"A chakra is a whirling vortex of energy at the conjunction point of the mind and the body." Translate this into Western anatomy and physiology and note that the traditional location of each chakra correlates with a major gland, or glands, and a main autonomic nerve plexus within the body By some coincidence or method of analytical introspection now lost to us, the point where each chakra is located corresponds with the points in the body where psychosomatic illness most commonly manifests."
-John Mumford.

The seven chakras [Sanskrit, "wheels, disks, vortices"] of the Indian Yogic Systems are centers of bioenergetic activity radiating from nerve ganglia (that start at the base of the spine and continue on to the crown of the head.

Each chakra has a general location:

Chakra one: Base of spine. Bodily survival. The Root Chakra.
Chakra two: Lower abdomen. Sexuality.
Chakra three: Solar plexus. Power, strength.
Chakra four: Chest. Love, Devotion, Compassion.
Chakra five: Throat. Communication, creativity, Siddhis.
Chakra six (third eye: Center of forehead, brow. Intuition, Psychic abilities, telepathy, clairvoyance.
Chakra seven (Crown): Top of head. Transcendental knowledge (Gnosis), Undifferentiated Oneness or Unified Transcendental Self-Identity, God Consciousness.

Links:

A Comprehensive Compendium of Other Chakric Systems as understood throughout World Religion

Click here to return to the Reiki Attunement Page

Click here to return to the Alternative Papers