New Earth Consciousness (NEC) Spiritual Explainer Series

Spiritual Explainer: Know Your Chakra Energy Centers

[Updated December 22, 2021] An overview of the Chakras for meditation and energy balancing.

Non-Medium subscribers can access this full article here.

Introduction

A chakra (“wheel” in Sanskrit) is a major concentration in the physical body of both physical and non-physical (spiritual or psychic) energy (prana or kundalini). Some people prefer to call them “Energy Centers”.

This article gives a meditator a general idea of the characteristics associated with each chakra upon which they can focus their intentions during a meditation (two examples are at the bottom of this article) or in an energy healing practice.

The term chakra originated in the trantric traditions of Hinduism (along with hatha yoga practices) and Tibetan Buddhism, possibly as early as 600 or 700 C.E. The oldest Sanskrit Hindu text describing the chakras was published in 1577 (translated into English in 1918).

In Hinduism, life force energy (prana) is what enlivens our bodies. It leaves our body when we die. Prana energy flows through “nadis”, which are energy points and lines that run throughout our body. The chakras are nadis points that hold the strongest concentrations of prana energy.

We also see similar systems in East Asia (“chi” or “ki” in China and Japan, respectively), as well as in Africa (or so I have heard). The nadis connect through the body’s fascia and are like acupuncture points.

Prana, nadis, and chi are not physically visible systems. But we associate them with physical parts of the body. We associate each chakra with a gland, which processes and regulates substances (like hormones) and excrete them into our blood and organs. We also associated each chakra with the health of the body organs that are near it.

Chakra-Body Organ associations are mostly common sense. But there are some overlaps and conflicts between different teachings. The prostate and urethra, for example, are associated with both the 1st and 2nd chakras, and the arms and hands are connected to both the heart and throat chakras. (I do not cover these in the list below, but you can click here for one example, among many.)

Opening the chakras allows the prana life force to flow more freely. If there is a blockage or constriction in our chakra system, our body will express the distorted blocked energy instead of our true, clear self.

Different traditions have different numbers of chakras, including 3 (in Qigong), 5 (in Tibetan Buddhism), 6 (in historical Hindu sources), 7 (in modern Hinduism), and many more (in western New Age spirituality). Only three chakra points are common in all systems: the Sacral (2nd), the Heart (4th), and the Third Eye/Center of Head (6th).

Besides adding many new chakras above and below the human body, western New Age esotericism added new interpretations to the traditional South Asian chakras, including associating them with colors, sounds (tones), and the endocrine glands.

Chakras, Incarnations, Human Personalities, & Spiritual Evolution

In the 9 chakra system that I am describing here, the 1st through 7th chakras are in our physical body.

(1) One analogy equates the 7 body chakras to the colors of a prism. When white light enters a prism, it splits into the colors of the rainbow. The chakras are the different colors of the rainbow, each reflecting a different aspect of your personality and physical body.

It is said that our spiritual energy (prana or kundalini) passes through all the physical body chakras to create our personality, which is the foundation of how we interact with the world.

When a chakra is blocked or distorted, our true personality is blocked or distorted in the aspect that the chakra represents. When all our chakras are pure and glowing, they form your white light of pure being, soul, and personality (or ego).

Some believe that when your body dies, all the colors return to the single white light of your soul.

(2) Another analogy equates the 7 body chakras to different levels of consciousness.

- 1st Chakra (root) is the Physical Self who fully accepts that its physical reality is all that exists and therefore it has no initiative to look beyond life as it is. - 2nd Chakra (sacral) is the Questioning or Thinking Self that is troubled and feels guilty for seeing, causing, and feeling suffering in the world and wonders what to do about it. - 3rd Chakra (solar plexus) is the Self-Improvement Self who seeks out professional and self-help remedies to overcome its guilt in at least a partially scientific and logical manner. - 4th Chakra (heart) is the Spiritual Self who turns to spirituality, which is beyond science and logic, for answers to the questions that are troubling it. - 5th Chakra (throat) is the Infinite Self that realizes its true nature is the infinite awareness that is beyond the body, mind, ego, and all manifest reality. - 6th Chakra (third eye) is the Divine Self that brings its infinite consciousness into its manifest form as a “living saint” in physical reality. - 7th Chakra (crown) is the Absolute Self when one is everything in the universe and beyond the universe (Source / God / The Absolute).

(3) I have also heard that we are each strongly centered on one of the 7 body chakras when we incarnate. That chakra reflects our energy body’s pre-birth and post-incarnation dimension (or density). And it also shapes our 3D personality.

