The Wisdom of the Chakras by Ellen Tadd, Review

Lantern Books offered me the opportunity to read and review The Wisdom of the Chakras by Ellen Tadd which I graciously accepted. Without this opportunity, I may not have found this gem for quite a while.  I started reading it, got about halfway through and noticed I had so many post-its sticking out of my book, that I might as well start over with a highlighter. So, I did.

The book is filled with insights on how the chakra system affects our thoughts, words and actions; and how we can use simple practices to create harmony and balance in our daily life.

I have read quite a few books on the chakra system and this book is very unique. This book is written with all levels of experience with the chakra system in mind; through experience not just information. This style of writing makes balancing the chakras more attainable to those just starting their meditation practice as well as beneficial for those with a deeper practice. It is also beneficial to those who have no attachments spiritually and are just looking for ways to divert their focus from everyday challenges and struggles.

Ellen Tadd wrote the book in reverse, starting with the Crown Chakra, whereas most start with the Root. Tadd reasons that, "Starting from the base, we must do all the work ourselves. When the crown is open and functioning well, we connect to spirit, and we become aware that we are never alone in the process of growth and transformation." This ideal is a wonderful way to visualize and open the chakras.

A Must Read!! I recommend this book to everyone.

The Wisdom of the Chakras by Ellen Tadd, Review

Our Universal Identity

The first chakra we are going to explore is the Crown Chakra (Sahasrara translation: Thousandfold).  The Crown Chakra is located at the very top of the head.  This Chakra is associated with divine wisdom, our spirit, our Oneness with the Universe, our Unity with all that is, and Enlightenment.  In Yoga, this centre is referred to as the Thousand Pedaled Lotus, representing purity, refinement and beauty.  We use this chakra as a tool to communicate with our spiritual nature.

To truly open this chakra, one has to let go of all earthly attachments, forget the past and let spirituality in; bringing you to complete awareness.  It is then that we actualize spiritual qualities such as love, trust, clarity, confidence and well-being and let go of qualities of impulsiveness, lack of confidence, fear and depression.  It is only when the other six chakra's are opened that we can reach this state.  Just as we are all interconnected, so are the chakra's.  When one chakra opens or closes it affects the rest of the system.

Environmental conditioning and cultural attitude are the prime sources of a closed crown chakra.  They perpetuate fear, anxiety, suspicion, worry, self-doubt and can even lead to depression.  But if looked at from a spiritual perspective, the fear of inadequacy is generated by identifying oneself with one's behavior rather than spiritual identity.  Fears of being unsafe in the world or death occur when people do not recognize that their physical body is temporary and our true essence or spirit is eternal.  Indicators that the crown chakra is not functioning optimally is if you find yourself  stuck in the past, without faith or just have a feeling of disconnect from the world in general.

"Ultimately, all beliefs rooted in fear can be transformed through drawing on spiritual principles such as love, compassion and balance; and working to manifest them in everyday life."

Inspiration, Devotion and Spontaneity are ways to unblock the crown chakra.  It is impossible to be frightened when we manifest any of these.  I for one find inspiration through pictures, poetry, prayers, blessings and short stories.  I share them on my blog, Chasing My Bliss, so others can find a happy spot to sit and relieve some stress and anxiety.  But what inspires me, may not inspire you.  You need to look within yourself to see where you find inspiration.  Devotion creates a feeling of unity, which opens the Crown Chakra as well.  Whether it is a dedication or worship that is focused on spiritual matters, a child, spouse, friend or pet.  Spontaneity is the by-product of trust which of course eliminates fear making those care-free moments wonderful ways to open the Crown.

"People who attempt to meditate with closed crown chakras can achieve a form of relaxation, but they are unable to experience expansion and direct contact with Spirit.  Meditation is listening to Spirit; therefore the door to Spirit - the crown chakra - must be open.  With an open crown chakra, insight and connection to the spiritual life force are available to everyone."

