The Chakra System

The human body contains hundreds of locations where there is focused and
concentrated energy. The points where energy flows into and out of the body are
called the Chakras. The Sanskrit word Chakra means "Spinning Wheel" or
"Spinning Disk". These disks of light are vortexes of pulsating energy that
interpenetrate the physical body and the subtle bodies of the aura, transmuting and
filtering vital life force energies - universal etheric energy and earth energy for
the sustenance and maintenance of the physical body. Within these vortices of spinning
energy lies the seat of our consciousness, psychic awareness, intuition and spiritual
development.
Although the human aura contains hundreds of minor chakras, and at least 12 major chakra, we tend to focus on 7 of the 12 major chakras - the Base chakra, Spleen chakra, Solar Plexus, Heart chakra, Throat chakra, 3rd Eye and the Crown chakra because these chakras are intimately related to our physical condition, and to the planes of higher
consciousness. The 7 main chakras are located along the spine. These vortexes of
energy are connected to an energetic line called the Sushumna that runs through the centre of the spine. Along the Sushumna line are two channels of energy known as the Ida (feminine) and Pingala (masculine) that intertwine like a figure 8 around the chakras up
through the body from the perineum up to the top of the head.
On a physiological level each chakra corresponds to nerve ganglia and to glands in the
endocrine system. They regulate the flow of universal and earth energy in and out of the
aura and transmute vital life force energies to sustain and maintain the physical body.

At a subtler level, Chakras act as energetic doorways to different dimensional
consciousness, which exist beyond the 3-D world we live in. Each chakra operates as an
independent centre of consciousness and is a necessary component for our spiritual
evolution. All the sensations we experience in life, everything we think about and
everything we feel, including our most poignant memories, are found in specific locations
within the chakra and auric system. This includes all the non-physical experience we have
on the astral planes during our dreams. Though each chakra operates as an independent
center of consciousness, they remain inter-related with each other in unified system that
connects the mind, body and spirit.
The main purpose of working with, and understanding our chakras, is to create integration
and wholeness within ourselves. In this way, we bring the various aspects of our
consciousness, from the physical to the spiritual, into a harmonious relationship.
Ultimately, we begin to recognise that the different aspects of ourselves (physical,
emotional, mental and spiritual) all work together, and that each aspect is as much a part
of the whole, as the others. It is important to understand that chakras are doorways for
our consciousness. They are doorways through which emotional, mental and spiritual force flow into physical expression. Energy created by our thoughts and emotions runs through the chakra system and is distributed into our cells, tissues and organs. Understanding this process gives us an insight into how we, ourselves, affect the state of our body and mind, and circumstances in our life.

FIRST CHAKRA - BASE CENTRE

The Sanskrit word for the Base Chakra is Muladhara which means "root".
The base chakra is located at the base of the spine and resonates to the colour red. It is
governed by the element of earth. The consciousness associated with the Base chakra deals with survival issues, physical relationships and concepts, patterns, materialism and our primordial flight or fight responses. It also deals with the archetypal collective of
people. The Base chakra also regulates the flow of life force energies - universal
and earth energy - for our physical sustenance and vitality. The limbs and organs
associated with this chakra are the legs and feet, large intestines, spinal column,
rectum, bones and the immune system (with reference to our physical vitality). Dr Gerber
associates "the root chakra with both the gonads and the cells of the
leydig...the gonads may be linked to both the first and second chakras."

SECOND CHAKRA - SPLEEN CENTRE

The Sanskrit word for the second chakra is Svadhisthana which means "to sweeten" This centre is located around one inch below the navel and resonates to the colour orange. It is governed by the element of water. The consciousness associated with the Spleen Chakra is symbolism, dualism (balancing polarities) and relationships - how we relate to people, how we interact with them and how we form and maintain relationships with them at a personal level. This chakra affects our personal visions and relationships because it stimulates our need for growth and change. On a sub-consciousness level the Spleen/Sacral chakra is associated to sexuality, repressed emotions and trauma. It deals with the expression of emotions, pleasure, movement, sensation and our ability to nurture. Very often this expression is blocked by deep seated fears and traumas developed during our childhood. Some of these fears and traumas are based on memories carried over from a previous life for karmic resolution in this one.
This chakra governs the sexual organs, pelvis, lower back, urinary elimination and
reproductive system, colon, small intestines, and immune system. The Spleen chakra is
connected with the Gonads gland.

THIRD CHAKRA - SOLAR PLEXUS

The Sanskrit word for the third chakra is Manipura which means "lustrous gem" because it is a radiant, bright centre. Located in the Solar Plexus, which is over the adrenal glands and just below the sternum, this centre vibrates at the frequency of the colour yellow and is governed by the element of Fire. At a physical level this chakra rules the metabolic system - it is responsible for the regulation and distribution of metabolic energy through the body e.g. the combustion of food to create energy. It governs the muscles, adrenal glands, liver, spleen, gall bladder, lumbar vertebrae, and pancreas. The consciousness associated with the Solar Plexus is personal empowerment. How do you feel about your personal power? Are you able to control the direction of your life is taking or do you feel powerless to do anything about it? The way you project your will determines how much control you have over your life. 

