Astral and Chakra Cord Healing

A significant part of my work with clients is asissting you in healing any entanglements you may have with family members and other individuals. Over many years of working with Family Constellations these entanglements began to become very visible as Chakra Cords and Relational Cords. The article below will may assist you in understanding what this type of healing can do for you and why it may be important. – John L Payne (Shavasti)

Chakra Cords or also called Relational Cords are strings of energy that run between individuals, within religious and political groups, within families, ethnicities and nations. More commonly they are experienced as our energetic connection to family members, friends, spouses, partners and lovers.

Although not experienced through usual five sense perception, the knowledge of such energetic connections has crept into our day to day language use with expressions such as ‘No strings attached’, ‘Cut the ties’. Very often when we express feeling ‘tied’ to a job, situation or another person, a relational cord will be involved on one level or another, involving one or in some cases, several chakras in the human energy field. Cords can be transient or permanent, even existing over many lifetimes.

So what do cords do? Essentially one can see them as telephone lines between individuals, or like the internet in a family or other grouping. In their highest state they serve to transmit love from one person to another and even knowledge. In the animal kingdom, scientists often refer to ‘instinct’, however, knowledge may be transmitted through relational cords down through the generations. The basis of the Universe is Energy and Information, all of which sits on a vast field of love – all of these aspects can be transmitted through cords. For this reason it has often been observed that adopted children will exhibit behaviours or even food preferences that are identical to their biological parents, even though may not even know who they are. Cords exist between children and their biological parents.

Transient Cords

Transient Cords form between a healer and client during a healing session or over the period of time that the two are engaged in the healer client relationship. Ideally such cords should be from Heart Chakra to Heart Chakra, however, in some cases, they can also exist on the level of the Solar Plexus when any manipulation and control has entered into the relationship from either or both parties.

Transient Cords can also form within groups of students, between a teacher and the class or when a group of strangers comes together for the purposes of ceremony – for example religious or spiritual rituals, weddings, ceremonies etc.

Relationship Cords

Relationship Cords exist between parents and children, between siblings, between friends, spouses, lovers, employer and employee. Most cords I have witnessed have existed between chakras 1 – 5 and the corresponding chakras with the other person. It is also important to note that Relationship Cords exist between parents and a miscarried or aborted child, this is an often overlooked aspect of healing work and in my view is vital to the health of not only the mother, but also to any subsequent children. Children can, and often do, form Relationship Cords to miscarried and aborted siblings when the parents have not carried and dealt with the loss themselves.

What can cords look like?

Unhealthy relationship cords can look like the following:

A cord that appears (or feels) as if it has rose thorns on it

A cord that appears (or feels) as if it has a mucous like substance on it

A cord that appears to be coiled within a chakra

A cord that appears to be floating in space, protruding from the client, but not appearing to be attached to anyone at the other end. These can occur when there has been separation with the sudden break-up of a relationship or the unexpected death of a friend, relative or partner.

Invasive Cords

An invasive cord will often look like it is bulbous where it is attached to the chakra. The attachment can either be on the periphery of a chakra, in one specific vortex within a chakra or buried deep into the root. Some cords do not have the classic bulbous end to it, but appear to be wrapped around a part of a chakra, coiled up like a snake, and those coming into the throat chakra can literally appear like a thin hangman’s noose. Invasive Cords are formed generally when someone in authority, a parent, grandparent, religious organisation or abusive partner wishes to impose their will on the other and the recipient submits to that domination directly or indirectly. Invasive cords around the throat are often to do with ‘silencing the child’.

Invasive cords can also exist when one individual wishes to impose their will, dogma, belief system onto others. These can come from family members, religious or politically motivated individuals who wish to impose a particular ethos or ideology upon another.

