The Chakra system was born out of Indian Philosophy more than four thousand years ago. The oldest documents found on Indian philosophy are the Veda, “Revealed Knowledge”. The Vedic scriptures are written in a language called Sanskrit and the chakras were referred to in this ancient literature and later in the Upanishads scriptures. The chakras come to us through the Eastern traditional practice of yoga.

There are seven major chakras that are associated with the physical body and these seven chakras receive, assimilate and express life force energy. Chakras are not physical entities yet they have a strong effect on the physical and emotional body. “Chakra patterns are programmed deep in the core of the mind-body interface and have a strong relationship with our physical functioning” writes Anodea Judith in her book Eastern Body, Western Mind . The activities of the various chakras are said to influence our glandular process, body shape, chronic physical ailments, thoughts and behavior patterns. The spinning seven-chakra wheels are stacked vertically along the spinal column starting at the base of the spine (root or 1 st chakra) to the top of the head (crown or 7 th chakra).

There are many different theories about chakras, but most agree that there are archetypes that are associated with each chakra. However, they do not always agree on which archetypes go with which chakra. They do agree that balancing the functional and dysfunctional or light and shadow archetypes that are associated with the chakras can change our personality. I have read many books that have been written about the chakra system and the foremost authorities in literature are medical intuitive Caroline Myss, Ph.D. and clinical psychologist Anodea Judith, Ph.D. Both have written numerous books and have given many workshops on the chakra system. Just like some of the psychologist's theories that we have read about in our text, the chakra system is a structured system that corresponds age and stages of development for each of the seven chakras. Like those theories in our textbook, our personalities can be operating or be stuck in any or all of the seven stages of the developmental system and that's how the chakra system explains our personality development. I have attached a copy of 3 tables showing the stages of development and tables that relate this theory to theories of other psychologists in the study of personality theory.

The developmental stage of chakra one is womb to 12 months of age. The Sanskrit name for this chakra is Muladhara (root) and its location is at the base of the spine and the coccygeal plexus. Its central issue is survival and the right to be here. The orientation to self is self-preservation. It governs physical identity and its corresponding demon is fear. This chakra's goals are stability, grounding, physical health, effective boundaries, prosperity and trust. This chakra connects us to our tribe, which are our family and our culture. Red is the color associated with this chakra and its planetary ally is Saturn. The functional archetype of this chakra is the Earth Mother or Mother . The dysfunctional archetypes of this chakra are the Unwanted Child and the Victim although according to Caroline Myss any archetype can be excessive and controlling in any of the seven chakras. The tarot archetype is The Hermit.

Balanced personality characteristics of the first chakra include good health, well grounded, vitality, comfortable in body, stability, prosperity, able to relax and be still, feeling of safety and security, a sense of trust in the world, and right livelihood. The deficient traits and behaviors that are patterned in the first chakra are disconnection from the body, notably underweight, fearful, always anxious, restlessness, can't settle, poor focus and discipline, poor boundaries, chronic disorganization, financial difficulties and frequent illnesses. Excessive traits and behaviors are obesity, overeating, hoarding, material fixation, greed, fear of change, addiction to security, rigid boundaries, laziness, and frequent illnesses. The traumas and abuses that lead to chakra one dysfunction are birth trauma, physical neglect, abandonment, poor or lack of physical bonding with mother, malnourishment, difficulty feeding, major illnesses or surgery, enema abuse, physical abuse, and a violent environment. Inherited traumas such as the parent's survival fears (war, holocaust survivors, poverty, etc.) also affect this chakra.

The developmental stage of the 2 nd chakra is from 6 months to 2 years of age. The Sanskrit name is Svadhisthana (sweetness) and its location is at the abdomen, genitals, low back and hips. It is also known as the sacral chakra. The central issues of this chakra are sexuality, emotions, to feel and to want. The orientation to self is self-gratification. It governs emotional identity and its corresponding demon is guilt. This chakra's goals are pleasure, fluidity of movement, healthy sexuality, and feeling. Chakra two deals with the power of our external relationships. The color associated with the sacral chakra is orange and its planetary ally is The Moon. The functional archetype is Eros or the Empress/Emperor archetype and the dysfunctional archetype is the Martyr . The tarot archetypes are The Lovers and The Moon.

