“You yourself, as much as anybody in the entire universe, deserve your love and affection.” — Buddha
My first memory of the word “chakra” comes from one of my favorite shows – Avatar: The Last Airbender. While it is a children’s show, it deals with very mature themes like war, genocide, redemption, and love. And it’s influence from eastern religion, philosophy, history, and animation is really cool! The finale is one of the most perfect TV show endings ever.
I won’t be getting into the show a whole lot here, but I do encourage people to explore it if that’s your thing. I want to focus on the idea of chakras.
In Avatar: The Last Airbender, Guru Pathik is a spiritual leader who teaches the main antagonist Aang about chakras. Depending on the tradition (Indian, Buddhist, etc.) there can be between five and seven chakras. For this article, I will focus on seven.
Guru Pathik describes them as such:
In a creek, the water flows through a path, much like energy flows through our body. There are several pools where the water swirls around, before flowing on. These pools are like our chakras. They are the pools of spiraling energy in our bodies. If nothing else were around, the water in the creek would flow pure and clear.
However, life is messy, and things tend to fall in the creek. And then what happens? Well, the creek cannot flow. But if we open the paths between the pools, the energy flows. There are several chakras that go up the body. Each pool of energy has a purpose and can be blocked by a specific kind of emotional muck.
Isn’t that like careers in HR? One of my favorite quotes is “people are messy.” It helps refocus me when people are messing up the mess with more mess they simultaneously did and didn’t intent to mess up.
I love the idea of “the illusion of separation.” Our interconnectedness to one another and the universe is apparent when we think it through. The Sun belongs to each cloud, and each cloud belongs to the rain, and the rain belongs to the earth, which belongs to the grain we grow for wheat that belongs to humanity, which belongs to the Sun. All things are connected and interwoven in a universal dance until everything ceases to exist.
So too is this concept within each of us. The mind and the body can feel separate and divided, as can our “pools of energy.” The chakras tells us we are not separate within. Our bodies are many elements and yet a whole. Our bodies and the world are many elements, yet whole.
Each chakra, with its unique energy and purpose, invites us on a journey of self-discovery and healing. By nurturing these centers, we can achieve harmony within ourselves and with the world around us.
I invite you to think through the following. In HR, what causes your chakras to be blocked? How can you remove the muck, so your inner river can flow free an unencumbered?
1. Root Chakra (Muladhara): Located at the base of the spine, this chakra is your foundation, the bedrock of stability, security, and basic needs. When balanced, it grounds you firmly in the present, fostering strength and resilience. It deals with survival and is blocked by fear.
What are you most afraid of? In your career? In your personal life? Are those really all that different? Let your fears become clear to you. Let those fears flow down the creek.
2. Sacral Chakra (Svadhisthana): Positioned in the lower abdomen, this center of creativity and pleasure invites you to embrace life’s joys, fostering healthy relationships with oneself and others. It’s the cradle of vitality, passion, and adaptability. This chakra is blocked by guilt.
Look at all the guilt which burdens you. What do you blame yourself for? What did you do that you regret? Whom did you hurt? Accept the reality that these things happened, but do not let them cloud and poison your energy. If you are to be a positive influence on the world, you need to forgive yourself.
3. Solar Plexus Chakra (Manipura): Situated in the upper abdomen area, this chakra fuels your personal power, self-esteem, and confidence. It’s the fire that propels you into action, asserting your place in the world with strength and determination. It deals with willpower and is blocked by shame.
What are you ashamed of? What are the biggest disappointments in yourself? You will never find balance if you deny these parts of your life. So, accept these parts of yourself. They make you whole and cannot be separated from your true self.
There is a character in The Last Airbender named Uncle Iroh. He is an amazing wise man. He has a quote worth repeating as it relates to this chakra: “Pride is not the opposite of shame, but its source. True humility is the only antidote to shame.”
4. Heart Chakra (Anahata): Located within the heart (duh), it is the bridge between the lower and upper chakras, harmonizing our earthly experiences with our higher aspirations. It pulses with love, compassion, and connection, teaching us the true essence of unity. It is blocked by grief.
Lay all your grief out in front of you. What have you lost? Whom or what do you mourn? You have indeed felt a great loss (all of us as humans have felt loss and it is significant to us). Remember, loss means we once or continue to love, and love is a form of energy that swirls all around us. The love that comes from people whom you have lost has not left this world. It is still inside of your heart and is reborn into the form of new love.
5. Throat Chakra (Vishuddha): Located in the throat, this is the chakra of communication and expression, inviting you to speak your truth with clarity and authenticity. It’s about voicing your thoughts and feelings openly and with integrity. This chakra is blocked by lies.
What lies have you told to others? What are the lies you tell yourself? One cannot lie about one’s own nature. We are full of both great capacity for good and evil. Denying this is a lie to make us feel better, which ultimately makes things worse. Acceptance is the only way to remove lies.
6. Third Eye Chakra (Ajna): Positioned on the forehead between the eyes, it is the seat of intuition and insight, opening your vision beyond the tangible to the profound mysteries of existence. It guides you to see beyond illusions and to trust your inner guidance. It deals with insight and is blocked by illusion.
What illusions block you from seeing clearly and completely? The greatest illusion of this world is the illusion of separation. Things we think are separate and different are actually one and the same. We are all one people, but we live as if divided. We are all connected. Everything is connected. If you open your mind, you will see that it’s all part of the same body and same whole. Remember the cloud that exists in every drop of rain.
7. Crown Chakra (Sahasrara): At the crown of the head, it connects you to the divine, the universe, or whatever you perceive as the source of all. It’s where individual consciousness merges with the universal, fostering spiritual connection and enlightenment. It deals with pure cosmic energy and is blocked by earthly attachments.
Meditate on what attaches you to this world. What are the things you cannot do without? What attaches you from moving forward in life? What outcomes are you seeking, which you have no control over?
Think of your attachments and let them go; let them flow down the creek to let in non-attachment. Non-attachment allows you to see that you’re more than your relationships, accomplishments, or material goods. You are constantly growing and changing and are interdependent with the world around you. Non-attachment also can help you become more successful at what you do. When one lets go, they can better roll with the punches of life, connect with your purpose and meaning, and evolve by taking in feedback.
This exercise is not for the weak of spirit. One needs a strong core and discipline to take the full journey, but my what sweet fruit it likely bears. Ultimately, even if we don’t reach enlightenment, which few truly do, this exercise alone can be a powerful reminder to reposition our negative thoughts and energy toward something more positive and enduring in this world.
And to think, this level of depth and self-discovery came from a television show initially aimed at children. I hope this philosophy has some power and influence on those who watched the show as well as those beyond the core demographic.
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