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Post #2 Pseudoscience Watchlist: Use of Scientific Sounding Language that is Meaningless [Article]

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Post #2 Pseudoscience Watchlist: Use of Scientific Sounding Language that is Meaningless [Article]

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Definition:

"Use of Scientific-Sounding Language that is Meaningless" refers to certain words and phrases that are often used in a marketing context to lure people into purchasing a product or service. This is often done by making consumers think it's based in science, when it really isn't. Some examples of this language include, "mystical energy", "psychotronic amplification system", "healing modalities" and "biocosmic energy."

Connection:

The New York Times article, "How Fake Science Sells Wellness" relates to to this pseudoscience watchlist item because it delves into how it's not only meaningless jargon that's thrown at consumers, but also uses web sources that lead to singular studies on topics that are still in their infancy. For example, the author, Rina Raphael, mentions how Kombucha is often marketed as "microbiome-friendly", which is problematic because that field of study is still new to researchers. Therefore, we don't know how things like Kombucha might affect microbiomes in the long run. Finally, this article related to this watchlist item, by pointing out common  vague claims on products like "prebiotic soda", "skin detoxing", and "energy enhancement."

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Dubious claims in product marketing are everywhere. Don’t fall for them.

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Object: One of the most beautiful churches in the world-Wieskirche, Steingaden, Germany

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Post #3 Pseudoscience Watchlist: Convinces by Faith and Belief (In Spite of Evidence) [Image]

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Post #3 Pseudoscience Watchlist: Convinces by Faith and Belief (In Spite of Evidence) [Image]

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Definition:
Convincing by faith and belief indicates that someone's beliefs are being swayed by just believing in your heart and mind that something is true. This pseudoscience watch list item is compounded by the fact that there is often evidence to the contrary, but purveyors of these beliefs still try to push their validity anyways. Examples include saying "spiritual beings are present" and "science can't explain mystical connections.

Connection:

I chose a picture of a church, as I believe this is a prime example of convincing by faith and belief (in spite of evidence). Although there is nothing inherently wrong with believing in religion or a higher power, Christianity is the number 1 most followed religion in the world for a reason. While colonization has played a role in this fact, I think it also has to do with believers and religious authorities convincing people by telling them to "just have faith" or to turn to the bible when they're dealing with various issues. This is especially dangerous since any skepticism is shot down as coming after religious freedom or even persecution. In extreme cases, those who try to exercise critical thinking in regards to religion, can even be harmed or killed because blasphemy or being a heretic is illegal in many parts of the world.

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Object: Scam Everlasting: After 25 Years, Debunked Faith Healer Still Preaching Debt Relief Scam

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Post #4 Pseudoscience Watchlist: Money is Often Involved [Article]

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Post #4 Pseudoscience Watchlist: Money is Often Involved [Article]

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Definition:

This refers to purveyors of pseudoscience who make money off of their services or products. In many cases, money/fame is the motive and vulnerable people can lose their life savings.

Connection:

Scam Everlasting: After 25 Years, Debunked Faith Healer Still Preaching Debt Relief Scam, by Christopher Maag is a perfect example of money being a motivator for pseudoscience scams and faith healing. The article details Maag's infiltration into Peter Popoff's scam that claims God will erase all of your debt. Maag talks about how he followed Popoff's instructions to email him a $20 cheque, drizzle "blessed oils" over bills and drink holy water to cure debt. Obviously, it turns out that this didn't work out for Maag and he did not supply him with anymore money. However, many people were not so lucky. One impoverished single mother sent him up to $300 at one point in order to erase her debt. Peter Popoff and his church made $24 million off of scamming people just like her. This is a perfect example of "money is often involved" because all of Popoff's scams are easily debunked and uses supernatural or paranormal forces, as well as anecdotes from other victims to trick people into paying large sums of money when they're already drowning in debt.

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If you've ever channel surfed late into the night, you've probably seen Peter Popoff. He's a televangelist who looks the part, with hair the color of black shoe polish, teeth as white as light bulbs, and a voice that manages to be screeching, nasal and guttural at the same time.
"God is touching hurting people around the world," Popoff says in a recent video on his website, sitting in a wingback chair beside his wife, Elizabeth. "It's always such a joy to share the reality of that joy. It's a joy to share the reality of his saving power, healing power, delivery power, and ... debt cancelling power! Amen!"