Balanced personality characteristics of this chakra include emotional intelligence, graceful movement, nurture of self and others, ability to change, ability to experience pleasure, and healthy boundaries. Deficiencies in this chakra are manifested as rigidity in the body and attitudes, frigidity, fear of sex, poor social skills, excessive boundaries, denial of pleasure, fear of change, and lack of desire, passion and excitement. Excesses are sexual addiction, sexually acting out, pleasure addiction, excessively strong emotions (hysteria, bipolar mood swings, crisis junkies, wound addicts), overly sensitive emotionally, poor boundaries or invasion of others boundaries, seductive manipulation, obsessive attachment and emotional dependency. Traumas and abuses that lead to chakra two dysfunction are sexual abuse (overt or covert), emotional abuse, physical abuse, neglect, coldness, rejection, volatile situations, denial of child's feeling states, lack of positive role model, overuse of playpen or other restriction of movement, religious or moral severity (no pleasure), and alcoholic families. Inherited issues with parents that have not dealt with their own issues around sexuality also affect this chakra.

The developmental stage of chakra three is 18 months to 4 years of age. The Sanskrit name is Manipura (lustrous gem) and its location is at the solar plexus or the area right above the belly button. The central issues of this chakra are power, will, and the ability to take action. The orientation to self is self-definition. It governs ego identity and its corresponding demon is shame. This chakra's goals are vitality, spontaneity, purpose, self-esteem and strength of will. This chakra is the “magnetic core of the personality and ego” according to Caroline Myss in her book Anatomy of the Spirit . The color associated with this chakra is yellow and its planetary ally is Mars. The functional archetype for the 3 rd chakra is the Magician , Warrior, The Hero and the dysfunctional archetype is the Servant . The tarot archetypes are The Emperor and The Sun.

Balanced personality characteristics of this chakra are responsible, reliable, balanced ego-strength, good self-esteem, warmth in personality, confidence, sense of humor, spontaneity, sense of ones personal power, and able to meet challenges. Deficiencies in this chakra are unreliability, weak will, easily manipulated, low energy, low self-esteem, poor self-discipline, cold both emotionally and physically, passive, victim mentality, blaming others, collapsed middle, and poor digestion. Excessive tendencies in this chakra are overly domineering, controlling, and aggressive, the need to be right and have the last word, manipulative, power hungry, deceitful, attraction to sedatives, temper tantrums, violent outbursts, arrogant, hyperactivity, stubbornness, and driving ambition (Type-A). The traumas and abuses that set up the deficiencies and excesses are shaming, domination of will, authoritarianism, emotional manipulation, physical abuse, dangerous environment, fear of punishment, volatile situations, age inappropriate responsibilities, and inherited shame from parent.

The developmental stage for the fourth chakra is 4 to 7 years of age. The Sanskrit name for chakra four is Anahata (unstruck) and its location is the heart area. The central issues of this chakra are love and relationships especially the internal union of the self, the balance between the anima and animus. The fourth chakra according to Caroline Myss “is the central powerhouse of the human energy system”. This chakra's goals are balance, compassion, good relationships, and to love and be loved. The orientation to self is self-acceptance. It governs social identity and its corresponding demon is grief. The color that is associated with this chakra is green and its planetary ally is Venus. The functional archetypes of this chakra are Aphrodite , Quan Yin , Christ , and The Healer. The dysfunctional archetypes are the Actor/Actress and the Hurried Child . The tarot archetype is The Empress . This chakra is also associated with the archetype of Marriage as it governs the union of the male and female aspects of the soul.

Balanced personality characteristics of this chakra are compassion, loving, self-loving, altruistic, empathetic, peaceful, balanced, and a healthy immune system. Deficiencies in the fourth chakra are depression, fear of intimacy, fear of relationships, antisocial, withdrawn, cold, critical, judgmental, intolerant of self and others, lack of empathy, loneliness, isolation, and narcissism. Excesses in this chakra are codependency, demanding, poor boundaries, clinging, jealousy, and overly sacrificing. The trauma and abuses that cause dysfunction are rejection, abandonment, loss, shaming, constant criticism, conditional love, betrayal, sexual or physical abuse, divorce, death of a loved one, abuses to the lower chakras, loveless and cold environment, and unacknowledged grief including parent's grief.

The developmental stage of the fifth chakra is 7 to 10 years of age. The Sanskrit name for this chakra is Vissudha (purification) and its location is the throat. The central issue for this chakra is communication. This is the chakra of will power. This chakra's goals are clear communication, creativity, resonance, and to speak and be heard. The orientation to self is self-expression. It governs creative identity and its corresponding demon is lies. The color associated with this chakra is bright blue and its planetary ally is Mercury. The functional archetypes of the fifth chakra are Hermes , Sarasvita the Messenger , The Artist and The Communicator. The dysfunctional archetypes are The Quiet Child , and The Betrayed Child . The tarot archetype is Hierophant (The Teacher).

