We’ve all heard about certain areas on the earth that are “energy centers”, places in Arizona, New Mexico, Machu Pichu in Peru and the Himalayan Mountains. But were you aware that we have energy centers in our own bodies? Science has shown us that the universe is energy. All matter is energy. Our human cells are energy. Why wouldn’t we have these energy centers in our bodies? For centuries the Asian cultures have known about the energy flows that course through our bodies. These are called Chakras (Sanskrit for Wheels of light) and meridians (pathways of energy). Acupuncturists use these energy centers to guide them in placing their needles in just the right places to relieve pain and cure many types of disorders.

There are seven main chakras and 21 minor chakras. Starting at the bottom, we can trace the main chakras moving upward. The first is the root or base chakra; it is associated with bones, teeth, gonads, rectum, colon, prostate glands, and blood cells. Its color is red. The Sacral Chakra is associated with the pelvis, kidney, adrenal glands, bladder, lymph, gastric juices and sperm. Its color is orange. The Solar Plexis Chakra associated with the lower back, digestive system, liver, spleen, gall bladder, pancreas and the production of insulin is yellow. The color green is associated with the Heart Chakra. Along with the heart, this chakra covers the upper back, breasts, lungs, and circulation of air and blood. The Throat Chakra comes next, associated with communication and the neck, ears, windpipe and upper part of the lungs. The Throat Chakra color is blue, either turquoise or sky blue. The best-known Chakra is the Third Eye. Its color is indigo blue and is associated with the face, sinuses, ears, eyes, brain functions including the pituitary, cerebellum and the central nervous system. On the top of our heads is the Crown Chakra. Its color of influence is violet, white or gold. The crown is sensitive to light and is concerned with the cerebrum and pineal gland, thus affecting the entire body. It is interesting to note that the colors of the chakras are in line with the colors of the rainbow. 

The chakras resonate in harmony with subtle energies encoded within these seven colors of the rainbow. This is sometimes called our inner light. The colored light flows to and from the aura via a network of fine energy channels or meridians. This is how light reaches our body cells. The aura is a fluctuating energy field that surrounds the body. Information energy flows from the cosmos through the energy field around us and into the chakras. It also goes back from our energy centers into the cosmos.

These ideas are not new. We have had researchers studying our energy centers all the way back to Hippocrates. The caduceus, the winged medical symbol with two entwined serpents around the staff, represents the awakening of the seven chakras. The ancient Greek physician Asclepius used the snakes to represent healing both body and soul.

Today there are many alternative methods of healing. One non-invasive method using the healing energy of the cosmos is called Reiki. Reiki has been proven very successful and has been accepted in many
hospitals throughout the United States and supports all medical modalities. Reiki is a Japanese word that means Universal Life Force Energy. To learn more about the energy centers, Reiki, and how you can help yourself heal, call the Peace Place at 609-488-0053.