Popoff has been a preacher for over three decades. While the specifics change over time, Popoff's basic message remains largely the same: that God wants us to be affluent and debt-free, and that Popoff is a prophet sent by God to help people transform their lives from poverty to affluence.

[Infographic: What to do if a Debt Collector Calls]

"Debt cancellation is part of God's plan," Popoff says in the video posted to his website, as a little dog sleeps in his lap. "That's why God sent me to you. How would you ever know about miraculous debt cancellation, erasure of your debts if someone didn't tell you about it?"

Another thing that remains consistent: Multiple times throughout his career, Popoff has been exposed as a fraud. The first big revelation happened on the Johnny Carson show in 1986, where the magician James Randi played secret audiotapes revealing Popoff's scam as a faith healer. Before every revival event Popoff led, Popoff's staff and his wife Elizabeth would interview audience members about their health problems., and they would collect prayer cards from the audience. As Peter worked the room, his wife would point out vulnerable people for him to approach, and tell him about their physical ailments, via a small radio receiver stuck in Popoff's ear.

[Resource: Get your free Credit Report Card]

Not long after that show aired, Popoff declared bankruptcy. But the setback proved temporary. Popoff started over, and by 2005 his "ministry" was earning more than $24 million a year.

If anything about Popoff is truly miraculous, it's his resilience. No matter how many times his claims are debunked, he seems to bounce back with another version of the same old scam. Popoff has promised to cancel peoples' debts using holy water and blessed oil. He has claimed to be a prophet who can heal peoples' illnesses by slapping them on the head. He promises to use God's power to help people become rich.

These claims have been exposed as falsehoods many times. After the Johnny Carson debacle, Popoff has been tailed by everyone from Inside Edition to local TV news stations from Los Angeles to Atlanta. After each investigation, Popoff seems to bounce back, launching new crusades and finding new victims.

"We've done so many stories about him, but it never does any good," says Ole Anthony, founder of Trinity Foundation, which has investigated Popoff and other faith healers since 1987. "His scams are endless."

Credit.com called and emailed Peter Popoff Ministries numerous times, but received no response. So we decided to run a little test ourselves. In the process we discovered that Popoff's biggest scam doesn't happen on television; it's carried out through the mail.

Fat Envelopes, Big Promises

Apparently God wants me-yes me!-to be free of debt. In a rambling five-page letter, Peter Popoff tells me that God has instructed him to stop touring the nation and devote all his energy to erasing my debt.

And now God wants me to do the same.

"It's time for you, Chris, to shift gears and enter into this whole new phase of Miracle living," Popoff writes in his letter.

I first discovered Peter Popoff by way of Steve Rhode, a personal finance expert who calls himself the " Get Out of Debt Guy." Back when Steve wrote about Popoff earlier this year, the televangelist was still mailing out vials of blessed holy water, and advising viewers of BET that the water had the power to erase their debt.

[Article: Student Loans Top Consumer Debt]

"We're anointed and appointed to get you healthy and wealthy," Popoff said in the broadcast, which you can find saved on Rhode's website.

"Let us send you this miracle faith tool to erase your debt. And we also want to send you this miracle faith water."

As a guy who writes about debt for a living, I was more than a little curious to get my hands on this water. And if Popoff turned out to be a fraud, which I was pretty sure he would, then maybe I can help more people from becoming victims.

But before writing him off as a con man, first needed to give Popoff's system an honest try. After all, if Popoff and God actually are working together to cancel debts, then presumably their system should work even for me, a preternaturally disbelieving journalist.

So I started by going to the website for Peter Popoff Ministries. There I filled out a form requesting a "Miracle Spring Water and Debt Cancelling Kit," giving Popoff my name and address. I also called the phone number on the website. I left messages identifying myself as a journalist and asking Popoff or one of his employees to call me back. No one did.

And then I waited. And waited. I thought perhaps my call informing the organization that I'm a journalist might have caused them to block my request for a debt cancellation kit, since they surely would suspect that a journalist would be trying to investigate them, not send them money.

But my fears were unnecessary. After about two and a half months, a fat envelope from Peter Popoff Ministries appeared in my mailbox, with the words "How to Supernaturally erase YOUR DEBT!!" written in green ink across the front.

