Cleansing the chakras

by Athos A. Altomonte

Prologue

Devotional traditions believe that mortification, repentance and prayer ‘purify' the taint of sin. Initiatory traditions rely on special procedures to ‘cleanse' the chakras and relieve the karmic negativities. This essay shows two methods to obtain the ‘inner laver'.

The baptism of fire is a procedure that can be repeated whenever necessary, even several times a day. The visualization uses the water element to drive the mental energy to ‘purify' the centers of the astral body.

The baptism of fire can be repeated less often, because it produces greater effects. The visualization uses the catalyzing power of the fire element to produce the inner light that, once pushed towards the desired direction, burns the debris in the ethereal body. The efficiency of the purification methods doesn't depend on the technique but on the strength of the person using it. Therefore the operator should improve his will rather than the exercise. Among the methods of purification we have chosen the Ritual Laver because it doesn't have any contraindications, even without specific preparation.

Historic derivation

In the tradition before the Deluge, all peoples preserve the memory of a huge natural catastrophe, whose survivors were the beholders of previous wisdom. The fragments of wisdom saved from the waters became the fundament of the so-called ‘initiatory Mysteries' (*).

The name saved from the waters was given by the initiates to the wisdom (see the myth of Noah); later on, though, spiritual guides as well became ‘saved from the waters'.

The codification of this name is not the water used in evocating rituals , but its correlation to the principle of wisdom, illumination and gnosis, which saves man from the darkness of material condition .

(*) «…in every Work of Art there are always 4 meanings: the literal, the allegorical, the moral and anagogic (Greek aná-ago: I lead up)…» Dante Alighieri, Convivio , Tome II.

In the ‘Mysteries' metaphors were used to re-veil (veil twice) the initiatory secrets from indiscreet eyes. The four elements of nature undergo this rule as well and they have a meaning for each initiatory level.

The allegoric meaning tells us about the 4 elements of nature in man: «bones correspond to the mineral, the earth»; «organic lymph corresponds to water»; «thoughts correspond to air»; «spirit corresponds to fire». Therefore:

The Earth creates and re-creates the physical shapes;

The Water generates and re-generates energetic fluids;

The Air structures and re-structures the energetic forms (the prana as well) because it transmits to the mortal being the tone and the timbre of the inner sound, which are the physical characteristics of the soul.

The Fire unveils and re-veils in the mortal being the energy of the solar Logos. The superior level interprets in these functions the mysterious combination of physical man and spiritual Man.

Ritual meaning

Water is used in acceptance ceremonies to purify the postulant from the fog of the past, giving him hope for a future light. Without the help of a dynamic and conscious will, the ritual laver stays a symbolic deed that states a hope. It reproduces a status of ideal but not real purification (*).

(*) The gesture of the officiant excels the will of the recipient, who during the ceremonial has a subdued and psychically inert attitude. Nothing is asked of him but his acceptance, even unconscious. In this way, though, nothing of his inner structure is modified.

With the help of the will the means can reach the goal. For purification as well the moral intention is a fundamental but not definitive aspect; mental dynamism is essential to reach the aim.

The will uses visualization; the clearer the latter is the more efficient is its drive. The act of will is the continuation of a psychically active attitude, able to catalyze energy through visualization.

The simplest method to regenerate the energetic centers is to mentally move the effect of the water. In describing the method we will glide over the principles of mystics, which we don't consider matter for experimentation. For correctness we must say that only in the mystic principles the water is the reflecting ethereal aspect that, following some rules of visualization, can interiorly reflect the spiritual light. We will stick to the practical aspect of the system, which we hope the reader can reach by himself.

The method

In old times the flow of a natural waterfall; nowadays we advise the more practical use of a hot shower.

In order to operate with the water on the front part of the body we must stand, either straight or slightly slanting, so to lean on the wall with the shoulder or the glutei. When we operate on the back we can lean on the forehead. In this way we can direct the flow of water on the desired points, of which we illustrate the position.

We will start by concentrating the flow on the center at the top of the head and then descend to run the water along the lower energetic ganglia, washing them both at the front and at the back.

By concentrating the water flow, point after point we will start visualizing the center that will appear as an opening with a circular shape. With experience we can go from feeling the chakra to seeing it, by visualizing the opening that is like an underground source emitting liquid. The latter will be at first like watered ink.