The balanced personality characteristics of the fifth chakra are a resonant voice, good listener, clear communication, good sense of timing and rhythm and living creatively. Deficiencies in this chakra are fear of speaking, difficulty putting feelings into words, a small, weak voice, introversion, shyness, tone deaf and poor rhythm. Excesses in this chakra are too much talking, talking as a defense, gossiping, dominating voice, interruptions, inability to listen and poor auditory comprehension. The traumas and abuses that cause dysfunction in this chakra are lies, verbal abuse, mixed messages, constant yelling, secrets, excessive criticism, authoritarian parents (don't talk back), and alcoholic and chemically dependant family (don't talk, don't feel, don't trust).

The next chakra up the column is the sixth chakra and the developmental stage for this chakra is adolescence. The Sanskrit name for the sixth chakra is Ajna (to perceive), its location is at the brow line at the center of the forehead and is often referred to as the brow chakra. The central issues for this chakra are intuition and imagination. Caroline Myss writes in her book Anatomy of the Spirit that this chakra “links us to our mental bodies, our intelligence and psychological characteristics”. The sixth chakra's goals are psychic perception, clear seeing, accurate interpretation, and pattern recognition. The orientation to self is self-reflection. It governs archetypal identity and its corresponding demon is illusion. The color associated with this chakra is indigo and its planetary ally is Neptune . The functional archetypes for the sixth chakra are The Psychic, The Dreamer, The Hermit and The Seer and the dysfunctional archetype is The Intellectual . The tarot archetypes are The Priestess and The Magician.

Balanced personality characteristics of the sixth chakra are intuitive, imaginative, good memory, perceptive, able to access and remember dreams, able to visualize, and able to think symbolically. The deficient characteristics are poor vision, insensitivity, lack of imagination, poor memory, difficulty visualizing, difficulty seeing future or imagining possibilities, can't remember dreams, denial (can't see what is going on), and mono-polarized (one true right and only one way). The excessive characteristics for the sixth chakra are delusions, hallucinations, difficulty concentrating, obsessions, and nightmares. The traumas and abuses that are associated with dysfunction are an ugly and frightening environment (violence or war zone), invalidation of intuition or psychic occurrences and what you see does not go with what you are told.

The seventh chakra is the last of the chakras that are associated with the body and its developmental stage is throughout life. The Sanskrit name for the seventh chakra is Sahasrara (thousandfold) and its location is the top of the head and the cerebral cortex and it is also known as the crown chakra. The central issue for this chakra is awareness. The seventh chakra is known as “The Spiritual Connector” according to Caroline Myss. This chakra's goals are spiritual connection, wisdom, knowledge, consciousness and to know. Its orientation to self is self-knowledge. It governs universal identity and its corresponding demon is attachment. The color that is associated with this chakra is violet and its planetary ally is Uranus. The functional archetypes are The Guru, Sage, Wise Woman , and Shiva and the dysfunctional archetype is The Egotist . The tarot archetype is The Fool.

Balanced personality characteristics of the seventh chakra are open-mindedness, the ability to perceive, analyze and assimilate information, intelligent, thoughtful, aware, sense of spiritual connection, wisdom and mastery, and a broad understanding of life. The deficient characteristics are apathy, spiritual cynicism, learning difficulties, rigid belief systems, and excesses in lower chakras such as greed, materialism and domination of others. The excessive characteristics are confusion, disassociation from the body, over-intellectualization, and spiritual addiction. The traumas and abuses that affect the seventh chakra are forced religion, blind obedience (not right to question or think for oneself), spiritual abuse, misinformation and lies, withheld information and education systems that thwart curiosity.

Healing our personality and life issues using the chakra system is used by some psychotherapists in their practices but most often it is the holistic, alternative and energy healers that embrace this theory. There are many ways in which the chakra system is employed in healing issues. Balancing the chakras through the practice of yoga is the oldest known chakra therapy. The thought is that by opening the chakras through the use of certain movements and breathing techniques, that the Kundalini energy will rise up from the root chakra to the crown chakra, balancing the chakras and creating an experience of complete bliss or transcendence. Anodea Judith writes in her book Wheels Of Life “there is some evidence that Kundalini sets up a wave-like movement of the cerebrospinal fluid, which triggers the pleasure centers of the brain, giving us the “blissful state” so often described by mystics.” She also relates that some might have difficulty in the awakening of Kundalini energy as it pushes through the energy blocks in the chakras, disrupting the mundane life. Learning about the chakras and following exercises that are given in books that are written on the subject is another way to balance the chakras. Through the art of deep self-exploration and self-honesty, you can take a look at your specific issues with your life, where you are out of balance or stuck and take specific steps to correct those out-of-balance states. Once you come to this place of awareness, your inner eyes are open and your intuition is awakened. This is the state at which change can take place. The healing art of Reiki and other hands-on healing are methods that are used to work with issues and blocks in the chakras. By working with the energy of the subtle energy body, which is said to be the energetic field that is closest to the body, you open the chakras for issues to come to the surface. When the chakras are open, our issues with our life and personality can be examined and healed or come to terms with. Once the issues are examined we can heal the dysfunction. As we heal the dysfunction we make life changes to bring the balanced personality characteristics of the chakras into our lives. In her book Sacred Contracts, Caroline Myss says everyone has 12 main archetypes that are functioning in their chakra system. Four of these archetypes, The Child, The Victim, The Prostitute, and The Sabatour, are archetypes that all people have operating in their psyche and the other 8 are unique to each individual. She has devised a system of recognizing and drawing these patterns onto a wheel type chart to assist in personal growth and healing. The Twelve Houses of the Archetypal Wheel system is set up with the 12 houses of the zodiac and you match each of these houses with the archetype that rules that house in your psyche and the related chakra system. It seems as if there are more and more books and systems coming out into the marketplace now that are working with the chakra system.

