The second chakra
"Swadhisthan Chakra: The second chakra is the chakra of creativity, pure attention and pure knowledge. It is the one which connects us to the inner source of inspiration, and enables us to experience the beauty around us. The pure knowledge given by this chakra is not mental, but it is direct perception of the Reality, that can be felt in our palms and indicates our subtle blockages. Also this is the center of pure, steady attention and power of concentration."
"The second centre is the centre of Swadhisthan. It has six petals and caters on the physical level to functions of the aortic plexus, and is the one which supplies us with the energy of creativity, of thinking, of being futuristic. It supplies Power to the brain cells by converting fat cells into brain cells."
Shri Svadhisthananambuja-gata Devi
The Swadhisthan Chakra is suspended on a chord from the Nabhi Chakra, and moves around the Void area. When the Kundalini rises, it passes into the Nabhi Chakra first and then along the chord to enlighten the Swadhisthan before returning to the Nabhi Chakra to continue the journey to the crown of the head.
In the course of evolution, humans translated his need for shelter and security into the building of homes. As his sense of aesthetics developed he continued to improve on these forms of shelter (until eventually architecture came about). This creativity evolved into abstract form, where he could imagine, project and create an image which had no previous counterpart. From this burgeoning aestheticism came the creative arts.
The fundamental quality of the Swadhisthan Chakra is that of creativity. It is here that the energy for our creativity is generated. After Self-Realization we discover that the true key to creativity is in achieving the state of thoughtless awareness (nirvichara samadhi) through meditation.
From this we discover that all the beauty of Creation is reflected within us like a still and silent lake. Once we locate this pool of beauty we can become the channel for it. We become the Collective Unconscious, without ego to distort the purity of art.
The process of creativity in whatever form draws on the qualities of the Swadhisthan Chakra. If this process is accomplished in a balanced state (i.e., using the energies of the central or Sushumna channel in the subtle system) then the result is spiritually enhanced. After Self-Realization this is emphasized, and the resulting creation can become an inspired work. We can see this by looking at the classic works from artists of the past such as Mozart and Michaelangelo who were born as evolved realized souls. Works of this quality are immortal, and provide joy and beauty which define a whole epoch.
However in the modern process, we can see that even where the artistic endeavor starts out ‘with heart,’ there is a tendency for the artist to produce later works which are flat, lifeless or even exploitative. The primary cause of this tendency is the ego of the artist. As the artist becomes more successful, he or she works harder to maintain or grow this success. This requires more exhaustive use of the right channel (the Pingala Nadi or Channel of Action). A by-product of this channel becoming exhausted is that the ego of the artist becomes inflated. Note that in subtle terms the ego is actually situated at the end of the action channel (in the balloon-like shape on the left-hand side of the head). If one is confused by an inflated ego, the excessiveness drains the central channel of energy and exhausts the right side. In addition, the connection with the ego can take the attention away from the Spirit. As the artist starts to believe that he is the creator of all his works (thus eliminating divine inspiration) the process is accelerated and the ego expands to such an extent that the spiritual content of the work is removed completely.
The Spirit, which resides in our heart, is the real reservoir of creativity, and artists and people who think excessively or are obsessed with fame or success will usually suffer a weak Swadhisthan Chakra and tend to be off-balance personalities. Their ambition is to be superior to others or to be acclaimed by them for their talents comes from their ego, which is connected to the right-side of the Swadhisthan Chakra through the right channel. Their spontaneity is lost in this ambitious and competitive effort to create, and this explains why most modern creation in any aspect lacks Spirit.
From this we discover that all the beauty of Creation is reflected within us like a still and silent lake. Once we locate this pool of beauty we can become the channel for it. We become the Collective Unconscious, without ego to distort the purity of art.
The process of creativity in whatever form draws on the qualities of the Swadhisthan Chakra. If this process is accomplished in a balanced state (i.e., using the energies of the central or Sushumna channel in the subtle system) then the result is spiritually enhanced. After Self-Realization this is emphasized, and the resulting creation can become an inspired work. We can see this by looking at the classic works from artists of the past such as Mozart and Michaelangelo who were born as evolved realized souls. Works of this quality are immortal, and provide joy and beauty which define a whole epoch.
However in the modern process, we can see that even where the artistic endeavor starts out ‘with heart,’ there is a tendency for the artist to produce later works which are flat, lifeless or even exploitative. The primary cause of this tendency is the ego of the artist. As the artist becomes more successful, he or she works harder to maintain or grow this success. This requires more exhaustive use of the right channel (the Pingala Nadi or Channel of Action). A by-product of this channel becoming exhausted is that the ego of the artist becomes inflated. Note that in subtle terms the ego is actually situated at the end of the action channel (in the balloon-like shape on the left-hand side of the head). If one is confused by an inflated ego, the excessiveness drains the central channel of energy and exhausts the right side. In addition, the connection with the ego can take the attention away from the Spirit. As the artist starts to believe that he is the creator of all his works (thus eliminating divine inspiration) the process is accelerated and the ego expands to such an extent that the spiritual content of the work is removed completely.
The Spirit, which resides in our heart, is the real reservoir of creativity, and artists and people who think excessively or are obsessed with fame or success will usually suffer a weak Swadhisthan Chakra and tend to be off-balance personalities. Their ambition is to be superior to others or to be acclaimed by them for their talents comes from their ego, which is connected to the right-side of the Swadhisthan Chakra through the right channel. Their spontaneity is lost in this ambitious and competitive effort to create, and this explains why most modern creation in any aspect lacks Spirit.
The presiding deity for the Swadhisthan Chakra is Shri Brahmadeva. He represents the Creator, and has as His power Shri Saraswati, who is the Goddess of music and arts. He bestows purity, creativity, Pure Knowledge, and cuts the Knot of Maya (material attachment) and frees the seeker from earthly desires. "All these desires lead you ultimately to a destruction, because there’s no Joy, there’s no happiness. For example now I want to have a sari, so I want to buy the sari all my attention will be how will I get that sari, I must get that sari, this thing, that thing the attention becomes polluted, disturbed for a nonsensical thing like sari, the attention which has to enjoy the spirit which has to nourish the Spirit becomes disturbed because of desires.
In the first place attention is disturbed because we are not in the center. In the second place the attention gets into turmoil because we have desires. . . .
So whatever you desire, if you start working it out, desiring for something aesthetically hand made, nice thing gradually you will find you will end up with vibrations, because all beautiful things have vibrations, and to have the vibrations you have to go to pure Desire. So this desire which is madness, which makes you mad, which is so much dull and boring becomes pure Desire, because you have to dissolve all your desires into vibrations. You start desiring nothing but vibrations after some time."
In the first place attention is disturbed because we are not in the center. In the second place the attention gets into turmoil because we have desires. . . .
So whatever you desire, if you start working it out, desiring for something aesthetically hand made, nice thing gradually you will find you will end up with vibrations, because all beautiful things have vibrations, and to have the vibrations you have to go to pure Desire. So this desire which is madness, which makes you mad, which is so much dull and boring becomes pure Desire, because you have to dissolve all your desires into vibrations. You start desiring nothing but vibrations after some time."
