Chakra facts for kids

A chakra is like an energy center in your body, according to ancient teachings from Indian yoga and similar cultures. Some people in the New Age movement also believe in chakras. The word "chakra" comes from Sanskrit, an old Indian language, and it means 'wheel' or 'disk'.

Chakras are thought to be places in your body where life energy flows. There are seven main chakras. Each one helps life energy move through your body and is connected to how you feel physically and mentally. Modern science cannot yet find or measure chakras.

What Are Chakras?

Even though people have different ideas about chakras, they all agree on some key things:

• They are part of a special energy body, along with energy channels called nadis and subtle energies called pranas.
• They are located along a main energy channel called Sushumna. This channel runs either next to or inside your spine.
• Two other energy channels, Ida and Pingala, also go through the chakras. They sometimes cross the Sushumna channel where the chakras are.
• Chakras are often described as having a certain number of 'petals' or 'spokes'. In some traditions, these spokes branch out into thousands of other energy channels throughout the body.
• Each chakra is usually linked to a special sound or mantra syllable. They are also often connected with different colors and spiritual figures.

The Seven Main Chakras

The seven main chakras are believed to be arranged in a line up your body, from the base of your spine all the way to your head. Each chakra is usually connected with a specific color. They are also linked to different parts of your feelings and thoughts.

Location of different Chakras in the body

Here are the seven main chakras that are often talked about:

1. Muladhara (Sanskrit: मूलाधार, Mūlādhāra) - This is the Root Chakra, found at the base of your spine.
2. Swadhisthana (Sanskrit: स्वाधिष्ठान, Svādhiṣṭhāna) - This is the Sacral Chakra, located near your tailbone (the coccyx).
3. Manipura (Sanskrit: मणिपूर, Maṇipūra) - This is the Solar Plexus Chakra, found around your belly button.
4. Anahata (Sanskrit: अनाहत, Anāhata) - This is the Heart Chakra, located in your chest area.
5. Vishuddha (Sanskrit: विशुद्ध, Viśuddha) - This is the Throat Chakra, found in your throat and neck.
6. Ajna (Sanskrit: आज्ञा, Ājñā) - This is the Brow or Third Eye Chakra, located between your eyebrows.
7. Sahasrara (Sanskrit: सहस्रार, Sahasrāra) - This is the Crown Chakra, found at the very top of your head.

• Chakras
• 

  Muladhara

• 

  Swadhisthana

• 

  Manipura

• 

  Anahata

• 

  Vishuddha

• 

  Ajna

• 

  Sahasrara

Here's another way to list them:

• Root chakra (Muladhara)
• Navel chakra (Swadhisthana)
• Solar plexus chakra (Manipura)
• Heart chakra (Anahata)
• Throat chakra (Vishuddha)
• Third eye chakra (Ajna)
• Crown chakra (Sahasrara)

Images for kids

• 

  Sapta Chakra, an 1899 drawing that shows how energy and the body are connected in Tibetan beliefs.

• 

  A drawing from 1823 showing a chakra system from the Saiva Nath tradition.

• 

  When meditating, people often imagine chakras in different ways, like a lotus flower or a disk with a spiritual figure.

• 

  This image from Charles W. Leadbeater's 1927 book The Chakras shows where chakras might be located in relation to nerve centers.

Related pages

• Esotericism
• Kundalini
• Occultism

See also

In Spanish: Chakra para niños