I tore into the envelope hoping to find some spring water. I was immediately disappointed. Instead of a vial of water, I received a rambling five-page letter. It immediately became clear that this process of getting my debts "supernaturally erased" is quite complicated. The letter included a long list of instructions, which I attempted to follow. First I added up all my debts from graduate school and my credit card. I placed the tally, the bills and my checkbook in a pile.

Do Not Open This Envelope

On top of the pile, Popoff instructed, I should place a sealed envelope that he'd mailed me. On the back was a picture of Jesus, plus this warning: "IN JESUS' NAME... DO NOT OPEN THIS ENVELOPE YOU may STOP YOUR BLESSING," Popoff had written across the back.

Here, dear reader, I experienced a dilemma. On one hand, I wanted to follow Popoff's instructions exactly, giving his debt cure the best possible chance of success. On the other hand, I felt a responsibility to tell you everything I could about this alleged scam.

In the end, journalistic integrity beat out spiritual rectitude. I opened the envelope. Inside was a white eraser about the length of my thumb, with the image of a $100 bill printed on one side. The good news is that opening the letter does not necessarily eliminate me from God's debt-cancelling grace, according to Popoff. "If you have opened it...seal it back up and don't think about what's inside," he writes. "Just know God is going to use it to erase your debt, and I'll answer you with special scriptural instructions to do so."

[Article: To Save or Pay Down Debt? Budget for Both]

Phew!

With the envelope tightly resealed and placed upon my pile of debts, I went to sleep. In the morning I filled out a "prayer slip" that contained a grid of 10 "troubles" I may have in addition to debt. Popoff promised to pray over these troubles, too. I checked off seven, as instructed, including "I need stronger faith" and "A person causes me trouble."

Finally, I wrote Popoff a check for $20. This was optional. As Popoff explains in his letter, "Now, listen, if there is no way you can send that amount now ... send $12 and let me know you'll send the rest when God provides."

I figured now was not the time to cheap out. I stuffed the prayer slip and a check for $20 into an envelope and mailed it all to Peter Popoff Ministries in Upland, California. Popoff promised to place my envelope on his prayer altar. After that, he would mail me another letter with instructions regarding "THE EXACT WORDS TO SAY...TO RELEASE THE ANGELS TO MINISTER FOR YOU TO CANCEL DEBT..."

[Free Tool: Obtain your Identity Risk Score from Credit.com]

I received the second letter about two weeks later. The instructions for supernatural debt cancellation came, strangely, on a yellow paper napkin. Beneath the printed words was a line drawing of Jesus with his hands outstretched.

I did as I was told. I placed my right hand over Jesus's right hand. And then I recited this awkward prayer:

"Dear Jesus, As I follow these prophetic instructions release your DOUBLE PORTION ANOINTING into the circumstances of my life...I claim a DOUBLE PORTION Transfer of the anointing into my Health, Finance, Spiritual walk in Jesus' Name!"

I waited a few days to give the prayer time to work. Then I went online and checked my credit card and student loan accounts. Neither had been erased, supernaturally or otherwise. My Visa actually bill was actually a little higher, thanks to a really tasty Vietnamese dinner I'd charged the night before.

The biggest change: Thanks to Peter Popoff, I was $20 poorer.

The Business of Salvation

I got off easy, of course. Janet Morgano was a single mother of two living in Boynton Beach, Florida. She was taken in by Popoff's claims of debt cancellation, initially sending him between $20 and $30 at a time.

Then, in late 2010, Popoff sent a letter asking for $1,001. Morgano wound up mailing him over $300, money she desperately needed as she struggled to recover from a car accident and pay her monthly bills.

"I felt foolish, I felt betrayed, I was very upset," Morgano told a reporter with KABC, the ABC affiliate n Los Angeles.

Other victims have written in web forums, including Christian Issues, edited by Brian Karjala of Colorado Springs, who received a letter from Popoff in 1997. Numerous posters on the site tell of being scammed and warn other Christians to stay away. While most people say they mailed Popoff less than $100, one person writes to say that their father sent $1,000.

[Article: Dealing with Debt While Unemployed]

"He has squeezed some money out of me as well," one person wrote. "Desperate for support from the high, I went along with it because I so badly wanted answers."