Because the Crown Chakra is a tool to communicate with our spiritual nature, the best yoga method is meditation.  The asana's (poses) that you may like to incorporate into your practice are lotus pose (Padmasana), Headstand Pose (Sirsasana), Easy Pose (Sukhasana), or any other meditation pose that you prefer.

 There are three steps to achieve Vipassana or mindfulness meditation - Awareness, Mindfulness and Intention.

Attention is the first step.  By being attentive to one’s own breathing, thoughts, feelings or bodily sensations, the mind becomes calm.  The most common technique is to observe one’s own breathing, either by feeling the air move through the nostrils or by being aware of the abdomen moving in and out. The calming of the mind alone doesn’t constitute vipassana or mindfulness meditation. As long as the underlying causes of restlessness and suffering are not removed, they will keep coming back.   Until the mind is fundamentally transformed, it will keep getting disturbed again and again. Most minds are being caught in (usually unconscious) patterns of reactions to certain stimuli, leading to cycles of negative emotions and suffering. The mind has to be made aware of these patterns by the practice of mindfulness.  Inspiration, devotion and trust are all tools that can be used to help become aware.  You may want to start with an inspiring poem, visualization or prayer to help aid your focus.

The second step is mindfulness.  When attentiveness becomes lasting and strong and the mind is sufficiently calm, it becomes mindful of its own workings. This includes putting a stop to the endless judging and commenting going on in the mind.  Being mindful means neither grasping nor pushing things away. It also means living truly in the present moment and seeing things as they really are.  A tool to use to stay mindful is an affirmation or universal truth.  It could be something as simple as "I am" or as long as "I soar upward on wings of joy!"  Find one that connects with you and sit with it.

The final step is intention.  It happens spontaneously as the result of the practice of calmness and mindfulness.  When one releases the affirmation and works to hold the mind still.  Just as muddy water becomes transparent again once it is allowed to be still, and the mud has settled down; so a mind purified by the practice of calmness and mindfulness will spontaneously reveal its true nature.

"When we focus on the gift of being Spirit in human form, sources of inspiration become abundant.  We appreciate the possibilities of learning and creativity in life.  Happiness becomes a state of being, not a state of acquiring."

 This week, I offer you the following practices to help open yourself to your spiritual nature.

Day 1 ~  Take a sheet of paper and list all your fears.  Everything from the smallest insecurity to the biggest struggle.  When you are finished listing them go back to the first item and write why you have this fear and how you can overcome it.  Continue this throughout the list.  How many can you overcome with simple inspiration, devotion or spontaneity?  Would you be able to meditate on these fears to release them?  Please share which fears you can not overcome so maybe you can find inspiration from another person.

Day 2 ~  I invite you on a creative journey today.  What inspires you?  Share your inspirations with us by making a vision board, painting, writing a poem, making a video or other creative way and share it with the group.  Tell us how these inspirations can help you open your crown chakra.

Day 3 ~ Today we are going to look at The Key to Happiness.  Again, take a sheet of paper and list all of your desires from the ones you share with those close to you to the ones you harbor inside.  Now look at your list.  Are the desires spiritual or cultural?  How would you feel if certain desires could not be fulfilled?  Sit on this mindfully for as long as you can.  Release the desires that contaminate your happiness.  Come back here and share with us how you feel now that you no longer are carrying these burdens.

Day 4 ~ Stress and anxiety are our focus today.  I want you to be mindful of your body, mind and spirit; and what causes you anxiety or stress.  Whether it is from a social, personal or spiritual standpoint.  I want you to become aware of the triggers and journal about how you paused and released it.  Share this journal with the group.

Day 5 ~ Today we will begin focusing on meditation.  When you have 10 minutes of calm, I invite you to use this Guided Meditation with Karen Kallie.  Share with the group your experience.

