The Seven Chakras: An Introduction

What are the chakras, and why do they matter? Umesh Guruji introduces the seven main chakras as powerhouses of energy that live in the energy body, not in the physical one, though the two affect each other. He explains what feeds the chakras, how a clean mind keeps them strong, and why all seven need to be in balance.

The seven main chakras

From the root to the crown they are Muladhara, the root chakra, then Swadhisthana, the sacral chakra, Manipura, the navel or solar plexus, Anahata, the heart, Vishuddhi, the throat, Ajna, the third eye, and Sahasrara, the crown. Muladhara is the negative pole, yin, and Sahasrara the positive one, yang. The course has one lesson for each of them. These are the main ones, Umesh adds: there are many smaller chakras too.

What feeds the chakras

The food of the chakras, Umesh explains, is prana, the life energy that the Japanese call reiki, the Chinese chi and the English cosmic energy. It grows through food and, very quickly, through pranayama, the practice of breath. Yet trying to open the chakras while the mind stays the same does not work: a positive, clean mind makes the energy body clean. Hence Yama and Niyama, the "rules and regulation" of Ashtanga yoga: rising before sunrise, vegetarian food, respect and love for everyone.

Why balance matters

Asked whether some chakras matter more, Umesh says all are important, each with its role: the root for the physical body, the navel for good relationships, the heart for love, the throat to express yourself, Ajna for right decisions, the crown to feel who you are. Growing one and neglecting others brings imbalance. The rise of energy through them is the subject of the lesson on kundalini.