The Seven Major Chakras
There are seven major chakras which are taught in basic yoga study. The six chakras are doors of energy along the sushumna, to the crown, the sahasrara chakra. The chakras channel consciousness, each with a unique tone, vibration and awareness; as well as storage places for the subtle, vital energy.
The chakras have corresponding centers in the gross physical body of the spinal cord and nerve plexuses. The subtle energy of the chakras is closely related to the vital energy of the physical body.
The Sansrit word Chakra means “wheel”. Chakras are referred to as wheels of energy. Chakras emit light and energy from them – but they don’t actually turn or spin like wheels. The energy and light may spin like a wheel. Chakras are also called Padma which refers to the lotus. Lotus flowers are round and can be opened and closed. Chakras open and close. They give and receive energy and light.
The chakras are the centers which interact with the subtle life energy in the central subtle channel known as the Sushumna. They are centers of consciousness and storage bins for energy forces (frequencies) and light.
The corresponding centers of the gross physical body are in the spinal cord and the nerve plexus. The gross physical nerves and plexuses interact with the subtle nadis and chakras. Each chakra represents a state of consciousness. In each chakra there is a presiding deity or Goddess. The chakras from the Muladhara to the Vishuddha are the centers of the five elements, earth, water, fire, air, and ether.
The seven main chakras correspond to the seven lokas (planes of existence), and the various bodies (Shariras) and covers (Koshas).
Bija Mantras and symbols are used with visualization of particular colors for meditation. Each chakra has a certain number of petals which represent the Nadis (subtle channels), emanating from the chakras and the various frequencies emanating from each chakra which produces their colors. Each of the petals of the chakras also have unique frequencies.
Listen to the Bija Mantras:
Swami Jnaneshvara Bharati – Chakra Bija Mantras
Bija Mantras-mp3
Chakras are centers of Prāṇa (life force, or vital energy) and they correspond to vital points in the physical body. The chakras correspond to the major plexuses of arteries, veins and nerves. Chakras are energy centers with intersections where two or more nadis meet.
Nadis are located in the subtle body and carry the prana. Sometimes they are referred to as astral channels. Generally they correspond with the nerves of the physical body. There are three main nadis that correspond with the spine and mainly involved in the practices of kundalini and hatha yoga. They are called ida, pingala and sushumna.
Every place the 72,000 nadis of the subtle body intersect, there is a chakra. There are an uncounted number of chakras in the body. The chakras are the mechanisms by which the prana is able to permeate the physical body from the astral body, and basically then, it is the prana that keeps the physical body alive. Purification of nadis is critical to good health so that a balanced level of prana can flow throughout the nadis and chakra systems. Impure nadis cause blockages of the prana and this is what leads to disease in the physical body.
Within the subtle body are seven main chakras which are associated with kundalini awakening because the Shakti Kundalini rises up from the base chakra and moves through the upper chakras to the crown chakra expanding above it. The seven main chakras are located within the subtle body in locations that correspond with the spine in the physical body and at the junctions where the ida and pingala nadis meet.
Read more . . “The Three Main Nadis”
LINKS
THE SEVEN MAIN CHAKRAS
- First Chakra – Root Chakra – Muladahara located near the base of the spine in the perineal space for men, at the back and top of the cervix for women; sacral plexus
- Second Chakra – Seat of the Soul Chakra – Svadhisthana located at the level of the uro-genital systems; prostatic plexus; also called Sacral Chakra
- Third Chakra – Naval Chakra – Manipura located at the area of the solar plexus
- Fourth Chakra – Heart Chakra – Anahata located at the level of the heart; cardiac plexus
- Fifth Chakra – Throat Chakra – Vishuddha located in the throat region near the thyroid and adam’s apple; laryngeal plexus
- Sixth Chakra – Third Eye Chakra – Ajna located in the space between the eyebrows; cavernous plexus; also called Brow Chakra
- Seventh Chakra – Crown Chakra – Sahasrara located at the top of the head and pineal gland
> Chart of the Chakras and Equivalents
> The Chakras and the Kundalini
