What is the Chakra system?

 If you practice yoga or any other physical type of body work, it is likely that you are pretty familiar with some basic physical anatomy. Our physical body is our first tangible point of contact to understanding who we are and what we are made of. Our body's brilliant biology and miraculous systems work together to keep us alive, energized and moving through the world. Exciting right? 

In yogic philosophy, humans are said to have 5 "Koshas" or bodies, they are like sheaths that layer over what lies at the core of who we are, our soul. If you can buy in to the idea that the soul is something that chooses to reside within our physical body, perhaps you might also get down with the idea that this soul of ours chose with a purpose- to experience life as us, for our souls ultimate growth and expansion it needed to live through our exact life experience. This idea can come as great comfort in knowing that each experience we have in life it a teacher and is meant for our highest expansion. ​​

Our first Kosha is called, Annamaya kosha. Literally meaning, the "food" body, it is our physical layer made up of matter or food. Even though we live in it every day, we can lose touch with this Kosha which is why it remains so important for us to find our daily physical routines and activities that help us feel grounded in our physical body. As you might guess, yoga is a great tool for this. Now let's get to my main point, the chakras- they reside in the second Kosha, the Pranamaya kosha, meaning "breath" body or also the subtle energetic body. 

Prana is sanskrit for life force energy, what we yogis call the breath. Through this sheath we connect to the less tangible parts of what makes up our energy. Prana flows through what are called nadis, or energetic channels that create a network through our body. We have tens of thousands of these nadis through out our body. There are a few major nadis that we talk about in yoga most often, they are Ida, Pingala, and Shushumna Nadi. The Shushumna Nadi is our major channel that moves along the the axis of the spine, the other two ida and pingala are the lunar/feminine and solar/masculine energy that criss cross and intersect along the Shushumna Nadi. These energies meet and connect in each of the 7 chakra points. ​

In each one of the 7 chakras, these major nadis intersect and when a chakra is in good health that energy moves freely. Think of a pinwheel. When the wind blows through the pinwheel its spins, just like this the chakras are like wheels that spin and undulate as energy moves through them. When a chakra is "blocked" energy gets stuck and/or cannot move through them. We often experience this as physical manifestations in the body. ​

Each chakra is associated with different physical locations in the body and unique psychological and emotional aspects in our lives.  When we have a certain experience it can cause a reaction in one of these chakra points. ​

For example, the Manipura (or Solar Plexus) Chakra is located just above the navel and is associated with our sense of personal identity, power and confidence. If you were assigned to give a public speech to a large group of people, it would be quite natural for you to feel nervous and you may notice a reaction in that area located in the solar plexus. You might feel the "butterflies" in your stomach which is an indication of that nervousness or even just the excitement and adrenaline that is moving through you. 

Each one of the 7 chakras is remarkably different, they have their own color and are associated with different elements, and they each serve a specific purpose and have their own unique challenges. Knowing more about how these energy centers work individually and also together can help you begin notice patterns and to locate areas where you might feel blocked based on your life's experience. This can be a powerful and empowering wealth of knowledge that can help you begin to experiment with healing practices to open up and free your chakras.​

One of my favorite resources on the chakra system is Anodea Judith's book Eastern Body Western Mind: Psychology and the Chakra System as a Path to the Self.  ​