If the stars should appear one night in a thousand years, how would men believe and adore…
Ralph Waldo Emerson
I often think of the chakras as stars that descended to earth and embedded in our human form. In some ways, the story of chakras is similar to that of the stars. As Emerson implies, their presence can be overlooked, ignored, or assumed simply because they are content to exist, seen or unseen, as surely as day follows night. But to explore the chakras is to investigate one of the truly great tales of the universe. I have spent years uncovering its many twists and turns, an array of stories enfolded within the larger tale. I wrote this book to present a compendium of these stories pulled together into a single source, a definitive storybook about chakras.
Chakras are energy centers in our bodies that, when perceived by those of us who are blessed to be able to see them, look like wheels of light spinning in and around the body—stars in miniature. Chakras are also “subtle” structures, meaning that, in many ways, they operate under the radar of most people’s perception, on a psychic or spiritual level. But they are also intricately intertwined with our physical and emotional capacities. As key parts of a greater subtle energetic anatomy that you will learn about in this book, they have no less important a job to do than to manage all levels of our existence.
Chakras have been studied by hundreds of cultures over thousands of years. These dynamic energy centers are linked with myriad aspects of our being, from the body’s electrical system—measurable to an extent with diagnostic and other medical devices—to subtler categories of vibration such as colors, sounds, and elements. I call this gigantic basket of chakra ideas—and especially the practices associated with them—“chakra medicine.” This term honors the traditional meaning of medicine: the sum total of all knowledge, skills, theories, and practices we can engage in to increase our well-being. Because chakras manage all aspects of life, they can be seen as the key to health, happiness, and prosperity.
Chakras have been a subject of study by so many diverse peoples and for so long that writing a book about chakras could take forever—a never-ending account that starts in the early mists of time and slips over the horizon ahead. I have dedicated myself to putting two covers on this eternal story, to serve as markers; hence, I have aimed to make this book a comprehensive compilation of the knowledge of chakras and chakra medicine as it exists today, drawing from sources worldwide, beginning with the ancients and adding information of my own that I have gained through extensive study and my energy healing practice.
But never fear: we will unfold this massive tale in bite-sized pieces. The information I will share begins at a basic level and grows in complexity. It is, therefore, an invitation to learn the fundamentals of “all things chakras” and then go deeper, ever deeper. Eventually, through your own explorations, I hope that you will add your own chakra discoveries to our shared wisdom base.
As you travel though this book, you’ll discover that I continually return to the theme I already introduced: that the chakras in our bodies can be compared to the stars in our galaxy. I enjoy this beautiful metaphor, but as you dive into the discussions of the nature of energy in later chapters, you will see that this connection is more than symbolic. Like our feelings about the stars, chakras operate at all levels, and most practitioners would agree that they are ultimately spiritual, pointing the way to our souls’ dreams.
I’ll start by covering the most fundamental aspects of the chakras and how they perform; this will be the subject of chapters 1 through 15. I open part 1 with a question: what is a chakra? This entire book has been written to fully answer that question, but I will first answer it in basic terms. I’ll include a thumbnail sketch of the history of chakra-related ideas, spanning civilizations and eras, as well as a review of ancient Hindu ideas about energy, as the venerable Hindu system is one of the best known today. This information will help you set your discovery of chakras in a chronological context and reveal the mindset upon which all modern data has been built. Later in the book we’ll explore these Hindu roots in much greater depth.
Next I’ll outline scientific thought about the nature of energy. After all, as I mentioned, chakras are essentially energy centers, so it is helpful to get a refresher on what we have learned about the physics of energy. Again, this will be a brief backgrounder that I will expand upon later in the book.
As you’ll soon discover, chakras are powerful tools for spiritual transformation. While they do play physical and psychological roles in our lives, ultimately chakras encourage spiritual growth. To begin orienting you to this aspect, I’ll briefly describe an energetic force that awakens the chakras and paves the way toward enlightenment. This force is called kundalini energy.
A thorough understanding of chakras requires many more and much deeper layers of understanding, including an exploration of the nature of the energy in our bodies; the psychological, intuitive, and physiological effects of the chakras; the imagery and symbolism people have associated with them; and both traditional and contemporary views of chakras’ aspects that include everything from spiritual icons to archetypes. We will begin this in-depth journey in Part 2.
