Editors note: some descriptions and other phrases are translated from this source.
Introduction
Fiat currencies on the one hand and Bitcoin on the other are designed in a very different way. I will argue that the differences in their design will be reflected in different psychological effects in their users, often completely unconscious. In other words, the use of a type of money is not just something external, linked to the economy, but penetrates inside people and translates into individual and collective feelings. The feelings that arise in people depend on the design of the money they use.
I will also argue that these feelings are perfectly described by the chakras of the Indian tradition.
Let's start by looking at fiat currencies, which, as we all know, are designed to create imbalances in the distribution of wealth. Governments, large banks and corporations, which have access to the monetary printer, enrich themselves by stealing wealth from society which in the meantime is becoming impoverished. It’s a continuous theft involving huge sums; it’s a colossal scam.
These imbalances penetrate the soul of the people involved and are harmful to both rulers and peoples, in a symmetrical way; the rulers show the effects of all seven chakras too open, while the peoples of all seven chakras too closed.
The depth of the malaise of both is proportional to the size of the scam, which has enormously increased since 2020, with a gigantic production of new fiat money. This fact helps us to better understand the current dynamics of society, where both rulers and peoples show altered behaviors, far from normal equilibrium, and which result in the pathological. These behaviors are the sentimental effects of the malaise caused by fiat money.
Yoga has explored human feelings and teaches us to maintain the proper opening of the chakras, in a balanced way, so that energy can flow smoothly without blocks (chakras too closed) or overloads (chakras too open). Both of these situations lead to mental and physical discomfort.
In the following paragraphs I will describe concisely the individual chakras and the consequences of their imbalances; you will easily recognize the current discomforts both of peoples and of governments, big banks and corporations. Keep in mind that the sentences in these paragraphs come from purely yoga sources, and observe how well these phrases reflect today's society.
I will also try to show, in a nutshell, which characteristics of the fiat currencies unbalance each of the chakras, and finally how Bitcoin, thanks to its design, has a rebalancing effect on each of them and triggers a healing process.
As author I will allow myself to add a personal comment, a tiny reflection; please consider it as an irrelevant contribution and build your own opinion on the subject.
First Chakra, Muladhara: The Root Chakra
Function: survival
The root chakra is located at the base of the spine, in the perineum. It symbolizes stability, self-confidence and security and is connected to our survival. When it’s balanced we feel safe, capable of living in the present and ready to plan our future. It’s essential to have solid roots on which to build our lives.
Chakra too closed
If the first chakra is too closed we have feelings of insecurity, low self-confidence, apathy, excessive worry and fear of losing what gives us security and a sense of well-being.
Chakra too open
When the first chakra is too open, we develop a strong attachment to material goods and to the past, and we are not able to live in the present moment. We oppose changes and develop a total lack of fear or excessive fear, which can lead to very risky situations or to the inability to enjoy the beauty of life.
Comment
The instability and uncertainty of fiat currencies transfer to people, and feelings of insecurity, fear and lack of trust are now widespread. It becomes hard to enjoy the beauty of life. Rulers are victims of a pathological attachment to material possessions. They have slipped into an extremely risky situation.
Fiat currencies
The stability of fiat currencies is poor, because they can be created at will out of thin air. This characteristic is the basis of the scam and produces distrust and insecurity. Worse still, fiat currencies demand our trust in order to be used; they lean on our stability.
Bitcoin
The stability of Bitcoin is based on its predetermined monetary policy and in the absolute scarcity of the supply. It has a granite stability that instills a great sense of security. On it, we can build trust for the present and for the future. Bitcoin perfectly balances the first chakra.
Second Chakra, Svadhisthana: The Sacral Chakra
Function: desire and procreation
The second chakra is the sacral chakra or water chakra. Unlike the first, which denotes stability, this chakra is associated with liquids and, therefore, with flowing, with the ability to change. The second chakra is the fulcrum that connects the soul with the body. It’s located in the lower abdomen, just below the navel, and is the chakra of emotions, spontaneity, creativity, pleasure and sexuality.
Chakra too closed
When the second chakra is blocked, emotions are affected the most. In fact, we have mood swings, we feel anger, guilt, shame and we are prone to panic attacks. It is difficult to experience states of joy.
Chakra too open
If the second chakra is too open, a search for immediate but ephemeral pleasure and fulfillment occurs, and emotional dependencies or addictions related to food, alcohol, drugs or sex can develop.
Comment
We have lost our natural pursuit of joy and happiness. Negative emotions pervade the lives of the people; ephemeral pleasures corrode those of rulers. Society is apathetic, dull and devoid of creative impulses.
Fiat currencies
Fiat currencies have some important rigidities.
The first one derives from KYC and AML procedures. Because they are burdensome, banks don’t work with poor people or persons without documents; so 6 billion people have no access to financial services.
