Neshamot - A Subtle Physiology

Is there an equivalency for the idea of chakras within Christianity?

Chakras are a well known phenomena as taught within Hinduism and Buddhism. The word 'chakra'  means wheels or turning, and are the  wheels or centers of energy located usually at seven points along the spinal column of the subtle yogic body. The energy is said to lay dormant, coiled as it were at the base of the spine. This 'coiled' energy is often depicted as a sleeping serpent called 'kundalini'- meaning 'coiled'. And so various yogic techniques are used to awaken this energy, and then to raise it up, so as to penetrate each of what are 7 chakras, until the topmost chakra, Sahasrara-chakra, is attained, thus resulting in enlightenment.

The concept of chakras has had some influence on other religions, in particular esoteric Islam called Sufism. The Sufism of the school of Alaoddawleh Semnani has the doctrine of the seven latifa, which are subtle organs, or centers that the mystic opens up one by one. Only the latifah do not directly correspond with physical areas of the body as the chakras do. Thus, instead of ascending from the spinal base to the crown, the latifa are rather deeper, and deeper levels of the heart of your being.


In esoteric Judaism called Kabbalah, the doctrine of the ten sefirot, seen as ten emanations of God, while usually conceptualized in a theosophical and cosmological sense, have also been internalized within man, as in Abraham Abulafia's school of thought. 


Within each of these traditions, these subtle energy centers are used mystically as a means of ascending 'Jacob's ladder' in seeking union with the divine. 


So the question remains: Does this idea have an equivalency within Christianity?


If we conceive of these centers or vortices of power as chakras, latifah, or the sefirot as being a series of intermediaries between us and God, than it is here that these terms would need clarification within a  Christian context. Two points:

1) Christian soteriology: For there is one God, and one mediator between God and men, the man Christ Jesus - I Tim 2:5. Though how these other traditions conceive of them as intermediaries will differ one from the other, we consider that for us it is but one step to the Father, Jesus Christ. And so any such concept would have to exclude any extra step between us and the Father's love (Rom 8.38-39).

2) Biblical psychology and physiology: Which is not taught on, nor understood enough in Christian circles. It is thus presented in Scripture that we are a tripartite being, consisting of spirit, soul and body (1Thess 5:23; Heb 4:12). Our spirit-man is that which contacts God, and the spiritual realm; our soul is our psychological aspect, which includes the mind, will and emotions. 


We thus introduce the Biblical Hebrew term neshamah (pl. neshamot) in our discussion. Though as a side note, Jewish Kabbalah also refers to this term- it is done in a different sense, and definition than presented here (or in the Bible for that matter). They see it as particular faculty of the spiritual mind- as different than say ruach (spirit), nephesh (soul), etc... However there's a more general reference to it in Scripture.

Neshamah does not stand by itself as a faculty, but meaning "breaths" in the plural (neshamot), we first read of them here, And the LORD God formed man of the dust of the ground, and breathed into his nostrils the breath [Heb. neshamot-breaths] of life; and man became a living soul [Heb. nephesh-animal soul]- Gen 2:7. It is these neshamot-breaths that become our focus for the possibility of the chakra, or latifah type equivalent concept being applicable in a mystical Christian physiology.


Of the neshamot it is written, The spirit [Heb. neshamot] of man is the candle of the LORD, searching all the inward parts of the belly -Prov 20:27. And as the neshamot are God's candle, would it be any stretch to see them as a reflection of the seven branched menorah as is a symbol of the Holy Spirit?  For He is manifest as the Seven Spirits of God (Isa 11:2; Zech 4:2,6,10; Rev 4:5;5:6). And so it is seen that there are thus also seven neshamot-breaths within us, and that they constitute a subtle physiology, that when opened and developed, form Christ within us (2Cor 3:18; Ga 4:19; Col 1:27). 


Each of these subtle breaths correspond to our tripartite being, esoteric aspects of our exoteric manifestation.


This can only be a brief introduction, but  here are the seven neshamot within us given in ascending order, and using their Hebrew names:

1) Neshamah- behemot: The subtlety of our physical body, our "beast-nature";


2) Neshamah- nepheshi: The subtlety of our self, our soul;


3) Neshamah- halev: The subtlety of our heart (Mt 22.37);


4) Neshamah- sod halev: The subtlety of our secret heart ( Psa 51.6; Lk 2.51; IPet 3.4).


5) Neshamah- ruach: The subtlety of our spirit man;


6) Neshamah- chayim: The subtlety of our spiritual life ( Gen 7.22; Jn 20.31; 1Jn 5.11-12);


7) Neshamah- yachidah: The subtlety of our Oneness, and True Nature (Jn 17.21-22; 1Cor 6.17; Ga 3.20).




May this be a blessing for whom it's intended.