Page 235 - Nursing: The Philosophy and Science of Caring

c h a p t e r s e v e n t e e n

The Seven Chakras: An Evolving Unitary View of the Basic
Needs Energy System

The ancient archetypal Eastern chakra system of energy anatomy or
power centers of the human energy system comes into play in deep-
ening our understanding of basic needs and how to assist another
with his or her basic needs. This view goes beyond Maslow’s (1968)
Hierarchy of Needs Model and incorporates both physical and non-
physical needs as one integrated energetic system. This ancient
yet evolved energetic chakra system can be seen as an overlay on
the Wilber Integral Quadrant Model. It invites the more advanced
Caritas Consciousness Nurse to move from focusing exclusively on
the dominant right side of the quadrant and prepare for more inten-
tional, conscious caring-healing acts and practices that originate in
the left quadrant but manifest in the right, outer-world quadrant.
An introduction and overview of the chakra system will help clarify
this view.

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