Present in the body of every human being, the chakras are the focal points for our energy. We may or may not be aware of them, but our chakras have an effect on our lives, whether for good (as when they are in alignment) or when they hold us back from getting the most out of our lives (such as when they are out of alignment or blocked).

Chakra comes from the Sanksrit word for energy. Although the concept comes to us from the Hindu faith, our energy centers care little what, if any religion we ourselves may practice. Energy is instead a universal force possessed by every person. The physical manifestation of the path through which this energy flows in and out of our auras is the Chakras.

Chakras which are correctly aligned have a wealth of benefits for the mind, body and the spirit, which is why chakra meditation is such a good thing to learn. You will be able to perform chakra meditation if you know where your chakras are and what each chakra does.

Situated in important areas of your body like the heart and the top of the head, the chakras influence the organs which surround them and they also play a part in proper energy flow. The number of chakras in your body is seven.

The first chakra is the Root Chakra and it is located at the base of the spine. This chakra is related to the body and our individual ability to master our body. So your general health, constitution and security are all tied to the Root Chakra. This is also the chakra that helps us realize how we are connected to the world around us. The color for this chakra is red.

The second chakra is the Naval Chakra and it is founding the lower abdomen. This chakra is tied to the acts of giving and receiving as well as our physical feeling of love, sexuality, passion and pleasure. When you are experiencing feelings of harmony, selflessness, generosity and creativity you will feel it in this chakra. The color for the Naval Chakra is orange.

Third is the Solar Plexus Chakra, sited right below your chest. This chakra is representative of your transformational ability and your willpower. Control over your personal energy is also a part of what the Solar Plexus Chakra does. This chakra is where your self discipline is seated; as well as control over the ego. The color of this chakra is yellow.

The Heart Chakra is found in the center of the chest. It only seems natural then that this chakra control love and understanding. Our feelings of harmony, balance, forgiveness and compassion stem from this chakra. The Heart Chakra nurtures the feelings of divine and unconditional love that goes beyond the physical. The color of the Heart Chakra is green.

Fifth is the Throat Chakra, which sits between the top of the sternum and your chin. This is the chakra which is in charge of communication and helps you to understand that honesty, expressed through speech can be a source of truth and wisdom. This chakra's color is sky blue.

The chakra that is located in our forehead above our eyes is the Brow Chakra. This is commonly referred to as the third eye. Our perception of insight, imagination, intuition and clairvoyance stem from this chakra. The ability to focus on your realization of your own soul is found in this chakra. Divine wisdom and peace of mind is also found here. The color for the Brow Chakra is indigo.

Your seventh chakra is the Crown Chakra, which as you may have guessed, is situated at the top of your head. This chakra is representative of your mind and your spirit. The Crown Chakra is responsible for your ability to contemplate your own consciousness and your place in the wider universe. This chakra is directly related to the higher self. The color of the Crown Chakra is violet.

Knowing the location and function of each chakra will assist you in chakra meditation. There are meditations which you can use to align all of your chakras and meditations which focus on one chakra at a time.