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The Root of the Spinal Cord: Swadhistana Chakra
Swami Satyananda states that swadhistana is connected with all "the phases of the unconscious", the subliminal mind (Satyananda, 1972b). Traditionally it has also been linked with sexuality, sensory pleasure, liquid, taste, procreation and self-indulgence.
I think that swadhistana is connected with the secondary sexual characteristics aspect of sexuality, with follicle stimulating hormone and luteinising hormone (LH), oestrogen and androsterones as the hormones of this chakra. These hormones are central to the development of the secondary sexual characteristics - they define our gender, our selves as sexual people, the pitch of our voice, the shape and strength of our body, whether or not we have a beard, and the differing emotional characteristics of men and women.
There is a strong link between the pineal gland and the generative aspect of sexuality. Melatonin levels in the mother are exceptionally high during pregnancy reaching a peak at birth. The diurnal rise in plasma melatonin appears enhanced as pregnancy progresses, supporting the idea of a role for the maternal pineal in entraining foetal body rhythms (Reppert, 1988).
Thus the connection between the pineal gland and the gonadal system is apparent in connection with pregnancy and birth. The glandular connection of swadhistana is with the gonads and related systems so that to some extent it overlaps with muladhara chakra, and so I look to other aspects of our sexuality - puberty and the menstrual cycle - in the discussion of muladhara.
LILA » The Yogic Chakra System
Some more points
Prolactin secretion in women is controlled by the ovarian steroids, its level being modified by the fluctuating oestradiol levels of the menstrual cycle. Oestrogens stimulate prolactin secretion, so women have higher basal levels, particularly during reproductive years and pregnancy. There is a close parallel between plasma oestradiol and prolactin. Webley (1988) Ä found that, like melatonin, prolactin shows a night time peak around 3 - 4.00 am and its concentration increases with sleep. There is a diurnal rhythm in sensitivity to melatonin: melatonin given in the morning stimulates a constant increase in prolactin concentration across the sampling period, whereas in the evening a peak in prolactin was evident after 90 -120 mins. Women have higher sleep-related prolactin elevations.
This leads to the conclusion that it is possible that melatonin may control directly the nocturnal increase in prolactin . Further hypersecretion of prolactin and the related pituitary hormones, luteinising hormone (LH) and human growth hormone (HGH) may be associated with affective (mood) disorders such as manic depression and recurrent depression - here we see clearly the link between our emotional, physical and psychological states of being.
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Thyrotropin (TSH) is, together with melatonin and the adrenals, involved in coping with long term stress. Circadian changes in cortisol levels follow an opposite pattern to those of TSH (Johnson, 1982). Stress is intimately connected with metabolic rate, heart rate, an overactive mind, and also with age as an older person cannot cope with stress as well as a younger person. Long term stress is very different from short term stress (which is dealt with by the adrenals) and it is interesting that ajna, vishuddhi and manipura are all concerned with stress - which also affects the heart .
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Melatonin is the off-switch for prolactin production. Prolactin is made by the pituitary, is involved with pregnancy and stimulates lactation, and is implicated in manic-depression. Most of the research with prolactin has been with animals, but there has been some research with humans showing once again the link with the pineal gland.
Prolactin secretion in women is controlled by the ovarian steroids, its level being modified by the fluctuating oestradiol levels of the menstrual cycle. Oestrogens stimulate prolactin secretion, so women have higher basal levels, particularly during reproductive years and pregnancy. There is a close parallel between plasma oestradiol and prolactin. Webley (1988) Ä found that, like melatonin, prolactin shows a night time peak around 3 - 4.00 am and its concentration increases with sleep. There is a diurnal rhythm in sensitivity to melatonin: melatonin given in the morning stimulates a constant increase in prolactin concentration across the sampling period, whereas in the evening a peak in prolactin was evident after 90 -120 mins. Women have higher sleep-related prolactin elevations.
This leads to the conclusion that it is possible that melatonin may control directly the nocturnal increase in prolactin . Further hypersecretion of prolactin and the related pituitary hormones, luteinising hormone (LH) and human growth hormone (HGH) may be associated with affective (mood) disorders such as manic depression and recurrent depression - here we see clearly the link between our emotional, physical and psychological states of being.
I am suggesting that the hormones are the physical aspect of the chakras. Every hormone has a physical component which affects the workings of the body. They also have an emotional component, and I am suggesting that prolactin is the hormone of the emotion we associate with the heart chakra. Prolactin is made in men as well as women and children, for all of our lives, and has functions other than the primary one of lactation. It is intimately connected with melatonin and hence ajna chakra, with TRH and hence with vishuddhi chakra, with glucocorticoids and our stress levels and with oestrogen and hence female sexuality.