The privileged who have access to banking services are nevertheless subjected to a financial surveillance that is absurd and exaggerated. Their transactions can be censored and their accounts closed, and this now happens quite frequently.
Finally, some governments use currencies as a weapon; entire countries are excluded from the global financial circuit for political reasons.
Bitcoin
Bitcoin is permissionless and trustless, it flows freely, it’s open to everyone and transactions cannot be inhibited or canceled. At the same time, only the transactions that respect the protocol are approved; this keeps the second chakra in balance and restores our natural search for positive emotions.
Third Chakra, Manipura: The Solar Chakra
Function: strength, self-esteem
The third chakra, the solar or fire chakra, is located in the solar plexus, between the diaphragm and the navel. If the first chakra is connected to stability and the second to flow, the third chakra is the union of these two elements, that is, light, energy, heat. When it’s well balanced, we feel energetic, confident, strong and in control.
Chakra too closed
When it’s too closed, we notice the rise of insecurity, low self-esteem, introversion and a sense of inadequacy in all situations.
Chakra too open
When this chakra is too open, a person becomes arrogant, aggressive, overconfident, constantly seeking power, and always feels the need to self-celebrate in order to hide his own defeats and insecurities.
Comment
People have become weak; societies are in decline. It’s time to rediscover our inner strength.
Fiat currencies
The weaknesses and rigidities of fiat currencies depend on their centralized nature. They are issued and managed by banks and governments, which, therefore, control them and, symmetrically, are in turn controlled, because the psychological effects of control penetrate them.
Bitcoin
The decentralized nature of Bitcoin brings control back to the individual. This promotes a sense of strength and security, as we feel in control of our savings. This sense of strength is on the one hand individual and on the other decentralized and distributed, shared with humanity, without any controlling authority. Bitcoin balances the third chakra and gives us inner strength.
Fourth Chakra, Anahata: The Heart Chakra
Function: love
The heart chakra is the most central chakra. It connects the higher spiritual chakras with the lower material ones. When it is open, we can express unconditional love, we become generous toward others, caring and sincere. Still, we are not dependent on others and we are also able to love ourselves and our lives.
Chakra too closed
If the fourth chakra closes, we have problems in the affective sphere. We fail to love ourselves and consequently others as well. We become cold and apathetic, always wary and circumspect because we tend not to trust anyone.
Chakra too open
If it opens too much, however, we will focus our attention exclusively on others and divert it from ourselves. It will not be unconditional love: We will try to get the greatest number of benefits from a relationship, without the intention of giving something in return.
Comment
People are confused, disoriented; their hearts are closed. Governments are disconnected from citizens, banks from economies, corporations from people; they steal excessively, and offer crumbs in return. Authoritarianism, surveillance and control are the symptoms of the lack of love.
Fiat currencies
Fiat currencies are designed to steal, to transfer wealth from the poor to the rich, from individuals to banks and governments. They are also used to finance wars.
Bitcoin
Bitcoin is an honest money based on moral values. It removes the ability to finance wars; it brings peace to hearts and to the world; this might seem like a utopia, but in reality it’s not. It balances the fourth chakra, thus enabling the flow of love toward ourselves and toward other people.
Fifth Chakra, Vishuddha: The Throat Chakra
Function: communication
The fifth chakra is located at the base of the throat and is connected to communication, both with others and with ourselves, and to the emotions that come with it.
When this chakra is open, we can express ourselves in a clear way, with tact and without offending. The voice is calm and relaxed, listening is open and we are able to express what we think in a relaxed way. A balanced fifth chakra brings us great creativity, which is a very powerful means of expressing ourselves. Our social relationships are pleasant and relaxed; we are intensely interested in others with understanding and without judgment. Our ability to concentrate is high. Since listening is open, learning also becomes fast and effective.
Chakra too closed
If this chakra is closed we cannot express ourselves well or listen to others. We are unable to say no, we feel extremely shy and awkward, and we are no longer able to express our creativity, either through words or through artistic disciplines.
This leads to a situation of profound discomfort that, in the long run, can make us lock up ourselves so much that we do not want or even fear to be together with other people. Our social relationships will inevitably fall apart.
Chakra too open
When the chakra is too open, we become too talkative, never listening to others. What we say, however, is not what we really think, but our conversations will be based on lies and manipulation. We feel too sure of ourselves and we do not accept criticisms, even when they come from the people we love.
Comment
People bombed by the media are frozen in fear. They struggle to disobey injustices. Rulers hide behind increasingly irrational and unlikely propaganda. Official dogma and censorship are the symptoms of their unwillingness to listen. Creativity is stifled.
Fiat currencies
The fiat standard is a beautiful book which describes the corruption of society caused by fiat currencies. Currency fraud penetrates the spirit of rulers, clouds their minds, and from them, it re-emerges and corrupts all sectors of society. It corrupts politics and then information, medicine, food, energy, education and justice.
