The 7 chakras: a simple guide for beginners

Where the chakras come from

The word "chakra" means "wheel" in Sanskrit. The idea comes from the spiritual traditions of India, notably yoga and tantra, where chakras are described as energy centres along the spine. The seven-chakra model, now the most widespread in the West, spread during the 20th century.

It is a symbolic map, not an anatomical description. You can approach it as a language for putting words to what you feel: a lump in your throat when you don't dare speak, a weight on your heart after a break-up.

The seven chakras, from bottom to top

1. Root chakra (base of the spine) — security, grounding, the feeling of having your place. Associated colour: red.
2. Sacral chakra (below the navel) — pleasure, creativity, your relationship with emotions. Orange.
3. Solar plexus (above the navel) — self-confidence, will, the ability to say no. Yellow.
4. Heart chakra (centre of the chest) — love, compassion, connection with others. Green.
5. Throat chakra — expression, honest speech, listening. Blue.
6. Third eye (between the eyebrows) — intuition, imagination, inner clarity. Indigo.
7. Crown chakra (top of the head) — spirituality, a sense of unity, meaning. Violet or white.

"Blocked" or "open": how to understand it

You often read that a chakra is "blocked" or "too open". It is better taken as an image: an area of your life that needs attention. Finding it hard to assert yourself at work can be linked symbolically to the solar plexus; a need to say things out loud, to the throat.

This reading is an invitation to look inward. It cannot diagnose any condition and in no way replaces medical advice or psychological support: if a symptom worries you, a health professional is the person to see.

Three gentle exercises to begin

• The body scan: sitting comfortably, move your attention from the base of your spine to the top of your head, pausing for a few breaths on each area. Simply notice what you feel, without trying to fix anything.
• The colour of the day: each morning, choose a chakra and its colour, and let it remind you of its theme during the day — green for paying particular attention to those close to you, blue for daring to say something important.
• The notebook: in the evening, write down which theme spoke to you most. After a few weeks, the repetitions often point to something worth reflecting on.

Chakras, astrology and tarot

Chakras pair well with other symbolic tools. Some people link each chakra to a planet or an element; others draw a tarot card to meditate on a particular chakra. These correspondences vary from one school to another: keep the ones that speak to you.

To take your journey further, you can talk it through with one of our psychics who work with energy and feeling.