Motivation and Chakras: Why are we moved to do what we do? Ð Part I

By Sanderson Beck

Why are we moved to do what we do? For what purposes do we act? Certainly the answers to these questions are diverse and complex. I am going to outline seven major aspects or "levels" of motivation. These seven are related to the psychic chakras (Sanskrit for "wheels") of Hindu occultism; also they have been loosely correlated with the seven major endocrine glands in the body, although their motivational meaning seems rather indirectly related to their physiological functions in some cases. The seven correlations with the part of the body, Sanskrit name, endocrine gland, and motivation are the following:

¥     1) root chakra, Muladhara, adrenal, instinct for survival and security;

¥     2) sexual chakra, Svadhishthana, gonads, desire for pleasure;

¥     3) naval chakra, Manipura, pancreas, ambition for control and prestige;

¥     4) heart chakra, Anahata, thymus, love and compassion;

¥     5) throat chakra, Vishuddha, thyroid, growth and expression;

¥     6) brow chakra, Ajna, pineal, understanding and insight; and

¥     7) crown chakra, Sahasrara, pituitary, oneness and transcendence.

Again, these divisions are artificial, as all of our actions and aims are combinations of these motives in varying degrees. A general distinction can be made between the bottom three, which are deficiency-motivated based on a felt lack of something, and the top four which are self-actualizing and positive. The quality of the energy pattern in and around these chakras can be seen in the aura by clairvoyants. The aura is a subtle electromagnetic force field that pervades and surrounds the physical body with its physical, emotional, and mental-spiritual aspects. The chakra centers expand and contract, open and close in order to give out and take in various energies. There are also other chakra centers such as the soles of the feet and behind the knees, which give a feeling for nature and enable one to draw energy from the earth, and in the palms of the hands, which are especially good for giving out a healing energy. The energies of all the centers are continually gyrating and flowing.

Instinct for Survival and Security

The most basic motivation is to survive as an individual and as a species by reproduction. Those who do not survive to reproduce themselves do not pass on their genetic pattern. Thus evolution is the process where the genetic patterns that enable organisms to survive and reproduce are naturally selected, while the others that do not adapt so that they can survive die off. As we shall see, in humans there are several other motivations besides instinct, but it cannot be denied that the instinct to keep our bodies alive is still very strong, as is the sexual instinct.

Physiological processes have a tremendous impact on our consciousness, especially when the organism is lacking a basic necessity such as air, water, food, temperature control, or is being threatened by disease or violence. These urges to keep the body alive and well will tend to take priority over any other motivation. Only when some other motivation is fanatically strong will it be able to override these basic urges.

Threats to survival can occur in various degrees; the greater the threat is perceived to be, the stronger will be the urge to respond. Through natural selection, organisms have evolved ways to perceive dangers and to fulfill the basic needs. With humans many new situations have been created by civilization that require training and education, such as ships, automobiles, trains, airplanes, chemicals, electricity, radiation, etc. We must listen to our instincts for warnings, but we also need to educate ourselves on how to handle these things and face the dangers they may pose.

One major method organisms have evolved for perceiving danger and for promoting the fulfilling of needs is the physiological experience of pain and pleasure. Pain is the body's warning system that something is wrong, and it serves as a deterrent against repeating that experience. On the other side, pleasure is experienced in the satisfaction of some needs such as eating good food, drinking of water or tasty liquids, resting the body, and sexual intercourse. With the exception of sex, the extended deprivation of any of these or of breathing will cause increasing pain until the need is filled; this relief of the pain-producing need brings pleasure. Thus the basic motivation for survival is wrapped up with the experience of pleasure. Yet as we shall discuss in the next section, the pursuit of pleasure can go far beyond the basic needs for survival.

The same is true of the need for security, which is feeling safe that the basic survival needs are and will be met. Thus security is a psychological feeling based on our mental evaluation of our situation. Some millionaires living in a nation with the most powerful military forces of "defense" in history feel insecure, because they are afraid of changes that might occur; while religious sadhus with no money or possessions other than the simple garment they wear, living in a poor country, may feel very secure, because they trust that God through the Spirit in people will provide them with everything they need if their quest is sincere.

Everybody has to face constantly the issue of survival and take some steps to keep the organism functioning. How we perceive our security and the ways we go about providing the things we feel we need for ourselves is the motivation that is fundamental in life and the basis for all other motives. If we feel secure that we are handling our survival needs well, then we can devote our energies to other "higher" levels of motivation in addition. The basically insecure person is constantly worrying and working to fulfill these perceived needs. This psychological need for security often becomes mixed up with other motives with the idea that if the other goals are achieved then the person will be more secure also.

For more writing by Sanderson Beck see http://www.san.beck.org/.