The concept of Chakras (Sanskrit for "wheel" or "disk") represents the vortexes of energy that reside along the central channel of the subtle body (Sushumna Nadi). While we perceive ourselves as purely physical beings, yoga science describes an intricate network of 72,000 nadis (energy channels) that converge at these seven primary junctions.

When energy flows freely through these centers, we experience physical vitality, emotional stability, and mental clarity. Blocks or imbalances often manifest as physical ailments or psychological stagnation.

The first mentions of these energy centers appear in the Vedas (c. 1500–500 BCE), the oldest scriptures of Hinduism, initially as symbols of cosmic order. However, their explicit definition as psychic centers of consciousness emerged later in the Yoga Upanishads (c. 600 BCE).

The system was further refined and systemized in the 15th-century classical manual, the Hatha Yoga Pradipika. The widely recognized seven-chakra system used in modern practice today stems largely from later Tantric traditions, providing a roadmap for holistic health and spiritual evolution.