Definition:
Chakra is Sanskrit for "wheel" or "circle." The chakras are centers of energy in the human body.
Chakras and the disciplines of working with them originated in Hinduism. In Hinduism the chakras are a feature of Kundalini-Yoga and Hindu Tantra.
Tantric practices, including chakras, also are an important part of the Vajrayana, practices found mostly in Tibetan Buddhism. Tantra and chakras are understood somewhat differently in Buddhism than they are in Hinduism, however.
In Vajrayana Buddhism, enlightenment is understood to be already present in the body. Through various esoteric practices involving the chakras, one directly experiences the nature of existence.
Alternate Spellings: Cakra
