chakra

noun chak·ra \ ˈchä-krə , ˈshä- , ˈchə- \

|Updated on: 13 Jun 2018

Definition of chakra

: any of several points of physical or spiritual energy in the human body according to yoga philosophy

Recent Examples of chakra from the Web

Yoga mats lay stretched out for half a dozen bendy 20- and 30-somethings as blue chakra lights illuminated a crystal and salt wall.

— sophia kercher, latimes.com, "In a toasty, cabin-like space, sauna yoga helps sweat out the kinks," 31 May 2018
So for me, locs are almost an extension of my crown chakra energy.

— Allure, "Women From Three Faith Communities Share How Their Long Hair and Spirituality Are Connected," 17 May 2018
Activities include 'gifts of the earth' teachings (flower essences, essential oils, healing stones), earth, fire and water ceremonies, yoga, crystal bowl chakra cleansings, group drum circles, and a journey to meet the spirit keepers of the land.

— micaela english, Town & Country, "8 Winter Wellness Retreats To Reset Your Body And Mind," 10 Nov. 2017
This podcast will get your chakras all the way aligned—think Super Soul Sunday with your gay play cousin.

— felice león, The Root, "Watch: Embracing the Otherness With Unreal’s Jeffrey Bowyer-Chapman," 12 Apr. 2018
Apparently the stress that comes with unemployment manifests in the chakra that controls the eyeballs.

— The Cut, "The Unemployed Woman Whose Date Venmos Her $500," 11 Feb. 2018
We were instructed to sit straight so that light could enter our third eye and to make a slight bend at our waist to reveal our crown chakra.

— ethan varian, Los Angeles Magazine, "Joan Didion’s Famous Former Hollywood House Is Now a New-Age Spiritual Retreat," 28 Mar. 2018
The program there is really intense: one week of an alkaline diet (which means for me no coffee and no cigarettes), daily yoga and massages, chakra healing workshops, cooking classes, promenades on the beach, etc.

— lola rykiel, Harper's BAZAAR, "The Love Detox," 15 Apr. 2014
The funky, bohemian burg where beachgoers can skateboard, shop for dream catchers or balance their chakras is now the stomping grounds of tech giants like Google.

— emily alpert reyes, latimes.com, "For Venice property owners, the bills have arrived — but promised services have not," 4 Feb. 2018

These example sentences are selected automatically from various online news sources to reflect current usage of the word 'chakra.' Views expressed in the examples do not represent the opinion of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback.

Did You Know?

The human body has more than 88,000 points of physical or spiritual energy according to yoga philosophy, each known as a chakra. In Hinduism there are seven major chakras, and in Tantra (practices outlined in later Hindu or Buddhist scriptures) there are four, each associated with a color, shape, sense organ, natural element, deity, and mantra. The most important are the heart chakra, the chakra at the base of the spine, and the chakra at the top of the head.