New Change: New Energy with the Chakras

How do we allow real, lasting change to become a part of our lives? How do we move beyond the new age language psychobabble, which masks our hidden scars and defies the nature of our true Self? I believe real and lasting change manifests in the richness of connection and the depth of exchange. It relates to how we are with ourselves, the world around our Creator and us. Lasting change frees us of fear and doubts, as well as self-limiting ideas about who we are. It inspires joy and a sense oneness, which comes from a feeling of worth and value.

We have all been there, if only momentarily, and we generally want more of this quality of change that resonates from our depths and defines us at the bedrock of our being. When we connect with Self, there is that immeasurable feeling of wholeness, where we are connected and aligned to the very core of our being. What most of us seek is to allow that goodness to become a permanent part of our life.

Effective change of this magnitude requires trust and a deep longing for things to get better and relatively easier in our daily life. Lasting change helps us confront our struggles and clear out stale patterns that limit our aliveness. It requires that we cultivate visionary thinking to create a life where our problems have real solutions, and our energy is able to flow boundlessly.

If we want to develop a space for change to root itself in our life, we need to get real about that inner connection to Self. Learning to reframe our pain, find time for meditation and physical activity that honors our being, are all part of that inner landscape of healing that anchors us in Selfhood.

The quality of change begins by connecting with the Self, which is the substratum of our being, where nothing can impact us or influence us. This is where we are always whole, serene, free and absolutely complete. By suggesting people find the place within them that is permanent and doesn't change, they create a context for connecting with their true nature. As a result, they never again fear letting go, no matter what the outward events and circumstances are that affect them. Knowing when one is in the midst of constant change is how healing happens and lasts.

The Self is where we heal and retreat to when life becomes difficult, challenging and problematic. It is also the place we go to when we need nurturing, love and rest. In spite of difficult times, it is also the place where regeneration happens. The Self is peace, serenity and joy. Being anchored in Self, in the midst of external change, helps us identify with the part of us that always knows the truth, has real solutions to difficult problems, and where we are guided and protected to find our path.

There are no obstacles that cannot be surmounted in this realm of being. It is free of the waves of change, desire or pain. This aspect of our being is everlasting, whole and complete. It always asks to be expressed in wholesome and conscious ways that support and honor who we are.

The Self is indelible and abiding and the very bedrock of our being. It resonates with our spiritual and emotional core and remains unaffected by outward circumstance. It is light, love, peace, beauty and innate intelligence, and the good news is that it is also always accessible. Connecting with Self is the no-mind state of meditation, where all is still, sweet and silent.

Renewing our connection with Self allows our good to come to us. If we are light, love, peace, truth and beauty, we need only remember from day to day that we are here to learn that. As we become aware of what is eternal and unchanging, it is easier to release the mind and its ego identifications and find stillness and peace during times of transition and change.

In understanding the power of change over us, it helps to view change against a background of what does not change. Creating changes from this perspective allows healing to happen because change becomes a part of our process of recognizing who we are. It becomes a simple task of always choosing our highest good and greatest joy. We change what doesn't work by letting go of attachments that fail to honor all that we are. In this way, we take responsibility for our lives, become empowered and grow towards new insights where we feel better connected to life.

At certain times in life, we may be required to make big changes that will challenge what we know and throw us upon the mercy of new places, stranger, and different ways of being. Big changes can set up new and, often unrealistic expectations about what we are able to manage and accomplish. It puts us on the line about what really matters and makes us remember who we are at core. Big changes teach me that I have to be patient to let my good come around. They remind me how important peace is in my life and how grateful I am for people who are kind, supportive and good.

The difference between external change and inner change is that one is about doing and the other is about being. Inner change always reflects how we feel about ourselves. Outer change requires us to adapt to a new way of doing things. When we acknowledge that we are worthy of love, kindness and respect, external changes will reflect this quality of Selfhood. The more we define our being, the more we express our nature in the world. Our doing takes on a stronger perspective of our being. As we affirm our worth and honor the Self, we release suffering and allow better things to come to us.

The Chakras

The chakras are energy centers in the body that resonate with vibrations of color, sound and psychological issues that relate to our attitudes and perceptions. They control the flow of energy throughout our system and affect our health, stability and clarity.

What holds us back or sends us forward on our life path can be understood by examining the life issues and rights of the seven main chakras in the human energy system.

Change can congest our energy field because it provokes fear and doubt, as well as many other negative feelings. Each chakra's function is dependent on us mentally releasing the dark and unwholesome attitudes we harbor. This frees our energy on all levels.

One of the ways we can implement lasting change is by looking at these dark places that defy goodness, light and love-- those eternal qualities of the Self. These negative places contain the seeds of destructive and unwholesome beliefs about ourselves. They come out of our childhood or from far memory in past incarnations. We become attached to these attitudes when we accept other people's thoughts about who we are and detach ourselves from knowing the Self. These identifications are often rooted in shame, forcing us to deny our power and result in energy leaks that saps our vital force. Healing work is how we retrieve our sense vitality and Selfhood.

In order to heal our wounds and make lasting changes, we need to see these self-limiting ideas in the form of energy. The more we can release our negativity, the more energy we have for our joy. An easy way of doing this is to go through the chakras, one by one, and look at the rights of each center. In understanding these rights, you begin to see what your own attitudes are in relation to the Self.

For instance, one of the rights of the Root Chakra is your right to the life you say you want. If you feel that your life belongs in the service of your family, tribe, community, country or religion, you will never have a life of your own. Owning your right to your own life helps you take responsibility for what you want.

The rights of the chakras include the right to the life we say we want: to pleasure, power, love, self-expression, clarity of mind and our link with the Source. Knowing the rights creates the crucible for healing. This is a wholesome context in which lasting change occurs.

When life throws down the gauntlet and challenges you, it is necessary to have as much energy available as possible for doing what is necessary to stay on track with your life. It becomes important to unleash that extra bit of energy that will carry you through to higher ground. Looking within is the way and understanding that energy follows though helps harvest out the negative perceptions that restrain our life force. This takes courage, a willingness to step out of the box of conventional thinking, and humor. It is an adventure I invite you to participate in. The results are stamina, resiliency and adaptability, all a ticket for growth and maturity.

Ambika Wauters is director of The Institute of Life Energy Medicine, which is dedicated to teaching gentle, effective ways of healing the human energy system. You can visit her website at www.ambikawauters.com