Energy, sentiment and conscience: three keys to success

Today, during my weekly yoga training session I focused on the master's words during the heating phase; then my mind started wandering. At the beginning of the session, we are used to lay down on a mat, keep the eyes closed and listen to relaxing music. This happens in a warm room lightened by some dim lamps.

The master started the lesson by suggesting some full yogic breathes. After emptying the lungs, the yoga breath consists of a deep abdominal breath followed by thoracic breath (pushing air to the chest). Then, always in the same breath, the air fill the upper part of the lungs almost to the clavicles. While doing these yogic breathes, he suggested to concentrate, accordingly the air softly moved from down the stomach up to the clavicles, to these three chakras.

1. The chakra of power, situated few centimetres below the navel. This is where energy comes from and the point where to concentrate attention when looking for relax, calmness and energy through deep breathes.
2. The chakra of sentiment, situated in the middle of the chest and the centre from which feelings emanate. Emotions like love, joy, happiness and generosity come from this chakra that is the channel through which we connect to other people.
3. The chakra of conscience, situated between the eyebrows. It's the centre of intuitive perception, this chakra helps having clear conscience of where you are and where you are going to. This chakra is responsible for imagination and helps building a more complete perception of the scenario, providing peripheral vision that would otherwise go unnoticed.

Picture of the seven chakras

After the master provided this brief description (I am not an expert in chakras) he invited us to continue focusing on these three centres during all the breathes, and even more difficult, during the whole lesson.

That's when I realized that power, sentiment and conscience were not just three chakras scattered along the body. I think they really represent three important attitudes in life: when communicating to people, participating to a meeting, analysing a problem, going to a party or whatever I do in my daily life. I cannot imagine doing anything in this world without even one of these three strengths. I don't see myself doing my job without imagination and loving a person without energy and passion. I cannot think of any relation and communication without appreciation and generosity. 

That's why I think it's a good idea to stop from time to time along the day, take a deep breath and consider if any of these strengths is being neglected. When you happen to discover that you are acting with energy, passion and generosity as well as imagination more and more often, you are probably a successful person.