonddf]

Be careful with visualization. It is very easy to become entangled in imagination instead.

[Nuralshamal]

Dear Dao Bums,

The Vishuddi chakra!

This was definitively a very empowering and suprising journey of discovery to go through  

Vishuddi chakra 
aham - अं - the left bladder meridian all the way down the back of the leg to the outside of the foot (little toe)
aaha अः left stomach meridian up to the face
am अं the main yin channel (ren mai) on the front of the body
aam आं the right stomach channel up the face 
im इं the right bladder channel down
iim ई the right liver meridian into the head 
um उं the right gallbladder channel into the head 
uum ऊं the right kidney channel into the brain 
rim ऋं this channel isn't used in qigong, it's the pingala nadi (yang channel criss-crossing the spine, ending in the right nostril)
riim ॠं - the right side of the sushumna or chong mai (thrusting vessel)
alum ळुं - this is the main yang channel, the du mai up the spine
aluum  ळूं the left side of the sushumna or chong mai
em एं - this channel isn't used in qigong, it's the ida nadi (yin channel criss-crossing the spine, ending in the left nostril) 
aim ऎ - left kidney into the brain
om ओं - left gallbladder in to the brain
aum औ - left liver


How we're alle unique in our cultivation journey
We're all different and unique.

Our body type, energy type and mind.

The first qigong I learnt (xi sui gong) destroyed me and my health, whereas I saw many others getting tremendous benefits.

Then I learnt many forms of Emei Zhen Gong.

My teacher's personal favorite form is "TuGuNaXing" (breathe in the new, expel the old). A seated style meditation, connecting with the stems and branches (TienGan) through mantra, mudra and visualisation. I think it's pretty good, but it's not what gave me the most benefits.

What benefitted me the most so far is the WuLongGong (Five Dragons) of Wudang Gate.

Similarly, I've noticed throughout the years, that the different forms of the different lineages benefit people differently. We're all unique!

When it comes to opening my individual channels, even after 7 years of dedicated daily practice (experiencing many forms and styles of qigong, including ones specifically designed to bust open all channels) this akshara mala (reciting the sanskrit letters of each chakra and each nadi) is what did it for me.

That's why I have shared it here with you.

Nothing has opened my channels in an easier, nor more powerful way. Life long health issues have been healed in a few weeks.

How can this knowledge of the correspondance between TCM/qigong and the chakra/yoga/nadi system be used?
It's extremely specific.

If you know that exactly this organ and corresponding channel is closed, and it's "killing you", you can work specifically on that. Simply visualise the corresponding sanskrit letter at the corresponding chakra location and repeat it's correct pronunciation.

I can't guarantee it will be as effective for you as it has been for me (just like my xi sui gong teacher's best form destryoed my health, and my new teacher's most favorite form didn't do too much for me).

Doubt about the efficacy of the akshara mala method
Some of you have mentioned that what I'm reporting is simply imagination or not at all correct or effective.

The millenium old yogic tradition of chakras, nadis and mantras is certainly not imagination, it's a time tested practice.

If you think the benefits of a time-tested practice is imagination, I urge you to simply experiment yourself instead of dismissing it at face value.

Simply pick a chakra and a nadi, and recite and visualise it for 10-25 minutes daily for a few weeks, and you will feel in your own body whether it works for you or not.

It could work miracles, it could do something, or it could do nothing for you. But then you will have the right to dismiss it, because you have experimented with it in your own body. Simply dismissing or ridiculing at first glance, because it's different from your own knowledge, is dismissing the entire millenium old yogic tradition about chakras, nadis and mantras.

Important point about all spiritual practice
Get transmission, protection, guidance and empowerment from an authentic teacher/guru/master. This is the key to all cultivation. This also goes for the akshara mala japa, should you wish to give it a go. 

Closing prayer 
May you all be blessed with good health, long life, prosperity, wisdom and peace!
 

Edited May 10, 2022 by Nuralshamal

[Trunk]

On 4/27/2022 at 4:28 AM, Nuralshamal said:

What I wanted to share today was my very interesting discovery about the parallels between the TCM and qigong meridian system, and the chakra, nadi and petal system in Yoga and Sri Vidya.

