A Journey Into Yin Yoga

SUBTLE ANATOMY OF YOGA 43

SEVEN CHAKRAS
The chakras are part of yogic subtle anatomy. In Sanskrit, chakra means
wheel. Seven chakras run along the central axis of the spine in a channel
called the sushumna nadi (see figure 3.1). Traditionally, the chakra system
comes from tantric philosophy. In Tantra, the creation of the universe is
understood through the dynamic interplay of Shiva and Shakti, similar to
Yin and Yang in Taoism. The purpose of the tantric path is to realize that the
world of duality is an illusion and that everything is one. The chakras are
vortexes of energy that correlate to certain physical, mental, and emotional
attributes along with an element, color and bija mantra. Bija means seed, so a
bija mantra represents the essence of a chakra through the form of a sacred
sound syllable. The chakras start at the base of the spine and run vertically
all the way to the crown of the head.

FIGURE 3.1 Seven chakras.

Swadhisthana

Muladhara

Manipura

Anahatha

Vishuddha

Ajna

Sahasrara

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