Chakra....what is a chakra? That's a good question. Well...chakra is a Sanskrit (ancient Indian language) word meaning "wheel" or  "disc" and each chakra moves with a spinning motion creating a vortex. It is these vortices that filter the energy of the environment around us and disperse it throughout our body. Knowledge of these energy centres is ancient, with its precise origins lost in time – it is generally accepted, though, that the knowledge stems from ancient Hindu teachings.

There are many chakras in the body, we have 7 major chakras, twenty one minor, 49 minute and countless miniscule chakras, but we concentrate mainly on the 7 major chakras which run from the base of the spine to the top of the head. The cone shaped wheels vibrate and spin in order to keep our energy flowing as it should, the energy entering the body from both the front and back.

Each of the chakras is represented as a sacred lotus flower. The number of petals on the flower denotes the frequency at which each psychic energy wheel whirls around. On every petal is inscribed a letter of the Sanskrit alphabet, which creates a specific cosmic vibration on sound, known as a Mantra.
 

One very controversial subject when dealing with chakras is whether or not you can open and close your chakras and many have now come to realise that the answer is that we cannot close our chakras, although they can begin to close on their own. Look at a  chakra as if is is a flower. It starts as a bud, then it opens further and further until it is in full bloom. When someone says it is closed it is not closed as such, but may be at the bud stage. It is alive, it is there for all to see, but it is not in full bloom.

Chakra meditations is one form of exercise  for opening the chakras. Visualising each chakra and seeing it fully open and spinning at full speed is ideal. Many people use Mantras for opening their chakras, some use Mudras (hand positions) as they do so.

One thing I would like to add here, is the pronunciation of "Chakra". I've heard it pronounced in some very odd ways, including "Shockra", "Shackra" and "Chockra". The correct pronunciation of "Chakra" is "Chuckrah".

Let's break the word "Chakra" up...the first half "Chuck" is pronounced "Chuck" as in "to chuck something away", "chuck steak" and the American shortened version of the name Charles, "Chuck".  The second half is pronounced with the "RA" as in "ran"..."he ran away" but with an "H" on the end. The "R" is rolled on the tongue, making the word sound like "Chuckrrrah".