Some desperate people must have been conned into mailing Popoff hundreds or even thousands of dollars, as we can infer from his tax returns from 2005. (That's the last year for which tax information is available because in 2006 Peter Popoff Ministries changed from a for-profit business into a religious organization, making it tax-exempt.) The company received $24.5 million in 2005, and it owned properties valued at $5.1 million. The tax forms don't require Popoff to say where he received the money, other than describing the sources as "Contributions, gifts, grants."

Popoff himself took $628,732 in compensation, plus another $48,000 for his role as board member and employee of other related entities. His wife Elizabeth took $202,920. Popoff's son Nickolas received $181,811, and $176,008 went to his daughter Amy.

[Resource: Tips to Improve and Rebuild Your Credit]

Another $1.9 million went to Kelly Media Group of Upland, California, for TV production. Kelly Media is owned by Popoff's son-in-law, Jason Cardiff.

"He's committing fraud in the name of God," says Ole Anthony of the Trinity Foundation. "That's what makes me angry."

An IRS spokesman declined to tell Credit.com whether the agency is investigating Popoff. As a member of the powerful finance committee, Senator Charles Grassley (R-IA) conducted an investigation of six popular televangelists (not including Popoff). After three years of study, Grassley released a report in January that expressed concerns about TV pastors' lavish homes, jet planes and huge credit card expenses, but ultimately failed to reach any conclusions about whether the ministries were in violation of IRS rules. Instead, Grassley called on televangelists to police themselves.

"Self-correction can be more effective than government action," Grassley said in a press release.

"Hook, Line and Sinker"

Popoff's style and approach stand out from his fellow televangelists, partly because his writing and speaking style seem so confusing to first-time viewers. He is often repetitive, and many of his sentences don't make any sense.

"Debt closes churches, and opens people's [sic] lives to more trouble than they can ever deal with in the natural," Popoff wrote in a letter I received.

But underneath this seemingly childish language lies sophisticated psychological manipulation, says D.J. Grothe, director of the James Randi Educational Foundation, which continues to keep tabs on Popoff's activities 25 years after Randi's exposé ran on national television.

[Resource: Bankruptcy Survival Guide]

It starts with all that back-and-forth interaction. Popoff didn't just tell me how to erase my debts; he engaged me in a conversation via the mail, in which I sent him two letters and he responded with two in return. In my case, I received an eraser and a napkin, and was given specific instructions on what to do with them. In the past Popoff has mailed out packets of "Holy Water," which recipients were told to drink, and he's also sent "Anointed Oil" with instructions to drizzle it over tallies of their debts.

This whole convoluted process serves two purposes, Grothe says. First, it enables Popoff to identify people naïve or desperate enough to participate. Second, it turns each interaction into a ritual, deepening victims' psychological attachment to Popoff.

"It's not passive at all," says Grothe. "It's sophisticated psychology designed to find highly bought-in marks, because if you're communicating back with him, it's a good bet that you're already taken hook, line and sinker."

[Featured Tool: Get your free Credit Report Card from Credit.com]

Popoff regularly buys late-night air time on BET and other cable channels. The purpose is not to get people calling in immediately with more donations. Rather, the calls Popoff receives from his television programming are converted into more leads for his mailing list, which is his real moneymaker, Anthony says.

All of which makes Poppoff even more nefarious than other TV preachers, according to his longtime critics.

"Most of these guys are fooled by their own theology," says Anthony, referring to other televangelists he considers scammers, including Joel Osteen and T.D. Jakes. But in the case of Popoff, "He's fundamentally evil. Because he knows he's a con man."

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Scam Everlasting: After 25 Years, Debunked Faith Healer Still Preaching Debt Relief Scam

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If you've ever channel surfed late into the night, you've probably seen Peter Popoff. He's a televangelist who looks the part, with hair the color of black shoe polish, teeth as white as light bulbs, and a voice that manages to be screeching, nasal and guttural at the same time.

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Object: Free Birth Chart, Astrology Online | Astro-Seek.com

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Post #5 Pseudoscience Watchlist: Does Not Progress [Website]

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Post #5 Pseudoscience Watchlist: Does Not Progress [Website]

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Definition:

This pseudoscience watchlist item refers to something that hasn't changed even if the concept or field has existed for a very long time.