So someone might be a 2nd Chakra (or 2nd Dimension) being before coming into a human body. In the human body, their core personality reflects the emotional qualities of water (2nd Chakra-nurturing) and earth (1st Chakra-security).

Because the pure white light of Source splits into 7 or more chakras in an Earth incarnation, our energy body can work to expand its core personality into the other chakra areas. In this way, the soul can use its human incarnation to develop themselves in ways their non-human (non-3D) self could not.

If done successfully, we become a more complete and balance being (more pure white light or closer to our Soul-self). At death, we can then ascend into higher dimensions (if we wish). The opportunity for this type of spiritual development attracts many Souls to the 3D human experience on Earth.

If we are unsuccessful, then one (or more?) of the colors / chakras / personalities overwhelms our pure white light at our body’s death. We then take that into our next incarnation to work again on creating balance and integration of our chakras.

Earth is also a place where higher dimensional beings can associate with lower dimensional beings because they all have the same 7 Earth-based chakras. This kind of cross-dimensional communication is more difficult when our consciousness is in a non-physical form. (At least that is what some people believe.)

Balancing and purifying all our chakras also enables them to all shine in unison to return to the pure white light (some say it is more of a golden light). This will eventually transform us into a “Light Body”, as we leave our physical body behind and become a higher dimensional, non-physical being.

Everyone has their own path in life. Some start from a lower chakra and work up. Some start from a higher chakra and work down. And others start in the middle and expand in all directions. [*]

For more on the spiritual dimensions of reality, see:

The 9 Chakras

The list below is based on the 9 Chakra System (shown in the image as #0 to #8). This system seems to be increasingly popular today. The 9 chakra system starts with the standard 7 Chakra System and adds the “Earth Star” and “Soul Star” chakras below and above the physical body, respectively.

Earth Star Chakra (#0)

Located about 12 inches below the feet or lowest point of the body.

Represents: Connects and grounds us to the Earth’s core; represents Mother Earth or Gaia, and who we are as a child of the planet; connects us to the planet-wide consciousness and timelines; and to past lives. (source)

The Earth Star Chakra provides Creative Energy for us to act in the world. By comparison, the Soul Star Chakra (above the head) provided Creative Knowledge to act. Both are part of the Kundalini energy system.

In the 7 Chakra System, most of the characteristics of the Earth Star Chakra are included in Root Chakra.

Opposite and compliments the Soul Star Chakra.

The Earth Star Chakra is the least common in general use among the 9 Chakras described here.

Color: Brown (although the image above shows it as a black and white bar pattern). Mantra: “I Anchor” 1st Dimension/Density (1D)

Root (1st) Chakra

Located either (1) at the perineum (base of the body cavity), or (2) the base of the spine, or (3) at the prostate for men and the entrance to the cervix for women. Different teachings put it in different places. It also extends through or between the legs to the feet in some teachings.

Representing and Creating: safety, trust, stability, the physical self, security, survival, money, job, groundedness and solid foundation, confidence, will power, strength, impulsiveness, and home. And the opposite of these when restricted.

The 1st Chakra is fundamental to all of our experiences as physical beings on Earth. It is how we define ourselves as an embodied entity, at least while in this incarnation.

Earth element: draws, integrates, and holds everything together (like gravity), opposite of air element (Heart Chakra).

Some associate the pentagram shape with the root chakra, connecting the 5 elements of Earth, Water, Fire, Air, and Spirit.

Associated with the sense of smell.

Opposite and compliments the Crown Chakra.

Regulates our personal physical experience on Earth and connects us to the Earth.

Considered by some as the most important chakra in our physical body because it is the source of a vortex pulling our (Kundalini) energy up the body. Some say we can change body’s temperature by changing the root chakra vibration.

The Root Chakra is associated with the 1st Spiritual Dimension (1D), representing the first realization of Source/Atman/God/All That Is that it “exists” (also known as the “I Am” realization). The 1st Dimension (1D) is also associated with the mineral kingdom.

Color: Red. Seed (or bij) mantra: Lam (laam) Mantra: “I Am” [**] 1st Dimension/Density (1D) The 7 Laws of the Universe: The Law of Generation—Nothing in the universe is ever destroyed, it is just transformed into something new and better [***]

Sacral (2nd) Chakra

Located at the center of the pelvis. It is sometimes shown as a vortex extending out the front and out the back of the pelvis area. Some traditions substitute the navel for the Sacral Chakra, and call it the Navel Chakra.

