The 7 chakras: meaning and role of each one
The 7 chakras are energy centers located along the spine, from its base to the top of the head: the root, sacral, solar plexus, heart, throat, third eye and crown chakras. Each one governs a part of life: safety, emotions, confidence, love, speech, intuition and meaning. When they are balanced, energy flows freely; when one is underactive or overactive, you feel it in your body, emotions and relationships.
ChakraDuo uses these 7 chakras to build your map, on your own or as a couple, from questions about your real life.
This page gives you an overview of the seven chakras, then guides you to the detailed page for each one.
What is a chakra?
The word chakra comes from Sanskrit and means "wheel". In the yoga tradition, a chakra is an energy center of the "subtle body", often pictured as an opening lotus. The chakras sit along a central channel that follows the spine, through which prana, the life breath, flows.
The idea comes from the tantric traditions of medieval India. The seven-chakra system we know today was set in the 16th century, then popularized in the West in the 20th century, which added the rainbow colors and the link with psychology. The whole story is told in our article on the origin of chakras.
Today, you can see the chakras in two complementary ways: as an energy map inherited from yoga, and as a lens for looking at your life from seven different angles.
The 7 chakras and their meaning
| Chakra | Sanskrit name | Location | Color | Element | What it governs | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Root | Muladhara | Base of the spine | Red | Earth | Safety, body, money, home |
| 2 | Sacral | Svadhisthana | Lower belly | Orange | Water | Emotions, pleasure, creativity |
| 3 | Solar plexus | Manipura | Upper belly | Yellow | Fire | Confidence, willpower, decisions |
| 4 | Heart | Anahata | Center of the chest | Green | Air | Love, tenderness, forgiveness |
| 5 | Throat | Vishuddha | Throat | Light blue | Ether | Speaking, listening, expression |
| 6 | Third eye | Ajna | Between the eyebrows | Indigo | Light | Intuition, clarity, vision |
| 7 | Crown | Sahasrara | Top of the head | Violet | Consciousness | Meaning, values, spirituality |
The 7 chakras in brief
1. Root chakra: safety
At the base of the spine, it answers the question "Am I safe?". It governs the body, money, home and belonging. It is the foundation of all the others. All about the root chakra.
2. Sacral chakra: emotions and pleasure
In the lower belly, it governs emotions, desire, sensuality and creativity. It gives you your zest for life. All about the sacral chakra.
3. Solar plexus chakra: confidence
Above the navel, it is the engine of the personality: self-confidence, willpower, the ability to decide and act. All about the solar plexus chakra.
4. Heart chakra: love
In the center of the chest, it governs love given and received, compassion and forgiveness. It bridges the lower and upper chakras. All about the heart chakra.
5. Throat chakra: speech
At the throat, it governs self-expression and listening: saying what is true for you, and hearing others. All about the throat chakra.
6. Third eye chakra: intuition
Between the eyebrows, it governs intuition, mental clarity and vision of the future. All about the third eye chakra.
7. Crown chakra: meaning
At the top of the head, it governs life's meaning, values and spirituality in the broad sense. All about the crown chakra.
Underactive, balanced, overactive: the 3 states of a chakra
People often talk about a "blocked" or "open" chakra. At ChakraDuo, we prefer a more precise reading, with three states:
- Underactive: too little energy flows through it. For example, an underactive throat chakra: words get stuck.
- Balanced: energy flows freely. You say what matters, and you listen.
- Overactive: energy overflows. You talk constantly and stop listening.
This nuance changes everything: an underactive chakra needs to be nourished, an overactive chakra needs to be soothed. The advice is not the same, and applying the wrong one can make the imbalance worse. To recognize each state, read the signs of a blocked chakra.
How the 7 chakras work together
The chakras don't work alone: they form a system, from bottom to top.
- The three lower chakras (root, sacral, solar plexus) are about your relationship with yourself and the concrete: body, emotions, action.
- The heart chakra is the link: it is where you meet others.
- The three upper chakras (throat, third eye, crown) are about expression, vision and meaning.
Two simple rules follow:
- Foundations first. A very active crown or third eye without a solid root chakra is like a house without foundations: you "live in your head". That is why grounding is often the first piece of advice (see grounding when you live in your head).
- The chakras respond to each other. An overactive solar plexus (control) often goes with a closed heart chakra; an underactive throat (the unsaid) weighs on the heart. Balancing one helps the others.
Chakras in a relationship
In a couple, each partner has seven chakras, and the couple itself has its own: that makes 21 chakras, connected in pairs by 7 links. When one partner is underactive and the other overactive on the same chakra, the couple can look balanced while one of them burns out: that is false balance.
To understand what each chakra says about your relationship, read chakras for couples and false balance in couples.
How do you know if your chakras are balanced?
A few simple questions give you a first idea:
- Do you feel safe in your life (root)?
- Do you allow yourself pleasure without guilt (sacral)?
- Do you dare to decide and say no (solar plexus)?
- Do you give and receive love (heart)?
- Do you say what you think, and do you listen (throat)?
- Do you know where you are going (third eye)?
- Does your life feel meaningful to you (crown)?
To go further, our test asks concrete questions about your daily life and gives you the state of each of your seven chakras, with a confidence level and an action plan. And to act right away, follow our guide to balancing your chakras or the yoga poses for each chakra.
Frequently asked questions
How many chakras are there?
There are seven main chakras in the most widespread tradition, from root to crown. But depending on the yoga school and the era, Indian texts describe 4, 5, 6, 9 or more, and some traditions also mention minor chakras (hands, feet).
What order are the 7 chakras in?
From bottom to top: root (base of the spine), sacral (lower belly), solar plexus (upper belly), heart (chest), throat, third eye (between the eyebrows) and crown (top of the head).
Which chakra should I work on first?
Usually the root chakra, because it is the foundation: without safety and grounding, the other chakras struggle to balance. After that, the most useful is to work on your most imbalanced chakra, which is what our test measures.
Are chakras scientific?
No, chakras are not recognized by science, and we don't claim they are. They come from a spiritual tradition and serve here as a language for looking at your life from seven angles. The practices associated with them (breathing, movement, sleep, relationships), however, have very real effects on well-being.
What are the colors of the 7 chakras?
Red (root), orange (sacral), yellow (solar plexus), green (heart), light blue (throat), indigo (third eye) and violet (crown). These rainbow colors are a modern association: the old Indian texts describe different ones.
What state are your seven chakras in? Take the test, or the couple test to also see your couple's chakras and the 7 links between you.