Connection:

I chose a website that calculates your Astrology Birth Chart because I think this is a prime example of something that doesn't progress. Many people justify their bias towards astrology because it was used by some of the greatest scientific and philosophical minds of the ancient world. However, where each constellation appeared thousands of years ago has shifted and no longer holds up as a legitimate assessment of someone's personality traits. Many people claim to be astrology experts and even use it to make vital life decisions, despite their being no reputable evidence of its benefits.

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Free Birth Chart, Astrology Online | Astro-Seek.com

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www.Astro-Seek.com - Seek and meet people born on the same date as you

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Object: Image from an article, encouraging people to use skepticism when shopping for "All Natural" products.

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Definition:

All Natural refers to the Red Flag that involves marketing products that claim everything is natural and is therefore safer. These products are often sold as a cure for the "poison" big pharma is trying to sell consumers.

Connection:

This object is a great choice because it warns people to use the critical thinking process when shopping for "all natural" or "organic" products. Many of these items are either using false advertising and often do have synthetic materials in them, or these natural materials may actually be toxic when ingested or applied to the skin. This is especially important in regards to some of the things in the photo, like baby products and ingestibles. However, the term "all natural" is a very insidious term as many assume it's safe and therefore, acts as a barrier to critical thinking.

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Screenshot 2023-10-06 at 23-17-00 bogus all natural products - Google Search

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Object: The Seven Chakras - Exploring A Mystical Dimension of Ones Self - Luke Coutinho

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Post #7 Red Flag: Mystical Energy [Article / Image]

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Post #7 Red Flag: Mystical Energy [Article / Image]

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Definition:

Mystical Energy is a red flag that references how words like energy or "chi" are put into product claims to make them sound more scientific.

Connection:

I decided to use a picture of the Seven Chakras as well as a link to a website with the tag line, "Exploring A Mystical Dimension of Ones Self." This clearly demonstrates mystical energy because not only does the blog begin with the word, "mystical", it mentions chakras, which is basically another way of talking about the body's energy fields. Many people, like the author of this blog buy into this pseudoscience even when it has yet to show any demonstrable validity.

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Everyone is talking about chakras! But, what are they? How do we align them? How do we vibe with it? Is only doing yoga asana practice enough? Whether you've encountered this term when in downward facing dog during your yoga class or done pranayama, knowing what your chakras are, where to look for them, and how to unblock them may be the missing key to a happier, healthier life.

In this article, we introduce you to the fascinating world of chakras.
What are Chakras?
Chakras are the energy centres of the body. They're located within the body along our spine, starting at its base and running upwards to the crown of the head. The Chakras coincide with a gland within the human body, and they individually radiate a particular colour and energy. Since each chakra relates to specific spiritual, emotional, psychological and physical aspects of our being, it is said that the blockage or malfunction of these chakras can cause physical, psychological and emotional disorders. But, on the other hand, the conscious awareness and balancing of these energy centres are believed to steer us to well-being and healthiness. Therefore, one of the aims of yoga practice is to stimulate and balance the chakras or energies within the body.
Function and Importance of the Chakras
The chakras are the distribution centres. They distribute energies to their local regions. Each chakra is found in a specific region, and it caters to that particular region. For instance, the chakra will distribute the prana (life force)to the pelvic region providing energy for the organs within the pelvic area. When a chakra isn't functioning correctly, this distribution gets disturbed, and physical or energetic issues arise.
What do they look like?
There are many myths about the form of the chakras. Some say chakras are like whirling discs; some believe chakras are like flowers hanging from the spine, and some think they're like candy cones. The confusion exists because the chakras can't be seen by the eyes or by any device. So, we believe what we've heard. Traditional scriptures say that a chakra may be a sphere, sort of a ball. E.g., Earth could be a significant chakra of our system and a minor chakra for the Milky Way galaxy.
Reason to get your energy flowing:
The energy we are talking about here is prana, or vital force energy. The advantages to a healthy flow of prana are said to incorporate physical health and vitality, balanced emotions, releasing old issues and trauma, heightened intuition, and immediate contact with the divine energy source.

