Unveiling the Chakras with Vagus Nerve Stimulation - with Guest Blogger Tally Hunt, LMT

Unveiling the Chakras with Vagus Nerve Stimulation - with Guest Blogger Tally Hunt, LMT

How the Vagus Nerve affects the Chakras

The vagus nerve is one of twelve cranial nerves and is the second largest nerve in the body. It represents the main component of the parasympathetic nervous system and oversees a vast array of crucial bodily functions including: control of mood, immune response, digestion, and heart rate. It sends sensory information, including details about smells, sights, tastes, and sounds, to the brain. The vagus nerve also controls the movement of various muscles and the function of certain glands. It establishes communication between the brain and the gastrointestinal tract and sends information about the state of the inner organs to the brain via afferent nerve fibers. This means that the nerve impulses move from stimuli in the body towards the central nervous system and the brain.

When working with the chakra centers you can stimulate the vagus nerve. It is the body's connection to the seven chakras through various nerve networks. The chakras each hold specific energies of consciousness. Our nervous system is how our consciousness inhabits embodied life. This means that the nervous system’s capacity to circulate information from our chakras throughout our body to the mind determines the level of consciousness we experience, as well as our ability to manifest that consciousness in our lived experience. We can only have awareness in these different levels internally and externally if our nervous system has the ability to carry those particular energies or signals to the brain.

Benefits of Vagus Nerve Stimulation 

  • Memory retention
  • Increased calm
  • Increased sense of bliss
  • Reduced blood pressure
  • Controlled respiration
  • Neuroplasticity
  • Improved immune system response
  • Reduced neural inflammation
  • Reduction in stress levels
  • Alleviation of depression
  • Treatment of certain types of epilepsy
  • Improved cognitive behavior

The Root Chakra - Coccygeal Nerve Plexus

  1. The coccygeal plexus consists of the coccygeal nerve and the fifth sacral nerve, which innervate the skin around the coccyx.
  2. Structures: Genital organs, adrenal system, coccygeal vertebrae
  3. Qualities: Reproduction, removal of waste, excretion, urination, defecation.
  4. Balanced: we have a capacity to enjoy life, secure in self, connected to your body and grounded. 
  5. Unbalanced: financial struggle, trouble manifesting, lack of trust, and fear.
  6. Mission: Security, Survival

The Sacral Chakra - Aortic Nerve Plexus

  1. The aortic plexus is a network of pre- and postganglionic nerves overlying the abdominal aorta, which is primarily involved with the sympathetic innervation to the mesenteric, pelvic and urogenital organs.
  2. Structures: Kidneys, endocrine pancreas, liver/gallbladder, ovaries/testes, sacral vertebrae
  3. Qualities: Detoxification of blood, regulate metabolic energy, glucose metabolism, bile production
  4. Balanced: creative, focused, pleasure, harmony
  5. Unbalanced: Excessive thought, over-work, too much planning, guilt/shame.
  6. Mission: Feelings and Creativity

The Solar Plexus - The Celiac Plexus

  1. supplies the inferior part of the esophagus, stomach, pancreas, spleen, kidneys, liver, gallbladder, and small intestine. The function of the celiac plexus is to transmit visceral sensory impulses (like pain or reflexes) from the foregut and midgut.
  2. Structures: Stomach, Small intestine, exocrine pancreas, liver, spleen, lymphatic system, lumbar vertebrae
  3. Qualities: Nutrition, absorption of nutrients
  4. Balanced: High self esteem, self mastery, generous, driven, ethical
  5. Unbalanced: Worry, greed, unethical behavior, lack of structure
  6. Mission: Mentality and Structure

The Heart Chakra - The Cardiac Nerve Plexus

  1. The cardiac plexus is divided into a superficial part, which lies in the concavity of the aortic arch and a deep part, between the aortic arch and the trachea. The two parts are, however, closely connected. The sympathetic component of the cardiac plexus comes from cardiac nerves which originate from the sympathetic trunk. The parasympathetic component of the cardiac plexus originates from the cardiac branches of the vagus nerve.
  2. Structures: Heart, lungs, blood vessels, thymus, cellular immune system, sternum, breasts, lumbar and thoracic vertebrae
  3. Qualities: Circulatory and oxygenation systems, immunity
  4. Balanced: Love, courageous, responsible, sincere, healing, connected
  5. Unbalanced: Insecure, irresponsible, experiencing grief, trouble forgiving.
  6. Mission: relationships and healing

The Throat Chakra - The Cervical Plexus

  1. The cervical plexus is to provide skeletal muscle control of the neck and upper torso as well as providing cutaneous sensation to parts of the occiput, neck, and shoulder.
  2. Structures: Cervical spine, thyroid, brain stem, pharynx, tongue, palate, muscles of facial expression, skin of upper body and face, sinuses
  3. Qualities: Expression, communication, speech
  4. Balanced: Expressive, intuitive, speak your truth.
  5. Unbalanced: Guilt, aggression, fearful of verbalizing thoughts.
  6. MIssion: communication and guidance

 

The Third Eye Chakra - Optic Chiasm and Medulla 

  1. The optic chiasm is formed when the optic nerves come together in order to allow for the crossing of fibers from the nasal retina to the optic tract on the other side. This enables vision from one side of both the eyes to be appreciated by the occipital cortex of the opposite side.