Representing and Creating: creativity, resourcefulness, physical embodiment, instinct, emotional self, feeling and feelings, radiant feel-good energy, personal liberty, nurturing, the Moon, food, and appetite. And the opposite of these when restricted.

Sexual energy is associated with both the Root and Sacral chakras by different interpretations, although lust and cravings are mostly considered centered in the 2nd Chakra.

Water element: accepting and receiving, nurturing (as in a womb), absorbing, able to receive what is offered. Opposite of fire (Solar Plexus Chakra). Weak water is being unworthy to receive what is offered or what we want, or not allowing ourself to be nourished — which can result in jealousy, guilt or shame.

Regulates personal emotions.

Associated with the sense of taste.

Some see this chakra as the center or core foundation and of the physical body, where our physical balance is centered.

The Sacral Chakra is also associated with the 2nd Spiritual Dimension (2D), which is the realization of the two points of Self and Non-Self. These existence of these two points introduces space (between them) and time (to traverse the space). The 2nd Dimension is also associated with the plant kingdom.

Color: Orange. Seed mantra: Vam (vaam) Mantra: “I Feel” 2nd Dimension/Density (2D) The 7 Laws of the Universe: The Law of Polarity — Everything in the universe cycles through a positive (+) and a negative (-) polarity

Solar Plexus (3rd) Chakra

Located at the solar plexus, which is a concentration of nerves near the spine midway between the navel and the ribs.

Some traditions (especially Kundalini yoga) substitute this with a point just below the navel that is said to be a focus point for the body’s 72,000 nadis (energy pathways) and call it the Navel Chakra. This system places a secondary chakra at the solar plexus.

Representing and Creating: the intellectual and practical self, personal power in the physical world, identity, self value/esteem, individual personality, the Sun, wisdom, freedom, and control. And the opposite of these when restricted.

Opposite: anger emanating from restrictions on our personal creativity; trying to force change; also hatred, blame, criticism and sarcasm.

Most humans on Earth are primarily vibrating (or expressing) the 3rd Chakra energies, which is one reason why our physical plane is referred to as the 3rd Dimension.

Expressions of power and dominance over others come from the 3rd Chakra. They often use 1st Chakra “fear” and 2nd Chakra “rules and restrictions” to maintain or expand their power.

Fire element: transformation, outward radiance, giving; opposite of the water element (Sacral Chakra).

Associated with the sense of sight.

Opposite and compliments the Throat Chakra.

Regulates personal mental experience.

The 3rd Chakra is also associated with the 3rd Spiritual Dimension, also known as “physical reality”. In this dimension, we start on the path of discovering “What Am I?” through the exploration of space and time (2D).

Color: Yellow. Seed mantra: Ram (raam) Mantra: “I Act” 3rd Dimension/Density (3D) The 7 Laws of the Universe: The Law of Cause & Effect — The high or low vibrations we put out will return to us at the same level of high or low

Heart (4th) Chakra

Located in the center of the sternum (chest) at the same level as the heart.

Representing and Creating: unconditional love and compassion (of self, all others, and the entire planet), relationships, connections, empathy, giving and accepting, balance, community, cooperation, peace, harmony, freedom to express one’s loving identity, happiness, celebration, as well as self-control. And the opposite of these when restricted.

Air element: expansion, dispersion; flow of life, ‘Be Here Now’; opposite of the Earth element (Root Chakra). Weak Air element: avoidance, distraction and denial.

Associated with the sense of touch.

Regulates interpersonal relations.

Because love is the most fundamental energy in the universe, the Heart Chakra is where our Soul (or Higher Self?) expresses itself into our physical experience. It is where our spiritual energy enlivens our physical body as peace and bliss. (We also call that Kundalini energy.)

Some say that our spiritual energy originates in the Soul Star Chakra (above the head) and enters our body through the Crown Chakra. Others say it originates in the Earth Star Chakra and enters our body in the Root Chakra. Either way, it radiates out into our world from our Heart Chakra. One way it does that is through our arms and hands, which is how we manipulate physical objects.

Many consider the Heart Chakra the most important of the chakras in the ascension of the planet from the 3rd to 4th or 5th Dimension.

The spiritual ascension of Earth is sometimes described as a transition from the 3rd to the 4th dimension, which is equivalent to the vibrational energies of the 3rd and 4th chakras, respectively.

It is said that the Earth itself is making this ascension. Some humans have already mastered the heart-based 4th Dimension/Chakra and are embracing this ascension. Others are having a harder time because they are holding tight to their 3rd Dimension/Chakra personalities.

