by Rachel Funk

Created on: October 07, 2009

Sanskrit for wheel, chakras are a concept highly emphasized in Hindu and New Age Spirituality. In Indian medicine, the chakras are references as being whorls of matter in the etheric double man. These wheels of energy and light are thought to be on the surface of the subtle body, an etheric representation of the spiritual self. Believers in Hinduism and New Age Enlightenment are of the thinking that the chakras are an indispensible part of the body's endocrine glands and lymph nodes by depositing good bio-energies and disposing of bad bio-energies.

There are seven chakras of importance to those who believe. They are major energy centers aligned with the spine, starting at the tailbone and moving upwards to the very top of the skull. There are other minor chakras, animal chakras, that are located in the arms and legs, but aren't considered as important and the seven major whorls of energy. The seven major, starting at the base of the spine and moving up are: Muladhara, Svadhisthana, Manipura, Anahata, Vishuddha, Anja and Sahasrara. Each of the chakras are represented by an individual color and flower.

Muladhara, the Base Chakra, is the lowest of the seven major chakras, it is located at the base of the spine and is thought to be key to instinct, survival and to the basic human potential. The base chakra is represented by a four petaled lotus and the color red. While not aligned with an organ or the endocrine system it is in close relation to the sexual organs in both males and females and is said to emotionally govern sensuality, mentally govern stability, emotionally it governs sensuality and spiritually it governs the sense of security.

Svadhisthana, the Sacral Chakra is located in the sacrum and is said to control the hormonal production on the testes and ovaries. Symbolized by a lotus flower with six petals in the shade of orange. The key issues of the Svadhisthana are relationships, pleasure, addiction as well as violence. Physically it governs reproduction, mentally it rules creativity. Emotionally it governs joy and spiritually it governs enthusiasm.

Manipura, the Solar Plexus Chakra is believed to be tied to the Islets of Langerhans, a group of cells in the pancreas and well as outer adrenal glands. Manipura is key to the issues of personal power and fear, the color tied to Manipura is yellow. The lotus flower chosen to represent this chakra is a lotus flower with ten petals. Physically ruling digestion, mentally ruling personal power, emotionally

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