Chakras are, in yogic and tantric tradition, described as centres of energy or awareness along the spine. The word comes from Sanskrit and is often glossed as wheel. Practitioners use the idea as a map for meditation. Scientific research has not found evidence that chakras exist as physical structures.
What the word means
Chakra is usually glossed as wheel or circle. How closely that gloss matches classical usage differs between texts and teachers.
Treat the chakras as a meditation map, not as anatomy.
The seven centres
The familiar system has seven centres from the base of the spine to the crown, each linked with a theme, a colour and a seed sound. Other traditions describe different numbers and arrangements.
Origins and history
Chakras appear in Indian yogic and tantric texts. The seven-colour rainbow version is more recent and largely a modern Western synthesis. Dates and attributions are confirmed before this page goes live [ADD SOURCES].
How people use them
People use the chakras to structure meditation, breathing and gentle movement. Some treat them as literal, some as a symbolic language. Both are respected here.
What research shows
We know of no good-quality evidence that chakras are physical or that balancing them treats any condition. Slow breathing and meditation are widely studied for stress, which is a separate point. Read the full evidence page before deciding.