Yoga and chakras go hand in hand. One major goal of yoga is to practice poses to align and open your chakras, right? Well, not originally. Many centuries ago, it was originally intended as a way to practice a Hindu ritual that combines mantras, meditations, touching, and visualizations known as nyāsa. There were also multiple chakra systems consisting of four, five, or ten chakras! Did you know that the rainbow colors associated with each chakra was only invented recently in 1977? Learn more here as we discuss and demystify the history and origins of chakras!
The Origins and History of Chakras Summary
| Date | Author | Name of Text | Contribution To Origin and History of Chakras |
| 700-500 B.C.E. | Unknown, Text and Tradition Links Authorship to various Rishis (sages) | The Upanishads, a subcategory of The Vedas. | Earliest known mention of Chakras. |
| 100B.C.E. – 300 A.D.E. | Unknown, Text and Tradition Links Authorship to various Rishis (sages) | The Darshana Upanishad, The Yogashikha Upanishad, The Shandilya Upanishad – all associated with The Vedas. | Stronger written evidence for chakra system knowledge. Vastly different interpretations on meaning, the word “chakra” may have originally been used in reference to the chariot wheels of rulers, known as cakravartins. |
| 1000-1100 A.D.E | Gorakhnath | Goraksha Samhita, Goraksha Gita, Siddha Siddhanta Paddhati, Yoga Martanda, Yoga Siddhanta Paddhati, Yoga-Bija, Yoga Chintamani. | Help found Kanphata Yogis, and strong promoter of Hatha Yoga. One of the first prominent yoga gurus to discuss chakra meditation and list each chakra’s location and function. |
| 1577 | Swami Purananda | Shri-Tattva-Cintamini Sat-Cakra-Nirupana | Wrote Sat-Cakra-Nirupana, which means “description of the six centers.” Origin of the seven chakra system most commonly used today. |
| 1919 | Sir John Woodroffe | The Serpent Power – The Secrets of Tantric and Shaktic Yoga | Provides both commentary and translation of ancient texts Sat-Cakra-Nirupana and the Paduka-Pancaka. One of first books to detail kundalini, tantra, and Yoga in English. Helped introduce chakra system to the Western World. |
| 1927 | Charles W. Leadbeater | The Chakras | Highly influential in raising awareness of the chakra system in the west. Mixed Theosophy, occultism, and other esoteric teachings to create new Western interpretation of chakra system. |
| 1977 | Christopher Hills | Nuclear Evolution: Discovery of the Rainbow Body | First to connect light frequencies and the colors of the rainbow to chakra colors. Popularizes chakra systems connection to science such as endocrine system and DNA. |
First Mentions of Chakras Found In The Upanishads, Within The Vedas
According to scholars, knowledge of the chakra system was first passed down to each successive generation though oral tradition. This was done by Indo-European people also known as Aryans. We don’t have an exact date for when this happened. But we do know that the chakra system was first found in the Vedic texts in ancient India between 1500-500 B.C.E.
Also known as the Vedas, this ancient group of religious texts is among the oldest in the world. There are four volumes of the Vedas, and each volume contains four parts. One of these parts, the Upanishads, pertains to Hindu meditation, philosophy, and spirituality. And these are the first texts to mention chakras, starting in the 7th or 6th centuries B.C.E.
However, it wasn’t until the later Upanishads that the origins of chakras had stronger evidence. These are The Darshana Upanishad, The Yogashikha Upanishad, and The Shandilya Upanishad, written between 100 B.C.E. and 300 C.E. There are vastly different interpretations of the meaning of chakras by scholars in these ancient Upanishads.
The word “chakra” was originally spelled “cakra”. It means “disk” or “wheel”. Some experts believe that they were not referring to chakras as the “spinning disks of energy”. So nothing like we define them today. Nor were they associated with elements of the subtle body like prana (life force), nadi (breath channels), and kundalini. Rather, according to some scholars, the word chakra may have originally been used in reference to the chariot wheels of rulers, known as cakravartins.
Read more on the science behind the chakra system here.
Early Buddhist Chakra Systems Identify With Subtle Body
The history of chakras evolves and becomes more prominent in the medieval era in Hindu and Buddhist texts and traditions. They identify many concepts of the chakra system we think of today. Some of them are life force energy, (prana in Sanskrit), as well as the concept of a subtle body.
It is important to note that then, many chakras systems were still not the seven chakra system we know today. For example, in Tibetan Buddhist Tantric practice, there can be four, five, seven or ten chakras.
Even today, most Buddhist Tantric traditions, known as Vajrayana, consist of four of five chakras.
The five chakras common in many Buddhism traditions are:
- Genital
- Navel
- Heart
- Throat (We wrote an entire article on how to open this chakra. Discover how you can express your authentic self here.)
