Theories of the Chakras: Bridge to Higher Consciousness

by Hiroshi Motoyama

"This book represents a monumental effort to review and correlate much of the accumulated knowledge of the subtle energy systems...Such a book could only be written by a person who has had the life-long personal experiences which Dr. Motoyama so generous shares with the reader. These experiences provide step-by-step illustration of unfolding and expanding consciousness. The book is necessary reading for all serious students of the subject of consciousness." - George W. Meek


It is an outstanding book from both the scientific and spiritual points of view. It is the unique record of the pioneering experiments which presents clear, electro-physiological evidence of the existence of the network of chakras and nadis which form the infra-structure of the subtle energies existing in the pranic and psychic dimensions, which underlie and activate the physical, material body of man. The experiments in the book successfully integrate the subjective and objective dimensions of knowledge, and will serve as guideposts and blueprints for experiments in the years ahead. The chakras and other components of the human energy field were largely brought to the attention of the Western world by clairvoyant Charles W. Leadbeater. His pioneering work is discussed in detail in this fascinating exploration of the subtle body, along with that of other respected seers and yogis.

Genres: Spirituality, Psychology

293 pages, Paperback

First published December 1, 1981

About the author

Dr. Motoyama was the inspiration for Paul Grilley, and later Sarah Powers, to delve deeper into the mysterious connection of the physical movements in yoga and the movement of energy through the subtle body. Sarah has described Dr. Motoyama as a yoga adept. He was born of a mother who was an accomplished yogini with advanced psychic abilities. Early in his life Motoyama was also taken under the wing of his mother’s teacher who adopted the young Motoyama. Her name was Kinue Motoyama [1] and she was the founder of the Tamamistsu Jinja religious organization.

Tidbits of Dr. Motoyama’s life are sprinkled throughout his books. Curious readers can find more details in the book Awakening of the Chakras and Emancipation. Here we learn about the rigor of Motoyama’s early training and the awakening of his many vibhutis, or powers: his ability to see the energy fields, his ability to influence and correct faulty energy, to heal both those close to him and those in need far away.

Dr. Motoyama’s brilliance was not limited to his psychic abilities. He held two PhD degrees. He was also a Shinto priest, one highly respected in Japan. His ability to move freely between the worlds of the spirit and of the physical allowed him to investigate his own abilities using the rigors of Western science and medicine. With the aim of making the subtle measurable, he created instruments that he and others have learned to use to verify the flow of energy through the subtle body.

To further his research and spread his findings, Dr. Motoyama created institutes both in Japan and in the USA. It was during his travels that Paul Grilley came across him. Paul, as noted earlier, was inspired by what Dr. Motoyama revealed and went back with him to Japan. Later Paul introduced Sarah and others to Motoyama and they too embraced the teacher.

Dr. Motoyama passed away in 2015, but his institute is still active. It is called the California Institute of Human Science (CIHS). In his own words

I founded CIHS with two principles in mind:
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Subtle energy can bridge the gap between spirituality and science. In my opinion, there are two kinds of subtle energy: one which is physical in nature (i.e. ki or chi energy), and the other which is not physical but rather spiritual in nature and is therefore not limited by space or time boundaries.
Education should be a transcendental experience. Through spiritual practices such as meditation, students should experience the three aspects of the human mind: the unconscious, consciousness, and super-consciousness. It is my wish to continue to create at CIHS an educational environment in which people can scientifically explore the applications of spirituality and subtle energy.

Reviews

[*AndreA* · Rating 3 out of 5]

Interesting and deep, sometimes too technical

[Joseph · Rating 5 out of 5]

Fantastic little book/ a detailed analysis form a scientific point of view of chakras and nervous systems.