The Seven Chakras: A Beginner's Guide to the Subtle Body (Free Lecture)
Free Lecture · Subtle Body
The Seven Chakras
A first map of the subtle body, walked through slowly with an E-RYT 500 teacher.
Last reviewed: July 2026
The seven chakras are energy centers running up the length of the spine, from its base to the crown of the head.
The word chakra means wheel. In the yogic tradition, each of these wheels governs a different part of how we feel and function, from our sense of safety at the base to our sense of connection at the crown. When they're open, energy moves and you feel grounded, creative, steady, and clear. When one is blocked, you tend to feel it as being stuck, scattered, or a little out of alignment. Below is a short reference to each of the seven. The free lecture further down walks through all of them slowly, with pronunciation, a pose, and a line to carry.
1 · Mūlādhāra · Root
Base of the spine · Earth · red. Stability, security, the ground under you. The question it asks: do I feel safe and supported in my life? Carry: I am safe, secure, and grounded in my foundation.
2 · Svādhiṣṭhāna · Sacral
Lower abdomen · Water · orange. Creativity, pleasure, the ebb and flow of feeling. Am I letting myself be playful, and open to joy? Carry: I allow creativity and joy to flow through me freely.
3 · Maṇipūra · Solar Plexus
Navel · Fire · yellow. Confidence, willpower, the heat of self-trust. Do I trust myself and take charge of my own life? Carry: I am powerful, confident, and in control of my life.
4 · Anāhata · Heart
Heart center · Air · green. Love, empathy, forgiveness, the bridge between the lower and upper centers. Am I open to giving and receiving love, and to healing? Carry: I am open to giving and receiving love unconditionally.
5 · Viśuddha · Throat
Throat · Ether · blue. Voice, truth, honest expression. Am I speaking clearly and listening as much as I speak? Carry: I speak my truth clearly and kindly.
6 · Ājñā · Third Eye
Between the brows · Light · indigo. Intuition, insight, seeing beyond the obvious. Do I trust my instincts and stay open to new perspectives? Carry: I trust my inner wisdom and see with clarity.
7 · Sahasrāra · Crown
Just above the head · pure consciousness · violet. Connection, unity, the sense of belonging to something larger. Can I surrender and trust the flow of life? Carry: I am one with the universe and my higher self.
We haven't officially met yet, but in a way I've been with you all along. I'm Asaf. As part of the Drishti Beats team, I designed and built the platform a lot of our students learn on, and this lecture is where I get to step out from behind it and teach. I've always loved systems, how things connect and flow and find their harmony, so the chakra system is a natural place for me to start.
One small thing before you watch. Chakra is often said as "shock-rah." The truer sound is closer to chuh-kruh. Sanskrit is a vibrational language, so how we say a word carries some of its meaning, and the lecture practices each name with you out loud. That speaking-and-feeling part is the thing a reference table can't give you. The video can.
None of these is only a concept. Each one is a living force you can actually feel, a bridge between body, mind, and spirit. When you work with them, through movement, breath, awareness, and mantra, you're not importing anything new. You're waking up energy that already lives in you.
The chakras are one piece of a larger map. Inside our 200-hour training, they sit alongside the nadis, prana and the vayus, and the koshas, taught as one connected system rather than a list to memorize, with mentors who help you feel where it lives in your own practice. If this lecture opened something, that's where you learn the rest of it.
This post is educational and reflects the yogic tradition's model of energetic anatomy. It isn't medical advice, and the chakra system is a contemplative framework rather than a clinical one. If you're managing a health condition, work with a qualified professional alongside your practice.