- Crown
The genital is the sacral chakra and the navel is the solar plexus chakra. The two chakras missing from the modern seven chakra system are the root and crown chakras. Many scholars believe that the root and genital (or sacral) chakras have been combined in the second chakra. Similarly, the crown chakra also includes the third eye chakra.
One of the reasons for multiple variations is that many Buddhist and Hindu teachers were more interested in the method and visualization of the subtle body and chakras. They were not so concerned with the overall quantity or other absolute metrics.
The system is prescriptive rather than descriptive!
Hinduism, Nyāsa, Tantra – Origins and History of Traditional Chakra System
One cannot tell the history of chakras without discussing Buddhist Tantra and other Tibetan and Esoteric Buddhist practices. But it is important to differentiate them from the traditional Indian and Hindu chakra system.
Also, to learn about the difference between Indian and Western yoga, check our blog here.
As mentioned in the introduction, the primary goal of the chakra system in Hindu tradition was meditation, mantras, and visualization. This practice is known as nyāsa. It and was also strongly connected to Hindu deities and the five elements of earth, wind, water, fire, and space/ether.
The original chakra system has no connection to the rainbow colors!
We will discuss rainbow colors later in the post, but this was a modern, western, and New Age invention. This light spectrum and rainbow colored pairing to chakras was first found by Christopher Hill. He wrote about it in his book, Nuclear Evolution written in 1977.
Instead, the chakras connect to Sanskrit Bija mantras which corresponded to one of the five great elements. For example, LAM always connects to the earth element. In most cases, the earth element connects to the root chakra. However, this is not always the case!
In the traditional Hindu chakra system, elements could also be associated with different chakras. For example, we most typically associate heart chakra with the wind element. But other Tantric lineages have associated the heart chakra with the earth element, too!
This is unlike the modern chakra system which connects the Bija seed mantras directly to the chakras!
In addition to an element, each chakra also connects to a Hindu deity. From the first chakra to the last, they are: Ganesh, Brahmā, Vishnu, Rudra, Īśvara, Sadāśiva, and Bhairava. Often the first and last (Ganesh and Bhairava) did not appear as often only a five chakra system was used.
Learn more about why root chakra is so important for a balanced life, and how to open it here.
Chakras Original Connection to Hindu Deities, Elements, and Their Associated Mantas – Not Rainbow Colors
| Chakra Name | Chakra Sanskrit Name | Element & Associated Mantra | Hindu Deity |
| Root Chakra | Muladhara | Earth – “LAM” | Ganesh |
| Sacral Chakra | Svadhishthana | Water – “VAM” | Brahmā |
| Solar Plexus Chakra | Manipura | Fire – “RAM” | Vishnu |
| Heart Chakra | Anahata | Wind – “YAM” | Rudra |
| Throat Chakra | Vishuddha | Space / Ether – “HAM” | Īśvara |
| Third Eye Chakra | Ajna | Space / Ether – “HAM” | Sadāśiva |
| Crown Chakra | Sahasrara | Space / Ether – “HAM” | Bhairava |
History of Chakras – Hindu Yoga Guru Gorakhnath Chakra Meditations, Locations, and Functions
One of the most influential Hindu Yoga Gurus during the medieval period is known as Gorakhnath. He lived in the 11th Century. Gorakhnath helped found the Kanphata yogis. That is an ascetic order that worships the Hindu deity Shiva. It combines teachings of Tantra, Hatha Yoga, Buddhism, Shaivite, and mysticism.
Hatha Yoga was founded several centuries earlier. However, Gorakhnath and his followers are often credited with spreading this practice and ideology throughout the Eastern world. Gorakhnath believed in strict discipline and yoga as a means to achieve truth and samadhi (intense meditative state).
He is an important figure in the history of chakra’s. Gorakhnath is one of the first prominent yoga gurus to discuss chakra meditation and list each chakra’s location and function.
The Modern History of Chakras Originates from Translations of Sat-Cakra-Nirupana
Although Gorakhnath discussed the chakra system, it was still not his primary focus. He is more associated with Kanphata and Hatha Yoga.
Where does today’s chakra system originate?
One of the earliest and most important works that explains the system clearly was written in a text called Shri-Tattva-Cintamini. This was during the 16th century by Swami Purananda. Within this text, the sixth chapter is called Sat-Cakra-Nirupana, and translates to “description of the six centers.”
The six and seven chakra systems are used somewhat interchangeably in these ancient texts. For example, the crown chakra is often considered outside the subtle body. It’s sometimes not counted as the seventh energy center.
To learn more about why this chakra is so important and how to open it, check this article.
This text describes the seven chakra system we know of today. It was popular and held in high regard, and received many commentaries throughout the centuries.
Centuries later, this text become highly influential in the western world. It became translated and included in Sir John Woodroffe’s 1919 book The Serpent Power.
