7,7, & 7 - Chakras, Sins, & Graces

I want to preface this with understanding that not everyone is going to begin this with a resonance with the concept of the sins as pro-ported by organized religion. Completely understandable. However we CAN actually understand the nature of our emotional / spiritual energies by examining the powerful and profound effects that our emotions and mental states have on our well-being in mind, body, and spirit. As you proceed , please keep in mind that the concept of sin can and should be observed without projection of implication & persecution.

    Chakras are adequately described as the organs of the energy body (aura). They are often described as portals and generators of spiritual energy that bridge the connection between the realm of spirit and the physical. While there are many more than seven, there are seven primary chakras understood to be located within the physical form (others being either much smaller or located outside the boundary of the physical form. We really are quite big! These Chakras govern our very nature, be it emotional/psychological nature or our physical nature (through the glands and organs of their respective governance). 

Most by now have some conceptual idea of the “Seven Deadly Sins” or the “Seven Graces” by now. If we can remove ourselves from the connotation of their origin within organized religion (and we should) we can actually see an interesting correspondence with each chakra. It’s very interesting to see how completely separate spiritual paths can share kernels of truth in spite of never blending or crossing over one another. The systems compliment each other extremely well. Now the concept of sin as it is understood in the Western World is something I find to be a difficult matter. Sin in “westernese” is fraught with connotations of persecution, judgment, and guilt. However, if we are to maintain any spiritual acumen we must release this conditioning and consider how sin might be better understood. In the East, impurity is not something that is considered a thing of guilt or judgment, but merely a part of the human condition. It is only here in the west where we have allowed our egos to impose a sort of superficial perfectionism on the concept of sin and purity. Let that go.
     I rather prefer the Shinto concept of sin (tsumi) as more of a condition, not unlike a chemical reaction, that can manifest itself as unrest and imbalance in life and the body. Nobody is judged as evil for having the flu or a broken arm. But we cannot ignore the fact that those are the signs of ill health. If we can get passed the fear of persecution associated with sin, then we have transcended another level of systemic judgmentalism. In short, sin manifests imbalance in the spirit and body. That imbalance then accumulates and creates further discord. This influence, if left unchecked, then grows in influence to the point where it manifests reality on its own in unconsciousness.

So how are Sins and Graces (remember, ignoring organized religion here!) related to the chakras? Well they correspond quite well. The Chakras, like organs themselves, can become strong or weak depending on how they are treated and cared for. Because the chakras govern our emotional and mental state as it relates to the body and spirit, they can also contribute to how we create a vibrational match to the experiences we undergo every waking moment of our lives. Remember, our thoughts alone do nothing to manifest reality, it is the energy generated by emotional availability and direction of that energy that create reality. As I always say “You are not here to learn how to manifest. You are always manifesting. You are here to learn how to consciously get your manifestations under control.”
​
Now is when the article gets so much more accessible because we can look at a nice pretty chart. Below I have labeled the Chakras, Sins, and Graces and their rulership. Now Sin is an imbalance, and the Grace is the cure, but be careful, because while Grace is the medicine, one can (and often does) get hooked on the treatment. Remember balance. ​

The Crown Chakra
The connection to the Higher Self, the 
receiver of insight and spiritual guidance. That which channels universal energy into the physical form. Higher astral psychic and intuitive ability

Sin (what damages this chakra): Pride / Vainglory 
To ignore, deflect, & resist higher guidance, Worship of Ego, selective hearing, dogma, control issues, attachment to conditioning, narrow mindedness and inability to expand perspective, impaired connection to spirit

Grace (what balances this chakra): Humility
Acceptance and embracing the opportunity for growth means accepting where we are in our growth, humility and humbleness opens our minds to new information and direction from spirit that allow us to flourish with the escape and expansion of our control/comfort zone.
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
The Third Eye Chakra 
The “true sight” and witness of the world, Lower astral psychic and intuitive ability, the potential to receive and perceive complex and vivid energy forms

Sin (what damages this chakra): Greed 
Obsession with power, the desire to have and withhold, exploitation of truth and knowledge for excessive material and ego-centric gain, abuse of personal and spiritual 
advantages

Grace (what balances this chakra): Charity
We must learn that status and material is not a measure of value, charity in the form of service and gift giving are expressions of love language and give a greater sense of 
understanding, true prosperity, and fulfillment (moreso than simple acquisition ever will). 
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

The Throat Chakra
Communication and comprehension, the sending of intention forth into being through words and expression of art. The capacity to articulate oneself and dictate preferential reality in experience. 