Swami Satyananda states that swadhistana is connected with all "the phases of the unconscious", the subliminal mind (Satyananda, 1972b). Traditionally it has also been linked with sexuality, sensory pleasure, liquid, taste, procreation and self-indulgence.
I think that swadhistana is connected with the secondary sexual characteristics aspect of sexuality, with follicle stimulating hormone and luteinising hormone (LH), oestrogen and androsterones as the hormones of this chakra. These hormones are central to the development of the secondary sexual characteristics - they define our gender, our selves as sexual people, the pitch of our voice, the shape and strength of our body, whether or not we have a beard, and the differing emotional characteristics of men and women.
There is a strong link between the pineal gland and the generative aspect of sexuality. Melatonin levels in the mother are exceptionally high during pregnancy reaching a peak at birth. The diurnal rise in plasma melatonin appears enhanced as pregnancy progresses, supporting the idea of a role for the maternal pineal in entraining foetal body rhythms (Reppert, 1988).
Thus the connection between the pineal gland and the gonadal system is apparent in connection with pregnancy and birth. The glandular connection of swadhistana is with the gonads and related systems so that to some extent it overlaps with muladhara chakra, and so I look to other aspects of our sexuality - puberty and the menstrual cycle - in the discussion of muladhara.
LILA » The Yogic Chakra System
Some more points
Prolactin secretion in women is controlled by the ovarian steroids, its level being modified by the fluctuating oestradiol levels of the menstrual cycle. Oestrogens stimulate prolactin secretion, so women have higher basal levels, particularly during reproductive years and pregnancy. There is a close parallel between plasma oestradiol and prolactin. Webley (1988) Ä found that, like melatonin, prolactin shows a night time peak around 3 - 4.00 am and its concentration increases with sleep. There is a diurnal rhythm in sensitivity to melatonin: melatonin given in the morning stimulates a constant increase in prolactin concentration across the sampling period, whereas in the evening a peak in prolactin was evident after 90 -120 mins. Women have higher sleep-related prolactin elevations.
This leads to the conclusion that it is possible that melatonin may control directly the nocturnal increase in prolactin . Further hypersecretion of prolactin and the related pituitary hormones, luteinising hormone (LH) and human growth hormone (HGH) may be associated with affective (mood) disorders such as manic depression and recurrent depression - here we see clearly the link between our emotional, physical and psychological states of being.
-----------------
Thyrotropin (TSH) is, together with melatonin and the adrenals, involved in coping with long term stress. Circadian changes in cortisol levels follow an opposite pattern to those of TSH (Johnson, 1982). Stress is intimately connected with metabolic rate, heart rate, an overactive mind, and also with age as an older person cannot cope with stress as well as a younger person. Long term stress is very different from short term stress (which is dealt with by the adrenals) and it is interesting that ajna, vishuddhi and manipura are all concerned with stress - which also affects the heart .
-----------------
Melatonin is the off-switch for prolactin production. Prolactin is made by the pituitary, is involved with pregnancy and stimulates lactation, and is implicated in manic-depression. Most of the research with prolactin has been with animals, but there has been some research with humans showing once again the link with the pineal gland.
Prolactin secretion in women is controlled by the ovarian steroids, its level being modified by the fluctuating oestradiol levels of the menstrual cycle. Oestrogens stimulate prolactin secretion, so women have higher basal levels, particularly during reproductive years and pregnancy. There is a close parallel between plasma oestradiol and prolactin. Webley (1988) Ä found that, like melatonin, prolactin shows a night time peak around 3 - 4.00 am and its concentration increases with sleep. There is a diurnal rhythm in sensitivity to melatonin: melatonin given in the morning stimulates a constant increase in prolactin concentration across the sampling period, whereas in the evening a peak in prolactin was evident after 90 -120 mins. Women have higher sleep-related prolactin elevations.
This leads to the conclusion that it is possible that melatonin may control directly the nocturnal increase in prolactin . Further hypersecretion of prolactin and the related pituitary hormones, luteinising hormone (LH) and human growth hormone (HGH) may be associated with affective (mood) disorders such as manic depression and recurrent depression - here we see clearly the link between our emotional, physical and psychological states of being.
I am suggesting that the hormones are the physical aspect of the chakras. Every hormone has a physical component which affects the workings of the body. They also have an emotional component, and I am suggesting that prolactin is the hormone of the emotion we associate with the heart chakra. Prolactin is made in men as well as women and children, for all of our lives, and has functions other than the primary one of lactation. It is intimately connected with melatonin and hence ajna chakra, with TRH and hence with vishuddhi chakra, with glucocorticoids and our stress levels and with oestrogen and hence female sexuality.