Bitcoin
Bitcoin is an open-source and transparent protocol, open and sincere. And it is no coincidence that the Bitcoin community brings solid arguments and has clear and rational views on all the lies and manipulations resulting from the fiat currency scam. Bitcoin balances the fifth chakra and allows a sincere and clean communication with ourselves and with others.
Sixth Chakra, Ajna: The Third Eye Chakra
Function: intuition
The third eye chakra is located in the head, between the eyebrows, and it’s the symbol of intuition and sight beyond appearances. This chakra is where all opposites and all dualities are connected, such as masculine and feminine, reason and intuition, form and substance, body and mind, good and bad. The third eye sees what exists beyond these concepts, dissolves the dualities, and lets us perceive a deeper reality.
If this chakra is not blocked, we are in tune with our higher selves. We become intuitive, aware, focused and highly perceptive. We are able to visualize thoughts and images, our empathy is amplified and we can understand what other people think. We see the world for what it is, with wisdom and without prejudice. We are able to understand the essence of what surrounds us, and we see beyond what we physically look at with our eyes.
Chakra too closed
When Ajna is blocked, we become selfish, cynical, materialistic, cold and calculating. We only trust what we see with our eyes and we are no longer able to perceive what exists beyond. We can no longer dream or plan our future; we become numb and detached; and we lose the ability to remain focused for a long time.
Chakra too open
The sixth chakra too open makes us become manic, self-celebrating and we tend to blame others for our faults as well.
Comment
Our societies are embarking on dangerous paths. Wisdom is neglected and people are disconnected from their deeper nature. It is necessary to cleanse the mind, observe the world for what it is, and reconnect with the truth that resides within us.
Fiat currencies
The scam of fiat currencies generates lies and manipulations, and it disconnects us from our deeper humanity, which we can no longer perceive. We can't see the spirituality of the world; we lose wisdom and are invaded by prejudices.
Bitcoin
Bitcoin is a sincere money that embodies truth. This balances the sixth chakra and allows people and societies to reconnect to wisdom and spirituality. We call this Renaissance 2.0.
Seventh Chakra, Sahasrara: The Crown Chakra
Function: knowledge
Sahasrara is the chakra of liberation, knowledge and bliss. It’s not in the physical body but above the head. It’s linked to the energy of the universe, to the connection with the divine and to enlightenment. The opening of the seventh chakra gives wisdom, well-being, serenity and happiness. Those who reach it become patient, understanding and compassionate.
Chakra too closed
When the chakra is closed, we will not be able to cultivate our spirituality. We will feel apathetic, disheartened and depressed.
Chakra too open
If it’s too open, we will be attached to unimportant things, material goods and power, overwhelmed by ignorance and dissatisfaction, and we will feel anxious, arrogant and impatient.
Comment
Institutions and peoples have lost their spirituality. And with it, their well-being, serenity and happiness. Our task is to rediscover them and to rediscover our humanity.
Fiat currencies
Based on a scam, fiat money is the opposite of knowledge. The scam must be carefully kept hidden: Once revealed, it will cease to exist. The scam is designed to generate slavery and suffering.
Bitcoin
Bitcoin unveils, and thus dissolves, the fiat money scam and rebalances the seventh chakra. Bitcoin is knowledge, and it is liberation from the theft and slavery resulting from fiat currencies. It leads to individual and collective happiness. It’s also linked to the energy of the universe, to the connection with the divine and to enlightenment, but the discussion of such a complex topic goes far beyond the scope of this short article.
Conclusion
From a psychological perspective, due to their design, fiat currencies generate imbalances in all seven chakras and bring discomfort to people and societies. Bitcoin restores the balance.
At the time of writing, Bitcoin has already been adopted by a national state, El Salvador (which in Spanish means “the savior”), and by an American public company called MicroStrategy (from the Greek mikròs, “little,” and strategós, “leader of the army”). It’s a curious coincidence that those names are very appropriate to describe Bitcoin itself: the leader of the army of the little ones, the savior. Bitcoin is a peaceful revolution that rises from the bottom and transforms individuals and humanity, one person at a time.
The practice of Bitcoin is an individual practice, accessible to all. Those who start practicing Bitcoin will be able to start balancing their personal monetary chakras and will perceive the beneficial psychological effects of this practice.
On a planetary level, as its adoption spreads, Bitcoin will gradually and peacefully replace fiat currencies and balance humanity's monetary chakras. This healing process is called hyperbitcoinization. A new Renaissance will follow.
Start preparing for the upcoming new Renaissance by practicing Bitcoin.
This is a guest post by Andrea Steffanoni. Opinions expressed are entirely their own and do not necessarily reflect those of BTC Inc or Bitcoin Magazine.