Part 2 examines the most familiar chakra model: the Hindu system. We will travel through the seven in-body chakras in order, from the base of the spine to the top of the head. Our first goal is to look at how they function in the most fundamental of ways: physically and psychologically. We also will begin to add the layers of knowledge needed for a fuller picture: Sanskrit names, purpose, color, associated gland, and the part of the body that each chakra manages. I’ll outline practical considerations, including related diseases and psychological functions, and move into more esoteric topics such as the gods and goddesses that reign within each bodily star. Symbols, archetypes, intuitive abilities, and explorations of secondary chakras, as well as other features, help round out our chakra profiles.
We then turn the corner to engage in Part 3, Fundamentals of Chakra Medicine. Here you will learn chakra medicine procedures and techniques. The first chapter in this part introduces the concept of chakra medicine: practices you can follow to work with chakras for greater health and well-being. You will learn various ways chakras can assist you, and I’ll provide a plethora of processes you can use to do everything from locating your chakras to clearing and balancing them. Practices are loosely organized into Western and Eastern approaches.
Then it will be time to walk through the next doorway and into Section 2, Chakras in Depth: Historical, Scientific, and Cross-Cultural Understandings. Up to this point, you will have spent your time with the book learning and enjoying all the basics of chakra methodology as if peering through a telescope into the great night sky. Section 2 is the equivalent of getting into a spaceship and actually flying to those stars, carrying precise equipment such as spiritual treatises, finely tuned microscopes, and geographic maps. You will embark upon a thorough review of the history of chakra concepts, examining Vedic, tantric, and yogic chakra legends stretching as far back as 12,000 bce. This history, which we’ll cover in Part 4, will prepare you for part 5: The Science of Subtle Energy.
Part 5 kicks off with a primer on physical and subtle energy that reviews relevant classical and quantum physics and all things scientific about the nature of energy. With a better understanding of the energetic scenery in which chakras grow, you will be ready to picture chakras within their larger familial structure: your entire energetic anatomy. To truly work with chakras, you must also place them within the physical body, which you will examine to better understand the chakras’ unique structure. Finally, you will devote your time to the scientific explanation of kundalini, the force that activates the chakras.
Then it’s around the world you go, plunging into a deeply meaningful odyssey in Parts 6 through 8. Chakras are not exclusively Hindu in origin; they have appeared in jungles, deserts, mountains, and seasides around the world and across time. In addition, they are the subject of modern academic, spiritual, and philosophical disciplines. Dozens of chakra systems are outlined and explained within the context of their spiritual and cultural surroundings. On this around-the-world tour, you will visit Asia, discover the ancient chakra systems of Africa, the Middle East, Europe, and the Americas, and investigate modern Western chakra systems.
Unique and contemporary chakra concepts and systems are the subject of Part 9, Chakras Et Cetera: Natural and Unusual Chakras, coverage of the relationship between chakras and the earth, animals, and skies, as well as an analaysis of contemporary and emerging chakra systems. Does the earth itself have chakras? What about animals? This fascinating review is followed by a one-two-three of recent and unusual chakras that are just making their way into our common chakra medicine bag.
As will become clear throughout your pilgrimage, chakras are nothing new—and they are always new; we never complete our chakra adventure. These points of light touch every aspect of our lives as embodied reflections of the starry sky we gaze upon when we count our blessings.
Chakra Fundamentals and Basic Practices
There is room in the heart for all the affections, as there is room in heaven for all the stars.
Victor Hugo
Over the ages, chakras have been described in hundreds of ways. As you’ll discover, they have been depicted as chariot wheels, bodily plexuses, psychological gateways, energetic centers, spiritual powers, and more. At one level every assertion is true, and the seeker of truth about chakras will examine every bit of data available (which is why this book is so large). As an analogy, those who seek to understand the heavens look at everything in the sky. We can’t understand the complexity of the cosmos, however, unless we comprehend the basics. The same is true of chakras, which is why section 1 features fundamental chakra philosophies and practices.
Part 1 starts with a bird’s-eye view of chakras, briefly touching on the definition, history, science, and functions of the chakras and their other energetic cohorts. Kundalini is also investigated, as this energetic sidekick makes sure that chakras and other energetic structures operate fully on every level, including physically, psychologically, and spiritually.
Part 2 is highly detailed, extensively showcasing the Hindu chakra system. Often called the classic chakra system, this seven-chakra system is the most well known and, because of this, arguably the most fully developed. You can put your newfound knowledge to immediate use in Part 3, which showcases chakra-based exercises and techniques. These chakra medicine practices are universal and will also help you benefit from the cross-cultural chakra systems covered in Parts 6–8, found in Section 2.
Just as there is room in the heavens for all the stars, so is there room in the seeker’s mind for all the available knowledge that exists on chakras; but first, the groundwork.