Melrose Chiropractor Discusses What Are Chakras, Anyways?

In my light pleasure-reading this am I was reading a review of nervous system anatomy and how it related to the ancient Indian concept of chakras.

I know, kind of a 'nerdy' thing to do early in the AM, right?

When we look at how the Indian Ayurvedic concepts described chakras, they are usually translated as "wheels of light," or energy centers, that are located at seven spots starting at the base of the spine and traveling up to the top of the head.

So right away they seem very similar to the concept of what D.D. Palmer described when he first originated chiropractic, with the flow of "life" traveling through the spine and nervous system being responsible for healing.

Had D.D. found another way to access these same entities that were being described as 'chakras?'  Was he in fact looking at the same set-up in the body that the ancient Indian cultures had described centuries earlier?

My guess is that he did. And that while the descriptions of these elements of our bodies are different over the generations, the basic make-up and structure of our bodies are the same.

So back to the paper I was reading this am, it was a description of the anatomical branches of the sacral plexus (the nerves in and around the sacrum) and how they relate to the chakra that has been described for that area.  And the similarities between the nerves' anatomy, in both their shape, and in what they are described to do.

From the article, on the nature of the chakra:

"These are the center of energy that are located throughout the body and provide a passage for energy to enter and exit our body and help to regulate all type of energy flow, i.e. physical, mental, emotional and spiritual." 1

Compare to how D.D. Palmer viewed the spine and nervous system through his work in originating chiropractic:

"Life is but the expression of spirit through matter. To make life manifest requires the union of spirit and body."

"When the controlling intelligence is able to transmit mental impulses to all parts of the body, free and unobstructed, we have normal action which is health."

Pretty similar, right?  So can I tell you exactly what 'chakras' are?  Nope, not really. But they do seem pretty important.

Important enough to have been given lots of different names by lots of different people over a long time.

Seeing how people have been studying how to keep these various spine channels flowing for centuries, seems like a worthy hobby, even if it does sound a little, say, nerdy, at first glance.

If you liked this article, you might like a 'nerdy' chiropractor that likes the idea of the free flow of 'life and energy' through the spine.  At least when it's moving well, it can sure feel more like that anyways. More info and find me below:

www.jessedavischiro.com

- Jesse Davis

Ayu. 2017 Jan-Jun;38(1-2):7-9. Physio-anatomical resemblance of inferior hypogastric plexus with Muladhara Chakra: A cadaveric study. Sweta KM, Awasthi HH, Godbole A, Prajapati S