 

Wow.  What diligent and focused study and practice!

 

I know only a little bit of the channels & vessels of Chinese medicine and that lack has sometimes put me up to a brick wall of understanding some complex subjects (like finger-knitting mudras) deeply.  I've often thought that we need a generation of students who are more deeply trained in Chinese medicine, who then apply it to deeper internal arts training... just what you are doing!    Very cool.

 

I can't comment on the absolute accuracy of what you're saying, because you're beyond my knowledge-set - but I can say that study, practice, experience over time add up (just like in any subject) so keep at it.  I'm just sitting here impressed.

 

My own approach is very simple (I can't help with the complexities that you are delving into), but maybe my approach could assist with some aspect (maybe it's just me mouthing off, lol).

My approach to the chakras is very simple: enter, abide, and dissolve in the "deep-centers" (the still quiet spaces where major centers intersect sushumna).  Explained in my picture-book-style essay Enso, Emptiness and the Deep-centers.  Very concisely summarized in this triptych.

 

As far as mantra, just a simple version of the mani mantra.  Not sure if it will be relevant, appropriate, just throwing it out there.

 

 

Anyway, a pleasure to read of your vigorous study, practice and breakthroughs!

Congrat's on the sleep resolution, impressive.

 

- Keith

 

[Nuralshamal]

41 minutes ago, Trunk said:

 

Wow.  What diligent and focused study and practice!

 

I know only a little bit of the channels & vessels of Chinese medicine and that lack has sometimes put me up to a brick wall of understanding some complex subjects (like finger-knitting mudras) deeply.  I've often thought that we need a generation of students who are more deeply trained in Chinese medicine, who then apply it to deeper internal arts training... just what you are doing!    Very cool.

 

I can't comment on the absolute accuracy of what you're saying, because you're beyond my knowledge-set - but I can say that study, practice, experience over time add up (just like in any subject) so keep at it.  I'm just sitting here impressed.

 

My own approach is very simple (I can't help with the complexities that you are delving into), but maybe my approach could assist with some aspect (maybe it's just me mouthing off, lol).

My approach to the chakras is very simple: enter, abide, and dissolve in the "deep-centers" (the still quiet spaces where major centers intersect sushumna).  Explained in my picture-book-style essay Enso, Emptiness and the Deep-centers.  Very concisely summarized in this triptych.

 

As far as mantra, just a simple version of the mani mantra.  Not sure if it will be relevant, appropriate, just throwing it out there.

 

 

Anyway, a pleasure to read of your vigorous study, practice and breakthroughs!

Congrat's on the sleep resolution, impressive.

 

- Keith

 

Hey Keith,

Thanks for your response and feedback!

And thanks for sharing your work, it's truly beautiful art  

We can definitively all expand our knowledge by sharing and exchanging experiences  

I'm going to check out your link now  Thanks for sharing!

I will check out the om mani padme hum chart as well and try it out  

All the best!

[Sahaja]

The matricka sounds found on the chakra petals (used in antar matricka Nyasa practice) are also manifest “externally”  on different parts of the body in a related way called bahir matricka  Nyasa. This may be interesting for you to explore relative to the Chinese meridian systems as well as to your meditation practice, if you have not already been exposed to the bahir method.

Just search on your computer for “Nyasa” or “matricka Nyasa” or “bahir matricka Nyasa” and you can find the lists showing the matricka to external body part correlation. If you have access to the Scribd app there are also additional examples (including a couple of  charts that also includes additional mantras associate with sections of the body). It’s an impressive chart but it’s kind of busy to use.

 

You can also look at the chart of marmas to see if this resonates with your practice  - marmas are from the Indian martial arts and health systems and  have many similarities to the Chinese point systems. My own experience has shown me that South Asian and East Asian systems have many similarities but also there are some important differences that can be confusing when viewed or used  together. Even within  East Asian systems there are differences.  Maps are not the territory.  Cheers!