According to the ancient Vedic thought, there are seven circles (Chakras) of energy referred to as energy wheels in the human body. These are present along the meridian of the body.

There are seven of these wheels (although a few more mystical practitioners say there are 14),

These begin at the base of the spine/genitals (root chakra) and extend right up to the top of the head (crown chakra).

In between are the orange colored chakra situated in the stomach area, the yellow colored chakra known as the solar plexus just above this, the green colored chakra in the heart region, the blue colored throat chakra, the indigo colored chakra in the center of the forehead known as the third eye. The root chakra is colored red with the crown chakra thought of as being violet in color.

In addition to being associated with colors (wavelengths of light), the chakras are numbered in order one through seven, with the base chakra being number one.

The first of these chakras is responsible for our vitality, sexual and physical health.

The second chakra is responsible for all of our creative powers.

The third commands the power of our will and desires.

Chakra four at the heart commands our emotional energy that opens us up to giving and receiving love.

Chakra five manages the equation between our emotions and thoughts. It decides our communication powers and gives us personal magnetism.

Chakra six influences a person's intuition, psychic powers and insights, also referred to as the sixth sense.

The seventh chakra connects us with our higher power and the rest of the universe.

When people feel they are connecting directly with God, they are focusing the energies of their seventh, purple-white, crown chakra.

The principle behind these chakras or wheels is that in a clean and healthy mind, these wheels will spin freely. And a spinning wheel will emit the most positive and strongest good energies for the person. However, if these wheels cannot spin due to some blockage, the person will experience sickness problems, both mentally and physically amid his or her chakras.

It is also important that each chakra is equal in its development to the others. If one of these is over-developed then an addiction, neuroses or OCD (obsessive compulsive disorder) may result.

Chakras can become unbalanced or clogged as a result of neglect or bad lifestyle. If your diet is bad, or you have a negative attitude toward sexual relations you will have problems with your first or root/base chakra. This is likely to lead to ill health and broken or difficult relationships.

If you start dabbling in things like black magic or even destructive negative thoughts about other people you are likely to unbalance or clog up the seventh crown chakra which will mean you are unable to connect with the higher cosmos and you are left feeling totally empty and fearful.

A freely spinning energy wheel will be characteristically flexible. The human mind has the power to receive good vibes and ward off bad and negative ones. It is just like a hand, which can open and close when required but if broken, it will not function. Similarly a healthy chakra will open and close as per the vibes it encounters.

Chakra therapy means basically that you focus your attention and concentration on each of the seven main chakras in turn. This should really be done on a daily basis.

Take each major energy category and at some point each day meditate upon how its aspects are manifesting-or not manifesting-in your life, and as you do this visualize your body's energy residing in that particular chakra. If you find your energy waning in any category, meditate on the steps you can take to make that category healthy and cleanse the related chakra.

Some people find it easier to meditate using a gem stone which is the same color as the chakra they are working on which allows them to get a clear image in their mind as to what needs to be done to make it healthier.

Many people find that the simplest way is to listen to the frequencies of each chakra in turn which results in your own chakras resonating with these frequencies, which then results in them becoming completely balanced.