The Chakra System Explained
A complete guide to all 12 chakras — from the energy centres within the body to the transpersonal chakras that connect us to the earth, the cosmos, and the divine.
Most people are familiar with the seven chakras — the energy centres that run along the spine from the base to the crown of the head. But the chakra system extends far beyond the physical body. In many traditions, there are twelve primary chakras in total: seven within and around the body, and five transpersonal chakras that exist above and below it, connecting us to the earth beneath our feet and the cosmos above our heads.
This guide explores all twelve — their location, their qualities, the experiences associated with balance and imbalance in each, and the crystals traditionally used to support them.
What Is a Chakra?
The word chakra comes from Sanskrit and means “wheel” or “disk.” Chakras are understood in many Eastern and esoteric traditions as centres of energy within and around the human body — points where life force energy (known as prana in Sanskrit, chi in Chinese traditions, or simply “life energy”) concentrates, flows, and radiates.
When our chakras are open and balanced, energy flows freely through the system and we experience physical vitality, emotional clarity, mental focus, and spiritual connection. When chakras become blocked, overactive, or underactive, we may experience a range of physical, emotional, and spiritual difficulties that correspond to the qualities of that particular centre.
Working with chakras — through meditation, crystals, sound, breathwork, movement, or intention — is a way of supporting the free flow of energy through the whole system.
The Seven Physical Chakras
The seven primary chakras are located along the central channel of the body, from the base of the spine to the crown of the head. Each is associated with specific qualities, colours, elements, and areas of life.
1. Root Chakra — Muladhara
Location: Base of the spine
Colour: Red
Element: Earth
Qualities: Safety, security, survival, grounding, physical vitality, belonging
The Root Chakra is our foundation — our connection to the physical world, to our body, and to our most basic sense of safety and belonging. When balanced, we feel grounded, secure, and at home in our body and in the world. When blocked or underactive, we may feel anxious, fearful, or financially insecure. When overactive, we may become overly materialistic or resistant to change.
Crystals: Red Jasper, Black Tourmaline, Smoky Quartz, Obsidian, Garnet, Hematite
2. Sacral Chakra — Svadhisthana
Location: Lower abdomen, below the navel
Colour: Orange
Element: Water
Qualities: Creativity, pleasure, emotion, sexuality, flow, relationships
The Sacral Chakra governs our relationship with pleasure, creativity, and emotion. When balanced, we feel creative, emotionally fluid, and comfortable with intimacy. When blocked, we may feel emotionally numb, creatively stuck, or disconnected from pleasure.
Crystals: Carnelian, Orange Calcite, Sunstone, Peach Moonstone, Tiger’s Eye
3. Solar Plexus Chakra — Manipura
Location: Upper abdomen
Colour: Yellow
Element: Fire
Qualities: Personal power, confidence, will, self-esteem, transformation
The Solar Plexus is the centre of personal power. When balanced, we feel confident, purposeful, and in control of our own lives. When blocked, we may struggle with low self-esteem or indecision.
Crystals: Citrine, Yellow Jasper, Pyrite, Golden Tiger’s Eye, Amber
4. Heart Chakra — Anahata
Location: Centre of the chest
Colour: Green (and pink)
Element: Air
Qualities: Love, compassion, connection, forgiveness, healing, balance
The Heart Chakra is the bridge between the lower three chakras and the upper three. It is the centre of love in its broadest sense — compassion, forgiveness, and genuine connection. When blocked, we may feel closed off or afraid of vulnerability.
Crystals: Rose Quartz, Green Aventurine, Malachite, Rhodonite, Emerald, Amazonite
5. Throat Chakra — Vishuddha
Location: Throat
Colour: Blue
Element: Sound/Ether
Qualities: Communication, truth, expression, listening, authenticity
The Throat Chakra governs our ability to express ourselves honestly and authentically. When blocked, we may struggle to speak up or feel chronically misunderstood.
Crystals: Blue Lace Agate, Sodalite, Aquamarine, Lapis Lazuli, Turquoise, Angelite
6. Third Eye Chakra — Ajna
Location: Centre of the forehead
Colour: Indigo
Element: Light
Qualities: Intuition, insight, imagination, wisdom, inner vision, clarity
The Third Eye is the centre of intuition and inner vision. When balanced, we have clear intuition and the ability to see situations with wisdom. When blocked, we may feel confused or disconnected from our inner guidance.
Crystals: Amethyst, Labradorite, Lapis Lazuli, Sodalite, Purple Fluorite, Iolite
7. Crown Chakra — Sahasrara
Location: Top of the head
Colour: Violet / White / Gold
Element: Thought / Cosmic energy
Qualities: Spiritual connection, unity, divine consciousness, enlightenment, purpose
The Crown Chakra is our connection to the divine and to our deepest sense of meaning and purpose. When blocked, we may feel spiritually disconnected or purposeless.
