What Is a Chakra?

Chakra is a Sanskrit word whose literal meaning is “wheel” or “circle.” In a deeper sense, the word describes the whirlpools or vortices of energy in our astral spines.

The seven chakras are a part of what might be called our spiritual anatomy. Just as there is an anatomy to the physical body, so there is also a definite anatomy of our energy-based spiritual being.

Chakras have many functions, but the two most important are storing energy and information in the form of karma and distributing prana (conscious, cosmic energy or life force) to the body. In this way, you could say they serve as “energy storage and distribution centers.”