(Last updated Aug. 22, 2022)

7 Chakras - Introduction for beginners

When we talk about the 7 chakras we should always keep in mind the scheme of our microcosm. Today every spiritual seeker knows that there are seven main chakras - also described as energy centers or wheels of light - but little is known about their deeper spiritual and metaphysical significance. At the present level of evolution, we are able to consciously perceive only our physical body. Besides the physical body, however, we have a couple of invisible, but no less important vehicles whose inherent qualities are responsible for our conscious manifestation in the world of forms. These invisible vehicles are presently serving one very important purpose - to prepare the individual soul so that it might eventually, at the end of this phase of evolution, return to its Origin transformed and fully and consciously developed.

One of these inner bodies and the one closest to the physical corporeality is the Etheric (Ethereal) body. The 7 kundalini yoga chakras are actually incorporated in it. The etheric body is a body of energy and it consists of 7200 nadis or energy channels and seven main energy centers or Chakras. These seven centers have a close correspondence with the seven glands of the endocrine system. So, we see that they are not present in the physical body al all. These centers only have a representation on the physical plane, and those are the seven glands.

When we talk about the 7 Chakras, an important point that needs to be understood is that the very same energy vibrates on all of these seven energy levels. However, when this energy reaches the energy centers, it is being transformed accordingly, so that different qualities of that particular wheel of light are attained. For example, the seventh crown chakra expresses the ultimate spiritual experiences one can attain while in incarnated on Earth. On the emotional level - the fourth hearth chakra - the one and the same energy is represented through the quality of love. On the physical plane this energy is experienced as sexual energy - that is, we are in the domain of the second sacral chakra.

Here are some of the most prominent characteristics of each of the main 7 chakras.

7th chakra - Sahasrara - Crown chakra

Light ray - Yellow
Archangel Jophiel
Endocrine Gland: Pineal gland (Epiphysis)
Positive characteristics: infinity, unity, freedom, Divine level of consciousness
Negative characteristics: none
Mantra: OM

6th chakra - Ajna - Third Eye

Light ray - Green
Archangel: Raphael
Endocrine Gland: Pituitary gland or hypophysis
Positive characteristics: mental abilities, concentration, inner wisdom
Negative characteristics: pride, arrogance, suspicion
Mantra: OM
sixth chakra stones

5th chakra - Vishuddha - Throat Chakra

Light ray - Blue
Archangel: Michael
Endocrine Gland: Thyroid
Positive characteristics: peace, calm, emotional balance, joy, determination, will for action
Negative characteristics: jealousy, misuse of personal power
Mantra: HAM
fifth chakra stones

4th chakra - Anahata - Heart

Light ray - Pink
Archangel: Chamuel
Endocrine Gland: Thymus
Positive characteristics: love, gentleness, adoration, healing
Negative characteristics: lethargy, passivity, laziness
Mantra: YAM
fourth chakra stones

3rd chakra - Manipura - Solar Plexus Chakra

Light ray - Ruby
Archangel: Uriel
Endocrine Gland: Pancreas
Positive characteristics: peace, service to God
Negative characteristics: greed, obesity, fear,
Mantra: RAM
third chakra stones

2nd chakra - Swadhisthana - Sacral Chakra

Light ray - Violet Flame
Archangel: Zadkiel
Endocrine Gland: Gonads
Positive characteristics: rhythm, accuracy, the power of invocation
Negative characteristics: anger, menace, hatred, apathy
Mantra: VAM
second chakra stones

1st chakra - Muladhara - Base or Root Chakra

Light ray - White
Archangel: Gabriel
Endocrine Gland: Adrenaline glands
Positive characteristics: purity, resurrection, the needs of the physical body,
Negative characteristics: passion, lust
Mantra: LAM
first chakra stones

Spiritual work on the 7 chakras should be done with the aim of awakening of the so-called "snake power" or kundalini energy, which leads to spiritual self-realization. This creative energy rises up the spinal cord, awakening the energy centers from their dormant state as it passes through.

Each energy center is connected to a certain area in our brain. This means that not only the chakras are put into action, but also the adequate latent brain areas.

When, according to the eastern terminology, the snake power or kundalini energy finds its way up to the crown chakra, passing through all the 7 chakras, the spiritual experience of enlightenment takes place. We then become at One with God. This experience usually does not last long, at first it lasts only a split of a second. After the experience of enlightenment, we are able to utilize our brain more fully, our knowledge increases, our powers get stronger, and we are more conscious of our life in the here and now.

