The Chakra System

The word "chakra" (pronounced CHUH-KRUH or usually in the West as CHAH-KRAH) comes from the ancient language of Sanskrit. In Sanskrit, this word translates as "wheel". They are named this because in the Hindu and Buddhist traditions the charkas are seen as being like colored wheels that turn as they process energy.

The chakras are part of an individual's subtle energy system and cannot be seen by modern scientific methods. In the human body, there are a multitude of charkas, some say hundreds, but there are seven "major" chakras. The seven main or major charkas are the ones that most texts describe and the ones that we will talk about in this article.

The seven major chakra centers lie along the spinal column. Each chakra is associated with a physical, emotional and spiritual function. The higher the position along the spinal column, the more complex the chakra and the higher are its functions.

The chakras regulate the flow of energy through our energy system. The functioning of the chakras reflects decisions we make concerning how we choose to respond to conditions in our life. We open and close these valves when we decide what to think, and what to feel, and through which perceptual filter we choose to experience the world around us.

When a person is healthy on all levels (physical, emotional, spiritual) each chakra is seen as a beautiful spinning ball of colored energy. When a chakra is unbalanced or blocked, the chakra is not spinning properly and imbalances in color are found. Blockages or misalignment of charkas create physical, emotional and spiritual "problems" for the individual.

There are different ways of working with the charkas in order to keep them clear of blockages, balanced and aligned. This is beyond the scope of this article, but if you would like to know more about this, then click here for suggested reading.

The Seven Basic Chakras and Their Functions

Root Chakra:

• Location: The base of the spine.
  
• Color: Red.
  
• Function: Concerned with self-preservation, one’s animal nature, taste, and smell.
  
• Excessive Energy: Sluggish, boredom, obesity, hoarding, materialism, greed.
  
• Deficient Energy: Fear, lack of discipline, restless, underweight, spacey.
  

Sacral:

• Location: Near the genitals.
  
• Color: Orange.
  
• Function: Governs sexuality and reproduction, digestion and the functions of the liver, pancreas, and spleen.
  
• Excessive Energy: Overly emotional, poor boundaries, sex addiction, obsessive attachments.
  
• Deficient Energy: Frigidity, impotence, rigidity, emotional numbness, fear.
  

Solar Plexus:

• Location: Just below the navel.
  
• Color: Yellow.
  
• Function: Associated with emotions and is the point where astral energy enters the etheric field. This chakra affects the adrenals, pancreas, liver, and stomach. Associated with digestion and the digestive processes.
  
• Excessive Energy: Dominating, blaming, aggressive, scattered, constantly active.
  
• Deficient Energy: Weak will, poor self esteem, passive, sluggish, fearful.
  

Heart:

• Location: Midway between the shoulder blades, in the middle of the chest.
  
• Color: Green.
  
• Function: It governs the thymus gland and influences immunity to disease. It is linked to higher consciousness and unconditional love. Associated with the heart and circulatory system.
  
• Excessive Energy: Codependency, poor boundaries, possessive, jealous.
  
• Deficient Energy: Shy, lonely, isolated, lack of empathy, bitter, critical.
  

Throat:

• Location: Throat.
  
• Color: Blue.
  
• Function: Associated with creativity, self-expression and the search for truth. This chakra influences the thyroid and parathyroid glands, metabolism, and is associated with the psychic ability of clairaudience. Associated with the throat, ears and nose.
  
• Excessive Energy: Excessive talking, inability to listen, over-extended, stuttering.
  
• Deficient Energy: Fear of speaking, inability to express oneself.
  

Brow:

• Location: Between and just slightly above the eyebrows. Known as the "third eye."
  
• Color: Indigo.
  
• Function: Associated with intelligence, intuition, psychic development, clairvoyance, spiritual development. Governs the pituitary gland and the pineal gland. Associated with the eyes.
  
• Excessive Energy: Headaches, nightmares, hallucinations, delusions, difficulty concentrating.
  
• Deficient Energy: Poor memory, poor vision, can't see patterns, denial.
  

Crown:

• Location: Top of head.
  
• Color: Purple.
  
• Function: Concerns a person’s conscious evolution. The pathway to enlightenment. The area of connection to the Divine. Not associated with any glands. Associated with the brain. This is the chakra that is portrayed in religious art as a "halo" surrounding deities, saints and mystics.
  
• Excessive Energy: Overly intellectual, spiritual addiction, confusion, dissociation.
  
• Deficient Energy: Learning difficulties, spiritual skepticism, limited beliefs.
  

Copyright 2005, Reverend Jeff Bekasinski