THE CHAKRAS
Within our body are subtle energy channels that can not be seen. These channels correspond with our physical nervous system. It therefore stands to reason that the major subtle channels run along the spine and correspond with the largest nerve in the body – the spinal chord.

The seven largest energy centres are called chakras and are situated from the base of the spine up to the crown of the head. Each chakra corresponds with an organ of the body and is represented by a color, an animal, a musical note, an element and a symbol. 

The chakras are like energy substations, storehouses of energy. The easiest way to explain them is to think about what happens when you switch on a light. You flick the switch and the light bulb shines. You can not see the electricity, however you know that it is there. The electricity is generated by the power station and routed via substations and wires to your house. You cannot see the energy or the chakras in your body but you know they are there or else you would not be alive. Our life force (prana in Sanskrit, chi in Chinese) flows through these subtle energy channels and is stored in the chakras. 

CHAKRA	COLOUR	SYMBOL	ELEMENT	MANTRA	ANIMAL	SITUATION	CONTROLS	RELATES TO
Muladhara	Red		Earth	Lam	Elephant	base of spine	eliminatory system	family & background
Svadhisthana	Orange		Water	Vam	Aligator	between base and navel	bladder and reproductive organs	sexual energy & money
Manipura	Yellow		Fire	Ram	Ram	behind Navel	digestive system	self esteem & confidence
Anahata	Green		Air	Yam	Antelope	heart area	heart and lungs	unconditional love
Vishudda	Blue		Ether	Ham	Elephant	throat area	larynx and pharynx	will and communication
Anja	Indigo		Ether	Om	-	beteeen eyebrows	pituitary gland	higher consciousness
Sahasrara	Violet	-	-	-	-	crown of head	pineal gland	spirituality

THE DIFFERENT BODIES OR SHEATHS THAT MAKE UP THE HUMAN BEING
Yoga works on the entire human being in a many different ways. Yogis believe that we are made up of five different bodies and these bodies are called sheaths. In Sanskrit they are know as koshas:
1 The annamaya or cellular (physical) body is experienced through sensory perception and it
is maintained by food. The yoga postures stretch, tone and strengthen this body.
2 The pranamaya sheath or the breath body consists of energy or electrical currents and is an exact replica of our physical body, however it is very subtle and is etheric. It is sustained by the breath. The deep breathing exercises in yoga improve this sheath and bring about a great feeling of wellbeing and rejuvenation
3 The manomaya sheath or the mental body is experienced through the power of thought and has a profound effect on the state of our well being. Depression, anger, stress and immune system breakdown are registered on this level. The inverted postures stimulate the glandular system to produce hormones and chemicals that enhance our functioning on this level.
4 The vijnanamaya sheath or intellectual body is maintained through inspiration.
In it resides our discriminatory faculties, our awareness of right and wrong as well as our creative abilities and intuition. This sheath is stimulated by postures that bring about withdrawal of the senses i.e. the Pose of Tranquillity and the Spider.
5 The anandamaya kosha or the bliss body is very subtle, is hard to recognise and is difficult to explain. It is the experience of pure well being. The cosmic counterpart to this bliss feeling is the physical orgasm. Yoga puts us on the path to pure well being.

PRANA AND IONISATION
In yoga we work with prana.
When we breathe, eat, drink water or absorb sunlight we absorb the energy from these substances. This is the prana, vital energy, the life force that keeps the human being functioning. In yoga, this vital force is called prana. The Chinese call it ‘chi’. Prana is in the air that we inhale however, it is not the oxygen and it is in the food that we eat, but it is not the carrot. It is the subtle energy that keeps us alive. Through full active breathing and the practise of yoga postures the human being can absorb and store more prana than usual and balance the chakras, and this is what leaves you feeling so alive after a yoga session. The oxygen that we breathe and the food that we eat are converted into energy to keep us alive. As this conversion takes place, toxins are formed and eliminated. These toxins, and the elimination of them, are referred to as apana.
An excellent way of explaining prana is to compare it to electricity. When you turn the bedroom light on the globe shines, proving that the energy is present. You know that the electricity is there but you can not see it. Everything and everyone exerts electromagnetic currents. Prana is the energy in our electromagnetic current.
Astronauts need to be physically, mentally and emotionally fit people. In fact, it is probably one of the most demanding jobs one can imagine. When research into space travel began the astronauts functioned well during training sessions out of the space capsules. When they were sealed into the capsules for training they became listless, lost their appetites, their concentration diminished and their reflexes became slower and less precise. This led to intense study of the conditions within the space capsules and it was discovered that the capsule created a perfect Faraday cage, which is an earthed container that excludes electrostatic influence. If someone remains in a room or a space where there is no positive electric field, or if the field is too weak, the person will experience tiredness and fatigue. This can be felt on long journeys in a car when all the windows are closed, and also accounts for jetlag. THE POSITIVE ELECTRICAL FIELD IS NECESSARY TO ATTRACT NEGATIVE IONS.