The weakness of the chakra system is the lack of scientific research and data to support the theory. Just like Freud and Jung's theories, the chakra theory is difficult to test because it is based on mysticism, the unconscious mind and the collective unconscious. The support for the chakra theory of personality is based more on case studies, archetypal journeys, mythology and metaphors. The chakra theory is closely related to Jung's theory of personality development. There are many citations and quotations taken from Jung's studies included in dozens of books, articles and lectures that I have indulged in that are based on the chakra system. There are quotes and citations from others such as Freud and Erik Erickson, but by far the psychologist whose work is referred to most is Carl Jung. Many of the psychologists that have written about the chakra system refer to themselves and Jungian Analysts.

I also find that there are many similarities to the humanist perspective too. All of the chakra therapy that I have researched talks about treating yourself and your issues with unconditional positive self-regard. Those writers that support the chakra system of personality talk about the use of free will in the healing process. We do not need to spend years reliving the past in order to heal it, that the releasing and healing of the past can happen instantaneously or in short periods of time by use of free will or personal choice. We can choose to be stuck in the past or in our negative behaviors or we can choose to move beyond them. Those experts which support the chakra system of personality encourage you to be fully present in your life, to live in the now. They discuss how the energy it takes to live in the past will actually drain your life force, and that energy drain is behind most physical ailments and it keeps us from enjoying life in the moment. Using the chakra system for psychological healing is an intuitive process. Like the humanists, chakry therapy gives you tools to access your inner resources knowing that you ultimately hold the answers to your problems.

Another similarity that I find to the humanist perspective is how the chakra system and Maslow's hierarchy of needs are very similar. At the bottom of Maslow's hierarchy are physiological needs and safety, which match nicely with the first and second chakra issues of physiological needs and safety. Love, belonging and self-esteem coincide with the third, fourth and fifth chakra issues. Self-actualization coincides with the sixth and seventh chakra issues of intuition and enlightenment. These are a few of the similarities that I see with the humanist perspective.

People are attracted to the chakra system because of its metaphysical and spiritual concepts. It helps them to connect to a higher power and an inner power in themselves to assist them in their healing. The books that I have read are loaded with case studies in which people have completely healed and transformed the psyche and their lives. I personally feel that the concepts of personality development and the chakra system align closely with that of most Neo-Freudians and Freud himself. They are all very closely related. My personal experience with the chakra system spans over the last four years when a major life crisis sent me searching for answers and healing again (I had been at this point many times before). A Naturopathic physician introduced me to a book titled Women's Bodies, Women's Wisdom , written by Christiane Northrup, M.D., that works with the chakra system. It was the first self-help book that I had read that actually resonated with me and with the issues that I had been faced with in my life. From there on out I have devoured as much information as I could get my hands on that deals with alternative and holistic healing. Years of therapeutic counseling had given me short term relief but had not really offered me long tern solutions or real healing of the issues that I was faced with in my life. Working with the chakra system and a psychotherapist that worked with the chakra system, I have been able heal and transform many of the issues and challenges that I have been dealing with all of my life. This system resonated with me and as I worked with it I began to experience profound change in myself and in my life. I feel that we spend too much time blaming others for our problems. When we change ourselves, others around us change or they move out of our lives. The chakra system is based on this self-awareness and change within us instead of trying to change others. I feel that people are attracted to this system because they are hungry for a spiritual system or divine connection to guide them in making life changes.

Bibliography

• Burger, Jerry M., Personality, Sixth Edition , Wadsworth/Thomson Learning (2004)
• Gardner , Joy, Color and Crystals , A Journey Through the Chakras , The Crossing Press (1988)
• Judith, Anodea, Eastern Body, Western Mind, Psychology and the Chakra System as a Path to Self , Celestial Art Publishing (1996)
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