What are chakras?

The chakras are subtle energy centres that are aligned with the Central channel (Sushumnānāḍī) of the Kunḍalinī system. There are seven main Kundalini chakras that are distributed along the Central channel. They provide subtle-energy to the functions of the body organs, mind and intellect. However, they are primarily associated with the subtle-body of a person. Their names, in descending order from upwards to below, are as follows:

Number	Sanskrit name of the Kundalini chakra	Western name of Kundalini chakra
7	Sahasrār-chakra	Crown chakra
6	Ādnyā-chakra	Brow chakra
5	Vishuddha-chakra	Throat chakra
4	Anāhat-chakra	Heart chakra
3	Maṇipur-chakra	Navel chakra
2	Swādhishṭhān-chakra	Sacral chakra
1	Mūlādhār-chakra	Root chakra

Below is a diagrammatic representation of the positions of the various chakras.

The Brahmarandhra is a subtle-opening (conduit) above the Sahasrar-chakra from which Divine energy is received. The Kundalini passing the Brahmarandhra indicates the spiritually evolved merging with God. It is also the opening through which the spiritually evolved exit when leaving their body at the time of death.

Diagrammatic representation of the positions of the various chakras in the Kundalini system

Sahasrār-chakra : The energy centre at the upper part of the skull (the point where the frontal, parietal and temporal bones intersect).

Ājñā-chakra-chakra or Ādnyā-chakra : The energy centre at the mid-brow region (midpoint between the two eyebrows).

Vishuddha-chakra : The energy centre at the throat level (the point just below the prominence of the Adam’s apple).

Anāhat-chakra : The energy centre at the mid-chest level (the point at the approximate two-third distance between the lower end of the U at the throat and the upper end of the hollow of the solar plexus.

Maṇipūr-chakra : The energy centre at the naval.

Swādhishṭhān-chakra : The energy centre at the level of approximately three cm above the Mūlādhār-chakra (located one inch below the start of the pubic hairline).

Mūlādhār-chakra : The energy centre at the level of the last bone (coccyx) of the vertebral column or at the anal opening.