In meditation, one of the concepts that you will come across is that of chakras. Literally, the word chakra means ‘wheel’, and through ancient connotation in the yogic and meditational sciences, it has come to acquire the meaning of ‘wheel of light’. In this post, we shall learn more about the chakras and their significance in meditation.

In common scientific understanding, it is understood that in our physical body there are present certain key points which act as receptors and are important for the physiological functions, such as our senses, the organs and so on. For instance, the neuroendocrine system which includes our glands and regulates the secretions of hormones, also affects our behavior and actions. In a similar way, in the yogic sciences, the human body is said to have certain energy centres which regulate the generation and flow of energy within the body. These energy centres are labelled differently in different parlances, and in the yogic sciences, they are known as chakras or kendras. These chakras are considered vital in balancing the energy in the human body.

While there has been much debate over the existence of chakras, the proof of their existence can be found in the alternative healing therapies of acupuncture and acupressure, which rely on the pressure points or energy centres in the body to heal the energy imbalance and provide a cure to ailments. The chakras affect our neuroendocrine system, the glands and the associated hormones, impacting their quality, quantity, chemical composition, etc. In turn, these hormones affect our moods, thought process, analysis, and ultimately our behaviour and actions.

Chakras in Human body

The most commonly accepted number of energy centres or chakras is taken to be 7, but the actual number may vary according to the system being studied. For instance, according to another ancient system there are as many as 114 chakras, out of which 6 are said to be visible and hence only 108 are truly manifest. Of these 108 chakras, 7 are considered to be the most critical in addressing the energy balance in the body.

The 7 chakras are located at different parts of the body, starting from the crown to the root:

• Sahasra Chakra: Located at the top of the head, or the crown; the master chakra that affects one’s spirituality
• Ajna Chakra: Located between the eyes, this chakra governs the abilities of intuition, mental clarity and visual consciousness
• Visshuddhi Chakra: Located behind the throat, this chakra affects our ability to communicate and express ourselves
• Anahata Chakra: Located behind the heart, this chakra governs our ability to love and show compassion
• Manipura Chakra: Also called the solar plexus chakra, this chakra is located behind the navel and is the seat of one’s personal power, sense of confidence and controls digestion and the metabolism
• Svadhisthana Chakra: Located in the lower abdomen, it is said to be the source of creativity, pleasure and a sense of abundance
• Mooladhara Chakra: The root chakra, it is located at the base of the spine and serves to ground the person, while providing a foundation for one’s existence. It is the chakra of one’s basic needs, stability, security, and sensuality.

When it comes to meditation, we must understand that each chakra is a source of a different kind of energy. Which chakra in our body is activated affects the flow of energy in our body, in particular the neuroendocrine system, in turn affecting the glands and the hormones thereof. At the same time, it is to be understood that each chakra is associated with a particular colour, which impacts the energy balance in our bodies, about which we have learnt earlier.

Of the 7 chakras, the chakras located above the navel lead to the purification of the soul while the chakras below the navel are said to generate passion and worldly desires. The tejas kendra, located in the navel is where the energy is generated and the mooladhara is where the energy is stored. To maintain the energy balance one must meditate on all chakras. Activating only the chakras below the navel leads to a distortion in energy in favour of passion and desire for worldly pleasures. If the other chakras are also activated while meditating, it will lead to channelizing energy in the direction for the purification of the soul.