PSYCHOPHYSIOLOGY OF THE YOGIC CHAKRA SYSTEM

Recent theoretical research by myself into the pineal gland as the physical locus of ajna chakra, conceived in yogic tradition as being the psychic centre of our being, is extended here to explore the yogic idea of ajna chakra as the command chakra, in command over all the other chakra centres. I have come across multiple references to the importance of melatonin as the off-switch for the endocrine glands� output of hormones, working together with the pituitary gland which is considered to be the on-switch. I am suggesting that the pineal gland is the physical aspect of ajna chakra; the thyroid of vishuddhi; the breasts of anahata; the adrenals of manipura; and the gonads of swadhistana and muladhara. These endocrine glands are all positioned at the traditional points of the chakras and their functions are remarkably equivalent to the traditional descriptions of the chakra functions. I am therefore proposing that the endocrine system is the physiological aspect of the yogic spiritual tradition of the chakras, and that the autonomic nervous system can be equated with the yogic nadis.



Introduction

Over the last quarter of a century, there has been increasing interest in "translating" the knowledge of one system into the language of another. For example, 20th century physicists, have been comparing quantum mechanics with mystical knowledge as exemplified by Fritjof Capra in "The Tao of Physics" (1975). This same process has been occurring in psychology, for example Tart's "Transpersonal Psychologies" (1975), Paranjpe's "Theoretical Psychology" (1984), both examining Eastern philosophies and religions from a Western psychological standpoint, and research exploring a neurological basis for Near-Death Experiences and their similarity with the kundalini experience (Wile, 1994; Jourdan, 1994).
Much of this translation has, of necessity, been in very general terms, since we have to clarify the overall picture first. I seem to be involved in this process from a rather different perspective. I have been researching a specific topic, the pineal as a psi-conducive gland, which has generalized to the endocrine system as the physical aspect of the yogic chakra system. I must stress that what follows is still in a speculative and exploratory stage.

The Yogic Chakra System

The yogic chakra system as explained by Swami Satyananda Saraswati (1972), consists of seven chakras which are normally depicted as a sort of "spinal column" with three channels called nadis (ida, pingala and sushumna) which interweave, the crossing-points being the sites of the chakras (See figure 1). In western terms this can be readily understood as the central nervous system (sushumna) in the spinal cord around which, on either side, runs the autonomic nervous system which has two aspects, the parasympathetic which can be readily correlated with ida, and the sympathetic with pingala, the sympathetic and pingala being the activating aspect of the system and the parasympathetic and ida the relaxing. Where these two cross they form plexuses, or nodes, from which nerves go out to, for example, the heart, lungs, diaphragm, digestive system and the endocrine organs. Satyananda connects this nervous system with the chakras.

These chakras are considered to be important points for the channelling of consciousness, energy nodes linking the physical with the spiritual. They have been adopted quite widely into popular usage in the West, partly through the Theosophists at the turn of the century, and partly because of the intense interest in Eastern spirituality birthed during the sixties. There are at present so many differing correspondences and attributes linked to them and therefore this research is presented with the aim of achieving greater clarity.

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