THE GATEWAY TO CONSCIOUSNESS
The Sanskrit work ‘chakra’ means ‘wheel’ or ‘disc’ or ‘wheel of light’ referring to energy points or nodes in the ‘subtle body’. The chakras appear as wheel like vortices of pure energy. They spin at great speed and in a deeply spiritual person they may become spheres of radiant light energy. Each chakra has its own purpose, association and connection, repressing different levels of consciousness.
Chakras are usually depicted as a lotus flower. Each chakra having a different number of petals. This number connects to the frequency it vibrates at. The crown chakra, also called the thousand-petaled lotus, has the highest frequency.
The concept of the seven chakras originates from in the Eastern spiritual traditions which see the chakras as the fundamental energy exchange facility within the body. The seven chakras are positioned along the spinal column. Each chakra corresponds to a different aspect of life and provides important functions on the four levels of existence: physical, emotional, intellectual and subtle.
The system is based on the Hindu tradition that recognises seven fistic ‘wheels’ of energy. These centres are arranged along the spinal column from its base to the top of the head.
The chakras are in continuous motion. Each relates to a specific colour and vibrational frequency and they are visualised as lotuses with different numbers of petals for each chakra.
The chakras have the power to vitalise body and mind. Their spinning action draws in an energy referred to as Universal Life Force. This mysterious energy is described and recognised in many cultures; The Taoist Chinese call it Chi, in Japan it is called Ki, Native Americans called in Ni, in Indian yoga it is called Praia. Christians refer to it as The Light or Holy Ghost, and in Hebrew it is called Ruach.
Classic tantric texts on chakras are described as emanations of consciousness from Brahman.
Similar models can be found in Chinese Medicine and Tibetan Buddhism. In the West, the Kabbalah shares some similarities with the chakra system.