What Are Chakras? Many metaphysicians believe that illnesses and diseases begin in the emotional, mental, and spiritual energies that are in and around us. The chakras are part of our 'energetic body' and they control and balance these subtle, 'nonphysical' energies. If the amount of our life-force energy ('Ki' in Japanese, 'Chi' in Chinese, or 'Prana' in Sanskrit) is either blocked, excessive, or deficient in a particular area, we look to the chakras to tell us where and why the problem has originated.
The word chakra (pronounced sha-kra) is derived from the Sanskrit word meaning wheel. If we were able to see the chakras, we would observe wheels of energy continuously revolving or rotating at specific points in our bodies. The chakras begin at the base of the spine and finish at the top of the head. Though fixed in the central spinal column, each chakra can be reached through the front or the back of the body; with energy flowing in through the front, and out through the back. Their alignment promotes a balanced state — body, mind, and spirit.
There are seven major energy centers. They begin at the base of the spine and end at the top of the head.
Each chakra vibrates or rotates at a different speed. The root, or first chakra, rotates at the slowest speed. The crown, or seventh chakra, rotates at the highest speed. Each chakra is stimulated by its own complementary color and a range of crystals for specific uses. The chakra colors are that of the rainbow: red, orange, yellow, green, light blue, indigo, and violet/purple. The size and brightness of the energy wheels vary with individual development, physical condition, mental and emotional condition, energy levels, disease, and/or stress.
Each chakra in the body is recognized as a focal point for life force relating to spiritual, physical, emotional, and mental energies. The chakras are the network through which the mind, body, and spirit interact as one holistic system. The seven major chakras correspond to specific aspects of our consciousness and have their own individual characteristics and functions. For examples, each chakra governs specific organs, glands, systems, and sub-systems in the body.
The main purpose in working with and understanding the chakras is to create integration and wholeness within ourselves. In this way we bring the various aspects of our consciousness from the physical to the spiritual, into a harmonious relationship. Ultimately, we begin to recognize that the various aspects of ourselves all work together, and that each aspect is as much a part of the whole as the others. For true health to occur we must be able to acknowledge, integrate, and accept all levels of our being—body, mind, and spirit.
Chakras are doorways for our consciousness—doorways through which attitudes, belief systems, and emotional, mental, and spiritual force flow into our physical beings. The energy created in our minds and bodies runs through the chakras and is distributed to our cells, tissues, organs, and glands. In effect, these doorways enable us to affect our own bodies, minds, and circumstances—for better or for worse.
Understanding the chakras and their relationship to our consciousness allows us to better understand ourselves, enabling us to make choices and decisions from a place of balance and awareness, rather than being blindly influenced by forces we do not understand. We can use information learned from our chakras to create integration and wholeness within ourselves. We can develop a harmonious relationship between our physical, mental/emotional, and spiritual selves. We can recognize that the various aspects of ourselves work together, and that each aspect is equally important to the whole.
Note: There are twenty-one minor chakras located throughout the body. The two minor chakras located in the palms of the hands are extremely important in hands-on healing such as Reiki and Reflexology.
It is important to open and balance all of the chakras to increase our energy flow. This can be accomplished through Vibrational Therapy and/or through the use of crystals as healing tools—Crystal Therapy. The more energy we let flow, the healthier we are. An imbalance of energy or a blockage in the flow of energy causes illness in the system. In other words, a lack of flow in the human energy system eventually leads to disease. It also distorts our perceptions and dampens our feelings—interfering with a smooth experience of full and happy life.
