7 Chakras, 7 Sacraments & The 10 Sefirot
Uncover the structure of the seven stages of power and healing – tentatively present, in all major religions, and illustrated through three great traditions: Kabbalah, Christianity, and Hinduism.
Let's explore the connection between these three!
According to the Catholic church, there are seven sacraments instituted by Jesus.
According to a well-known tradition in Hinduism, there are seven chakras, or focal points arranged along the spinal cord.
And, finally, according to the sacred wisdom of the Kabbalah, even though there are ten emanations, there are actually seven branches of the Sephirot.
Notice a pattern?
Many years ago and many times I read the book “Anatomy of the Spirit" by Caroline Myss, she broke down the connection between three major religions and these energy points/powers. I highly recommend this book!
Last night I had dinner with a dear friend and my son. The discussion went quickly to religion and how they are similar and how they are different. My opinion has always been that they are all speaking the same truth and have been brought to us using different spiritual lineages not to divide but to unite us all on our path to God.
So I decided to write about this book and reiterate some main points to help us all feel like one universal and human tribe!
Carolyn Myss said, “The universal jewel within the major religions is that the Divine is locked into our biological system in seven stages of power that leads us to become more refined and transcendent in our personal power.”
This has always fascinated me because I believe that we are always speaking the same language but using different words. That there is only one God but many names. That we can heal ourselves with an education and understanding as to why we became sick in the first place and how our bodies have been speaking to us for many years but we have not understood the language.
My particular insights have shown me that emotional and spiritual stresses or diseases are the root causes of all physical illnesses. Moreover, certain emotional and spiritual crises correspond quite specifically to problems in certain parts of the body.
So, in other words, a disease is a deviation from the God who is embedded within our bodies and biographies. Consequently, a cure means returning to him, reestablishing the original equilibrium.
Myss dedicates a chapter to each of the body’s seven centers of spiritual and physical power, revealing, as she says, the seven sacred truths of our existence.
Each chapter includes the parallels between the above-mentioned religious concepts, the related body parts, and potential illnesses, and a list of 10 questions for self-examination.
Let’s have a look at them all!
#1. The First Chakra: Tribal Power
Location: Base of the spine.
An analogous Christian sacrament: Baptism. Parallels in the Sephirot/Judaist tradition: Shekhinah (The Feminine Spirit), “the spiritual community of all humanity.”
Primary strengths: tribal identity, a heightened feeling of belonging to a group, physical safety of the family, a sense of law and order, and the ability to stand up for yourself and those around you.
Primary fears: fears of abandonment, loss of order, fears of physical survival.
Related body parts: the legs, the spine, the bones, the feet, the rectum, and the immune system.
Related health issues: depression, immune disorders, sciatica, chronic lower back pain, varicose veins, rectal cancer, rectal tumors.
Sacred truth: All is One.
Some questions for self-examination: “What belief patterns did you inherit from your family? What superstitions do you have? List all the blessings that you feel came from your family. Describe the tribal characteristics within yourself that you would like to strengthen and develop.”
#2. The Second Chakra: Power of Relationships
Location: Lower abdomen to the naval area.
An analogous Christian sacrament: Communion. Parallels in the Sephirot/Judaist tradition: Yesod (Foundation).
Primary strengths: financial independence; sexual prowess; the ability to take risks; the power to rebel; creativity and control; ethics and honor in relationships. Primary fears: fear of being controlled and dominated by someone else (impotence, rape, betrayal, addiction…)
Related body parts: the hip area, the pelvis, the lower vertebrae; the large intestine, the appendix, the bladder; the sexual organs.
Related health issues: pelvic and lower back pain; urinary and sexual potency problems.
Sacred truth: Honor One Another.
Some questions for self-examination: “Do you consider yourself a creative person? Are you comfortable with your sexuality? If not, are you able to work toward healing your sexual imbalances? Do you use people for sexual pleasure, or have you felt used? Are you strong enough to honor your sexual boundaries?”
#3. The Third Chakra: Personal Power
Location: The solar plexus.
An analogous Christian sacrament: Confirmation. Parallels in the Sephirot/Judaist tradition: Hod (Majesty) and Nezah (Endurance).
Primary strengths: trust and fear; self-esteem, self-respect, and self-confidence; care of oneself and of others, sensitivity to criticism and personal honor; responsibility for making decisions.
Primary fears: fears of rejection and failure to meet expectations; fears of physical imperfectness (baldness, aging, obesity); fears that your secrets will be discovered.
Related body parts: the abdomen area (the liver, the spleen, the kidney, the stomach, the upper intestines, the gallbladder, and the pancreas).
Related health issues: arthritis; colon and intestinal issues; gastric and duodenal ulcers; pancreatitis, diabetes; anorexia, bulimia, and indigestion; Hepatitis.
Sacred truth: Honor Oneself.
Some questions for self-examination: “Do you like yourself? If not, what don’t you like about yourself, and why? Are you actively working to change the things about yourself that you don’t like? Are you continually wishing your life were different? If so, are you doing anything to change it, or have you resigned yourself to your situation?”