Research was directed towards the electrical properties of the air in the space capsules and there are now machines that recreate the electromagnetic conditions of the free air. This research was so important that it led the American government to label it ‘top secret’. These secrets were catalogued under ‘Title 35 Code US – 1952, Sections181 – 188’.

Studies in France show that negative ions cause an increase in the respiratory process by favouring the passage of oxygen through the cell membranes so that absorption becomes more efficient. The removal of carbon dioxide is also made easier. Excessive positive ions inhibit this process. This does not apply to the respiratory functions only, but affects digestion as well as energy absorption through the skin, which is the largest organ of the body for absorbing prana. Professor Wartburg of Germany states that when healthy cells are put into a position where it becomes impossible for them to breathe normally, they pass into a state of ‘fermentation’ and then become true cancer cells.

In the past doctors have studied the human body on a cellular level. Yet it is the ions, atoms and electrons which dictate the activity of each and every cellular exchange. Ionisation is of capital importance to the cells. The electrolytes have a biological activity caused by their ionisation. The ions are the true workers of the cells and organic tissues in the organism and take part in all vital functions. In other words WE NEED NEGATIVE IONS TO FLOURISH AT PEAK PERFORMANCE.

Industry emits thousands of ton of dust and poisonous gas into the atmosphere. These, in themselves are harmful to living organisms. This we don’t doubt. Yet these gasses and the dust cause a catastrophic reduction of free negative ions and an enormous increase in positive ions in the atmosphere. This decreases our vitality and weakens our immune systems.

People who work and exercise in air conditioned buildings are also at risk of suffering from lack of negative ions in the atmosphere as air conditioners trap the negative ions and the air becomes inert. If you work in an office with air conditioner buy an ioniser and plug it in near your desk! The difference is remarkable.

A car with all the windows closed can create a negative electrical field, which attracts positive ions, which do us no good at all. Plastic furniture does the same thing. Clothing is also important as synthetic fabrics can produce enough electrostatic negative charges to repel the negative ions from the person wearing the clothing. Wear cotton, linen or silk and avoid synthetic bedding.

Try to get out of the city and into the country as much as possible. During holidays it is not just the break from work or school that revitalises you. It also depends on where you spend your holiday. In the old days people “went to the seaside” for their vacation and a swim in the ocean definitely leaves one feeling invigorated. This is because seawater has a negative index in relation to man. Going to the beach, walking in the forest, riding through the desert, picnicking in a valley or near a waterfall or climbing a mountain makes us feel good. Each of these exercises gives us a different “feeling”. This is because there are differences in energy between these geographical regions and each has its own subtle pranic energy, creating zones of strong or weak climate.

Zones of strong climate are areas where the atmospheric electrical field is very high. This is where one finds invigorating health resorts. These are areas consisting of wide plains with broad horizons and the coastal region of the North Sea and the Atlantic Ocean. Vegetation is not luxuriant

Zones of average climate are found in valleys, close to forests and in deep coastal bays. Vegetation here is more abundant than that of a strong climate.

Zones of weak climate are found in very deep valleys and the banks of undercut rivers where vegetation is luxuriant. This type of region has a much lower vital activity than the others and has a calming effect on very nervous people.

Zones of zero climate like polluted cities are created by man.

These are not the only important factors when dealing with negative ionisation. The weather and barometric pressure play a large part in the absorption of energy from the air. Lightning imparts an enormous amount of negative ions into the atmosphere.

Have you ever wondered how acupuncture works? The needles cause and electrical discharge from the body into the air. Certain points of the body have a tonifying effect on the body while other points have a dispersing action. From these points the meridians were discovered. Each organ has a series of resonating and excitation points along the meridians. Its all electrical – very subtle – but electrical.

Yoga aids the absorption and retention of prana. The Sanskrit word for breathing exercises in yoga is Pranayama. Pranayama gives us the tools and techniques necessary for the control and conscious use of these subtle energies.

I guess it all comes down to electrical fields, electrical currents and negative ions.

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