Beginning a yoga practice can feel a little like entering a play already in progress. You can pick up the general storyline pretty quickly, but there are some integral plot details you really need to go back for in order to get the full experience.
By the same token, there are terms used in yoga classes which are a little bit elusive to the beginner. Namastes and Ohms are easier understood, but there is a wealth of vocabulary that reflects trickier concepts. The idea of chakras is one that can be harder to grasp, especially for Westerners (or for me, at least). I’ve kind of avoided delving into the chakra question, but figured I should give it a go, since clearly, having been around for millennia, it isn’t going anywhere.
Understanding chakras in the most sciency way was, of course, my goal, since this is generally what makes things tangible and come alive. What I found in my search, however, surprised me.
Of the many people I polled, from doctors to researchers and everyone in between, not many wanted to comment. Some said there was too little research, some said the question was too large to get into quickly, and some just declined to comment. Scientific literature searches didn’t reveal much. While these theories seem logical on some level, they seem to be just that – theories. In the end, I’m not sure there is much empirical Western evidence that the chakras exist physically.
Although the chakra system may be discussed among yoga practitioners, it is often regarded as a myth among scientific communities. This skepticism largely stems from the fact that scientists in the West have conducted very little research on the topic. The lack of rigorous, peer-reviewed studies means that the chakra system remains more of a theoretical framework rather than a scientifically validated concept.
In essence, the Western scientific community’s hesitation to embrace the chakra system is rooted in the absence of substantial empirical evidence. This gap in research contributes to the perception of chakras as myth rather than fact.
The Mind-Body Divide
One of the primary challenges in explaining chakras within Western scientific paradigms is our tendency to see the mind and body as separate entities. This dualistic view makes it difficult to conceptualize chakras, which inherently integrate both aspects. Modern science still lacks the tools to measure the subtle energy that makes up the chakra system, adding another layer of complexity.
Reductive Understanding in the West
Both in the academic sphere and in consumer culture, our understanding of the chakra system in the West has been largely reductive. We often try to fit chakras into Western paradigms of health and wellness, but this approach can miss the broader, more nuanced meanings embedded in historical texts and practices.
Historical Insights Over Modern Science
While we may look to science to conceptualize the chakras, at present, historical texts and ancient practices may provide more powerful insights into the mind-body aspects of the chakra system. This perspective suggests that to fully understand chakras, we might need to look beyond the limitations of contemporary science and explore the rich traditions from which these concepts originate.
A couple of people did volunteer to “go there.” One was Jeff Migdow, MD, who has taught yoga and headed teacher trainings at Kripalu. He first explained that chakras are typically thought of as “swirling spheres, or spinning vortices of energy. The faster they spin, the more energy is sucked into energy body.”
I told him that I was having a hard time wrapping my brain around that. I wanted to know how they can exist in the physical body – if you could measure them with equipment, or if they were more philosophical in nature.
Migdow suggested that while the concept of chakras is an ancient one, there are some biological links that have been suggested more recently, which may help Western minds feel a little less skeptical.
One idea is that each of the chakras corresponds to a nerve plexus in the body – points where nerve bundles branch off to innervate different parts of the body. For example, the root chakra might correspond to the coccygeal plexus, the heart chakra to the heart plexus. Another theory is that the chakras correspond to the endocrine glands of the body: the crown chakra to the pituitary gland, third eye chakra to the pineal gland, the root chakra to the adrenal glands, and so on. Communication within the nerve fibers or fluctuations in the endocrine (hormone) system might correspond to the shifts in energy that some experience as chakras.
Other researchers have proposed functional theories of the chakras that delve even deeper into the connection between these energy centers and the body’s physiological systems. For example, Joseph Loizzo, Assistant Professor of Clinical Psychiatry in Complementary and Integrative Medicine at Weill Cornell Medical College, has linked modern maps of the central nervous system (CNS) with maps of the subtle body. Loizzo proposes that the chakras can be cross-referenced with maps of the central nervous system:
- Crown chakra with the neocortex
- Third eye with the prefrontal cortex
- Throat chakra with the limbic system
- Heart chakra with the midbrain
- Solar plexus with the pons
- Sacral and root chakras with the medulla oblongata
Rather than controlling a specific part of the body, as previous scientific models of the chakras have proposed, Loizzo’s model links the chakras with brain-body structures that provide the conscious mind with information about the CNS and its processes. Nonetheless, Loizzo states that scientists cannot empirically assess this theory because the technology necessary to do so is still lacking.
By understanding these various theories, we can see that the chakras might be more than just mystical energy centers; they could represent complex interactions within our nervous and endocrine systems. This multifaceted approach helps bridge the gap between ancient wisdom and modern science, offering a richer perspective on how chakras might influence our overall well-being.
But I’m also not so sure that this matters much. It may be more about subtler changes or movements of other particles throughout our bodies. Even more, it may be about how we choose to conceptualize chakras for ourselves that’s the real evidence. As I discovered from researching further, their existence is, quite possibly, larger than the literal.
Are the chakras real or just a myth? This question leads us to explore anatomical, functional, and psychological theories, shedding light on the chakra system’s mysteries. While often regarded as a myth among scientific communities, largely due to the limited research conducted in the West, ancient wisdom might hold the key to a modern understanding of the mind-body connection.
Maxwell aptly points out, “The challenge for anyone interested in explaining chakras is to be able to demonstrate how something nonphysical could interact with the physical.” Our tendency in the West to view the mind and body as separate entities makes it difficult for chakra theory to be fully explained.
Modern science still lacks the tools to measure the subtle energy that makes up the chakra system. Both in the academic sphere and in consumer culture, our understanding of the chakra system in the West has been reductive. Although we may look to science to conceptualize the chakras within Western paradigms, looking to historical texts and practices may currently provide us with more powerful insight into the mind-body aspects of the chakra system.
Stay tuned for more on chakras. In the meantime, please tell us your own thoughts: How do you conceptualize chakras? How do you feel them, experience them, and relate to them, both in class and outside of it?
Alice G. Walton, PhD is a health and science writer, and began practicing (and falling in love with) yoga last year. She is the Associate Editor at TheDoctorWillSeeYouNow.com and a Contributor at Forbes.com. Alice will be exploring yoga’s different styles, history, and philosophy, and sharing what she learns here on the YogaGlo blog. You can follow Alice on Twitter @AliceWalton and Facebook at Facebook.com/alicegwalton.
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