In Eastern medicine, the chakras are seven energy centers situated along the spine in what is called the subtle body. Practitioners of Eastern medicine treat the subtle body as well as the gross physical body and see the chakras as very important to the overall health of the individual. Each of the chakras is associated with one of the basic core energies that we work with in life. The energy that flows through them and up the spine is called kundalini energy.

There are symbols, colors, sounds, elements, emotional drives, and gestures associated with each chakra. As you extend your practices of tantra and other teachings relating to the body, you begin to see where you flow and where you get stuck in life. As you learn to sense the energies in your various chakras through tantric practice, you can discover where your life energies are not flowing, where you are stuck, and where you need to put your attention in order to revitalize yourself.

The First Chakra: Muladhara

The pelvic area at the perineum is where the first chakra resides. It represents being grounded and secure in the basic physical comforts of life: food, shelter, and the needs of our animal natures. Its element is Earth, and its color is red.

A secure first chakra enables us to feel confident in our abilities to care for ourselves. We can hold a job that brings us enough money to survive. We have a realistic concept of our physical body and its needs and a sense of being grounded.

The Second Chakra: Svadhishthana

The genital area is the seat of the second chakra. It represents our sexual urges and fantasies, creativity, and procreation. Its element is water, and its color is orange. Sensations, pleasure, sexuality, and emotions are all associated with this chakra. When this chakra is open and healthy, we are likely to experience stable emotions, gracefulness, and self-acceptance.

The Third Chakra: Manapura

This chakra is situated at the solar plexus, or navel area, of our body. It represents our power, will, energy, authority, and longevity. Its element is fire, and its color is yellow, like the sun. Ego identity and self-esteem are the products of a healthy third chakra. Confidence, reliability, and autonomy without domination and manipulation produce the fire necessary to live a powerful yet compassionate life. When you have butterflies in your stomach, they may indicate a sign of excitement or fear. This is a temporary disturbance in the third chakra.

The Fourth Chakra: Anahata

The chest area — specifically the heart — is the home of the fourth chakra. It represents our heart and all that is associated with it: sharing, love, service, compassion, and devotion. Its element is air, and its color is green. The heart is often considered the seat of the soul because when it is open it embodies the qualities just mentioned.

We can all recognize the times when our heart feels shut down. This tends to happen when we are mad, hurt, pitying ourselves, or when we don't feel loved. We actually can feel it as a stuck or tight area in the chest. Jealousy has been called the green-eyed monster, and in fact the heart chakra is represented by the color green. We say that our heart aches when we feel the emotions associated with this chakra.

The Fifth Chakra: Vishuddha

This is the throat area of the body. It represents knowledge and speaking the truth of that knowledge. Its element is ether, or space, and its color is violet. The throat chakra builds upon the knowledge learned from the previous four chakras. It takes all that we know and have learned and dares to synthesize and help us speak what we know.

The Sixth Chakra: Ajna

Located at the pineal gland or third-eye area of the forehead, the sixth chakra represents enlightenment and self-realization. It is beyond the elements, so it has no element. Its color is bluish-white. Self-mastery, intuition, and insight are signs of an open sixth chakra. Symbolic and archetypal meaning is integrated into self-reflection. We can move to and through old, recurring patterns in our lives when our sixth chakra is healthy. This chakra often opens up through a spiritual emergence or awakening.

The Seventh Chakra: Sahasrara

This chakra is at the top of the head located at the fontanel, that area where the soft spot is located on a baby's head. It is the open conduit to God and the guru within. Immortality is achieved at this level. It is the realm of saints and of holy men and women throughout the ages. Golden white light and a lotus flower with a thousand petals are the symbols of this uppermost chakra. A supremely conscious human being exhibits compassion, self-awareness, mindfulness, and awareness of the world. Such a person has a highly evolved seventh chakra.