Toning the Chakras

Unlock the sacred power of sound by reaching within yourself during silent meditation.

Step 1 — first chakra:

Focus your attention on the first chakra, the root chakra, located at the base of the spine. The vowel sound for this chakra is “UH” (as in the word huh).

Begin to tone an “UH” sound. It should be soft and gentle, as should all the sounds you will be making during this exercise. Continue to focus your attention on the first chakra and project your intention so that you visualize the sound resonating at the base of your spine. Feel it vibrating here, and as it does, become aware that the energy center associated with this area is resonating, becoming balanced and aligned. Make this “UH” sound seven times.

Step 2 — second chakra:

Next, focus your attention on the second chakra, the sacral chakra, located about 3 inches below the navel. The vowel sound for this chakra is “OOO” (as in the word you).

Begin to tone a soft and gentle “OOO” sound. Continue to focus your attention on the second chakra and project your intention so that you visualize the sound vibrating this area. As you feel it resonate here, experience this energy center balancing and aligning with sacred sound. Make this “OOO” sound seven times.

Step 3 — third chakra:

Focus your attention on the third chakra, the solar-plexus chakra, located at the navel area and several inches above. The sound for this chakra is “OH” (as in the word go).

Begin to tone a soft and gentle “OH” sound. Continue to focus your attention on the third chakra and project your intention so that you visualize the sound vibrating this area. As you feel the vowel sound resonate here, experience this energy center being balanced and aligned through sacred sound. Make this “OH” sound seven times.

Taken with permission from The Divine Name

Step 4 — fourth chakra:

Focus your attention on the fourth chakra, the heart chakra, located in the center of the chest. The vowel sound for this chakra is “AH” (as in the word ma).

“AH” is often a sound we make when we’re in love, and indeed, the heart chakra is the center associated with love. Begin to tone a soft and gentle “AH” sound. Continue to focus your attention on the fourth chakra and project your intention so that you visualize the sound vibrating this area. As you feel the vowel sound resonate here, experience this energy center becoming balanced and aligned through sacred sound. Make this “AH” sound seven times.

Step 5 — fifth chakra:

Focus your attention on the fifth chakra, the throat chakra. The vowel sound for this chakra is “EYE” (as in the word my).

Begin to tone a soft and gentle “EYE” sound. Continue to focus your attention on the fifth chakra and project your intention so that you visualize the sound vibrating this area. As you feel the vowel sound resonate here, experience this energy center becoming balanced and aligned through sacred sound. Make this “EYE” sound seven times.

Step 6 — sixth chakra:

Focus your attention on the sixth chakra, the third-eye chakra, located in the forehead between the eyes and slightly above them. The vowel sound for this chakra is “AYE” (as in the word may).

Begin to tone a soft and gentle “AYE” sound. Continue to focus your attention on the sixth chakra and project your intention so that you visualize the sound vibrating this area. As you feel the vowel sound resonate here, experience this energy center becoming balanced and aligned through sacred sound. Make this “AYE” sound seven times.

Step 7 — seventh chakra:

Focus your attention on the seventh chakra, the crown chakra, located at the top of the head. The vowel sound for this chakra is “EEE” (as in the word me).

Begin to tone a soft and gentle “EEE” sound. Continue to focus your attention on the seventh chakra and project your intention so that you visualize the sound vibrating this area. As you feel the vowel sound resonate here, experience this energy center becoming balanced and aligned through sacred sound. Make this “EEE” sound seven times.

Step 8 — silent meditation:

At the completion of this exercise, you may feel very light-headed. You’ve been sounding, resonating and balancing your chakras as the energy moves up your spine into your head and above. Allow yourself a good 10 to 15 minutes for meditation, bringing your awareness fully back to everyday consciousness. At the close, be sure to ground yourself.

During workshops, I tell participants to take this opportunity to sit in silence and have the experience that will be of highest benefit at this point in their spiritual development. I suggest that this is a very nice place to be, so they should sit in a state of meditation and enjoy the experience.

To ground yourself

After you’ve completed the meditation, it’s sometimes helpful to draw the energy slowly back down into your lower chakras and your body in order to ground yourself. To do this, begin to tone a midrange “AH” sound three times, bringing the energy first to the heart chakra. Then, after three slow breaths, tone three of the deepest “UH” sounds, bringing the energy back into the first chakra to completely ground yourself.

The importance of silence and meditation

This entire exercise can take approximately a half hour — sometimes an hour if you’re having a particularly good meditation. It’s extremely transformational, both during the toning, when you’re resonating your chakras, and especially afterward while you’re in silence. Many people have related that they’ve experienced their most profound inner journeys and meditations from this exercise. In workshops, participants are often in states of bliss during the meditation and frequently following it as well. This exercise truly allows you to experience an introduction to the transformational power of sound.

The power and safety of sound

Sound can act like a psychoactive substance, altering and enhancing consciousness. The extraordinary thing about it is that not only is it entirely natural, but it’s totally controllable and totally safe. The experiences that people have are benevolent, blissful and beautiful. This is the wonder of self-created sacred sound — you’re responsible for the creation of it, and wherever you go or whatever you do, it’s completely natural and well within your control. If you need to stop the experience, all you have to do is open your eyes and take a few breaths and you’re back. I can honestly report that out of the tens of thousands of people I’ve worked with using sacred sound, there have never been any adverse effects. During workshops, the only complaint I’ve received from people is that they’ve been brought back and been grounded too soon after the experience — they were having too much fun! I assure them that they can always return to wherever they were simply by continuing to practice this exercise.

Here are a few reminders when you do this exercise (especially the first time):

• Allow yourself enough time to really enjoy the benefits that accompany this toning practice.

• Only do this in a safe environment where you won’t be disturbed, sitting in a comfortable chair or perhaps on the floor. (Never do this exercise in a car or standing up.)

• Allow yourself time after the meditation to relax and fully integrate the experience once you’ve grounded yourself. Don’t come back from the meditation at the end, open your eyes, and immediately rush to pick up the kids at school or go into that business meeting. Honor this exercise, the power of sound, and the experience you’ve just had.

Practice and integration

Once again, be sure to give yourself plenty of time. If you’ve had any difficulty feeling the resonance of the vowel sounds in your body and your chakras, know that the more you practice this exercise, the more you’ll understand how powerful it is, and how to incorporate it into your life. The more you work with sound in this manner, the easier it will be to experience the power of your own self-created sounds. Like any other sort of exercise, it may take some time to become comfortable with it and to fully integrate it into your physical and subtle bodies. The more you do it, the more effective it will ultimately become.

an exerpt from 'The Divine Name' by Jonathan Goldman
article found on GAIAM website