The expanded consciousness enables us more detailed perception of everything on every level. Having gotten closer to the Truth, we see things as they are; we see them clearly with penetrating though. Being at One with God, being in God's Heart, within the infinite persistent omnipresent Divine Love, we are transformed into a lover of everything that is present on Earth, beyond Earth and within Earth. Our love is forgiving, understanding, gentle and efficient for us and for others. The whole humanity is our fellow. There is no loner age, time and matter. The roughest manifestation of the one energy is no longer there. What is left is the infinite omnipresent Divine Love achieved through mastering the 7 chakras.

Of course, one question is left unanswered, that is, how to initiate the energy of enlightenment and make it rise to the seventh chakra. Various schools or individuals have written countless pages on this subject alone, but only a handful of them have ever enlightened themselves. The enlightenment is no easy task, but nowadays it is attainable if one sincerely endeavors to reach it. A moment of practice is more valuable than tons of literature on this subject. Therefore, first and foremost, one should increase one's faith in God, expand one's love toward God and start practicing by joining a compatible spiritual path or spiritual community.

Read additional articles about the Saven Chakras:

The knowledge of the Kundalini Yoga Chakras

The Seven Chakras - Energy Centers - Etheric body

Chakra crystals and stones

The Principles of Chakra Cleansing

Solar Plexus Chakra - Positive and Negative Aspects

How to Open the Third Eye Chakra

Sahasrara Chakra Explained

Ajna Chakra Explained

Bindu Chakra Explained

Vishuddha Chakra Explained

Anahata Chakra Explained

Muladhara Chakra Explained

Comments:

Daniel Cox says:
11-04-2010

Blessed be, this site and its information! Oh thankyou for it, because within the reading of it I have changed in conscious awareness. O_O i must go within and BE aware of the I AM that is my life source. I must LOVE this source, unconditionally love it. In this blazing manifesting of love, we (my Love and I) will be as one being and manifest as such for all forms of life ^_^
In "Conversations with God" i learned the process of manifestation: BE... DO... HAVE... God is all and we are one in God... the question and choices lies in where in God are we and what are we doing there. This ultimately gives us what we are "having". Somewhere in the reading i remembered and recreated myself consciously anew! Thank you and may Goddess-God bless you in your ascension :D

Suda says:
07-07-2011

What is God?

Trevor Gersich says:
09-03-2011

God is the endless, all-present, all-knowing, all-powerful, all-present, all-loving, eternal spiritual essence that is creator and originator of all things, exists in all things and is all things. This being has manifested itself by man into various deities that symbolize various characteristics of God, some examples of these deities include Jehovah, Yahweh, Hosanna, Elohim, Shiva, Allah, Heavenly Father, Heavenly Mother, and Ein Sof. Many teachers have existed throughout history to provide mankind with many timeless truths about the nature and reality of God, these teachers include Abraham, Moses, Elijah, King Solomon, Enoch, Isaiah, Jesus, Paul the Apostle, The Buddha, Lord Krishna, Muhammed Ali, Lao-Tzu, Joseph Smith, Mary Baker Eddy, Jeremiah, and John the Apostle. To sum it all up, the being of God is impossible to grasp with your mind. One must transcend mind and live in spirit in order to fully understand God. It takes discipline and meditation in order to achieve enlightenmentand ascension on the spiritual quest for God.

Dr N T Arasu says:
09-04-2011

'LOVE ALL & SERVE ALL'

Dear embodiments of pure divine love,

With 50 over years medical and spiritual experience and teaching (those who come to me) Yoga asanas (to make the body strong),pranayama (to strengthen the lungs) and meditation to connect the Atma with the Paramathma out of the 8 yogas.
Many who follow the insstructions prevent diseases, if they have (e.g. High BP or Diabetes) get better with minimum medicines.
Hope to hear from all of your good selves.
With pure divine love,
Dr N T Arasu

sunny says:
09-07-2011

@Dr N T Arasu

Thank you for reminding us about the importance of our seven chakras when it comes to maintaining our general health and preventing diseases. Indeed, with asanas, pranayamas, and meditation we can properly balance the energy centers and enable free flow of energy - so essential for a healthy and abundant life.

@Trevor Gersich

That's a very nice observation that only with discipline and meditation over really, really, long periods of time we can achieve enlightenment and finally ascension on our path towards God.

