Sonic Yogi

I started to to notice the physiological sensations in my body related to perceived stresses. My awareness and my heightened senses were so high that this became almost painful. Literally, and physically, as I would respond to my thoughts, I started to notice these physical feelings in different areas of my body. 

I would feel it in my lower spinal region, related to fear (root chakra), or butterflies in my stomach (solar plexus chakra), or tightness in my chest (heart chakra), or even pain or tightness in my throat (throat chakra). Also, sort of tingling feelings in my head, so at first I thought, it was outside forces externally affecting me. So that freaked me out, and I was kind of wrapped up in that, almost as a superstition for a while. At this point in this experience, I was basically considering any and all possibilities (even paranormal ones), but as I tuned into it further to these sensations, I came to feel that what I was experiencing was my body as a biofeedback machine. 

What these sensations gradually taught me to do was to become more aware of how my mind and my perceptions affect my physical body. My physical body, I came to realize, was just obeying the directions of me and my consciousness. I realized that for a long time in life, I had been going against the grain on this sort of physiological feedback system, and so I was trying to stuff down these feelings, or trying to ignore them like they didn't exist... (but they were trying to tell me something important.)

I realized that for a long time my reaction to these physiological responses (whether they would show up as tension in an area or whatever) was that I would try to pretend they didn't exist and just keep pushing my way through the situation. I've now learned that those things are important clues that tell me a LOT about my own perceptions and psyche at the moment. These perceptions tell me where I am with my feelings, and what those feelings are telling me about my inner self and my inner direction, and just how feelings and thoughts manifest as stress in the body.

I have come to feel that that's one way of looking at the "chakras" because all of these feelings all went right with the chakras and my endocrine system. My feeling is that the idea of the chakras relates directly with the endocrine system, and that the balance of chemicals produced by the endocrine system, of course, affect my perceptions too.  

So, my root chakra was related to the fear I felt in my deepest anxiety. I realized  that to change that, I needed to change from that fear of change into action and change my behaviors into positive action and become more grounded. 

Then, also, with my third eye, or my connection to intuition, that became very much heightened, and I had to learn to understand those messages and listen closely that energy. 
I have also noticed that in times when I might have normally become angry or fearful (as I had in the past), I would instead feel a gentle pressure in the third eye and instead of feeling an adrenaline rush I would feel calm and more of an ability to be open to understanding the situation (or person) instead of resorting to a knee jerk reaction based on older mental patterns. Is this the "master gland" of the pituitary and pineal gland helping to regulate my chemical responses? 

The main thing is, I think, just becoming aware, and then having the willingness to change direction or my circumstances if it's not comfortable, or change my mind (my perception of the situation) and if that's not reasonable, to try and change the circumstance. Ultimately, I have come to feel that if my thoughts are not making me feel good (physically or mentally), then, really, there's no reason I should hold on to those patterns. (I should either change my thoughts and my thought patterns, or change the situation or my relation to it.)

Here are some of the sensations I associate with these Chakras and the endocrine response too.

Root Chakra (adrenals): Adrenaline and Fear. Tingling at the base of the spine and pressure in the low back.

Sacral Chakra (sex glands): Sexual Arousal, not from a place of self gratification, but understanding and connection. Sexual energy is one of the primary energies of life, and the very force of creation, an amazing connective and creative and healing force. Also, from what I experienced, it seems to be the primary energy of re-awakening and opening.

Solar Plexus (gut): Butterflies in the stomach. For me this was more intense than mild butterflies and more focused and acute. The "gut" also has neurons and directly influences brain chemicals.

Heart Chakra (thymus, heart, lungs): a swelling OPENING heart of compassion. The heart also has neurons and produces an electromagnetic field much stronger than the brain.

Throat Chakra (thyroid): Tightness in throat during communication if I am not speaking from a place of authenticity, or loose and ease when communicating my core truth.

Third Eye (pineal, pituitary gland): Gentle Pressure between the Eyebrows. For me, I notice mostly when I need to pay attention, hear the deeper truth that is being communicated by another person to bring clarity to the situation at hand.

Crown Chakra (?): Tingling around my "crown". For me, signals tuning in to a space beyond my conscious thought. Letting go, and experiencing as the observer from a place of peace.

for more info.. I suggest these two books:

WHEELS OF LIFE: Users guide to the Chakra System

LANGUAGE OF THE EMOTIONS - KARLA McCLAREN