The Chakras: energy centres for growth and transformation
- Glenys Earle
- Sep 19, 2025
- 5 min read
Have heard of the chakras? Maybe talk of them seems a bit “woo woo” to you. However, once their purpose and function have been explained, I hope you’ll come to realise why it’s so useful to understand them.
The chakras are really significant energy centres in the body. But if so, then where are they located? They are definitely not structures in the physical body or medical science would be aware of them.
What are the chakras?
Many ancient traditions, and many modern-day psychics, describe several bodies of subtle energy too fine to be detected by “normal” means, surrounding and interpenetrating our physical body. The chakras are structures of these subtle energy bodies that connect and communicate between our physical body and the more subtle ones.
We know that everything is fundamentally energy. What keeps us alive is a subtle life-force energy called chi or prana, which flows through our body and gives us our vitality.
The chakras are two-way transmitters of this energy: they channel life-enhancing chi into our physical body, remove excess or stagnant energy, and transmit information about our physical and psychological states out to the environment. The chakras are our energetic interface to the world around us.
The chakras feed this vital life force to the organs and tissues of the physical body, and in particular, influence the endocrine glands. These glands produce hormones that govern important processes throughout the body and, therefore, the chakras have a profound influence on our physical and psychological wellbeing.
The chakras also connect us to our soul’s expression, helping us to fulfil our purpose in this life as a soul. They exert a powerful influence on our developmental and evolutionary growth as humans.
Each chakra has a particular psychological theme that helps us both to grow in that area and to process issues within that theme. Just as each of your physical organs manages a set of functions and is located at a physical site, in a similar fashion, every chakra governs a set of concerns, or themes, and is anchored in the physical body. Because the chakras are subtle organs, they do not just govern physiological functions, but manage psychological and spiritual ones as well.
The 7 major chakras
There are seven major chakras located at points along the spine. They are conventionally numbered from lowest to uppermost in the body, but are also often named according to their location.
A brief introduction to each of the chakras follows, including their location and how each one influences and nourishes us.
1. Base (or Root) Chakra
Location: at the base of the spine, or coccyx
Endocrine gland: Adrenals
The Base chakra grounds us in the physical, material world; it governs our instinct for survival and for security. It carries themes of home and belonging to our tribe. The Base chakra also carries themes of money, finances and possessions, as well as physical health and vitality, all of which provide our foundation for thriving in our modern world.
Imbalances in the Base chakra can lead to self-centredness, insecurity, greed, anger and violence.
2. Sacral Chakra
Location: about halfway between the navel and pubic bone
Endocrine gland: Ovaries/Testes
The Sacral chakra is where we dive into the watery realm of emotions and sexuality. It governs our reproductive organs, and hence our ability to procreate, but also our ability to be creative agents in the world. The Sacral chakra governs our sexuality in all its forms, as well as our sensuality, desires and the ability to enjoy pleasure on all levels. It also helps us as we form relationships, especially intimate ones with a sexual partner.
Imbalances in the Sacral chakra can lead to jealousy, envy, desire to possess, sexual difficulties and over-indulgence in food or sex.
3. Solar Plexus Chakra
Location: slightly above the navel
Endocrine gland: Pancreas, Spleen
The Solar Plexus chakra is where we develop our ego or sense of self. At its most basic level it’s about "what I want for me", which is an important stage in childhood development. This chakra also carries themes of power: whether we can use our will appropriately to develop personal boundaries and become self-empowered, or instead try to gain dominance over others through the exercise of power.
Imbalances in the Solar Plexus chakra can lead to perfectionism, self-critical thoughts, frustration, anxiety, and wanting to control or dominate others.
4. Heart Chakra
Location: in the centre of the chest at the level of the heart
Endocrine gland: Thymus
The Heart chakra is where we experience and express love. It is the crossover point from "I/me" concerns to a more inclusive awareness of others; with it comes the ability to express empathy and compassion, and where we build healthy relationships. The Heart chakra’s themes are all about opening up, sharing, and a balance of giving and receiving. It gives us discrimination in regard to our ethics, morals, values and beliefs.
Imbalances in the Heart chakra can lead to self-abandonment, fear, sadness, resentment, jealousy and hostility.
5. Throat Chakra
Location: in the hollow at the base of the throat
Endocrine gland: Thyroid
The Throat chakra carries themes of sound, communication, self-expression and finding our voice. Our words can become divinely attuned as the channel for inspiring others. This chakra also governs the conscious rational mind. There is a strong link between the Sacral and Throat chakras. We must ultimately express our creative energies, preferably using them for higher purpose.
Imbalances in the Throat chakra can lead to low self-confidence, depression, ignorance and a lack of discernment.
6. Third Eye Chakra
Location: on the forehead between the eyebrows
Endocrine gland: Pituitary
The Third Eye Chakra governs our intuition, or sixth sense. It is the centre for clairvoyance and other psychic abilities. By opening to our imaginative faculties and the higher aspects of the mind, we develop insight, wisdom and clarity. The Third Eye is also the seat of our ability to concentrate and be a witness to our thoughts, enabling us to achieve non-attachment.
Imbalances in the Third Eye chakra can lead to worry, fear, illusion, delusions, hysteria, depression and headaches.
7. Crown Chakra
Location: at the top of the head
Endocrine gland: Pineal
The Crown chakra is the centre of highest energy frequency in the body. The energy is then stepped down through each of the chakras. The Crown chakra themes include faith, presence and divine connection. Through our connection to the spiritual dimension we enact the higher Divine Will in our life.
Imbalances in the Crown chakra can lead to confusion, alienation, obsessions, hallucinations, lack of will and purpose, and delusions of grandeur.
Why learn about the chakras?
Chakras are the interface between our soul, our energy bodies and our physical body. Our physical body’s health and vitality is determined, to a considerable extent, by the information that our chakras process. A healthy functioning of the chakras promotes our growth and evolution as souls having a human experience.
Understanding the role of each chakra and working to ensure it is balanced benefits our wellbeing on multiple levels. In addition, the chakras flavour our psychological reality. The extent to which each chakra evolves can alter our perception of ourselves and our reality.
By ensuring our chakras are balanced and operating at their optimum, we are more able to process our life experiences, as well as experience health and vitality in all levels of our being. Through a conscious awareness of the chakras’ energies, we can better understand ourselves and are then able to make better choices to shape our destinies, rather than be subject to the unconscious patterns and forces within us.
This article is a brief preview of the Introduction to the Chakras course that I am facilitating in October and November. Click here more information.
Comments