By far, the simplest way to learn what a chakra is, to experience it yourself by meditating on them and their correspondences, like colour, element, sound, area of the human body, and affirmations.
The Physical Chakras: Root, Sacral, and solar plexus - help navigate our sacred bodies through the physical world.
The lower three chakras - muladhara, svadhisthana and manipura - are considered your physical chakras and are liable for your self-image and physical and emotional identity, in conjunction with your relationship to the physical world. The lower three chakras connect through your heart chakra, to the upper three, which are considered your spiritual centres.
MULADHARA: The Root Chakra
The first chakra is our root chakra or base chakra. Its Sanskrit name is Muladhara, meaning base or foundation. This root chakra is the base of your body's energy. When in balance, you feel safe, secure, purified, and grounded. When practising chakra balancing, it's essential to start at the rock bottom chakra that needs balancing. Otherwise, our whole energy system could also be misaligned from our true purpose of being here on earth.
SVADHISTHANA: The Sacral Chakra
The second chakra is our sacral chakra. Its Sanskrit name is Svadhisthana, meaning the dwelling place of the self. This sacral chakra is revealed in how you express yourself within the physical world and your ability to move with the flow. It is closely associated with your creativity and sexuality. When in balance, you will be expressive, nurturing, creative, passionate, emotionally stable and able to 'feel'.
MANIPURA: The Solar Plexus Chakra
The third chakra is our solar plexus chakra. Its Sanskrit name is Manipura, meaning the city of jewels. The solar plexus provides our life-force energy, creating a sacred power centre within us. This chakra is where self-awareness meets willpower. When in balance, you'll be reliable, strong-willed, powerful, courageous, without dominating others. There should be no ego to guard during a balanced solar plexus chakra.
ANAHATA: The Heart Chakra
The fourth chakra is our heart chakra. Its Sanskrit name is Anahata, meaning to unstruck. Our heart forms the intersection of physical and spiritual Chakras where self and soul are one. By being aware of heart chakra, we have the grand capacity to anticipate what we'd like even before we 'need' it, to listen to the sound of the unstruck bell. Unlike the lower three chakras, the heart chakra is infinite because the soul also resides here, making it possible for humans to offer and receive unconditional love. When the heart chakra is in balance, you'll be trusting, compassionate, loving, forgiving, grateful, and giving.
The Spiritual Chakras: Throat, Third-Eye, and Crown
The higher chakras (5th, 6th, & 7th) coincide mainly with spiritual paths. When these chakras are active and balanced, an individual could seem to possess unique abilities like being psychic, telepathic, or clairvoyant. However, since the wavelength of energy in these chakras is short, they may need some time and more attention to tap into. Once we give extra energy to the lower physical chakras, it becomes exceedingly challenging to tap into these energies in any respect. However, by improving the balance of the lower chakras, we will be able to move higher.
VISHUDDHA: The Throat Chakra
The fifth chakra is our throat chakra. Its Sanskrit name is Vishuddha, meaning purity. The throat chakra is all about communication. Once we communicate from our highest sense of truth, we cleanse our psyche on a physical and mental level. Truth is purifying. When the throat chakra is in balance, you'll be truthful, helpful, opinionated, calm, an honest listener, an efficient communicator, and proud.
AJNA: the Third Eye Chakra
The sixth chakra is our third eye chakra. The Sanskrit name Ajna, means "command center". When the third eye chakra is aligned, we are aware of and accept our soul. Here our soul feeds information to our 'self', the power to listen to these commands is our intuition. To return into full alignment of self (your physical existence) and soul (your infinite existence), you need to honour your soul's commands, although they do not pass the tests of your logical mind. When this chakra is in balance, you'll have a transparent vision, be intuitive, imaginative, and aware.
SAHASRARA: The Crown Chakra
The seventh chakra is our crown chakra. Its Sanskrit name, Sahasrara, means thousand. When this chakra is in balance, you may feel connected to everyone and everything in this universe, recognizing your role in the divine process and feeling connected to the source. The crown chakra, located at the top of the head and opening upward, is our mind's link to universal consciousness.
Why Do Chakras Get Blocked?
Chakras can get clogged and cause numerous imbalances in our life. Imagine a lovely, flowing stream from a hill down through the forest. Undisturbed, the water will dance from the very top of the mountain to the very bottom. It'll eventually meet the ocean. This can be water's natural course, right? But imagine now that because of an extreme storm, the largest and heaviest boulder you've ever seen rolls into the stream! It's now blocking the flow.

