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Hrit- or Hridaya-Chakra

From the Bhakti List Archives

Alexandra Kafka • December 26, 2001 


Hello Everyone,

I am new member of your group.
I am currently searching for information about the Hrit- or Hridaya-Chakra, a chakra situated near the well-known Anahata Chakra and not commonly described in books about the Indian Chakra tradition. 
I am in need for this information because it is stated that in this Chakra there is the spiritual heart, it is the seat of the Atman and the place where ones Ishtadevata should be worshiped. But so far I could not find a satisfactory description of this Chakra. It is variously described as a lotus with 8, 16, or 1000 petals, being golden, red, or white of colour; inside of the lotus there are  circular regions of sun, moon, and fire and in the centre of the Chakra, there are a whishing-tree (kalpavriksha), a throne consisting of Matrika letters (symbolizing the spiritual heart of the aspirant) on which he/she should place his or her Ishtadevata in meditation, and an altar. 
However, I am not sure what is meant with these "circular regions" - does that mean one should visualize sun and moon circling round over the top of the wishing-tree, and fire burning around it? How does a throne consisting of Matrika letters look like?        And where is the altar to be placed in meditation-imagination - before or at side of the throne? 
If you have some more information or know where I can find a better description of this chakra, I would be most grateful for your kind help. 

Now some information about the name Hrit Chakra or Hridaya Chakra: There are many different names given to this special chakra in different spiritual traditions. My information about this chakra comes from the Book "Layayoga: the definitive guide to the chakras and kundalini" by Shyam Sundar Goswami, ISBN: 0-89281-766-6. The author writes there, that this chakra is named by the following names:

in the Vedic tradition: hridaya chakra, hrit padma, hridaya padma, hridaya kamala, hridaya amburuha, hridaya padmakosha, hritpundarika, hemapundarika 
in the Tantric tradition: hrit padma, hritpundarika, hridayambhoja, eight-petalled padma, eight-petalled kamala, sixteen-petalled padma 
in the Puranic tradition: hrit padma, hritpadmakosha, hritpundarika, hritpankaja, hritsaroruha, hridabja, hridambuja, hridambhoja, hridayambhoja, hridaya kamala, hridaya pundarika, hridaya, hrit desha, ashtapatra, adi shodasha chakra 

Happy New Year!!! for you and your families and friends,
Kind regards,
Alexandra (alexandra.kafka@aon.at)



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