Chakras are central energy “dynamos” of the body - vortices of energy related to five physiological functions. They are also referred to as congregation points, wheels of consciousness, spinning wheels, spinning stars, whirlpools, circles or astral centers or plexuses. Chakras are planes of vibrations as required for the creation of the respective forms of matter, but they have nothing to do with what is known as the density of matter.

There are seven primary chakras and they are all inter-related, helping and effecting each other. In the form of the lotus, each has a certain number of petals. Located in and along the sushumna (astral spine), the chakras are not only centers and storage places of prana (vital life force), they are also storage places of past life in the astral body.

The main chakras are the root or sacral plexus, genital area, solar plexus, heart, throat, third eye, and crown of the head.

Practicing yoga purifies the nadis (astral nerves) and stores prana. Asanas concentrate on certain chakras and activate particular functions of each chakra. However, there is no one pose that will help an affected or afflicted area, therefore, in practicing yoga it is important to integrate many poses.

Just as the body is the temple, the chakras are the doors to prana - the vital life force that dispels darkness or ignorance. In Yoga, Deha (the physical body) is only a vehicle for Self-Realization.

It is important in yoga practice to develop an awareness of the chakras and to allow the process of moving energy to unfold. Using asanas “for the chakras” is not about forcing energy up the spine. Rather, practicing asanas in a yogic state of mind helps us to magnetically “attract” the energies up the spine to the brain.

Chakras