Because of this, the flow stops, unable to access any land below the boulder.

This is an ideal analogy for the way the chakras work because the flowing water mirrors the flow of energy through our energy centres. The giant rocks of life that may block our chakras are:

- Work stress

- Financial turmoil

- Poor diet

- Sexual oppression

- Low self-esteem

- Suppressed anger

- Illness

- Grief

- Heartbreak

- Rejection

- Resentment

- Fear

- Anxiety

- Stubbornness & 'Tunnel Vision'

- Denial
Why Do Multiple Chakras Get Blocked Together?
It remains clear that when one chakra is out of alignment, it tends to affect the encompassing chakras. Although the chakras can get clogged individually, they can also get clogged in clusters. E.g., Assume that your partner has crossed a line. They've crushed your self-esteem with something they said. That clogs up your solar plexus Chakra. Additionally, you're possibly getting to feel betrayed, less appreciated, and maybe less loving towards them too. This is often a classic example of a Heart Chakra blockage.

That's two blocks for the worth of one!

So although the chakras are powerful beyond measure - they're also pretty sensitive to all or any of our human experiences. Thankfully, even though the chakras are often blocked and closed, they can be cleared and opened too.
How to balance or awaken your seven Chakras?
Every chakra rotates at a particular frequency and speed. This frequency and speed are subject to various factors like diet, lifestyle, thought patterns, etc. This leads to issues with the distribution of the pranas.

Imagine if your 60-watt light bulb received a 700 watt or 20-watt electricity supply! Once we balance or awaken the chakras, they return to their regular speed.

Some of the tools to balance Chakras are:

Nutrition: One of the significant reasons for imbalance in chakras is an imbalance of the five elements in the body. A diet helps to bring balance to the elements of the body.

2.Asanas: Asanas help to stimulate chakras to enhance their functioning and heal themselves.

Breathing: Breathing helps improve the flow of prana within the body and flush out stale prana.

4. Meditation: Meditation helps to clear the mind and take away negativity and manipulation.

Like your physical health, your spiritual health requires a degree of fitness to make sure your health and wellbeing is optimal. The chakra system is a component of an ancient practice to achieve spiritual wellness and vitality and, intrinsically, is often a simple and accessible method to connect with your spiritual energy. It provides a blueprint for all components of our life. By clearing blockages in our chakra system, we increase our capacity for love, joy and wellbeing. Our natural state of being is one of love and joy, but life's traumas and programming from our family and culture can inhibit this natural expression. Releasing these old patterns of thinking and behaviour frees us to experience pure energy from the divine source.

Everything we experience tends to get stored in our chakra system, effectively blocking or uplifting energy flow. These blocks may then manifest as emotional or physical issues. Releasing old, stored energy in our chakras can revitalize our zest for all times and our relationships, as we are no longer blocked or stuck in old patterns.

By specializing in a relevant chakra for a specific life issue, we can assist ourselves in developing healthy behaviours and overcoming addictive or self-destructive behaviours.
Many mood disorders and addictive behaviours, like overeating and sex addiction, are often caused by a desire to overcompensate for deficient vital force energy.
Chakra balancing practices can help alleviate the underlying energetic causes of those compulsive drives. For instance, a meditation on our base chakra can help us feel more grounded and secure within the world, while meditation on the solar plexus chakra can increase our confidence. Meditation on the sacral chakra can help us access a natural flow of joy and sensuality that's healthy and not excessive.

Our vital force aims to empower our body, mind and spirit. Suppose that vital force is getting blocked or wasted on fueling old resentments, traumas and emotional patterns. In that case, we are left with less energy to take a position within the here and now, less energy for the natural flow of abundance, joy, vitality and creativity. A healthy flow of vital force energy flowing through your chakra system will ensure your whole mind, body, and spirit are firing on all cylinders.

We hope this guide helps you to understand the seven chakras a little more closely. There is nothing airy-fairy about it. Its energy and energy is real. We are all energetic beings. Earth is energy. Nature is energy.

Below is the chart for an easy understanding at a glance!