#4. The Fourth Chakra: Emotional Power
Location: Center of the chest.
An analogous Christian sacrament: Matrimony/Marriage.
Parallels in the Sephirot/Judaist tradition: Tiferet (Beauty and Compassion).
Primary strengths: love and compassion, forgiveness, hope, trust, the ability to be a healing presence.
Primary fears: loneliness, emotional vulnerability, betrayal, hatred, jealousy.
Related body parts: Ribs, breasts, lungs; heart and circulatory system; shoulders, arms, and hands; the thymus gland; the diaphragm. Related health issues: all diseases related to the heart (heart attack, congestive heart failure, mitral valve prolapse…), all diseases related to the lungs (asthma, lung cancer, bronchial pneumonia), allergies, pain in the upper back and the shoulders; breast cancer.
Sacred truth: Love Is Divine Power.
Some questions for self-examination: “What emotional memories do you still need to heal? What fears do you have about becoming emotionally healthy? What have you done that needs forgiveness? Which people are working to forgive you?”
#5. The Fifth Chakra: The Power of Will
Location: The throat.
An analogous Christian sacrament: Confession. Parallels in the Sephirot/Judaist tradition: Hesed (the Love and Mercy of God) and Gevurah (the judgment of God).
Primary strengths: faith, self-knowledge, and decision-making capacity. Primary fears: loss of faith; having no authority; the will of God.
Related body parts: throat and everything around and inside (thyroid, trachea, esophagus), hypothalamus, neck, mouth (jaw and teeth).
Related health issues: throat problems, mouth ulcers, thyroid issues.
Sacred truth: Surrender Personal Will to Divine Will.
Some questions for self-examination: “What is your definition of being “strong-willed”? Are you able to express yourself honestly and openly when you need to? If not, why not? What makes you lose control of your own willpower?”
#6. The Sixth Chakra: The Power of the Mind
Location: Center of the forehead.
An analogous Christian sacrament: Ordination.
Parallels in the Sephirot/Judaist tradition: Binah (Divine Understanding) and Hokhmah (Divine Wisdom).
Primary strengths: intellectual capacity; creativity; emotional intelligence. Primary fears: an unwillingness to discover your own fears; fear of discipline and objective truth.
Related body parts: the brain, pituitary and pineal glands, the eyes, the ears, and the nose. Related health issues: brain issues (strokes, tumors, hemorrhages, neurological problems); blindness, deafness; learning disabilities.
Sacred truth: Seek Only the Truth.
Some questions for self-examination: “What beliefs do you have that cause you to interpret the actions of others in a negative way? What beliefs do you continue to accept that you know are not true? Are you frightened of the changes that might occur in your life, should you openly embrace a conscious lifestyle?”
#7. The Seventh Chakra: Our Spiritual Connector
Location: Top of the head.
An analogous Christian sacrament: Extreme Unction (Last Rites).
Parallels in the Sephirot/Judaist tradition: Keter (Crown).
Primary strengths: devotion, faith.
Primary fears: “the dark night of the soul”; loss of identity and connection.
Related body parts: the central nervous system, the muscular system, and the skin.
Related health issues: energetic disorders such as depression and exhaustion.
Sacred truth: Live in the Present Moment
Some questions for self-examination: “Do you bargain with God? Do you complain to God more than you express gratitude? Do you tend to pray for specific things rather than pray in appreciation? Are you afraid of a closer spiritual connection to the Divine because of the changes that it might trigger in your life?”
Key Lessons from “Anatomy of the Spirit”
1. The Divine Is Locked Within Us 2. The Three Principles of Energy Medicine 3. The Seven Sacred Truths
The Divine Is Locked Within Us
This is something most religions believe in: we are created by some God and made in his image.
In other words, our physical anatomy corresponds to a divine scheme.
The same is true of our spiritual anatomy, which can be sketched if we superimpose the seven Christian sacraments, the seven-branched emanations of the ten Sefirot and the seven chakras.
What we get is the blueprint of a healthy person.
Any deviation from it is a deviation from God – and, thus, a disease.
The Three Principles of Energy Medicine
Energy medicine is based on three principles.
The first principle is “biography becomes biology,” our bodies contain our histories, and “our biological health becomes a living, breathing biographical statement that conveys our strengths, weaknesses, hopes, and fears.”
The second principle is “personal power is necessary for health.” In other words, a person must generate internal energy to heal himself or herself.
This is closely related to the third principle, which is “you alone can help yourself heal.” Meaning, healing is a bit different from curing, and while the latter can be controlled with medicine, the former (emotional/psychological balance) is your domain exclusively.
The Seven Sacred Truths
There are seven sacred truths you should abide by daily to reach an equilibrium of stability and health.
These are:
All is One;
Honor One Another;
Honor Oneself;
Love is Divine Power;
Surrender Personal Will to Divine Will;
Seek Only the Truth;
Live in the Present Moment.
Hope this has Lightened your path to your own connection with the Divine.
Please remember that we are all Blessed, that you are Blessed and always have been.
Hari Om Tat Sat