Hrit Chakra or Eight Petals Chakra

Hrit Chakra or Eight petals Chakra or

Menifestation Chakra:

Hrit chakra is not the physical heart but represents the spiritual heart.

 ‘In the citadel of the body, there is the small sinless and pure lotus of the heart which is the residence of the Supreme.

 Hrit chakra is described as a delicate, beautiful lotus, red as the morning sun. The petals are characterised as golden or white.

  Hrit (Hridaya, heart) is a minor chakra with eight petals. It has three regions: a vermilion sun region, within which is a white moon region, within which is a deep-red fire region.  The 'Inner awareness or the Inner heart or the Inner mind' — is found in the center of the eight petal Lotus. This is also called the 'Lotus flower within'.

The heart-lotus or "lotus of heart" is the center of the "Infinite Omnipresent Consciousness" which connects with the "Consciousness of the Universe". Through the intuition, one of man's divine gifts, the spiritual aspirant can see the Infinite Omnipresent Consciousness as the lotus flower within himself.

Hrit chakra is sometimes known as the Surya chakra. Its role is to absorb energy from the sun and provide heat to the body and the other chakras.

It is also known in Tantric scriptures as

Hrit padma, Hritpundarika, Hridayambhoja, Eight-petalled padma, Eight-petalled-kamala, Ashta-dala- Kamala.

In Vedic (Upanishads) scriptures it is known as Hridaya chakra, Hrit padma, Hridaya padma, Hridaya kamala, Hridaya-amburuha, Hridaya padmakosha, Hritpundarika, Hemapundarika

In Puranic scriptures it is known as 

Hrit padma, Hritpadmakosha, Hritpundarika, Hritpankaja, Hritsaronihi, Hridambuja, Hridambhoja, Hridayambhoja, Hridaya kamala, Hridaya pundarika, Hridaya, Hrit desha, Adi-shodasha chakra

Position : 

The experience of an emotion results from the brain, heart and body acting in concert.

Kshetra: Externally, heart region. The Hrit Chakra is located externally near the Anahata Chakra( kshetram).

Internal position -  Inner heart or

 Inner mind or Inner awareness. Emotional centers of brain.

Emotional centers of the brain.

The brain is a very complex organ. It controls and coordinates everything from the movement of  fingers to the heart rate. The brain also plays a crucial role in how we control and process our emotions.

The limbic system is a group of interconnected structures located deep within the brain. It’s the part of the brain that’s responsible for behavioral and emotional responses.

Hypothalamus- In addition to controlling emotional responses, the hypothalamus is also involved in sexual responses, hormone release, and regulating body temperature.

Hippocampus. The hippocampus helps preserve and retrieve memories. It also plays a role in how you understand the spatial dimensions of your environment.

Amygdala. The amygdala helps coordinate responses to things in your environment, especially those that trigger an emotional response. This structure plays an important role in fear and anger.

Limbic cortex. This part contains two structures, the cingulate gyrus and the parahippocampal gyrus. Together, they impact mood, motivation, and judgement.

Number of petals: 8 

 arranged from right to left

Colour:  Golden, White, Red

Sun region - vermilion

Moon-region - white

Fire-region - deep red

On the petals: 

Eight forms of superpowers, arranged from right to left

1.Kamavasaltva(Resolution), 

2.Mastery

3.Anima( Atomization), 

4.Vashitva (Control)

5.Prakamya( Irresistible Will)

6.Laghima (Lightness)

7.Mahima (Largeness)

8.Prapti (Attaining)

In the Pericarp:

It has three regions.

Circular sun-region,

within that moon-region 

and within that fire-region 

and within the fire-region

red wishing-tree and a gummed seat at the base of the tree.

 Kalpavriksha, which symbolises the ability to manifest what one wishes to happen in the world.

This Chakra is the only one related to the number 8 which is a  powerful spiritual number that can be found at the heart of the most occult spiritual traditions.

Technique:

 Breathing techniques along with deep state of meditation, Samadhi opens the Consciousness,  the gates of our inner world. The term Anahata (unstruck sound) is the sound of oneness, made without contact of two objects. This heart centre is the soundless sound of silence, the cosmic sound known as 

Shabda-Brahman.

Anahata is the seat of Consciousness, sense of "I-ness", and point of contact between soul and body. It is centre of direct revelation and inner quietude. In some scriptures, anahata is described as the Chakra from which all 72,000 nadis originate. 

Normally Hrit Chakra  is like an unopened lotus. When spiritual nature develops inside, the petals of the lotus start unfolding and blossoming. 

The lotus also represents Purity and Non-attachment.

Though God is present everywhere, it is in the inner heart, our spiritual centre, that God manifests as Param-Atma or the Supersoul. 

The inner Hrit of the devotee is the "Lord’s temple" room. called the Ananda- Kanda or the root of Bliss. It is here that one can create an image of their Ishta devata (personalized deity) and worship mentally. It is a centre where devotion is intensified. It is here Veerashaiva Lingayats worship Prana-Linga in subtle system and  Bhava-Linga on the seat (seat of soul) in deep meditation.

Within this is the red wish-fulfilling celestial tree, Kalpavriksha, which symbolises the ability to manifest whatever one wishes.  Kalpavraksha, kalpaka and kalpataru is wish fulfilling tree, and that it grants all wishes, One's wishes will tend to bear fruit if the sankalpa (wish resolve) is strong enough. This applies to both positive and negative wishes. One must be careful not to make negative resolves. 

In some tantric texts the kalpavriksha is also called "Chintamani". The  word Chinta here means 'thoughts' and mani means 'jewel'. 

Therefore, Chintamani means 'the jewel of thought'. It is said that the Chintamani is a tree growing in the middle of a divine lake. The divine lake is located in the middle of a beautiful garden. The garden is said to be the abode of divine beings. The meaning of this scene is that people who live at the level of Anand-Kanda have a divine awareness, and that whatever they wish will be fulfilled. This is Anubhava path or Kriya path. It is better to tread the tantric-yogic path and discover the experiences for yourself. The Ananda-Kanda Lotus, within which is the "celestial wishing tree" from the Heaven of Indra, the Kalpataru. The magic tree is said to hold the deepest wishes of the heart and the deeper cries of the soul within."

 The Sun has been recognized as the key to the most powerful energy of the world. Breathing techniques along with deep state of consciousness open the gates of our inner world.

Kamadhenu:

Some texts describe Kamadhenu instead of kalpavraksha. Kamadhenu is a miraculous cow of plenty who provides her owner whatever he desires. In iconography, Kamadhenu is depicted as a white cow with the wings of a bird, and the tail of a peafowl. Kamadhenu  denotes wish fulfilment, purity, sacrificing nature.

Hrit Chakra in Buddhism:

It is in Garbhadhatu Mandala or Mandala of the Womb (Matrix).It is the World of Great Compassion; Seat of  Dainichi ( Mahavairocana) at the centre, surrounded by the other four of the Five Wisdom Buddhas, with the Four Great Bodhisattvas between them.The garbhagriha is normally square and sits on a plinth, its location calculated to be a point of total equilibrium and harmony as it is representative of a microcosm of the Universe. In the centre is placed the image of the deity.The eight petals of the white lotus correspond to the Noble Eightfold Path of the Good Law. This lotus is found at the heart of the Garbhadhatu Mandala, regarded as the womb or embryo of the world. Hrit (heart) chakra or Hridaya (he who dwells in the heart) is also known as Ananda-kanda (root or bulb of bliss). Hrit is depicted as stainless, subtle and untouched by any physical impurities.

- ✍️Dr Prema Pangi