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The Seven Chakras - Exploring A Mystical Dimension of Ones Self - Luke Coutinho

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Everyone is talking about chakras! But, what are they? How do we align them? How do we vibe with it? Is only doing yoga asana practice enough? Whether you've

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Object: Image of the September 11 attacks in 2001.

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Post #8 Red Flag: Proof by Verbosity [Image]

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Post #8 Red Flag: Proof by Verbosity [Image]

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Definition:

Laying out claims and "evidence" so quickly that no one can possibly respond, with the intent to make the other party look unintelligent or uninformed.

Connection:

I used a photo of the 9/11 attacks because many people use the proof by verbosity red flag when justifying their conspiracies about this tragedy. They might rapidly ask questions like, "Why were all ultra rich business-men cleared out of the building before 9/11?" and "Why did George Bush have ties to Iraq/Afghanistan before and after 9/11?" This is done to silence any skepticism and therefore, critical thinking is stifled.

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Object: A vaccine being prepared for use, courtesy of CP24.

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Post #9 Red Flag: Suppression by Authorities [Image]

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Post #9 Red Flag: Suppression by Authorities [Image]

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Definition:

The idea that conspirator talking points are swept under the rug to keep people unhealthy or uneducated.

Connection:

I used a picture of a vaccine being prepared because not only is it a hot button topic right now, it's also a great example of this red flag. Many people since the Covid-19 pandemic have taken up the mantle of being against vaccines (anti-vaxx). Specifically, they rally against the COVID vaccines made by Moderna, Astra-Zeneca, and  Pfizer. They often make arguments that vaccines are trying to make people sick, take away your freedom, and the worst part of all, the "elite" don't want you to know about it. This is all said despite the use of the scientific method to develop vaccines.

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Object: Gwyneth Paltrow giving a speech about her wellness company, Goop.

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Post #10 Red Flag: Appeal to Authority [Image]

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Post #10 Red Flag: Appeal to Authority [Image]

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Definition:

The Appeal to Authority red flag refers to the use of authoritative imagery to lend credibility to a product or service.

Connection:

Gwyneth Paltrow and Goop represent this red flag because of how she sells wellness products and has a very large presence in the company. Goop products have been known to cause adverse reactions in people, and some are based on outright pseudoscience. However, many people still go to her events and buy her products because she is a celebrity who promotes a "healthy" lifestyle that many aspire to have. Therefore, consumers' put their critical thinking skills on the back burner.

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Object: Skeptic, Dr. Michael Shermer's official website.

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Post #11 Reason for Belief: Patternicity [Website]

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Post #11 Reason for Belief: Patternicity [Website]

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Definition:

Individuals naturally look for patterns as a survival mechanism. Dr. Michael Shermer defines it as "the tendency to find meaningful patterns in meaningful and meaningless noise."

Connection:

To me, the obvious connection is to use Michael Shermer's official website where the quote in the definition is from. He uses examples to explain his ideas. For example,  seeing faces in window stains or religious people seeing the Virgin Mary on the side of a building. Because every human has a bias of some sort, a lot of things that seem to be paranormal are debunked to just be abstract imagery.

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Post #12 Reason for Belief: Simplicity [Image]

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Post #12 Reason for Belief: Simplicity [Image]

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Definition:

Scientific solutions can be difficult to understand so many individuals try to explain it using less complex answers.

Connection:

The reason I used a dialysis machine is because I have a personal connection to this reason for belief. Someone I know has had many health issues related to their kidneys and they are also very religious. Because of these health issues, doctors recommended this person get dialysis. They didn't want to, as they didn't understand it and wanted to use prayer instead of using traditional sources to get better.

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Object: PROOF ALIENS EXIST? | First, it was UFOs, but could extraterrestrial life be next? | 7NEWS

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Post #13 Reason for Belief: Agenticity [Video]

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Post #13 Reason for Belief: Agenticity [Video]

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Definition:

Agenticity refers to assigning intention, meaning, and agency, often to invisible beings.

Connection:

I chose this video because the thumbnail contains supposed evidence of aliens existing. Many unexplained phenomena is chalked up to the paranormal or UFOs, which are often seen via distorted videos/images or described through anecdotes of witnessing unexplained forces.

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PROOF ALIENS EXIST? | First, it was UFOs, but could extraterrestrial life be next? | 7NEWS