Astral Attachments

Attachments to objects or places are quite different to other cord types, they can appear vague, ‘not real’ or lacking substance. They are not strictly cords in the true sense as energy is really uni-directional, from the individual to the object. A prime example of this is an attachment to an incubator for someone who was either born prematurely or who was very sick at birth. The child will attach to an object as if this is its mother. There can also be cords to institutions such as orphanages, boarding schools etc.

On noticing such attachments, it is always good to investigate if there are any Relational Cords to nursing staff, matrons, doctors, schoolteachers etc.

In such cases, the most effective healing is to strengthen the relational cords to the mother, father, or guardian, depending on the circumstances. Once this is done, the ‘cord’ to the object will often dissolve.

I’ve often identified an attachment to an incubator through the following observations:

–          The clients begins to breathe in a way that sounds like a ventilator

–          There may be a smell of metal

–          Their temperature (or yours) may drop and it may suddenly ‘feel’ clinical

I have once come across an individual who was left on their own a lot who had developed cords to a family pet, a dog.

Spiritual Cords

What I call ‘Spiritual Cords’ can exist from the Heart, 6th or 7th Chakra to: a Divine figure such as the Buddha and Christ, a belief system (Siddha Yoga, Transcendental Meditation, Christianity etc) or more specifically to a Guru, for example: Sai Baba, Muktananda, Amma, Mother Meera and to Spirit Guides and Power Animals.

Ancestral Cords

In my experience these are found in the Base Chakra, the First Chakra.

Ancestral Cords connect us to both our maternal and paternal ancestors stretching back countless generations. Contained within the ancestral cords is information and energy concerning our Ancestor’s experience, wisdom, knowledge and also their trauma and illnesses – one could view Ancestral Cords as being energetic DNA, it is the stuff we are made of in our current physical form.  Through my work with Trans-Generational Healing and Family Constellation work I have observed that very often what a client may interpret as a past life experience may indeed be an Ancestral Experience. A trauma that has a big impact will leave a footprint on the family soul and can be felt for many generations, up to seven or fifteen generations.

It is my belief that when we prepare to incarnate, we choose a family that has a similar energy configuration that matches the challenges we wish to overcome or lessons we wish to learn. There appears to be great correlation between our past life experiences and those of our ancestors.

It is of utmost importance that Ancestral Cords are approached with deep respect. There is no such thing as a ‘bad’ ancestor or one that needs to be excluded, in fact, exclusion only seeks to make matters worse, for whatever is excluded in one generation, will simply be included in another. If an ancestor was made ‘the black sheep’ of the family in a previous generation, then someone else will fill that gap and take on that role in a later generation.

It is through the influence of Ancestral Cords and other Relational Cords that adopted children can express the characteristics and personality traits of their biological family, even when separated at birth. Cords carry energy and with it, information, a hologram of the current physical life. Adopted children will manifest their lives in a way that often expresses the inherited hologram in astounding ways.

Similarly, a child born as a result of IVF (In Vitro Fertilisation) where sperm is taken from an anonymous donor, the child will have both Ancestral and Relational Cords to the biological father and his Ancestors.

Observations & Examples

Couple Relationship Cords: When a couple’s relationship is largely based on shared resources, there may only be cords present in chakras one and two, often three as well. The basis of the relationship is the need to have a home and stability. In such cases, as the healer, we can gently encourage a heart connection and assist the client to form a cord between their heart chakra and the heart of the other.

Invasive Cords:

a)      A client of mine had an invasive cord in her throat and reported having consistent problems with her throat. On investigation I could clearly see a rotund older woman who was projecting her energy into my client’s throat chakra, to silence the child as it were. I asked my client ‘who is the overweight older woman in your family’. She immediately replied ‘That is my grandmother, she ruled with an iron fist and was exceptionally dominant’. Her grandmother, as reported by my client, had very strong and strict views on behaviour, religious beliefs and how life should be lead. Her invasive cord was to limit the self expression of my client so that she did not upset the apple cart. As with any healing, the grandmother is not a ‘bad’ person, simply lost in her own illusion and wounding. Her family had many secrets and two members of the family had been involved in crimes against humanity during WWII. Therefore, the grandmother sought not only to hide the shadow of the family, but also to impose ‘limiting life and expression’ as a penance for the crimes of the family.