During the washing we will be mentally active, avoiding the status of trance (extreme relaxation) helping with attention the dragging and cleansing effect of the water. We will push to expel the sediments pouring out of the orifice.

The astral filth darkens the water, which in a few minutes will go from dark to a lighter color. Eventually the color will become just perceivable in the flow of water that drags the color with it along the body, up to disappearing through the drain.

Once dispersed, the dark color will be replaced by the discharge of blood-red color, which will appear as if it flew from a spring pool from the energetic center where it is concentrating.

Red is the color of animal vitality (the blood is the physical mark of the soul). Its appearance means that once expelled the superficial filth, we have started acting on the middle part of the energetic center. With the flowing of the water, though, this color will fade as well, replaced by a pinkish color, lighter and lighter, until a dense and milky white color will pour out.

Like the previous tones, the milky white will fade as well, until we will only have transparent water. This is the signal that what was supposed to be expelled is exhausted and the laver can be suspended.

An important element to remember is that during the operation (whose duration is subjective) we want the water to have a dragging effect also on the energetic filth of the rest of the body surface. Indeed, even if the water is directed to the different points, it keeps flowing along the body dragging all the energy deposited in the epidermis.

With experience will also increase the effectiveness of visualization and with the increase of the ability the effect of the mind on emotions and on the body will improve as well.

The statement that resumes the effect is to expel the negativity through energetic transpiration . In other words we can ‘watch' the negativity transude or transpire , being expelled through the energetic centers. The will is used as a propelling means to concretize the thought.

Points where to direct the action

Head, main centers (*): center at the top of the head (fontanelle), center of the forehead, center of the throat (Adam's apple).

Minor centers : eyes ( for what we have seen ), nostrils ( for what we have smelt) , ears (for what we have heard) , mouth ( for what we have said ).

Dragging effect : forehead, nape, neck, shoulders, breast and back under the neck.

Bust, main centers : center between the shoulder blades, root of the cardiac center at the epicenter of the back and its apex at the center of the breast, down to the solar plexus.

Upper limbs : centers on the palms of the hands and phalanges of the fingers.

Dragging effect : arm and forearm.

Abdomen, main centers : lumbosacral center, genitals.

Minor centers: liver and spleen.

Dragging effect : thighs and glutei.

Lower limbs : centers of the soles.

Minor centers : toes.

Dragging effect: thighs, glutei, femoral biceps, calves, ankles and back of the feet.

(*) This is a trace of the centers of the occult physiology in man. The vital centers are many more: twelve only in the head. The number twelve of the centers of the head can direct the research towards esoterical astrology , which, on the contrary of the exoterical one, occurs in the inner sky of man.

The use of this method may leave a pleasant exhaustion and a light dizziness. With time, the rhythmic use will express the advantages of a physical response accompanied by the mental clearness, the intuitive approach and inner serenity. These elements will give the right tools to know oneself.

The power of the psychic instrument

Many believe that the power of a ritual instrument is in the instruments itself; this is not true. Its power comes from the mental or spiritual power of the person who uses it.

Many look for magic, sacred and divine in physical means; in the fire of candles or braziers, in mirrors, crystals, pentacles or formulas of ancient cabbalas. They let music, chants, perfumes and colors charm them. All this is astrality. Through physical means we can only find the illusion of sacred and divine. The Magic instrument is hidden in man's mind. The latter is the true instrument of his conscience and soul; it can build or destroy the worlds of thought, causing the birth or death of dreams and imagination. The mind (which is not the brain) opens or closes the doors to bad spells and opens or closes them to good spells . The blindness of the mind relegates man in the darkness of physicity; opening himself to its power can turn him into a free spirit soaring in the sky.

The physical reason is only the shadow of the mind illuminated by the soul

Freedom of choice

Thought is the most dangerous and wonderful gift of the ‘Gods'. It is dangerous if the reason believes in the strength of one's own choices. This freedom makes it unconscious of what it is choosing, like a blindfold.

Free will

Nevertheless man, by freeing the mind from the tight shell of reason, unties the blindfold of the animal nature that covers his eyes, gaining the Free Will , which is the mirror of the soul.

Athos A. Altomonte