Crystals: Clear Quartz, Selenite, Amethyst, Howlite, Moonstone, White Calcite
The Transpersonal Chakras — Chakras 8 to 12
Beyond the seven physical chakras lies a further system of energy centres that exist outside the physical body — above the head and below the feet. These are known as the transpersonal chakras, and they connect us to dimensions of experience that extend beyond the personal self: our soul history, our ancestral roots, the earth itself, and the wider cosmos.
These chakras are recognised in many advanced energy healing traditions, including some schools of Reiki, shamanic practice, and esoteric spirituality. Working with them can deepen our sense of grounding, expand our spiritual awareness, and support the integration of our personal experience within a much larger context.
8. Earth Star Chakra
Location: Approximately 30–60cm below the feet, within the earth
Colour: Black / Deep Brown / Maroon
Qualities: Deep grounding, ancestral connection, earth energy, karmic roots, physical incarnation
The Earth Star connects us not just to the surface of the earth, but to the deep earth itself — to our ancestral lineage and the deeper karmic patterns we carry into this lifetime. When open, we feel profoundly grounded and able to embody our spiritual experiences. When blocked, we may feel chronically ungrounded or unable to fully inhabit our physical life. Particularly relevant in shamanic and ancestral healing work.
Crystals: Black Tourmaline, Smoky Quartz, Obsidian, Hematite, Black Kyanite, Nuummite
9. Soul Star Chakra
Location: Approximately 15–30cm above the crown of the head
Colour: White / Magenta / Gold
Qualities: Soul purpose, higher self, karmic records, past life wisdom, divine love
Sometimes called the “seat of the soul,” the Soul Star holds the record of our soul’s journey across lifetimes — our accumulated wisdom, karmic patterns, and the deeper purpose our soul has chosen for this incarnation. When open, we may experience a deepening sense of soul purpose and a felt sense of being guided by something greater than our conscious mind.
Crystals: Selenite, Danburite, Phenacite, Moldavite, White Calcite, Petalite
10. Stellar Gateway Chakra
Location: Approximately 30–60cm above the crown, above the Soul Star
Colour: Gold / Orange-Gold
Qualities: Cosmic consciousness, universal connection, angelic realms, divine will, stellar origins
The Stellar Gateway is the point at which our individual energy field connects with the wider cosmos — with the energy of stars, galaxies, and dimensions beyond ordinary perception. It opens naturally as our overall energy system matures, and when it does, we may experience profound states of expanded awareness and a deepening connection to spiritual guidance.
Crystals: Moldavite, Phenacite, Danburite, Azeztulite, Gold Calcite, Stellar Beam Calcite
11. Galactic Chakra
Location: Above the Stellar Gateway
Colour: Pink-Orange / Pearlescent
Qualities: Galactic consciousness, universal flow, advanced spiritual gifts, cosmic service
The Galactic Chakra is associated with a connection to the wider galactic field and, in some traditions, with the activation of advanced spiritual gifts and a sense of cosmic service — the understanding that our spiritual development contributes to the evolution of consciousness more broadly.
Crystals: Phenacite, Azeztulite, Herderite, Natrolite, Scolecite
12. Universal Chakra
Location: The outermost point of the transpersonal field
Colour: White / Iridescent / All colours
Qualities: Divine source, universal consciousness, unity, oneness, the absolute
The Universal Chakra represents the outermost boundary of the individual energy field — the point at which the personal dissolves into the universal. It is associated with the experience of pure consciousness and unity with all that is. It is more a horizon than a working centre — a reminder that our individual energy system is always already part of something infinitely larger.
Crystals: Clear Quartz, Selenite, Diamond, Phenacite, Azeztulite
Working With the Full Chakra System
You do not need to work with all twelve chakras at once. For most people, the most valuable starting point is ensuring the seven physical chakras are open and balanced — and particularly that the Root and Earth Star chakras are well grounded. A useful principle: before opening to higher transpersonal energies, be well grounded. Without this foundation, expanded spiritual experiences can feel destabilising rather than nourishing.
Simple Practices for Chakra Balance
- Meditation — visualising each chakra as a spinning wheel of coloured light, from the Earth Star below the feet to the Universal Chakra above the head. See our How to Meditate with Crystals guide.
- Crystals — placing the appropriate crystal on or near each chakra during meditation or rest. See our Crystal Guide.
- Sound healing — each chakra responds to specific sound frequencies. See our Sound Healing at Home guide.
- Grounding practices — walking barefoot on earth, time in nature, and grounding crystals all support the lower chakras and Earth Star. See our Balance & Spiritual Wellbeing guide.
- Energy cleansing — regular cleansing of the aura supports free flow through the whole system. See our Energy Cleansing guide.