Color: Green. Seed mantra: Yam (yaam) Mantra: “I Love” 4th Dimension/Density (4D) The 7 Laws of the Universe: The Law of Rhythm—Everything in the universe has a distinct rhythm in the way it moves from high to low, inside to outside, and/or compression to expansion

Lower & Higher Chakras

The Heart Chakra, as the source of or connection to our Soul, is the center of our spiritual body and universal energy. It is also the dividing line between the Lower Chakras and the Upper Chakras. Sometimes it is one of the Lower Chakras, and sometimes not.

The first three chakras (Root, Sacral and Solar Plexus) are the Lower Chakras, mostly because of their location on the body. We also known them as the Lower Self and Past Self because these chakras hold memories of all the stories that we believe about ourselves based on our current incarnation, including our past traumas and stresses of life. This is also known as memory based conditioning. (I like to think of this as our karma.)

They are also associated with the Earth/Root, Moon/Sacral, and Sun/Solar Plexus.

Some also say that these memories / karma carry over from previous lives, and even from our ancestors. Others, however, put these previous life and ancestor influences in the Earth Start and Soul Start chakras, below and above our physical bodies, respectively.

The three Upper Chakras (throat, third eye and crown) are associated with galactic and Source/God/Absolute realms. They connect with our Future Self that we are becoming. Also known as the Higher Self, when fully open and flowing, these chakras allow fresh energies, ideas, and forms into our experience.

When we create timelines, we draw on the Lower Chakras to create our past, and the Upper Chakras to create our future, while remaining centered in our Heart Chakra and following our Soul’s path for this incarnation.

That is the ideal model, at least. Most of us, however, are not well balanced. We favor either the lower or upper chakras, rather than being centered and connected to our Soul. This creates challenges.

But even if we focus on our Lower Chakras more than Upper Chakras, we are still expanding. The nature of our infinite universe is always towards expansion. But being centered in the present moment, in the Heart Chakra, is the best way to facilitate our evolutionary progress.

Throat (5th) Chakra

Located at the pit (bottom) of the throat. Also expresses through the arms and hands.

Representing and Creating: communication, expression, speaking, listening, receiving, caring, curiosity, loyalty, health, abundance, and manifestation. The Throat Chakra is from where we consciously create (manifest) our reality to live a life that we love. And the opposite of these when restricted.

The power to speak from your soul, to live your life fully, and to create consciously your own reality, as an empowered being of light.

The throat chakra is described as a communication organ for the lower 4 chakras. When it is open and not blocked, we can communicate the emotional feelings that mostly reside in those lower chakras more freely.

It is also called the “3rd Ear” chakra because it needs to listen to the other chakras (and the body in general) before it can speak for them.

Ether element, although the upper chakras are seldom associated with physical elements,

Associated with the sense of hearing and the ether element.

Regulate our collective/shared physical experiences.

Color: Sky Blue. Seed mantra: Ham (haam) Mantra: “I Empower” 5th Dimension/Density (5D) The 7 Laws of the Universe: The Law of Vibration — Everything in the universe is vibrating at a distinct frequency (pitch)

Third Eye (6th) Chakra

Located either (1) between the eyebrows or (2) at that same level but in the center of the brain (usually the pineal gland, but sometimes also including the pituitary gland).

Representing and Creating: insight, inner vision, truth and truth seeking, idealism, understanding, individual consciousness, and spiritual awareness of all levels and dimensions of reality.

From the Third Eye Chakra, we see our visual world with great clarity and accuracy, and we also see, know, understand how life works through physical cause and effect. We perceive and put together all the pieces of how our life is playing out. We (fore)see the results of all of our actions, and can thus take the best actions to achieve the best results.

Associated with extra-sensory (or psychic) perceptions, such as telepathic communication and future visions. Also associated with rational thought. And the opposite of these when restricted.

Opposite and compliments the Solar Plexus Chakra.

Regulates collective/shared emotional experiences.

Color: Indigo (or Dark Blue) or Violet. Seed mantra: Aum or Om Mantra: “I Know” 6th Dimension/Density (6D) The 7 Laws of the Universe: The Law of Correspondence—Everything in the universe that is outside of us is a perfect reflection of what is inside of us, and vice versa

Indigo is apparently difficult to depict on computer screens. Sometimes it shows up as dark blue and other times as purple or violet (as in most of the images accompanying this article).

Crown (7th) Chakra

Located either (1) at the top of the head, or (2) just slightly above the top of the head.

Representing and Creating: universal consciousness, inner light, self-sacrificing, the spiritual self, and spiritual connections or gateway to higher states of consciousness and knowledge, including the Akashic Records (all knowledge in the universe), the Higher Self/Soul, and Source/God.

