Yogic Limiting Adjuncts – Upadhis

In yoga, a limiting adjunct is something that limits the mind. In sanskrit it is called an Upadhi.
In Swami Sivananda’s Yoga Vedanta Dictionary he defines it as:
A superimposed thing or attribute that veils and gives a coloured view of the substance beneath it; limiting adjunct; instrument; vehicle; body; a technical term used in Vedanta philosophy [...]

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Development of Awareness

Here is a quote from “Yoga and Kriya” by Swami Satyananda on the yogic meaning of awareness:
When you do asanas and pranayama, as well as meditational techniques … the emphasis should be on awareness. This awareness implies that your attention is directed to a specific function or activity. It means that your attention is on [...]

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Sahasrara Chakra

Sahasrara Chakra – ‘one thousand’
The sahasrara chakra is located at the top of the head corresponding to the pineal gland in the physical body.  This area is called the Brahmarandhra, or the “hole of Brahma.” At the time of death of an advanced yogi, the prana escapes the body through this hole. There are 1000 [...]

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Ajna Chakra

Ajna Chakra – ‘the command or monitoring center’
The ajna chakra is the chakra of the mind. It is located at the very top of the spinal cord at the same height as the space between the eyebrows. Ajna chakra is also called the trikuti, or third eye.
Om is the bija mantra, representing the seat of [...]

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Vishuddha Chakra

Vishuddha Chakra – ‘purification center’
The vishuddha chakra is located in the sushumna nadi at the base of the throat. It corresponds to the laryngeal plexus. It’s element is ether, or akasha, represented by a white circle like the full moon inside a pure blue circle. It’s bija mantra is ham. There are 16 smoky purple [...]

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Anahata Chakra

Anahata Chakra – ‘unstruck’
Often called the heart center, the anahata chakra is located in the sushumna nadi in the region of the heart. It has twelve deep red petals with the vermilion letters kam, kham, gam, gham, ngam, cham, chham, jam, jham, nyam, tam, and tham. The bija mantra of the anahata chakra is the [...]

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Manipura Chakra

Manipura Chakra – ‘jeweled city’
The manipura chakra is located in the sushumna nadi at the level of the navel. It corresponds to the solar plexus which controls the digestive fire and regulation of heat in the body. In its center is a red triangle which contains the fire element. Each side of the triangle has [...]

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Swadhishthana Chakra

Swadhishthana Chakra – ‘one’s own dwelling place or residence’
The swadhishthana chakra is located in the sushumna nadi in the genital area. In the physical body it controls the kidneys, lower abdomen, and sex organs. Its element is water. There is a white crescent moon in its center within which is the bija mantra vam.  It [...]

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Muladhara Chakra

Muladhara Chakra – ‘root chakra’
The muladhara chakra is located at the base of the spine in the perineal space for men, at the back and top of the cervix for women. Within this chakra, the dormant kundalini shakti is represented by the serpent which is coiled 3 1/2 times around the siva lingam in its [...]

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Introduction to Chakras

Chakra means ‘wheel’. Chakras are energy vortices, or intersections where two or more nadis meet.
Nadis are located in the astral body and carry the prana. Sometimes they are referred to as astral tubes. Generally they correspond with the nerves of the physical body.
There are three main nadis that correspond with the spine and which concern [...]

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