b)      Another client had what I could call an invasive cord coming into her 7th chakra from the Roman Catholic Church. This dictated her relationship with the Divine and in essence, only made the Divine accessible through the Catholic Church. What is very important to say about this case is that on asking my client, she revealed that several members of her biological family were wither in the priesthood or had been nuns. A corresponding cord was also found in the first chakra, coming down through her root cord to her ancestors. Without the presence of this ancestral connection to the Church, I personally doubt that the 7th Chakra cord would have been so invasive. For the client, she agreed to the 7th chakra cord out of loyalty to her family – and this is the key, loyalty to the family.  After the healing she felt a greater freedom in her connection and experience of the Divine and could respect the Catholic Church for its function without fearing it.  Having a cord to the Catholic Church, a Guru or any other religious organisation is not a bad thing, we all have them, it is only unhealthy when it dictates the nature of our personal relationship to the Divine or tells us that it is only possible to have a relationship with the Divine through one person or organisation.

c)       Invasive Cords in the Solar plexus are more common than one would expect. They exist whenever we choose submission or are forced into submission by an authority. Partner or parent.

Healing Invasive Cords

We have expressions in our language such as ‘cutting all ties’ and is some healing circles, especially amongst Reiki practitioners, there is a belief that it is beneficial to cut cords. There are even guided meditations available where individuals are guided through cutting their own relational or invasive cords. In my experience this rarely resolves anything and can actually cause harm to the Chakra and human energy field.

One must be mindful that on some level the client is complicit with submitting to the invasion. Most invasive cords form during childhood when the child had little or no defence to the energies coming into its system. Therefore as we grow up and become adults we simply live with the invasion, it becomes our de facto state of being. When I identify and invasive cord I simply make contact with it and gently begin to run energy into it. At this point the client invariably becomes aware of something ‘foreign’ in their system. I then follow the cord to see where it leads and whether it is a family member, organisation or another authority. Once we’ve identified the source I guide the client through releasing the invasive cord themselves with my support and through the use of ‘healing sentences’ *.  What is important to remember, that if the invasive cords leads to a particular individual, it is always because they too are caught in their own illusion and pain regarding a belief or an event. Therefore, it is wise to approach such cords and where they lead to with utmost respect, compassion and gentle love.  When the client is ready to let go, then the other side will generally follow suit when approached with dignity and respect. Only after sincere attempts at approaching the invasive cord with love, and it not working, would I ever recommend a more pro-active and assertive approach. After all, there is the need to protect the integrity of the client’s field.

It is good to be aware of our own reactions and defences around invasion before proceeding.

Healing Relationship Cords

Relationship cords can be torn, broken, twisted, gnarled, covered in mucous or thorny. The state of the relationship cord can tell you a lot about the state of a relationship.  Again my approach is to isolate the cord, make gentle contact with it, and start running energy through it in ‘allow’ mode. I find it beneficial not to have an agenda and not to project any idea or concept as to how a relationship ‘should’ look like. As you run energy through the cord emotions may surface for the client – grief, anger, resentment, sadness – the clients may even begin to speak about the person to whom the cord is connected.

If for example a client reports a relationship difficulty and as the healer your find that there are strong cords lodged in the solar plexus, I find is useful to first work with the Solar Plexus cord which aids in brining awareness to the ego level of the relationship which involve power struggles, domination, aggression, imposing of lifestyles etc. With guidance, you can either remove the cord gently, or leave it where it is and assist your client to build a cord from their heart to the heart of the other person. I have sometimes observed that once the heart cord chakra has been built, the cord in the solar plexus may simply dissolve as interaction on that level is no longer ‘required’. The key here is always to remember that cords express a two way street, no-one is ever really a victim, even in the case of invasive cords, although it may appear to be so in some cases.

