The word chakra is Sanskrit for wheel or disk and signifies one of seven basic energy centers in the body. Each of these centers correlates to major nerve ganglia branching forth from the spinal column. In addition the chakras also correlate to levels of consciousness, archetypal elements, developmental stages of life, colors, sounds, body functions, and much, much more. Colors associated with the seven major chakras are as follows:

First Chakra: RED
Second Chakra: ORANGE
Third Chakra: YELLOW
Fourth Chakra: GREEN
Fifth Chakra: BLUE
Sixth Chakra: INDIGO
Seventh Chakra: VIOLET or WHITE

These seven chakras represent the colors of the rainbow and when balanced help us maintain health, are vehicles to personal empowerment, and connect us to the divine.

Chakras are first mentioned in the Vedas, ancient Hindu texts of knowledge. Early text that provide the location of the chakras include: the Shri Jabala Darshana Upanishad, the Cudamini Upanishad, the Yoga-Shikka Upanishad and the Shandilya Upanishad. Hiroshi Motoyama in "Theories of the Chakras: Bridge to Higher Consciousness" discusses these text and that of 10th Century mystic Guru Goraknath who wrote in the Gorakshashatakam about awakening these energy centers through meditation.

According to Anodea Judith in her book "Wheels of Life", these early Hindu writings come from an even older oral tradition of the Aryan culture. This Aryan culture was believed to have invaded India during the second century B.C.E. bringing with it its culture and beliefs. Without going into depth into this version of the origins of the chakras and the associated Aryan controversy, it is interesting to note that chakras and auras are often associated with rainbows, for obvious reasons. Norse or Teutonic myth's World Tree, Yggdrasil, holds nine worlds.

These Norse and Germanic myths speak of a "rainbow bridge" that links the worlds of Midgard and Asgard. Heimdal, who is responsible for creating the three races as told in the "Song of Rig", is the guardian of this rainbow bridge and his domain is between the worlds.Freya Aswynn in her book "Northern Mysteries and Magick" discusses this to some extent in her description of the Runes of the Elder Futhark. The theory of the Vedas coming from an older Aryan oral tradition is much debated.

Rainbow colors and rainbow myths are present in many cultures. Two of the most noted in western culture are the rainbow that appeared as a sign to Noah after the flood and the Hopi rainbow warrior. Reverend Bruyere tells the story of the warrior who sought meaning in the rainbow of color that he saw around everything.

Sound raised to a higher vibration is color. Everything in the universe is made of sound. Each chakra has what is called a "seed sound". These seed sounds are the symbolic representations of the energy pattern of each chakra and hold its essence. Seed sounds are also referred to as bija mantras. When properly preforming these mantras, the individual resonates with the particular chakra. Crystal bowls or tuning forks are often used to aid those wishing to resonate with these wheels of light.