Chakras are spinning vortexes of energy that reside along the spine. While not visible to the physical eye, they belong to the subtle body — the energetic layer that connects our physical existence to the spiritual realm. Each chakra serves as a powerful channel, transforming universal energy into a form we can use in our daily lives.
These energy centres form a rising hierarchy — from the most dense and grounded at the base of the spine, to the most refined and spiritual at the crown of the head. They influence every aspect of our being: physical health, emotional stability, mental clarity, and spiritual awareness.
The Axis of Our World
From the moment we form in the womb, the spinal column is the first structure to take shape. It becomes the central axis of our personal universe — and for the rest of our lives, it quietly supports us from behind, directing life force from the inside out. Every thought, feeling, and movement is powered by the energy that flows from this vital channel.
The chakras, embedded in this central column, are like transformers. They bring the vast, powerful forces of the cosmos down to a level our human system can handle — fuelling our thoughts, emotions, actions, and desires. This is how the unseen becomes seen. How potential becomes expression.
Chakras as the Body’s Switchboard
You can think of the body as a house — and the chakras as its switchboard. Each chakra “switches on” energy in specific regions of the body and mind. They govern organs, nerve centres, sense faculties, and — most significantly — the five elements: earth, water, fire, air, and space.
These elements organise how the chakras function and influence every part of our inner and outer worlds. They shape our senses, our actions, our subtle perceptions, our breath, and our vital energies (prana). Each chakra also has a bija mantra or seed sound that helps to purify and strengthen the element it holds.
Some elements (called tattwas) are naturally strong, while others may be weaker due to karmic imprints. Through a yogic process known as tattwa shuddhi (elemental purification), we cleanse and balance these forces. As purification deepens, the symbolic lotus of each chakra begins to bloom — a beautiful expression of the unfolding of consciousness.
Emotions, Karma & the Gunas
Beyond the physical and energetic, chakras also hold emotional and psychological tendencies. These lie dormant until awakened by karmic impressions — patterns carried from past experiences or previous lifetimes. Every thought, word, and action we take influences which qualities arise and how we respond to life.
Chakras are also shaped by the three gunas — the fundamental energies of nature:
- Tamas: inertia, heaviness, resistance
- Rajas: activity, desire, restlessness
- Sattva: harmony, clarity, lightness
These three forces exist in everything — in matter, mind, mood, and even in the quality of our spiritual practice. The goal of working with the chakras is to awaken their sattvic expression — bringing greater balance, wellbeing, and spiritual insight into our lives.
From Potential to Power
Each chakra holds within it both our most basic instincts and our highest potential. For example, the root chakra (Muladhara) governs elimination and our need for survival. At its lower frequency, it expresses as greed, fear, or excessive attachment. But at its highest, it offers us deep inner security, groundedness, and trust in the flow of life.
The way a chakra expresses itself depends on our karma — which is constantly evolving. The beauty of this truth is that we can actively influence our karma by upgrading our actions, thoughts, and intentions. The more conscious we become, the more we shift the energy we carry and the future we create.
Awakening the Inner Light
Through yogic practices like asana (posture), pranayama (breathwork), mantra (sacred sound), and meditation, we can awaken the energy within the chakras. These practices purify our system, unlock latent spiritual forces, and invite the radiant, sattvic energy to rise.
Each chakra hums with deep vibrational power. The sacred syllables — or mantras — associated with each one are like keys to unlocking their mysteries. With consistent practice, the chakras become not just centres of energy, but gateways to higher states of awareness and deeper connection with the Self.
In Closing…
Working with the chakras isn’t just about energy — it’s about self-transformation. As we purify and awaken each energy centre, we begin to align more fully with our true nature. Life becomes more harmonious, our intuition sharpens, and our spiritual path becomes illuminated from within.
The journey through the chakras is the journey home — to a place of wholeness, radiance, and inner peace.
