What is the definition of a Chakra?

Chakras are energy points along the central meridian of the body.

Historical Background

Chakra is an old Sanskrit term meaning ‘wheel’ or ‘circle’ and is generally used to reference specific energy centers along the body’s meridian. Generally, there are seven chakra points although some systems include one or two extra points. The earliest mention of Chakras appears to come from the Vedas that form the Hindu scriptures (Wikipedia). There is also mention of energy points from a variety of traditions, such as within acupuncture, or in the Jewish Kabala when the Sephiroth are overlaid on the body. Most systems that use energetic points also tend to approach from a standpoint of balancing the points, since all of the points are valuable and important. In the system described below, the energy is often described as moving up from the root to the crown and up into heaven, and back down through the crown, to the root, and down into the earth. In short, the energy is said to move in two directions at once.

• The First Chakra, located between the genitals and the anus, is considered the root chakra and is associated with the connection to Earth, security, foundation, and basic rootedness. It is also sometimes considered a place of potentiality and beginnings.
• The Second Chakra, also known as the sacral chakra, is located in the groin and is associated with sexuality, partnership (both non-romantic and romantic), and creativity. In some ways, it can be thought of in terms of the Chinese Yin and Yang symbol, where you have both the masculine and the feminine energies partnering together to form a whole.
• The Third Chakra is located at the solar plexus and is essentially the will center. This is the place where we move our will out onto the world in order to manifest those things we are trying to create in our lives.
• The Fourth Chakra is located at the heart and is related to love. In some systems, the heart is considered to have two sides, the masculine and the feminine. The masculine side (right) is about the unconditional love of others, and the feminine side (left) is about the unconditional love of self.
• The Fifth Chakra is located at the throat and is about communication and the voice. This is the place of not only communication of ideas, concepts, and overall expression, but also of speaking your personal truth.
• The Sixth Chakra is located at the position of the third eye and is related to sight, but also to time. This chakra is often associated with psychic abilities of various types.
• The Seventh Chakra is the crown chakra, located at the top of the head, and is associated with the connection to heaven and consciousness.

Frequently Asked Questions

1. Why would you use chakras?

Many healing systems use chakras to read a person and what work should be done on that person. The chakras can also be used as a good place to locate various types of healing, based on the nature of the injury being dealt with.

2. What are the benefits of chakras?

The benefits of chakra work is that it provides a basis for practitioners to do their healing work upon. By working through the chakras, a practitioner will probably get a clearer sense of any issues or problems their client is dealing with, as well as have a place on which to work any necessary healing.

3. What should you consider regarding chakras?

What to consider about chakras is that there are a variety of systems in use, some using more chakras than have been mentioned here. There is no particular system that is better than the others, although there may be a system that works better for one person than another. This is merely due to differences in the way that person works. The same shoe will not fit every person, the same can be said of the differing systems available.