Western Chakra System And Influences
Sir John Woodroffe is also known by his pseudonym Arthur Avalon. He was a British scholar who wrote many prominent works on Hindu tantra, kundalini, philosophy, traditions, and yoga. One of his most famous is The Serpent Power – The Secrets of Tantric and Shaktic Yoga. It is considered one of the best modern works on the chakra system. In it, Woodroffe provides both commentary and translation of the ancient texts Sat-Cakra-Nirupana and the Paduka-Pancaka.
It is an excellent resource for tantra and kundalini, especially for westerners new to the subject. It is dense and difficult to read. Still, this book became one of the most famous and modern influential texts on kundalini, tantra, yoga, chakras. And it helped introduce the western world to the chakra system.
The Chakras and Theosophy
Less than a decade after Woodroffe’s book Serpent of Power was published, another highly influential book by Charles W. Leadbeater called The Chakras was published in 1927.
At this time in the United States and Europe, a religious movement called Theosophy was very popular. Leadbeater was a leading member of the Theosophical Society. Theosophy was a spiritual and religious movement founded in the late 1800’s. Theosophy taught occultism, spiritualism and mysticism. Key figures like Leadbeater also claimed to be clairvoyant.
Leadbeater’s book The Chakras fit in nicely to the teachings of Theosophy. Hinduism and Buddhism heavily influenced Theosophy since its inception. In fact, Indian influence was so strong that the Theosophical Society moved its headquarters to India in 1882.
Today, interconnection between Indian tradition and Theosophy still exists. There is currently a section “Theosophical Society – Adyar”, headquartered in Chennai, India. It represents the largest number of practitioners in the world.
The Chakras – Laced With Occultism, Theosophy, and Other Esoteric Teachings
Some critics will say that this was when the west culturally appropriated Indian and Hindu history of chakras. Woodroffe is scholarly, well-researched, and cites ample sources. However, Leadbeater often intermingles classical Indian Tantra, Kundalini, yoga and the chakra system with other esoteric teachings from all over the world and throughout history.
For example, Leadbeater’s interpretation of chakras throughout his book is often described in relation to Theosophy. He creates many of his own scientific definitions and terminologies. He even creates a unique color system. This is different from the rainbow color system we normally associate with chakras.
Additionally, this text also contains hyperbolic and dramatized interpretations of kundalini and chakras. For example, they are characterized as “serpent’s fire,” “satanic,” or “aspects of the logos”. Leadbeater’s book was highly influential in raising awareness of the chakra system in the west. However, the dramatic language and Theosophy laced interpretations are often criticized. And they may run counter to traditional Indian and Hindu beliefs and traditions. Nonetheless, The Chakras by Leadbeater was highly influential to Western thinking. It remains an important work for the history of chakras.
Nuclear Evolution And Rainbow Colored Chakras
Nuclear Evolution: Discovery of the Rainbow Body written by Christopher Hills is one of the most prominent and influential modern books on the chakra system. Written in 1977, Hills incorporated many New Age ideas with traditional Indian and Hindu chakra system traditions. Unlike Woodroffe’s Serpent Power or Leadbeater’s The Chakras, Hill’s Nuclear Evolution synthesized spirituality, religion and modern science. It contains a wealth of information on the science behind chakras, especially including its connection to the human endocrine system.
To understand more about chakras relate to our endocrine system, see this post.
Additionally, Hills was the first to connect light frequencies and the colors of the rainbow to chakra colors. It is important to note that traditional Hindu, Buddhist, Jain, and Tantric texts show mantras, symbols, and deities but not specific colors for each chakra. It is from Nuclear Evolution that the modern and convention chakra colors emerge.
Hill goes even further scientifically to connect human personalities and DNA to the chakra system. He also discusses the metaphysics of consciousness and other esoteric and New Age ideas and concepts.
Nuclear Evolution pioneered the rainbow colored chakra system that is most common today. And it is one of the most influential of all modern texts in the history and origins of chakras.
Conclusion
The origins and history of chakras spans centuries and has undergone significant changes in the last century. The first source of it were the Upanishads, within the Vedas. But it has transformed from a mantra and visualization-based meditation technique to today’s modern system of rainbow colors linked to DNA, personality, and New Age concepts and ideas.
The modern chakra system differs greatly from traditional Hindu chakra practices and customs. But it still contains many fundamental elements. Some of these are the subtle body, Sanskrit mantras, prana (life force), and nadi (breath channels).
Some may argue that New Age concepts and Western traditions innovated upon the traditional chakra system. However, there are also critics who believe the west has culturally appropriated the chakra system and radically changed its original meaning. Either way, western influences over the last century remain an important part of the origins and history of chakras.
Stretching for thousands of years, the origins and history of chakras is ancient and complex. Whether you prefer the traditional ancient Hindu or Buddhist chakra system or today’s modern interpretation, one thing is for sure: chakras are still wildly popular and here to stay!
Sources
Sat-Cakra-Nirupana (Description of the Six Centres)
Jonathan O’Donnell Senior Contributor At L’Aquila Active
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