poem interpretations & more
For how long
Do you plan to pretend?
For sooner or later
The mask always slips
The thousand masks
That you wear
Do not help hide
The ugliness from the Creator
For He always sees you
Completely naked
Like the day He created you
A perfect song to go with this poem (please turn on captions to understand the lyrics) :
Image source : https://discover.hubpages.com/health/Tactics-of-a-Narcissistic-Mother
The solar plexus chakra, or Manipur chakra in Sanskrit, translates to, “city of jewels.” This chakra governs personality, ego, and identity, as well as personal freedom, choice, and authenticity. The solar plexus chakra also has to do with motivation, willpower, and purpose. Self-confidence is connected to the solar plexus chakra, as well. It also governs the digestive system and its respective organs; as a result, it has jurisdiction over both the gut’s emotional brain and stored emotions.
Some imbalances in the Manipur chakra can cause the following diseases :
Gastric or digestion issues like stomach pain, heartburn, acid reflux, nausea, ulcers, or a loss of appetite. More serious conditions like diabetes, gallstones, hypoglycemia, eating disorders, high or low blood pressure. Emotion wise - it can result in irresponsibility, an excessive need for control, victim mentality, and feelings of helplessness, insecurity or inauthenticity can be connected to this chakra.
There is a raag called ‘Ahir Bhairav’ in Hindustani classical music, which helps balance a person’s solar plexus chakra. A raag is like a template of a musical composition over which various lyrics can be set. Every raag is supposed to invoke certain energies, emotions and feelings in the listener. Ahir Bhairav raag creates a feeling of relaxation, compassion, sympathy, motivation, devotion and surrender. It helps balance a person’s blood pressure, cures digestion issues, skin problems, ego issues. You can hear it as much as you feel like or can even keep it playing in a low volume while not actively listening to it. The vibrations themselves can cause healing. The lyrics do not matter so much, but are definitely a cherry atop the icing in most of the good raags, but for purposes of healing – they do not matter as vibrations are much subtler than lyrical meaning which is of a logical construct. Hope you experience the healing of your Manipur chakra through these beautiful songs.
Here are some beautiful songs based on the raag ‘Ahir Bhairav‘ :
Apsara aali :
Albela Sajan :
Medley of both these songs :
Cover art taken from : https://meditativemind.org/how-to-heal-solar-plexus-chakra-aka-manipura/
Autumn is a season with bittersweet energy – the days get shorter, the air gets chilly, humans get slower, animals migrate or start preparing for hibernation, leaves turn colors and they start emptying the trees. It really is a season of letting go. This makes me think of a beautiful song which reminds me of the energy of Autumn.
The song is called ‘Haminastu’ which means ‘If there is Heaven anywhere, it is here, it is here’. I love the texture of this song, with it’s deep and clear musical beginning which has a soulful rubab playing. It’s hauntingly beautiful happy-sad lyrics are sung beautifully by Zeb Bangash, a talented artist. This is one of music director – Amit Trivedi’s masterpieces. Below is the song and its lyrics and translation.
gar firdaus, barooye zameen ast
haminasto, haminasto
meri jaan rooh dil se baabast
haminasto, haminasto.. (Persian)
If there is paradise on this earth somewhere,
here it is, here it is.
Inhabited by my life, my soul and my heart,
this is the place, here it is.
khaamosh darakhton ke saaye
ye khauf hai soya saa
kuch khoya khoya humne bhi
ye chehra hai roya saa (Urdu)
In the shadows if these silent trees
there is a fear that is hidden
Seems like I have lost something
the face is as if it has cried
murjhate gulon ne jhuk ke kaha
hume aadat hai hamin asto…
chalte lamhon ne ruk ke kaha
inaayat hai hamin asto… (Urdu)
Even the dying flowers bowed and said,
we are used to this.. in this place.
Moving moments stopped and said,
it’s kindness/mercy on us.. in this place.
ye veerane, ye sannaate
ye kya bol rahe hain
aate jaate, aate jaate
ho… (Urdu)
these desolate places, these silences,
what are they saying
as they pass?
panchhi saare ud gaye kahin
bas ghonsley hain haminasto
gar jannat hai zameen pe kaheen
yaheen pe hai haminasto, haminasto.. (Urdu)
all the birds have flown away somewhere,
only the nests remain in this place.
if there is heaven on earth somewhere,
here it is.. here it is..
Picture credit : https://qz.com/india/837702/in-photos-kashmirs-stunning-fiery-and-forlorn-autumn-is-missing-its-tourists-this-year/
Heart chakra (Anahata chakra) is a very important energy center of a human. It is a decision point – a conditional, which if solved correctly takes a human to the higher energies of the throat chakra (Vishuddha chakra) onwards towards a subtler existence that is closer to divinity; or if solved in another way, can take a human back to cruder energies of the solar plexus chakra (Manipur chakra) towards a more mundane existence and animalistic tendencies.
Here are the vrittis (propensities, tendencies) of the heart chakra:
The aim is always to balance these tendencies. An overflow or underflow of them causes unfavorable emotions.
1. Asha: Over-optimism (overflow) / practical hope combined with effort (balance) / hopelessness (underflow)
2. Chinta: Anxiety, over-worrying nature (overflow) / caring nature (balance) / non-caring, hardened nature (underflow)
3. Chestha: Stubbornness, non-relenting (overflow) / effort (balance) / not making any effort (underflow)
4. Mamta: Possessiveness (overflow) / fondness (balance) / non-loving (underflow)
5. Dhamba: Arrogance, vanity (overflow) / necessary vanity (balance) / not caring at all about vanity (underflow)
6. Vivek: Judgements, overly critical (overflow) / discrimination (balance) / lack of discrimination (underflow)
7. Vikalata: Choosiness, high maintenance (overflow) / discomfort (balance) / depression (overflow)
8. Ahamkara: Ego (overflow) / pride, self-worth (balance) / no boundaries (underflow)
9. Lolata: Covetousness, avarice. greed (overflow) / practical earning for survival (balance) / giving away everything (underflow)
10. Kapatata: Duplicity, hypocrisy, manipulation (overflow) / diplomacy (balance) / blurting out hurtful words (underflow)
11. Vitarka: Indecision, argumentativeness (overflow) / sharing ideas, innovation (balance) / talkativeness backed with no action (underflow)
12. Antuptata: Regret, burning misery (overflow) / feeling remorse then forgiveness, letting go, learning and moving on (balance) / not feeling remorse, regret for wrongdoings (underflow)
There is a raag called ‘raag Bihag’ in Hindustani classical music, which works wonders for healing the heart chakra. A raag is like a template of a musical composition over which various lyrics can be set. Every raag is supposed to invoke certain energies, emotions and feelings in the listener. With raag Bihag, the heart chakra can be healed i.e., balanced. You can hear it as much as you feel like or can even keep it playing in a low volume while not actively listening to it. The vibrations themselves can cause healing. The lyrics do not matter so much, but are definitely a cherry atop the icing in most of the good raags, but for purposes of healing – they do not matter as vibrations are much subtler than lyrical meaning which is of a logical construct.
Here are some songs based on raag Bihag :
1. Laal Ishq :
2. Mama Atma :
3. Tere Sur Aur Mere Geet : Old song, instrumental version of same song
Listening to these balances the heart center, is what I have myself experienced. It is indeed very true that music touches the heart and sometimes even heals it 🙂
