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Health concerns abound in the western world today. A number of Eastern therapies and life improvement systems like Yoga and Ayurveda are gaining acceptance in the mainstream of western living. A major factor in the success story of these life improvement systems and therapies is that they address the root cause of the ailment rather than the symptoms. These therapies take the route of prevention rather than just treating a problem. The pace of life coupled with the pressures of work and social obligations are making a simple life very complicated today. The lack of quality time available to people today coupled with self induced peer pressure is directly affecting the health index of the society. Although, the life span of individuals is increasing, and this can be attributed to improved life support system and medical sciences, the health and happiness index has not improved correspondingly. The increased longevity of people is not resulting in an increased and improved life style. There is an urgent requirement for us to look back and reconsider what is going wrong. With our health, our system and our lives.

Yogic literature and practices which have stood the test of time, have mentioned solutions to the problems which we face today. Human are not new to stress. Social scientists have always maintained that some amount of stress in life is actually beneficial to the body and mind. It keeps the body mechanism oiled and functioning optimally. Problems arise when the stress level is continuously experienced and there is no exhaust system in the body to let go off the tensions.  Yoga and an understanding of the working mechanism come to our rescue. Yoga, through the medium of Asana and Mudras, is a holistic system that addresses the overall development of the body. An understanding of the body and its energy sources coupled with the correct Yogic postures make our body-mind rhythm in synch. There are a host of articles and websites on Yoga and a scan through any search engine leads us to the false understanding that Yoga is all about some exercises and breathing (not well illustrated though!!). What most writers miss out is that yoga relates to the understanding the human body and it is not just about the exercises.  One of the deepest and most significant aspect of Yoga is the understanding of Chakras. Chakras are the energy vortexes of the human body, totaling seven in all.

We shall address the aspect of Chakras through the example of stress release in the human body. Most modern day medical therapies are symptotic in nature and believe in curing symptoms of an ailment rather than the source of the ailment. Although this form of therapy has found success in the recent past, but a holistic treatment of many remedies has not yet been found. An understanding of the Seven Chakras assists us in finding the solution for many ailments which plague the society today; primary amongst them being Stress. We shall discuss the aspect of the Crown Chakra, or the Sahasrara.  The Sahasrara is of supreme relevance to the body. In many illustration of the Crown Chakra, it is shown as a purple or white colored thousand petal Lotus of holy effulgence, able to rotate at a tremendous speed and is attributed with the quality that it makes the human body communicate to the universe through the spiritual medium. It is the life source through which the life energy flows to the lower six chakras in the body. It is located on top of the head. 

In the words of swami Vyas Dev, and illustrated in the Vedas, “The purpose of the Crown Chakra is intuitive knowledge, relation to one`s spirituality and integration of the human being with the source of creation.” The Crown Chakra is known to arise spirituality as well as develops the senses of living in the present. The under-activity of the Crown Chakra causes depression, diseases of the muscular system, skeletal system and the skin, chronic exhaustion that is not associated with physical ailments and sensitivity to light, sound and the environment. The Crown Chakra controls the top centre of the head. The pineal glad in the human body is controlled by the Crown Chakra. The exercise to activate the Crown Chakra is prayer and meditation. It is suggested that a clean environment with free flowing air is the best place to activate the crown chakra. Sweet smells of flowers, when inhaled through the nostrils assists in the activation. The method to activate the chakra involves putting the hand in front of the stomach, fingers pointing up in the Namsakara mode. Chanting the sound of Om and concentrating on the top part of the head. A word of caution though is that one should practice the activation of this Chakra only when one is sure of the root chakras and their stability.

When we compare this to the existing means of stress relief, we find that most current forms have used part of this technique or its derivatives. Social scientists and new age gurus always stress on the availability of a clean and airy location to practice their exercises. The low sound of music and the rhythmic beats are also subscribed to in most current teachings. The sweet smelling flowers and fragrances that are soothing are also advised by most people teaching stress relief.  Rhythmic breathing is also advised which is akin to the chanting the Om. When we relate this to the ancient teachings, it is clearly evident that the present teachings are a sub product of the past; altered to suite the present social conditions and honed to good marketing skills. Nothing wrong, but it might be prudent to put things in perspective and practice the unadulterated and pure teachings. Also, it is essential to understand the logic behind the activity. This aspect is woefully missing in current teachings and also current learning. We have become used to instant solutions to our long lasting ailments. Popping a pill is the solution most of us resort in times of crisis. We indulge in a practice fraught with risks and danger. We need to refrain.