What is the life moving force that allowed you to get up and out of bed this morning? Why were you able to grab your morning cup of coffee and dash out the door? Science says that the food digested into the body releases energy (caloric heat), which powers our cells, enabling our nerves to fire and muscles to contract. This explains the process, but how does this process occur? When the body dies, we cannot simply thrust a three-course meal into it and expect it to rise and walk again. What is this electromagnetic energy that flows through the, otherwise lifeless, human body? Some authorities refer to this energy as the "spirit" or "psyche." The Chinese theory of "chi" (pronounced chee) best describes this mysterious phenomenon. Chi, although null of a literal English translation, is the universal cosmic breath apparent in all life in the form of movement. .
Chi flows through the human body very similar to blood. The chi (blood) is concentrated in seven areas along the center of the body called chakras (pronounced shock-rahs). The root of the word chakra means wheel. However, for this essay's purpose, chakra will be referred to as a vortex, a spinning wheel of energy. Each chakra is associated with a specific color and bodily function. These centers draw energy from its surroundings and incorporate that energy for use within the body. A continuous recharge of energy is needed to prevent the body from exhaustion. Visualization of the color associated with a specific chakra is used to enhance meditation, thereby replenishing the chakra areas. For example, the sixth chakra (also known as the third eye) is located at the center of the forehead, slightly above eye level. The color association is indigo (dark bluish-purple) and the function is insight, intuition, and inspiration. In order to receive more inspiration and become more intuitive, one would meditate on an indigo vortex at the third eye.
