In the previous post we discussed the triune soul as a habitat, a place to live in harmony with the whole of creation, and what is means to begin to inhabit these three realms. Here we will explore the chakras as habitats, ie actual locations with structures, energies, 
ecologies and relationships. You will need your imagination, the ability to stay immersed in the energetic world for 20 minutes or more, a comfortable pose or place to be, (supported savasana) and some understanding of anatomy. The intention is to evoke new sensations and perceptions, awaken more integration in movement open to the intuitive revelations that arise from the subtle realms of the body.
To inhabit the inner spaces, for a somanaut, requires a deepening increase in perceptual sensitivity. For our work with the chakras, this begins by learning to differentiate the various structures and elements that allow freedom of movement from the inner most layers of the body. An important note about the chakras before we go further: chakras are portals or gateways into ultimate mystery, and thus cannot be pinned down with any meaningful accuracy. What we can do is recognize their possible effects upon the structures, energy patterns and movements, and explore the sensations that arise as we proceed inward. Each of us will have unique experiences, so when I describe what I feel, that is only a starting point for your own explorations. Your experience may be quite different, but equally valid.
It is my own inner experience, and from what I see again and again in teaching, there are certain areas in the body when structures are con-fused, or stuck together. Thus we cannot differentiate the various components that make up that area. From a chakra 
perspective, the 1st and 2nd are quite undifferentiated, as are the 3rd and 4th, and the 5th and 6th. Our perceptual field and capacity to feel movements does not quite align with the model above. So we will begin by looking at ways to open up some space along the chakra line. The most subtle, but very powerful is to work from the level of ‘field effects’. The magnetic field is familiar enough for all to use, and the basic rules are opposite charges attract and like charges repel. If we imagine the 1st and 2nd chakras both carry a positive charge, the 3rd and 4th both carry a negative charge, and the 5th and 6th both carry a positive charge, some interesting movements begin to awaken.
Lie in a supported savasana, knees elevated to help keep the pelvis neutral. Imagine the legs, femurs to feet slowly oozing away from the trunk of the body. Imagine the pelvic bones releasing laterally very slightly to release the sacro-illiacs and then flowing away with the legs. Finally imagine your tail bone slowly lengthening and releasing in the same 
direction as the legs. Visualize the central organizing activity of all of these as the 1st chakra being repelled downward (away from the head) by the 2nd or sacral chakra. The sacrum moves in the opposite direction, upwards toward the heart or 4th chakra. Find the space that opens between 1 and 2 and rest in the depths of that space. Feel whatever sensations arise, looking for pulsation, vibration or slow wave motion as clues for the larger energy patterns. What is happening in the fluid body, through the blood vessels and the extra-cellular fluids? What happens to the lower lumbar discs, nerves, vertebrae? What other realms are there waiting to be noticed in the deep background?
Now bring your attention to the center of your diaphragm and imagine the 3rd chakra just below and the 4th chakra just above. Now add a negative charge to each and let them push apart a bit more. Feel the negatively charged 3rd chakra descending toward the rising positively charged second chakra. Feel the negatively charged 4th rising up toward the 5th chakra/throat region. Feel the organs and deep connective tissue structures of the mesentery, mediastinum, coronary and falciform ligaments melting, softening, opening. Follow the blood flow and the deeper rhythms of the body.
Finally, bring your attention to the soft palate at the back of the mouth. Imagine a positively charged 5th chakra below and a positively charged 6th chakra above, gently pushing apart. The positive 5th descends toward the negatively rising 4th, while the positive 6th rises toward the crown chakra just above the top of the skull. Soften inner ears and the backs of the eye sockets. Release the tongue, teeth, gums and jaws. Feel the field generated by all of these penetrating through the cells of the body.
Notice that the 5th, 3rd and 1st chakras are all moving downward slightly. This follows the natural flow of peristalsis and the gastro-intestinal tract energy. By unblocking the first chakra, back pressure is relieved from the anal mouth so grounding can continue at all levels. The unblocking down of the 3rd chakra allows the esophagus (and the vagus nerve) a free run down through the diaphragm at the esophogeal hiatus all the way to the anus to help to prevent or heal hiatal hernias here. At fifth chakra, where swallowing begins, the descending energy helps release tension in the neck and shoulders, the vocal cords, and the floor of the brain.
The ascending currents of the 2nd, 4th and 6th chakras resonate with the cranio-sacral system, with the heart chakra synchronizing with the cranial and sacral regions. In a future posting, we will explore the cranio-sacral system in more depth, including the three layers of the tide. In the overall field of the body, there are always ascending and descending currents seeking dynamic balance and harmony, within and without the body/mind/cosmic field.
Notice also that as the 2nd and 3rd chakras are drawn toward each other, they combine to help strengthen the lumbar region and integrate its movements with the sacrum and thoracic regions. Similar in the cerivical region when the 5th and 4th combine to support and integrate movements of the neck with the rest of the body. Humans seem to be the only creatures who have lost the inherent liquidity of their spinal columns, including flexibility and subtle integration. The upright posture is only partially to blame as we can restore some of the integration by waking up and inhabiting the spine and chakras again.
We can use our supported bridge pose to deepen the sense of space and expansion along the chakra line and through the chakra spaces and we will use a great new prop 
designed by old friend Randy Dean, the Bhoga Block. These blocks are hollow, making them lighter and easier to move around. They have a squared end for standing upright, and have curved surfaces that allow a much more organic experience of the back-bending support we can use to open 1 and 2, 3 and 4, and 5 and 6. Experiment where you place them, and which direction the square end faces. You can use a single block, or a pair, so there are many different possibilities to support, perceive, awaken and integrate.
Here I am using two blocks placed between 2 and 3, the weight of the tail and chakra 1 inviting chakra 3 to follow the downward flow to the feet, opening the liver and root of the diaphragm, among other structures and energies. The feet gently pressing out, following the direction of 1, create a rebound at 2 sending it up toward the heart. As soon as possible, let the repelling/attracting magnetic fields take over the work and you can rest in the stillness between and around the field lines.
With the blocks higher up, three is starting to sneak back up, creating a slight break in the field, but 4 is releasing up lifting the sternum, opening the shoulders. The blockage at 5 is slightly more pronounced leading to redness. Inner adjustments are needed, but the inner glue is beginning to melt. Fire and water are beginning to work more coherently, but it is a work in progress. Finding the magnetic field lessens the strain tremendously.
By removing the blanket under the head, I can get more differentiation at 5-6, especially where the cranial bones sit on the neck at skull – C1, the atlanto-occipital joint. My crown chakra opens into the floor to help 6 open into the back of the skull. 3 still needs to move toward the feet.
To bring in rotation, we can use the basic standing wall twist. Now that we are vertical, the chakra line and gravity have a radically different relationship. The role of the feet in grounding the energy is enhanced when we can relax down into them, receiving Mother Earth effortlessly. The 
ascending energy is then more internal. In this photo, there is still congestion at the back of 4, the origin of the wings. but there is lift rising up through the skull. In rotation, the chakra spaces expand radially outward, perpendicular to the chakra line that is the central axis of the body. We will look at this more deeply next week. Or soon! Our shamanic weekend at Esalen is coming so the next blog might be about our experiences journeying to new places.