Description
Chakras are a variety of focal points used in various ancient meditation practices, collectively called Tantra, which are part of the inner traditions of Hinduism and Buddhism. The concept of the chakra originated in Hinduism. There are contradictions in the beliefs of Indian religions. Buddhist texts consistently refer to five chakras, while Hindu sources refer to six or seven. Early Sanskrit texts describe both physical entities within the body and meditative visualizations combining flowers and mantras. In Kundalini yoga, the techniques of mudras, bandhas, kriyas, mantras, visualizations, and breathing exercises are designed to regulate the passage of subtle energy through the chakras. The modern "Western chakra system" arose from several sources, including the work of H.P. Blavatsky and other theosophists in the 1880s, Sir John Woodroffe's 1919 book The Serpent Power, and Charles W. Leadbeater's 1927 book The Chakras. Rainbow colors, psychological and other properties, and a diverse range of perceived similarities with other systems, including alchemy, astrology, gemstones, homeopathy, Kabbalah, and Tarot, were subsequently incorporated.
