It is important to understand in this context that we are discussing the energy movement downward from the body. The discussion here can cause some confusion. We associate the second chakra as the chakra associated with sexual activity. Sexual activity happens through the gross body. The chakra associated with the gross body is the root chakra. The concentration of energy in the root chakra is the causation of inertia and other gross activities. The root chakra is also called the seat of the Kundalini energy.

So the context here is to understand the scope of each chakra and transmutation of the energy. When you transmute the energy it flows upwards. Thus sexual energy then converts to creative energy. With this in mind now let us investigate the higher bodies.

The fifth body is the Spiritual body. The chakra associated with it is the Vishuddhi chakra. At this body we become aware of the phenomenon of life and death. Awareness of death resides here. Awareness of this body gives a feeling of bliss. The conflicts and problems end on this plane and it is a state of complete awareness. This is the stage of ‘Atma gyan’; the knowledge of self. Self-realization is an outcome of the awareness of this plane. The ‘I’ however still exists here. It is this ego that brings about the feeling of separateness on this plane. The quest for truth continues ahead of this body.

The sixth body is the cosmic body. The chakra associated with it is the Agya chakra. This chakra is also called the Adnya chakra. The body associated with this plane is called the Brahma body. The ‘I’ factor or the ego vanishes here and there is an experience of being one with the Universe. It is an experience of the consciousness, the experience of Aham Brahmasmi. This is where the awareness of creation, preservation and destruction happens.

The Brahma, Vishnu and Mahesh are the three representations of this state. The Agya chakra is the ‘third eye’ where the manifestation happens in the psychic domain. The third eye is the seat of creation, preservation and destruction. Those who seek the Universe meditate on this chakra which is in between the eyebrows. From here you view the cosmic reality, the infinite. This is the seat of psychic sights. The seventh body is the nirvana body or the Nirvana kaya. This is associated with the Crown chakra or the Sahasrar or the Sahasradal chakra.

This is the body of enlightenment. These chakras connect us to our higher self. Here you experience both the beingness and nonbeingness. This is a state to be experienced and cannot be described. That is why all spiritual knowledge is ‘quite’ on this plane. Explanations can be given for something that can be seen and understood.

It can then be compared. But here it is the ‘complete unknown’ and is beyond any comparison and explanation. It is a state of awareness of existence as non - existence. Thus we find two streams of teachings here; being of ‘everythingness’ and being of ‘nothingness’. Some Masters say we are everything while some will say we are nothing. But both mean the same at this plane.

This chakra is represented as a thousand - petal lotus, which is just a metaphorical representation of the feeling of opening of thousand petals when the Ultimate experience happens. Buddha called this plane the Nirvana; the extinction of the flame, vanishing into nothingness. This is the final lap in the homeward journey.

Meditation connects you to these various bodies and the inward journey is becoming aware of each body. With complete awareness of each body we then move to the next. The duality of male and female ends at the fourth body. We alternate as male and female body upto the fourth body and that is why people who mediate feel complete. There exists a sense of union or ‘Yoga’.

They recognize their male and female compositions completely and thus a feeling of completeness sets in. The non-dual or the ‘adwaita’ starts with the fifth body. The feeling of completeness is the energy of blissful state that these people experience.

So turn inwards and explore the inner world to experience this feeling of completeness. Commence this homeward journey and become the awakened ones.