S.Natarajan says:
09-07-2011

hey friends.this what a basic of a yoga.if you need to enrich your inner energy you have to cross these chakras with the help of your kundalini shakthi(energy).to enrich your kundalini you have to undergo with a guru.he ll only teach all these things as practically.this can be done only by himself.so pls contact a guru if you wish to enjoy the peace and joy which i am enjoyed now and then.or otherwise contact me to lead to a great guru. May My guru will guide you.for information pls contact. S.Natarajan., devakottai.
Tamilnadu.
India.
phone.No.9566617229.

Sunny says:
09-07-2011

Hi Natarajan,
Yes, you are right. If one is going to intentionally rise ones kundalini, then a guru is a must. Actually, it is always desirable to have a spiritual teacher, regardless of the spiritual method in question.

Sunny says:
09-27-2011

Some of you have been commenting on the question Suda asked several months ago: “What is God?”and there is an inspired discusion going on. Therefore, we have dedicated a special page for this topic, and moved some of your comments there, so please unless you want to comment about the Seven Chakras, feel free to add to this all important-question here - What is God?.

harinakhi says:
10-22-2011

The colour of the chakras may be seen differently. The feel of eternity may be not always light but something like weightless and without any feeling as if there is nothing but is like as if there is everything all around.

sunny says:
10-23-2011

Hi harinakhi,

You are right when you say that the colors of the chakras can be seen differently, depending on the actual plane we are talking about. For example, each physical color has its astral counterpart of different shade, and so on. However, please note that what's indicated above is not the color of the chakras. We talk about the Seven Rays and their association to the chakras, which is a completely different metaphysical concept. As for the chakra colors, they have been discussed for example in this guest article.

prathma says:
04-01-2012

Dear, very nice and informative. I have read Patanjali yoga sutra, in which the concept of kundlini is explained. I think the number of coiled nadis is misprint which is 72000. Pls see, I'm impressed from this simple and straight knowlegde. Thanx.

zafer rasheed says:
05-12-2012

GOD IS GOD, ONLY FEEL IN HEART

Mr.Salim Saab says:
01-26-2013

Dear Sirs,
I would like to recieve the 7 chakras. I would also like to learn the MANTRAS.

sunnyray says:
02-05-2013

Hi Salim,
Every human being already possesses the chakras embedded within their subtle bodies. All we have to do is cleanse them and learn how to master the subtle energies that flow through them. The Mantras are given above for each individual center (chakra).

Hello Sir says:
03-07-2013

I am interested in working on Chakras. I want to explore more on them. I also want to learn how to open these Chakras by Yoga and Meditation. Could you please guide me on the same.
Thanks

mina says:
12-23-2013

I was looking for mantras for all seven chakras. How do you pronounce them?

sunnyray says:
12-24-2013

1st - Lam - pronounce Lum

2nd - Vam - pronounce Vam

3rd - Ram - pronounce Rum

4th - Yam - pronounce Yum

5th - Ham - pronounce Hum

6th - Om - pronounce Aum

7th - Om - pronounce Aum

Jigme says:
01-15-2016

Very educative. I have recently been very interested in Pranic Healing and in fact have taken my first basic Pranic healing course in Bhutan recently. I have been doing up a lot of reading as well and have found it very fascinating. Really an excellent way of healing and getting in touch with our inner self.

Sharianda says:
04-20-2016

Blessed be on all who seek and those have come to know and share. I had a vision of the chakra system as I sat chanting nam myoho renge kyo ,a daily part of my Buddhist practice. That was a very profound moment of enlightenment and I have been learning, growing, and practicing ever since. I have become a healer and I use sound,silence, pranic, and deep chakra innerwork. The saying goes: before enlightenment one chops wood and totes water. After enlightenment, one chops wood and totes water. Our consciousness changes but earthly efforts for life and sustainability do and must go on.

sunnyray says:
04-20-2016

Thanks for taking the time to comment Sharianda. We greatly appreciate it.

anon says:
12-28-2019

Please I need my third eye chakra opened immediately i am in grave need please assist me i must utilize my third eye chackra before it is too late TnT

billy belly says:
08-22-2020

Why are the representing colors that you have corresponding to each chakra different than what is found in most every spiritual khundalini teaching?

red (base), orange (sex organs), yellow (tummy), green (heart), turquoise (throat), purple (3rd eye), light purple (crown)

sunnyray says:
08-22-2020

What's given above is the "light rays" associated with the chakras, not the colors of the chakras per se.