From the Crown Chakra we know everything is one (oneness), everything has the same value and purpose, and everything is perfect. It is all self, God, and divine. We built this understanding on our knowing of how physical forms work (6th Chakra) and how we are living the life we love (5th Chakra).

The higher states of these are more associated with the Soul Star Chakra in a 9 chakra system.

The Crown Chakra is the source of a vortex bringing higher self (or higher dimensional) spiritual energy down and into the body, which then rises again as Kundalini energy from the Root Chakra.

Opposite and compliments the Root Chakra.

Regulates our collective/shared mental experience, including our source of empathy.

Color: Violet or White. Seed mantra: Om or Ah Mantra: “I Evolve” 7th Dimension/Density (7D) The 7 Laws of the Universe: The Law of Mentalism—Everything is a creation of the mind; “we created our own reality”

Soul Star (8th) Chakra

Located about 12 inches above the top of the head.

Represents: ascension, universal consciousness, inner light, self-sacrificing, the spiritual self; it is the home of our higher states of consciousness and knowledge, including our Akashic Records (all knowledge in the universe), our Higher Self/Soul, and Source/God; provides Creative Knowledge for us to act in the world. (Remember the Earth Star Chakra was Creative Energy to act.)

The 8th and higher chakras bring higher dimensional knowledge that is not normally available to the lower chakras into our life and world, such our multidimensional existence, the illusion of time and space, and the eternal nature of life.

Some describe the 8th Chakra as “Time and Space”. This can either mean the time and space emerge from this chakra, or that this chakra is beyond time and space. We often consider our ancestral and DNA influences a part of this.

In the 7 Chakra System, we include most of the characteristics of the Soul Star Chakra in Crown Chakra. In other systems, we spread out these characteristics among different higher-level chakras.

A 9th Chakra, above the 8th, for example, is sometime identified as the “blueprint” for your present human incarnation. This characteristic, however, could also apply to the 8th Chakra.

The 8th Chakra is also called the ‘Seat of the Soul’ and “Time and Space”

Opposite and compliments the Earth Star Chakra.

Color: White (although the image above shows it as a black and white dot pattern) Mantra: “I Transcend” 8th Dimension/Density (8D) and above

Notes & Related

• [*] The section on “Personality and Spiritual Evolution” draws on the teaching of Lincoln Gergar (YouTube link) and Shunyamurti (YouTube link).
• [**] For an extensive list of other Chakra mantras, see: 50+ Short Mantras To Balance & Heal Each Chakra
• [***] The 7 Laws of the Universe come from the teachings of Matias De Stefano. They are what he learned in incarnations in Atlantis and in the Sirius star system. The laws apply to all beings in all dimensions of reality. In our 3rd Dimension, they link to our chakras and he also calls them The 7 Chakra Principles. For more on Matias and The 7 Laws, see:

• There is a different 9 chakra system that includes the basic 7 body chakras (Root to Crown), but adds the pineal gland and pituitary gland, in back and front of the brain stem, respectively. That system does not include the Earth Star and Soul Star chakras. It is actually closer to the earliest published chakra drawing to come out of India in the mid-1800s.
• There is also an 8 chakra system that adds a “High Heart Chakra” between the Heart Chakra and the Throat Chakra to the 7 body chakras (Root to Crown) discussed here.
• If you want more chakras, here is a 12 chakra model that divides the Soul Star Chakra into 4 different aspects. That could, of course, go on forever, which it does in some other models.

⬇️ In the 2 videos (YouTube) below, Lincoln Gergar talks about our chakra system, gives guided meditations to help you become more aware of your chakras, and answers questions from members of his weekly Inner Circle. Through most of the videos (3+ hours long each), he channels the Higher Self. The meditations are especially effective. These videos are publically released portions of a 3 month “Higher Self Inner Circle” class that is focused on the chakras. The entire class will be available for purchase in April 2022.

• I wrote this “Explainer” article to serves as a reference for other articles that I have written related to the Chakras, including:

For even more on the Chakras, New Earth Consciousness contributor Out Of Thin Air has written (and channeled) separate articles on each of the 7 Chakras, plus the High Heart Chakra (between the heart and throat), which is listed as the 8th in her series:

• For more on The Many “Yous”, see this collection of articles:

• Note that the articles in that collection are behind the Medium paywall. For paywall-free access to my articles, go to www.AlanLew.com, linked below.

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• Written in collaboration with my Energy Group/Higher Self. This is our perspective of the truth and not the whole truth of reality.

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