Absolute Beginner's Guide to Alternative Medicine

The concept of chakras may be foreign to the Western scientific mind, but they are

not completely unknown to those familiar with Judeo-Christian artwork. For cen-

turies, the crown chakra, which signifies a conscious awareness of the divine, has

been painted as a halo over those who are consciously aware of a divine presence in

their lives.

The seven main chakras are vertically aligned up the center of the body from the

base of the pelvis to the top of the head. Each chakra has its own individual charac-

teristics and functions and each has a corresponding relationship to various organs

and structures of the body, to one of the endocrine glands, as well as to one of the

seven colors of the rainbow spectrum. The characteristics of the seven major chakras

are described in Table 2.1. Of the many smaller chakras throughout the body, the

most significant are in the palms of the hands. The hand chakras are considered

extensions of the heart chakra and, as such, radiate healing and soothing energies.

Spiritual healers who practice the laying on of hands concentrate energy in their

hand chakras. All the chakras have purpose, function, and frequency as described

here:

CHAPTER 2 HOW DOES ALTERNATIVE MEDICINE WORK? 23

FIGURE 2.1
The chakras and
the auric field
illustrated.