Book excerpt: A revised and updated, approachable and down-to-earth guide to understanding the chakras and their energy in the body. A clairvoyant can see seven energy vortexes radiating like multi-colored suns along the axis of the human spine. These whorls of spinning energy are known as "chakras," the Sanskrit word for "wheel." Today the ancient awareness of chakras is recognized as a legitimate model for health and illness, providing us with a rich, complex method of organizing the holistic mind-body-spirit connection. This concise introduction to the chakras addresses what they are, where they are located, how they function, how they open and close, and how their energy can be changed. In a time when spirituality is preferred over religion, all you need to know about chakras is right here!