Day 6 ~ Today's meditation comes from David Pond's book, Chakra's for Beginners.  "Draw a beam of white light and trace the movement of the white light down through the chakras and, let it rise to your Crown Chakra and out.  Picture a violet glow surrounding you and as you hold your breath, fill yourself with this light.  Realize that you are no longer alone as a separate being; you are one with all.  Feel the sense of spiritual protection as you align with the Divine.  Breathe out and send the energy of your being to the Divine and the world around you.  With your eyes still closed, begin to sense that you are sitting in the room.  Again become aware of your surrounding noises and smells.  Still keeping your breathing regular, open your eyes and notice the refreshing awareness of NOW."  Share with the group your experience. 

Day 7 ~ Today is our last day focusing on the root before we move onto the third eye chakra.  After a week of absorbing information and guided practices, I ask that today you sit on your own.  Use any of the tools I have shared to help you open your crown chakra.  For the final day on this chakra, I ask that you write about your experience this past week.  How have you grown spiritually?

Do not forget the practice in upcoming weeks.  Remember all the chakras work together.  To share in this exploration journey, please join us over at Meditation and Weight Loss.  Namaste.

All information on the Crown Chakra has been collected through various sources and personal experience with the intention of sharing them with like-minded individuals who are exploring the chakras.  All quotations are from The Wisdom of the Chakra's by Ellen Tadd unless otherwise noted.  I highly recommend this book.

Our Universal Identity

7 Week Journey of Spiritual Exploration

I am about to embark on a seven week journey of spiritual exploration through our energy centers; and how they affect us and how we can clear them so we can enhance our lives. I am honored that I was asked to lead this journey at SparkPeople's, Meditation and Weight Loss Team.

Chakra is the sanskrit word meaning "wheel" or "vortex." There are seven major chakras in the body that run along the spine and correlate with certain body parts, emotions and senses.

Each chakra is associated with particular functions within the body and with specific life issues and the way we handle them, both inside ourselves and in our interactions with the world. As centers of force, chakras can be thought of as sites where we receive, absorb, and distribute life energies. Through external situations and internal habits, a chakra can become imbalanced.

Lets take a look at the chakras.

1. Root Chakra, located at the base of the spine, is the center of discipline, responsibility, order, and one's comfort in the physical body and on earth.

2. Sacral Chakra, situated at the mid-point between a woman's ovaries and at a comparable location in men, deals with the balance between the receptive and directive forces and with relationships, sexuality, creativity, and one's identity in the world.

3. Solar Plexus Chakra, located in the naval area, where you experience butterflies when you're nervous, is the center of feeling, emotion, harmony, and intuition.

4. Heart Chakra, in the middle of the chest, is the center of love, joy, generosity, courage and forgiveness.

5. Throat Chakra, located (obviously) at the throat, is the center of power, confidence, expression, growth and truth.

6. Third Eye Chakra, in the middle of the forehead, is the center of focus and concentration, wisdom, clarity, clairvoyance and discernment.

7. Crown Chakra, located at the top of the head, is the center of trust, devotion, inspiration, spontaneity, and happiness, and is an access to spiritual dimensions.


There are many spiritual practices to help open up and balance the chakras and together we will explore these many options and their benefits.  We will be using Yoga as one of the practices.  Yoga is more than a way to be more flexible. Its therapeutic effects reach beyond physical fitness and mental relaxation. 

Each week we will focus on one of the chakra's. Ellen Tadd offers a fresh approach to the Chakra's by starting with the crown.  In  The Wisdom of the Chakras, she reasons with the following, 

"Starting at the base (root), we must do all the work ourselves. When the crown is open and functioning well, we connect to spirit, and we become aware that we are never alone in the process of growth and transformation."

Because this book contains good practices and experiences with the system and I am currently finishing it thanks to Lantern Books; I am going to follow Ms. Tadd and work this journey backwards starting with the Crown Chakra.

To join our journey, please visit Meditation and Weight Loss.

