| Part II: | | | | digestion takes place in the stomach and intestines. |
| Scientists refer to energy from the sun as solar | | | | Here is where the "fire element" transforms matter |
| energy and yet spiritual personages state all of | | | | into usable energy. The fourth chakra is near the heart |
| creation is enlivened by a subtle energy, known by | | | | and called the Anahata. This chakra is associated with |
| different names in different cultures, but most popularly | | | | the color green and the air element. This is where the |
| known by yogis as "prana." | | | | lungs convert the oxygen in the air that we breath. |
| According to the "science of yoga" prana enters the | | | | This is also a direct link to learning how to control the |
| body through the medulla oblongata at the base of the | | | | prana force within the body. By learning to control the |
| brain. This energy enters the body naturally without | | | | breath we become more sensitive to the sensations |
| conscious effort by man; however, the man that | | | | of prana within the body. The fifth chakra, known as |
| becomes sensitive to it can learn to control it willfully as | | | | Vishuddha, is located at the throat area and is |
| well. The breath is directly linked to this prana or life | | | | associated with the color blue and the ether element. |
| force control. Yogis declare that without the active | | | | Ether is said to be the backdrop of creation sort of like |
| vitality of prana the body would be lifeless. It is this | | | | the canvas in which matter is painted upon. The ether |
| prana that allows man to digest food, heal itself, | | | | is also correlated with the vibrations that sustain |
| maintain internal temperature and process energy. | | | | matter. |
| When we examine man's energy needs from a | | | | These five chakras are primarily associated not only |
| spiritual perspective the paradigm changes significantly. | | | | with the physical body but physical creation. As we |
| To understand what is most beneficial for man's body | | | | ascend beyond these five we come to the final two. |
| we have to accept some changes in understanding. | | | | The last two chakras are centers that transcend |
| First, man isn't considered to be a gross matter | | | | physical matter and elevate man's consciousness |
| physical being. We must trace our essence back to its | | | | towards Spirit. The Ajna chakra is magnetically |
| Source that is Spirit. Spirit is formless and has no need | | | | connected to the medulla oblongata but is associated |
| for food. Spirit "individualizes" itself to become the soul. | | | | with the spiritual eye, also known as the third-eye, |
| The soul likewise is formless and has no need for | | | | located in the center of the forehead between the |
| sustenance from creation. The soul, however, under | | | | eyebrows. This chakra is identified with a deep violet |
| the spell of maya or ignorance identifies itself with | | | | color. The third eye is said to be a five-pointed silvery |
| matter and becomes encased in three bodies | | | | white star encased in a deep violet and encircled by |
| according to the yogi. The first body is known as the | | | | golden aura. Sages suggest that it is this chakra which |
| causal or ideational body (simply made up of various | | | | is the "only begotten son" or Christ-consciousness in |
| ideas). The second body descends further becoming | | | | man. They say this is Jesus' reference when he says |
| known as the astral body (made up of light). This body | | | | "If thine eye be one (single) thy whole body shall be full |
| emits an aura that certain tuned-psychics and such | | | | of light." Luke 11:34 |
| can often see or read. The third body is what we all | | | | The last chakra called the Sahasrara isn't actually a |
| observe which is the physical body. | | | | chakra in the sense that the others are considered |
| Thus what the spiritual person deems as the "best | | | | vortices. The Sahasrara is the Source, which enlivens |
| diet" for man are foods that help the individual to uplift | | | | all the other chakras. This center is called the |
| his consciousness back towards soul realization. The | | | | thousand-petaled center. It is associated with either the |
| spiritual person sees the body not as gross matter but | | | | full rainbow spectrum, amethyst or simply a white light. |
| an energy field that has certain magnetic and | | | | This is the symbolic "halo" that expresses divinity in a |
| vibrational properties. In fact, all of creation is nothing | | | | man who has achieved realization of the one Self. |
| more than vibrational frequencies and manifestations. | | | | So when the spiritual aspirant professes what is the |
| The physical body is ultimately enlivened by this astral | | | | best diet for man, he is doing so in terms of what |
| body that has seven energy vortices located within | | | | types of food assist man in raising his consciousness in |
| the astral spinal column known as chakras. The | | | | spiritual growth. The foods that contain the most vital |
| chakras manage various bodily functions and the | | | | nutrients, capture the greatest concentration of sunlight |
| communication of energy, stimuli and intelligence. | | | | energy and produce the least karmic effects upon |
| Starting at the base of the spine the Muladhara is | | | | man's body are the natural foods that come from the |
| associated with the color red, the earth element and | | | | earth such as fruits, vegetables, nuts and grains. Not |
| gross matter. It is no coincidence that we eliminate | | | | only do these type of foods come in a full-array of |
| physical waste in this region of the body. Slightly above | | | | colors but science is proving more and more everyday |
| the first chakra is the second known as the | | | | how they boost man's immune system, fight the |
| Swadhisthana. This chakra is associated with the color | | | | ill-effects of environmental influences and counter |
| orange and the water element. Again, looking at the | | | | many of the adverse effects of eating meat. Science |
| body we eliminate liquid from the body primarily from | | | | may be slow in revealing these truths but heart |
| this region through the urine. The third chakra in line is | | | | disease, high blood pressure, coronary defects and |
| behind the navel area. This Manipura chakra is | | | | cancers all seem to be correlated to over indulgence in |
| associated with the color yellow and the fire element. | | | | meat particularly red meat while a continuous stream |
| Of course the stomach area is where the majority of | | | | of data shows the beneficial effects of fruit. |