A Brief Introduction to the History of the Chakras
Chakras are a hot button topic in many yoga communities, but sometimes they can feel a little too abstract and esoteric. Below is an introduction to the chakras to inform your yoga studies.
What are chakras?
The word chakra (the first syllable pronounced chu like chuck) or cakra means “circle.” The Sanskrit word comes from the verbal root car which is translated in the ṛg-veda and atharva-veda as “to wander, to roam about” etc. In another Sanskrit text, the bṛhat-saṃhitā of varāha-mihira, car means “to diffuse.” This helps us to envision the chakras as energy permeating the subtle body rather than fixed entities.
When speaking of the chakra system, we must first need to speak of the subtle body–sometimes called the energetic body. Unlike our physical body (the bones, muscles, etc.), the subtle body is composed of energy that may not manifest completely in physical form. The subtle body in comparison to the gross body responds to the energetic plane rather than the physical, though a disruption to the subtle body can affect the physical one and vice versa. In all systems, chakras are located in the subtle body. The chakras themselves have no definite shape or color since each chakra is a conglomeration of energy.
Because of the nuances of the chakras, several systems have emerged, some focusing more on the physical elements, some on the energetic. As David Frawley writes, “Today, the chakras, like yoga, are defined in physical terms, which obscures their real purpose and function.”
Since most of us are not taught to see energy, many practitioners will look to visualizations in order to interpret the chakras. So, on the one hand, some systems will be devoid of visualization altogether and focus on feeling the energy. On the other hand, most systems today associate the chakras with visualization as a guide into experiencing the chakras. Some systems will use the colors of the rainbow corresponding to each chakra. The number of chakras depends on the system a practitioner is looking at, but the most common number is seven, also making it easier to associate with the colors of the rainbow.
Where can we find research on the chakras?
There is little scholarship on the chakras by South Asian scholars. According to Hareesh, a modern researcher of tantric yoga and Sanskrit, modern chakra students usually get their information from Western occult systems, self-proclaimed expert gurus, or Arthur Avalon’s translation of the Shat-Chakra Nirupana. The academic study of the chakras is steadily increasing as mystical and esoteric knowledge gains prominence in the realm of religious study. However, what we do know of the chakra system trending today is most closely associated with the Tantra traditions.
Based on the Introduction of Arthur Avalon’s translation of the Shat-Chakra Nirupana, the first documentation found on the chakra system was in 1526 by Tantrik Purnananda-Swami. The Shat-Chakra-Nirupana, translated originally by Avalon in 1919, described the seven chakras and their origins within laya, tantra, and hatha yoga. It is important to note here that these chakra systems may have existed in different forms for thousands of years before the modern translations due to pre-colonial South Asia’s tendency to use oral transmission over textual.
Each chakra has certain qualities and characteristics that separate themselves from the other. The chakras were originally “prescriptive” yet through their popularity became more “descriptive.” If you are interested in diving deeper into the individual chakras, I suggest reading Your Guide to The 7 Chakras & Their Meaning by Yoga International.
What does this mean for Christians?
Ultimately, it is up to the practitioner to decide whether or not to engage with the chakra system. We have several posts on the Christians Practicing Yoga site that speak on practitioners’ experiences with the chakras and the energy body, including a few posts from our founder Father Tom Ryan like Kundalini, Chakras and Auras: A Christian Perspective on the Energy Body. This brief introduction hopefully highlights the diversity of systems within studying chakras, yoga, and South Asian traditions to allow you to be a more informed practitioner.
For More Exploration
If you are looking for more resources on the chakra systems, check out our resource list below. Most of the books mentioned can either be found on Our Blog, Our Bibliography page, or on Our Bookshop page.
Christian Perspectives
For a personal account of a Christian’s experience of Kundalini, see The Kundalini Process: A Christian Perspective and Kundalini Energy and Christian Spirituality: A Pathway to Growth and Healing by Philip St. Romain.
If you are looking for concise and approachable posts about the chakras and Christianity, check out Getting Still’s blog.
To engage your faith and the chakras in a practical way, check out Kelly McLellan’s chakra cards and Pauline Wallace’s chakra cards.
Yogic Perspectives
For a site with robust resources on the subtle body, see Yoga International’s blog.
If you are interested in exploring the Chakras through traditions other than yoga, see The Subtle Body by Cyndi Dale.
To take a deep dive on laya yoga, see Layayoga: The Definitive Guide to the Chakras and Kundalini by Shyam Sundar Goswami.
Featured image by Ravi Pinisetti via Unsplash.
