Home > Encyclopedia of Alternative Medicine > Chakra Balancing

Definition

Chakra balancing is based on the ancient Indian belief in a series of seven chakras, or energy centers. Chakra is the Sanskrit word for wheel. These energy centers are believed to be located at specific points between the base of the spine and the top of the skull. Some esoteric systems include additional chakras, said to extend beyond the physical body into the human auric field. Each chakra is believed to relate to particular organs of the body, ailments, colors, elements, and emotions. However, different systems or sources that use the idea of chakras may disagree about the details. The concept of chakras plays a key role in two ancient Indian healing systems (ayurvedic medicine and yoga) that are popular today. In recent decades, however, many...