7 Week Journey of Spiritual Exploration

The Right Focus

While grocery shopping, I take my time and keep mindful.  I do not like to rush the experience rather I take the experience slowly and enjoy the moment. I enjoy the open layout of my neighborhood store and the way the bright lights reflect off the fresh foods they offer. I enjoy searching for the perfect fruits and vegetables and feeling their textures in my hand. When I pass the bakery, the aroma is so sweet it is intoxicating. I smile at the little child begging his/her mother for a sugary treat then raise my eyes to the mother's flustered face with compassion.  The weight of my cart as it fills reminds me of how I am providing nourishment for my family which brings me a feeling of satisfaction.

In Ellen Tadd's new book, The Wisdom of the Chakra's she uses The Grocery Store experience as an example.  An example of when a person usually leads away from The Third Eye Focus, or as she calls it "The Kingpin" and moves their focus to the Solar Plexus which is an emotional focus. 

"When perceiving from the solar plexus, most people experience fear or anxiety of some sort, whether it is about time, decision making, or people."

Today, while grocery shopping with my boys (which is normally something I do alone) I enjoyed watching my little ones in the car attachment beeping at the other patrons and my oldest proudly holding my list getting ready to cross off the next thing that I was going to place in the cart.  While waiting at the deli for them to call my number, I reflected on what Tadd said in her book.  I was curious what would happen if I changed my focus to my solar plexus.  

I started absorbing the mood of the gentleman behind me, shifting his wait from one foot to the other in frustration.  I noticed the sound of an unhappy toddler a few aisles down and sensed the aggravation of the mother.  The chatter of one patron beside me insulting someone or something to the person she was having a cell phone conversation with while ignoring the lady behind the counter who was asking her if she needed anything else.  The anxiety that I felt in those brief few moments swept over me completely.  I lost focus on being mindful and was overwhelmed with negative thoughts and emotions.  I could feel the frustration building more and more.  

"With your eyes closed, you would have to depend on feeling to find your way.....If you opened your eyes and walked down the same street, you could still use your hands to feel, but the addition of sight would increase your selectivity and discernment."

I took a deep breath and slowly brought my energy back to the Third Eye Focus.  I let go of the emotional tension around me, concentrated on my breath and once again found my positive energy.  I enjoyed the rest of my shopping experience with my boys.  Later, in the afternoon I reflected on other times that I too had those types of fears and anxieties while food shopping.  When did I start becoming mindful of the experience?  What triggered it to become a positive experience rather than a negative one?  The answer was right there before me, Practice.  

Mindfulness is a practice.  It is not something that can be achieved over night nor is it something that most can experience every moment of the day.  However if we take a moment during each activity to pay attention to the present (the task at hand); whether in our actions, our thoughts or our daily conversations we can learn to become more aware of the moment and not let it slip away. 

*Quotes are excerpts from  The Wisdom of the Chakras: tools for navigating the complexity of life by Ellen Tadd.

The Right Focus

The Wisdom of the Chakras by Ellen Tadd

Lantern Books has offered me the opportunity to read and review The Wisdom of the Chakras by Ellen Tadd.  I graciously accepted and started reading over the past weekend.  The book is filled with insights on how the chakra system affects our thoughts, words and actions; and how we can use simple practices to create harmony and balance in our daily life.

I have read quite a few books on the chakra system and this book is very unique.  This book is written with all levels of experience with the chakra system in mind, through experience not just information.  This style of writing makes balancing the chakras more attainable to those just starting their meditation practice as well as beneficial for those with a deeper practice.

Ellen Tadd wrote the book in reverse, starting with the Crown Chakra, whereas most start with the Root.  Tadd reasons that, "Starting from the base, we must do all the work ourselves.  When the crown is open and functioning well, we connect to spirit, and we become aware that we are never alone in the process of growth  and transformation." This ideal is a wonderful way to visualize and open the chakras.

While reading, I plan to explore these simple practices and write about my experiences.  I invite you to join me on this journey and share your experiences as well.

The Wisdom of the Chakras by Ellen Tadd