What Are Chakras? Origins and Context

"Chakra" is a Sanskrit word meaning "wheel" or "circle". The idea of subtle centres in the body appears in medieval South Asian Tantric texts, in Hindu and Buddhist traditions, and the number and description of these centres differ from text to text.

The popular Western system of seven chakras, each tied to a rainbow colour, largely took shape in the 20th century, influenced by translations such as Arthur Avalon's The Serpent Power (1919) and later New Age writers. It is a modern blend, not one single ancient teaching.

Belief and science

• Chakras are spiritual and symbolic concepts. They are not organs, and anatomy and medicine do not recognise them as physical structures.
• Many people still find them a helpful map for reflection: a way to ask where in life they feel grounded, creative, loving or clear.

Approaching with respect

• Remember these ideas come from living religious traditions.
• Use chakra language for self-reflection, never to replace medical care.