  2. The vagus nerve exits from the medulla oblongata (the connection between the brainstem and the spinal cord.)

  3. Structures: Eyes, visual pathways of the brain, left and right hemispheres of the brain.
  4. Qualities: Memory, vision, strategy
  5. Balanced: Forgiveness, thought, humility
  6. Unbalanced: Egotism, fantasies, grudges
  7. Mission: vision and strategy
  8. pituitary gland: stores hormones and receives messages from the hypothalamus. It also contains magnetite, a compound of iron and oxygen that assists birds in finding north. In the 1990s scientists discovered magnetite crystals in humans, within a cluster of nerves in front of the pituitary gland, behind the ethmoid sinus. This cluster of magnetite crystals helps explain the discovery of a complex magnetic field around the head, detectable by a SQUID machine. 

 

The Crown Chakra - Limbic Area of the Brain

  1. The Limbic area of the brain governs our ability to bond, and operates as a mood control center. This portion of the brain manages emotional memories, emotional coloring, appetite, sleep cycles, and libido. It is the neuro-psychological center for integration of all aspects of personality.
  2. Balanced: sense of connection throughout mind, body, spirit, and sense of purpose.
  3. Unbalanced: doubt in the spiritual nature of the self, cynical, close-minded, disconnected, dissociated. 
  4. Mission: Purpose and spirituality.
  5. Pineal gland: is an electromagnetic sensor that regulates many different states like mood, sleep, and even ESP. It represents an opening to divine energies. It is also the endocrine gland associated with the rising of the Kundalini.

Kundalini - Vagus Nerve 

a. The Sacrum

The sacrum is where the Vagus nerve meets other nerve branches and then carries information coming from the pelvic floor to the heart and brain. The Vagus nerve is integrated with the sympathetic nervous system most everywhere in the body but especially the gut and pelvis. The sacrum is also the seat of our spirituality and home of the kundalini, a serpent-like energy that sits coiled at the base of the spine. Kundalini energy is the individuated form of shakti, the divine life force.

b. The Vagus Nerve 

    • two nerves recognized as one. 
    • Runs from the colon to the brain through the spinal cord, organs, and glands
    • takes information from the stomach. An impaired Vagus Nerve will result in stomach problems.
    • The heart communicates with the brain through the Vagus Nerve.

     c. The Kundalini 

      • two psychic channels (ida and pingala) which, once purified and awakened, function as One (the Sushumna channel).
      • Rests in the first chakra, found in the pelvic floor at the base of the spine and rises to the pineal gland in the center of the brain through the spinal cord, organs, and glands.
      • Has a main psychic center in the Navel. When this center is not activated, the result can be digestive and stomach issues as well as feelings of disempowerment.
      • The heart chakra and the pineal gland are closely connected and interact through the kundalini life-force energy.

      The vagus nerve can be seen as the physical manifestation of the Life-force energy also known as Kundalini. When active and functioning the Kundalini is akin to the vagus nerve in full working order. As we begin to open ourselves up and our consciousness increases we will all begin to see how prepared our physical bodies are for this increase. Can your nervous system handle the increase in cosmic energy? If it cannot, then the vagus nerve will tell you through states of dis-ease in the physical body. Learn how to stimulate the vagus nerve with the Rezzimax Tuner to allow for easier integration of chakra information and kundalini awakening. Allow us to assist you in reaching new levels of consciousness by increasing your nervous systems ability to carry information and signs from your chakras to your brain. Check out the Rezzimax Rezzipes for specific techniques. 

      About the Author

      Tally Hunt and Alena Peck founded Rise Bodywork and Massage Therapy in 2021 to assist in trauma and injury recovery with a natural and holistic approach. Alena started her massage journey in Pennsylvania at the Integrative School of Massage Therapy in 2016, becoming an LMT and Personal Trainer  in 2019, and continued in Utah in 2020, becoming an LMT in Utah in 2021, where she found her business partner, Tally Hunt and started Rise Bodywork and Massage Therapy in 2021. While her formal education in massage therapy began in 2020 at Healing Mountain Massage School, Tally’s passion for the human system and its ability to heal began long before then. In this piece, Tally Hunt shares her ability to connect Eastern and Western language to create a truly holistic understanding of the human nervous system that transcends years, cultures, and people to create one ever evolving understanding of the human nervous system and the healing properties it possesses.

      Join us in January and Earn CEUs

      Tally and Alena from Rise Bodywork & Massage Therapy are excited to sponsor a two-day class, Resonance and the Body! Come learn how to integrate the Rezzimax Tuner and resonance therapy into your massage sessions to enhance client experience and healing. We're working on getting the course approved for CEUs and will keep everyone updated.

      When:  January 10-11, 2025
      Where: Providence, Utah
      Cost:    $40 to cover the cost of meals

      Visit our sign-up page to learn more and reserve your tickets now!

      References:

      Stasia Bliss, An Intro to the Vagus Nerve and The Connection to Kundalini, https://www.basmati.com/2017/05/02/intro-vagus-nerve-connection-kundalini#:~:text=It%20is%20clear%20that%20the,be%20one%20and%20the%20same, 9/10/23

      Science and Sahaja Yoga, Autonomic Nervous System - Chakras and Corresponding Plexuses, https://www.sahajayogabengal.com/autonomic-nervous-system-chakras-corresponding-plexuses/, 9/10/23

      Cyndi Dale, The Subtle Body An Encyclopedia of Your Energetic Anatomy, Sounds True, Inc, Cyndi Dale, 2009.

      Back to blog