Opening to the Mystery of Heaven 8-24-11

Consciousness is the mystery that we embrace in the Crown Chakra -- the thousand petaled lotus.  The Seventh Chakra is about merging with divine consciousness and realizing our true nature.  The name is Sahasrara (thousandfold).
The element is Thought.
The purpose is Understanding.  The issues we'll be looking at during the next forty days are:
Consciousness, Awareness, The Witness, Transcendence, Immanence, Belief Systems, Higher Power, Divinity, Union, and Vision, Meaning, Unity.
The color is Violet.
The demon is Attachment.

In this seventh power center, an easy way to confront our own fear of death and to go beyond that fear to experience the undying existence of our own soul is to practice the technique of held and expelled breath:
Sit in a comfortable position with your hands held palms up in front of you, as though someone were going to pour blessings into your open hands.
Inhale deeply, and hold the breath with your eyes one-tenth open.
Slowly exhale all the air from your lungs.
Once the air is gone, mentally chant "Sat Nam" four times.
Inhale again, slowly exhale, and holding the breath our, chant the mantra five times.  Gradually work your way up to reciting slowly the mantra eight times on each exhale.
Continue for at least three minutes.