This is a body map based on my chakras that I made piece by piece after listening to a meditation and then doing a Yoga Pose in a session led and developed by Art 4 All People, I didn't finish if back then. It just existed as some marks on a page. I was supposed to finish for homework but instead I started working on a painting from it but I also did not finish.
2 years later I was assigned to lead a similar exercise with yoga and meditations from Joseph Le Page. As my friend Lisa Miller worked on her map. I decided to work on mine too. I don't remember which poses I did years ago. But hearing the meditation for each chakra got me back in the space. I then was so excited I took it home and worked on it some more.
Here is my final piece.
ROOT CHAKRA
"This is the area at the very base of the body – the perineum. Begin by taking a deep inhaling
breath, hold the breath in, and as you exhale, allow the breath and awareness to flow fully
into this area of the body and become aware of any sensations... Now, begin to breathe
into this area, creating even greater awareness of any feelings or sensations...Explore the area in detail... Does the energy in this center have a particular shape...color... size... or density?... Does the energy feel open or closed?... You may even experience an inner sound or a particular
emotion related to this energy center."
I saw the root of a tree and hands holding me or maybe my hands holding myself. The colors were red and black.
SACRAL CHAKRA
"Now, allow your awareness to travel into the lower abdomen, four finger-widths below the
navel, just above the pubic bone. Take a deep inhaling breath and hold the breath in. As you
exhale, allow your complete awareness to rest in this energy center and begin to notice the
quality of the energy here... Take the breath into this area, allowing the sensations to
gently expand in order to sense the energy more deeply... Tune into the feelings and
sensations... Feel the energy from the front of the lower abdomen all the way to the
sacrum... Notice if the energy in that area radiates out easily into the body. Does the
energy in this center have a particular shape... color... size... density... sound... or
emotion? Allow an image to form of the energy here, holding this part of your being in a gentle and
loving embrace. Make a mental picture of the energy in this center. Allow this image be held
in a gentle, loving awareness, and when you have a feeling of the energy in this center,
come to a place of rest as you hold the feeling of this energy center in your awareness."
(pause one minute)... "
I saw the ocean waves at night and swimming.
SOLAR PLEXUS CHAKRA
"Now, bring your awareness to the upper abdomen, where the ribs meet in the front of
the body. Inhale, and as you exhale, let your awareness enter this area and begin to
explore the quality of the energy here. Is it feeling open and comfortable or tight and
compressed? What’s the emotional tone of this area? Is there a shape... a color... or a
texture... a movement? Allow these feelings and sensations to be
gently amplified with the breath, feeling the energy all the way into the middle of the
back. Which Yoga posture would allow you to feel this energy more fully? (pause) Now,
make a mental picture of the energy in the area of the solar plexus and as you hold this
area in your awareness, come back to a seated position in your own time and express
Manipura Chakra on your body map. As you complete your drawing, return to a place lying
on your back."
I saw red, red lips and the limbs of a tree against a mid day blue sky.
HEART CHAKRA
"Now, slowly bring your awareness up to the heart center, noticing the place where the
energy feels strongest in the center of the chest. If the entire chest were a wheel, where
would the hub be? Take a deep inhalation and as you exhale, allow your awareness to enter
through the hub of the wheel and then gently radiate out through this energy center...
Begin to explore this area... Allow any sensations of warmth, tingling, or tightness to
gently expand, so you can experience the energy fully in this center... Notice how this
energy responds to the breath as it deepens.... Notice the quality of the energy
here... shape... texture... color... density... Is there an inner sound? What feelings and
emotions are held in the heart? ... "
I saw a red lark flying in the clouds
THROAT CHAKRA
"Allow your awareness now to rise up into your throat. Inhale and hold the breath in. As you
exhale, allow the breath to expand through the throat and become one with the energy
here. Notice whether this center feels open to communication or restricted, perhaps a sense
that there are words that can’t be released from the throat (pause). Notice the quality of
the energy here – shape... size... color...density... There may even be a sense of a
particular taste in the throat... What emotions are held here? (pause)
Allow the breath to flow into this energy center, gently expanding the sensations.
(pause) "
I saw an ear that was listening carefully and with attention.
3rd EYE CHAKRA
"Now, allow the energy to rise into the area between the eyebrows. Take a deep inhaling
breath; hold the breath in and as you exhale, allow your awareness to travel back into the
area behind the center of the eyebrows. Feel as if there were a tunnel or doorway leading
you back into the deepest part of your being..Feel the energy here... Is there a form... a
sense of color... perhaps a symbol? Allow the energy to deepen and expand. (pause) Allow
an image of your experience to be held in this space. Is there a Yoga posture, which would
deepen and expand your experience? Now, allow an image to form of your experience of
the third eye and as you are ready, come to seated position and express this image on
your body map. As you complete your drawing, return to a place lying on your back
as we continue our journey of the chakras."
I saw a blue angel ascending.
CROWN CHAKRA
"Now, allow your awareness to rise up into the crown of the head, take a deep inhaling
breath. As you release, allow the sensations to spread through the crown and beyond...
Allow your whole being to merge with the sensations of energy. Is there a color or
symbol? Connect deeply with the quality of the energy here... Sense an opening in crown
of the head like the lens of a camera. Is the lens open to the energy coming in from
above? (pause) Is there a Yoga posture, which would allow you to sense this energy
more fully? ... Now, form an image of the crown chakra and as you are ready, come to a
seated position and express the feeling of this energy on your body map. As you feel
complete here, allow the abdomen to begin to rise and fall fully with the breath. "
I saw Ocean waves at night. A pitch black sky and a crescent moon.