Sin (what damages this chakra):: Wrath / Anger  
Outwardly destructive behavior with words and action, deception, abuse, inability to be conscious of emotional shifts, inability to manage temper, belligerence, self righteousness, preoccupation with negative reinforcement.

Grace (what balances this chakra): Patience
Where anger blinds and deafens, Patience heightens the senses. With Patience we see more dimensions of any given situation and deliver faster and more effective solutions to problems and obstacles. Patience teaches us to bend, as oppose to snap. Remember, manifestation is equally active and passive. Whether it is bubbling on the inside or erupting without, it is still playing a part in what manifests in that experience. 
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

The Heart Chakra
Emotionality, relationships, connection & self love, and the unity of higher and lower energies in the physical form. The connective unconditional love with spirit and earth. Reciprocating exchanges of energy with the divine in physical form.

Sin (what damages this chakra): Envy 
Lack or loss of empathy, resentment of others’ happiness, judgmental-ism, damaged self esteem, inability to sympathize, connect, or trust, denial or refusal of fairness and 
equality, projects old issues onto new people and situations

Grace (what balances this chakra): Compassion
To be able to feel another and have love for their happiness is the ultimate joy. Their love is your love and vice versa. To have compassion and happiness for another helps us to vibrate and emit that within our own personal sphere of energetic space. It is the bearer of emotional availability, which is an essential element in the manifestation and attraction of any experience.
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

The Solar Chakra 
Willpower, the energy center of influence, adaptability, versatility, determination, potency, and strength behind our energy as it is projected into creation &
 manifestation. The center of courage and readiness to take right action and overcome obstacles / adversity.

Sin (what damages this chakra): Sloth 
Undisciplined, Lazy, and unimaginative. Having no desire to take one’s life into their own hands. Deference and denial of personal responsibility. Sloth can also speak to an imbalance in this chakra which facilitates an individual being too available to discouragement, fear, and insecurity. 

Grace (what balances this chakra): Diligence
The virtue of diligence is the ability to find the power and motivation to see all undertakings through in spite of challenge or discouragement. Diligence is not only commitment, but it is the ability to honor one's experience even if a situation is disheartening because of the obstacles or problems that need solving. Diligence is the beginning of durability and the capacity to find and use one's own power through one's own unique expression.
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

The Sacral Chakra 
Nurturing, Family, Herd and Collective Intelligence, 
Sexuality and intimacy, pleasure, and procreation. It is also the connection to the ancestors and family (both in genetics and spirit) that relates to purpose and lineage.

Sin (what damages this chakra): Lust  
Escapism, thrill seeking that gambles with the affairs of others, poor impulse control, self sabotage, dependence on high stakes and drama, obsession or refusal of sexuality. Lust itself is more about the attachment to desire and the need for highs in all affairs. It is a warning and a habit of getting lost in the pursuit of thrill with no substance, and the caution against becoming unconsciously addicted to transient and transitory exchanges.

Grace (what balances this chakra): Chastity (not to be confused with abstinence) 
Chastity is often seen as consistent and ongoing self denial or virgin-hood which is actually a connotation brought from its induction into the sin/grace system. Chastity itself is not about a lifestyle or life long commitment of any kind. Chastity itself originally referred to the restrain in the interest of cleansing and clearing. In essence, chastity is the choice to fast periodically to purify oneself. Restraint is important to build healthy habits whether it's a relationship with food, sex, or even technology. The grace of chastity teaches us about the need to periodically withdraw from habitual and compulsive behavioral patterns and re-center and reprogram our reward centers and re-align us with spirit. 
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

The Root Chakra 
The primal, survival instinct, groundedness, sturdiness,
security, safety, practical skill, stress management
& physical / mental endurance

Sin (what damages this chakra): Gluttony 
Overindulgence, self medication, physical or emotional hoarding, preoccupation with prevention and preparation, feeling a “void” to fill with food and/or extreme self-imposed limitations, ungroundedness and lack of survival skills lead to excessive behavior &
 victim-hood

Grace (what balances this chakra): Temperance 
Like the Tarot Card, Temperance is all about moderation and self restraint. This is not to be confused with self denial. Temperance is very much the understanding of observing and maintaining conscious control of baser emotions that may prompt us to take excessive action to behave from a place of woundedness, defensiveness, and fear. 
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~