FOURTH CHAKRA - HEART CENTRE

The Sanskrit name for the heart chakra is Anahata which means "the sound that is
made without any two things striking". This means the energy connection between
one and everyone else. Located at the heart area, the heart chakra reflects our ability to
express love - both self love and love of other people. This may be expressed through an
act of compassion, care towards others less fortunate than oneself, a loving relationship
between family members, or an intimate relationship. This chakra also reflects our
capacity to move beyond self love into unconditional love. The heart chakra is the most
critical of all the chakras because of the interplay with our emotional states to our
perceptions. It unites the energies above (spiritual) and the energies below (physical).
The integration of the mind and body is through the heart centre. It is through the inner
desires of the heart that we are able to experience the needs of our soul. This love
energy combines the need of the soul with the challenge of the physical world to
experience our karmic realities. This chakra resonates to the colour green (or sometimes
pink), and is governed by the element of air. The heart chakra governs the heart and
thymus gland and influences the immune endocrine and circulatory systems.

FIFTH CHAKRA - THROAT CENTRE

The Sanskrit word for the Throat Chakra is Visuddha which means "purification". Located in the throat, it is one of the easier chakras to understand within the realm of the subconscious as blockages within the throat chakra directly can affect the vocal cords, mouth, and area around the neck. This chakra affects the realm of communication and higher creativity. Communication is about how we express our self and our desires and how we connect with other people. The throat chakra resonates to the vibration of the colour blue and is governed by the element of Ether (and sound).
The throat chakra governs the throat, vocal chords, and neck area and is associated with
the thyroid and parathyroid glands and all forms of self expression. 

SIXTH CHAKRA - THIRD EYE

The Sanskrit word for the 6th chakra is Anja. Anja originally meant, "to perceive" which within proper understanding can mean "to understand" and from that we can understand and take responsibility for the projection of our visualisations and the energy behind the visualisations. Resonating to the colour indigo, the 3rd Eye chakra is one of extremes and polarity. It is governed by Akasha. The third eye is light, colour, seeing, visualisation, clairvoyance, holographic realities, also our greatest teacher of fear and love. This chakra deals with our ability to see the world around us and to perceive without prejudice how things really are. The Third Eye as a doorway. It is a tunnel linking us to the infinite cosmic universe. This tunnel is the bridge from the physical plane to the spiritual planes. When we open our Third eye we open to other realities and potentialities of a multi-dimensional universe.
The 3rd Eye therefore is the centre of "seeing&". It is governed by the element
of light and vibrates to the colour Indigo and governs the pineal gland. 
"Physically, the brow charkra (3rd Eye) is associated with the pineal gland, the pituitary gland and the spinal cord, as well as the eyes, ears, nose, and sinuses" (Dr R. Gerber).
The function of the pineal gland/pituitary gland is often interchanged in esoteric
literature. Some authors proclaim that the pituitary gland governs the 3rd eye, while the
pineal gland governs the crown chakra. Because the 3rd eye is governed by the element of light and Akasha, we associated it with the 3rd eye. 

SEVENTH CHAKRA - CROWN CENTRE

The Sanskrit word for the Crown Chakra is Sahasrara which means "thousandfold".
Located at the top of the head this chakra vibrates to the colour violet and is governed
by the element of fohat. At a physical level this chakra deals with the mind and the
brain. It represents our conscious and unconscious thought structures and how we deal with our belief at a multi-dimensional universal level and our ability to tap into the
collective consciousness. The consciousness associated with the Crown Chakras is our
spirituality or understanding of the relationship we have as spiritual beings in the
physical body and the world. The Crown chakra is the gateway to higher realms of
consciousness amd to Divine Will. This chakra resonates to the colour violet and governs
the cerebral cortex and central nervous system and is associated with the pituitary gland.
The pituitary gland is a master gland which is why we associate the pituitary gland with
the crown chakra.

The seven Chakras represent seven primary stages of our metaphysical development. These stages of development correlate with the function of each chakra.

The chakra system stores and activates our emotions and emotional responses. All of our
thoughts, feelings and sensations we experience day in and day out, and all of our
memories from past experiences, are recorded and specifically located within our energy
system. Each layer of the auric body has an associated chakra centre. For example, the
first level of the auric body - the etheric body, is associated with the first
chakra, the base chakra. The emotional body level is associated with the spleen chakra and so on until the ketheric template and the crown chakra are associated. (refer to article
on Auras) When one chakra is said to be 'out of balance' (ie; depleted of energy or expending too much energy), the state of this chakra may affect the state of the
chakra above or below it. Just as the aura reflects the state of our general wellbeing, so
too do the chakras.