Events that have an impact on relational cords:

–          Divorce (your own or that of your parents)

–          Early death of a parent

–          A mother that dies during childbirth

–          Early death of a sibling / Stillborn siblings and children

–          Illness and disease in family members and partners

For example, a client was the child born directly after arrival of a severely handicapped sibling. On the one hand she exhibited all the traits of oral wounding, however, this cannot be addressed fully until the relationship cord between her and her disabled sister is worked with.  My client first had to feel free to live a full life with of the blessings can give before really being able to address her oral wound. I had her say to her sister ‘Beloved sister, please smile upon me kindly if I have all of the things that you cannot have’. What will be revealed with such a healing sentence* is just how she is entangled with her sister’s fate in disallowing herself to live freely.

Healing Ancestral Cords

Many of the events that affected our ancestors and can be felt as if they are own. Sometimes this can lead us to look for stories that fit our deeper feelings. When we approach psychotherapy and the therapist or healer does not have the knowledge or awareness of the influence of the Ancestral Field and its related Cords, then we can be assisted in creating stories and reconstructing memories from childhood in order to fit with the feeling. However, if such feelings, whether they be subtle or powerful, are being transmitted to us through Ancestral Cords, then no matter what story we create, the issue will not be resolved in totality.

So what kinds of events have an impact on the Ancestral Field and can influence us through Ancestral Cords?

Notable Events:

–          Wars , famine, refugee status

–          The African Diaspora / Slavery

–          Descendents of the Pogroms and the Holocaust

–          Descendents of Native Americans and other indigenous people’s oppressed by colonisers, those whose people suffered genocide

–          Descendents of War Criminals (Nazis, Stalinists etc)

–          Descendents of Slave owners and Traders

–          When an individual in the family has been placed in an institute and forgotten

–          When a murder has taken place in the family

–          When there has been ill gotten gain in the family (Crime, Theft, Slave Ownership, Injustice)

When working with a client, the client may or may not be aware of their family history, however, with a knowledge and awareness of general history, and through asking the right questions, much can be revealed to support what you may be feeling when in contact with Ancestral Cords. It is important to be aware than when you have the child of immigrants in your presence, that immigration is more often than not ‘away’ from something, rather than ‘going’ to a new country. Many immigrants left religious and political oppression, famine, war, disease and tragedy.

Some brief examples:

The Ship

A woman of African-American descent presented herself as having a deep and unknown sadness. She was 50 at the time, unmarried and had rarely felt joyful in her life. As we began to work her I was strongly drawn to her ancestors and saw a vision of her ancestors on slave ships on their way to the new world. In particular I could see a female who was in deep grief as many on the ship had died of disease and maltreatment. As we made contact with her through the Ancestral Cord, my client began to weep and waves of sadness moved through her, she sobbed deeply. As we approached resolution for herself and I guided her to say to her ancestor ‘ Please bless me if I have the courage to be happier than you’. She felt great relief and could see that through living her life more fully that it would also bring relief to her ancestor.

Bankrupt Again

A woman from Georgia, USA,  reported that she had made lots of money and had become bankrupt several times and that her two brothers had done the same over and over again.  On working with the Ancestral Cord it was clear that I should ask her about her great- grandfather. Her great-grandfather was a plantation owner who had owned a lot of land and many slaves. In addition, a Native American tribe had been forcibly removed from the land in order to make way for the plantation a generation or two even before her great-grandfather. It became clear that she was trying to pay a penance for her grandfather, ridding herself of all gain in order to in some way pay back the ill gotten gain within her family. As we worked she was able to leave the entire matter to her great grandfather and we built cords between her heart and the African slaves and also to the Cree Nation. She felt resolved.

What His Eyes Saw

A German woman came to me and as she sat opposite me I noticed just how thin she was, dangerously so. Before even working with her I had the impulse to ask her about her grandfather. She was startled and began to tell me that towards the end of WWII, her grandfather who was but 18 or 19 years old at the time, was drafted into the German Army and was placed on the watchtower in Auschwitz as a guard. Before we did any table work, I simply took her hand and said ‘let’s weep for your grandfather’. We sat and we both wept for him. What transpired is that my client was living out what her grandfather had seen in Auschwitz, emaciated and thin people who felt worthless. During the healing I had her say to her grandfather:

‘Beloved Grandfather, I wish that your eyes could unsee what they have seen, but it is too much for me, for I am but your little one’. With that she was able to hand it back to him. We called in the guides and ancient ones who assisted her grandfather to find redemption.

Hidden Loyalties

Our loyalty to our family and to our clan knows almost no bounds, even when we claim to have little to no relationship with them. Unconscious and hidden loyalties can surface during cord healings – whether the cords we are working with are relational cords, invasive cords or ancestral cords.  We often deny ourselves the blessings of life when others within our family system and ancestry have suffered, have lost much, or have died young. It takes a child of great courage to be happier than their parents.

The Healing

Cord Healings take place on the 4th level of the field and can also take place from within the Middle World together with your Power Animal.

Preparation

Prepare for the healing in your usual way and ensure that you are well grounded and that your heart is open to heal with a great deal of love.  Call in your guides and power animals and summon forth the ancient healing ancestors of your client.

Regulate your own energy field and self check for any reactions you may be having to the subject  matter.

How do you feel about your client’s ancestors who were slave owners? Do you want to yank out that cord and discard them forever as ‘bad’ people?  Or do you want to respectfully release your client from the burden he has been carrying and allow him to take all that was good from these very same people and leave the rest behind?

How do you feel about the family members who are very religious and dogmatic? Does it trigger you?  What if there has been rape or murder in the family?

The Healing

Approach chakras and cords with great gentleness – be curious, ask for guidance, be patient and above all respectful – you are about to enter into the realm of an intimate relationship as an outsider.

In each and every cord healing I have ever done I have summoned forth grace and a source of Divine Love such as Christ to assist me to be ‘bigger’ than the topic at hand in order to circumnavigate any opinions I may have.  I have learnt that the heart has no opinions, for opinions are a function of the mind (and the ego).

Begin to run energy into the cord very slowly, as if trickling water into it. Your client may begin to spontaneously talk of the person involved.

Whilst it is appropriate at times to push energy through a cord, never yank, tear, rip or otherwise pull out a cord.  When the issue is resolved, they will generally transform or simply dissolve all by themselves. I have on occasion removed a cord but only with very clear guidance from non-physical helpers, and even then I will either hand it over to them fully, or allow them to make use of my own hands.  I err on the side of caution, not out of fear, but of deep respect for human relationships and the karma involved.  When cord removal is necessary, it is wise to work with a guide as we need to be as clear as possible that our own judgements are not influencing the healing.  It can be challenging to have a rapist, child abuser or murderer at the other end of the cord. However, each soul is worthy of redemption, no matter their crime or the harm they have caused.  We wish the abusers well.

When removing either mucous or thorn from a cord, do so gently, remember, you may be pulling on someone’s ‘heart strings’.

What I’ve learnt with Cord Healings is to ‘ask, ask’ ask’. For example your client may not have arrived with a Cord Healing in mind, but you notice a ripped cord floating about in her field. The only way you are going to know where it leads to is a) to follow the cord and look into the space beyond it to see who is standing there b) Ask both your guides and your client’s guides or ancient ancestors.

* Healing Sentences

You can learn more about healing sentences from my two books: The Healing of Individuals, Families and Nations and The Language of the Soul.

This material has been produced by John L. Payne ©

None of this material may be re-produced without the specific permission given in writing by its author.

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