The word chakra comes from ancient Sanskrit and means "wheel" or "disk" with the implication of spinning or turning. According to Hindu traditions, the energy of the body is regulated by seven major and twenty-one minor wheel-like energy vortexes or chakra points located along a meridian. Chakras are visualized as wheels that spin quickly in a healthy body or as flowers that open to reveal balanced energy.
The body energy that the chakras regulate is called the chi or prana. Energy enters the body through the crown chakra and flows down through the other energy centers. Blockages in the chakras cause this energy to become stagnant in certain areas of the body and this is believed to cause illness. These blockages can be cleared using various means, including meditations, acupuncture and acupressure.
It is believed that all living things have chakras. The Earth has chakras, as well, with the ley lines acting as meridians.
The Chakras:
