What are 'Chakras'?

What are Chakras?

Re-posted from author Gurdeep Bhogal

 There’s a lot of information available to us about the Chakras. It’s so interesting to me, how an ancient Sanskrit word has become part of the western vernacular. Most people have either heard of the ‘Chakras’ or know something about the western interpretation of ‘Chakras’. From a phonetic standpoint, most people mispronounce the word. The ‘CH’ part of the word is actually a hard ‘CH’ rather than a soft ‘SHA’ sound.

My personal interest in Yoga and Spirituality began as a child born into a Sikh family with Indian roots. My Mother was very Spiritual and practiced her Prayers and Mantras every day. On her altar were depictions of the Sikh Gurus, and the Hindu Deities. I was particularly drawn to the Goddesses Lakshmi and Durgha Ma. I learned a lot through watching and participating in ritual practice with my Mother and others; it was a rich and beautiful gift, passed down the female linage to myself and my sisters. Later on in life I found myself on a path of Spiritual unfoldment learning energy medicine techniques such as Reiki, as well as becoming a Psychic Medium and Yoga Teacher. All of these Spiritual modalities, included some education on the subtle body and Chakras.

In Sanskrit, the word Chakra means wheel. You could think of chakras as spinning vortices or ‘wheels’ of energy. They could be viewed as intersections or organizing centers which disseminate the Prana / lifeforce energy. This helps to maintain optimal health and well-being of all of the layers of the body, from the physical to the subtle.

The 7 main chakra ‘rainbow’ system, which is dominant across the world today, has been adapted by western scholars and researchers, some of whom have combined western ideas with Indian philosophy; you could call this ‘New Age’ thinking. The rainbow 7 chakra system, has also now been re-adapted within India. Most systems acknowledge that there are many other chakras or vortices, throughout the bodies, but the ‘main’ chakras are the vortices or intersections where very important energetic activity takes place.

The Yogic practices of Classical and other schools of Yoga, are all geared towards holistic well-being as well as ‘enlightenment’, which is knowing and understanding experientially, that we are eternal spiritual / energy beings and allowing the Soul to pervade the material. Essentially, Yoga is a Spiritual practice.

The seven main chakras, are aligned along the central channel in the subtle body (sushumna nadi) starting from the base of the spine, and going up to a point a little way above the crown of the head. Each of the chakras relate to areas of consciousness and also, as energy medicine practitioners, can help to move a person towards holistic balance. Within Yogic practices, we can focus and meditate on any or all of the chakras, in order to work on specific health issues (physical, mental, emotional and spiritual), or to activate certain qualities or elements.

You might view the chakras as having varying density according to the placement and the function. The Mulhadara or root chakra, is the most-dense, and the Sahasrara or crown chakra is the least dense.

As an energy medicine practitioner and a practicing Yogini, I am able to sense and feel my own chakras, and can apply self-healing and balancing to ensure that I function optimally. I can also sense and feel others’ energy centers which is quite illuminating in my work.

As we broaden our knowledge and experience of Yoga through practice, we become more intuitively aware. The inner work of self-reflection and practice, translates to outer understanding and harmony.

 Summary of The Seven Chakra System:

 Chakra number 1 Muladhara (Root)

The Muladhara chakra is a vortex of energy located at the base of the spine between the Coccyx and perineum. Muladhara means ‘root support’ and in the rainbow system, the color red is associated with it. In the more traditional yogic depictions, the Muladhara has four red lotus petals surrounding a yellow square, containing a red downward facing triangle (representing the sleeping kundalini energy). The Muladhara is thought of as a foundational and grounding chakra. In the western psychological model, the Muladhara is associated with our survival instincts and safety. This can be helpful to relate any imbalances in this area.

Chakra number 2 Svadhisthana (Sacral)

The Svadhisthana chakra is a vortex of energy located in the lower abdomen area just below the navel. Svadhisthana means ‘one’s own abode’ also translated as ‘sweetness’. In the rainbow system, the color orange is associated with the Svadhisthana. In the more traditional yogic depiction, the Svadhisthana has six red lotus petals and the lower part of the lotus contains a silvery crescent moon. In the western psychological model, the Svadhisthana is associated with sensuality, sexuality and creativity. This information can be helpful to relate any imbalances in these areas.

Chakra number 3 Manipura (Solar Plexus)

The Manipura chakra is a vortex of energy located in the solar plexus area of the body, above the navel and below the heart center. Manipura means ‘lustrous gem’ or ‘city of jewels’. In the rainbow system, the color yellow is associated with the Manipura. In the more traditional yogic depictions, the manipura has ten blue lotus petals surrounding a firey red triangle. In the western psychological model, the Manipura is associated with will, personal power and assertiveness. This information can be helpful to relate any imbalances in these areas.

Chakra number 4 Anahata (Heart)

The Anahata chakra is a vortex of energy located in the center of the chest, in line with the physical heart (which is left of center). Anahata means ‘unstruck’ or ‘unhurt’. In the rainbow system, the color green is associated with the Anahata. In the more traditional yogic depictions, the Anahata has twelve vermillion red lotus petals surrounding a six-pointed star, which is made up of two triangles. The upward facing triangle represents the Shiva energy and the downward facing triangle represents the Shakti energy. When these two aspects of the Divine masculine and Divine feminine combine, balance, wholeness and harmony is attained. In the western psychological model, the Anahata is associated with self-love, giving and receiving love, compassion, empathy and peace. This information can be helpful to relate any imbalances in these areas.

Chakra number 5 Vishuddha (Throat)

 The Vishuddha chakra is a vortex of energy located in the center of the throat. Vishuddha means ‘purification’. In the rainbow system, the color sky blue is associated with the vishuddha. In the more traditional yogic depictions, the vishuddha is a blue colored lotus flower with sixteen smoky petals. In the center of the lotus is a downward facing triangle, containing a white circle within which is a sliver crescent moon. In the Western psychological model, the vishuddha is associated with communication, expressing creativity, speaking one’s truth. This information can be helpful to relate any imbalances in these areas.

Chakra number 6 Ajna (Third eye)

The Ajna chakra is a vortex of energy located in the center of the forehead, just above the eyebrows. Ajna means ‘to perceive’ or ‘to learn’. In the rainbow system, the color indigo blue is associated with the ajna. In the more traditional yogic depictions, the ajna is a lotus with two white petals in the center is a golden downward facing triangle. In the western psychological model, the ajna is associated with seeing, intuition and inner illumination (in the western psychological model). This information can be helpful to relate any imbalances in these areas.

Chakra number 7 Sahasrara (Crown)

The Sahasrara chakra is a vortex of energy located just above the crown of the head. Sahasrara means ‘thousandfold’. In the rainbow system, the color purple is associated with the sahasrara. In the more traditional yogic depiction, the sahasrara is a golden-white thousand petalled lotus flower. In the center of the flower is an upward facing golden triangle containing a red bindu. In the western psychological model, the Sahasrara is associated with enlightenment, the realization and knowing, that we are eternal spirit-beings, this realization, can be attained through the practice of yoga in all of its aspects. This information can be helpful to relate any imbalances in the area of spiritual connection.

Learning about the chakras, and engaging in subtle body practices to feel the chakras, is enormously helpful to us in understanding, on an experiential level, the truth of our being: that we are essentially Spirit, temporarily residing in a ‘physical’ world. Knowledge of the chakras helps us to go deeper within and enhances our Yoga Practice. Yogic practices are a beautiful gift which can help us all to connect to ourselves, each other and our planet.

-        Written by Gurdeep Bhogal