The 7 Chakras — Meaning, Colours and Overview
Seven centres, seven colours, seven life themes: the 7 chakras are among the best-known concepts in Eastern spirituality — and among the most frequently misunderstood. In this overview, you'll find all seven chakras with their traditional meaning, colour, symbol and mantra. Clear, down-to-earth and honest: presented as what they are — a centuries-old system of symbolism that still inspires people today to live more consciously.
What are chakras? Origin and meaning
The word chakra comes from Sanskrit and means "wheel" or "circle". In the yogic-tantric tradition of India — whose written sources reach back more than a thousand years — chakras refer to energy centres that are symbolically located along the spine: from the pelvic floor to the crown of the head.
Important for an honest understanding: chakras are not anatomical structures that could be found in the body. They are a symbolic system of organisation — a map that people have used for centuries to describe inner experience: grounding, sensuality, willpower, compassion, expression, intuition, connectedness. Seven themes that everyone knows — arranged along a line from below (matter, body) to above (mind, consciousness).
This very clarity is what makes the teaching so appealing even today: it offers a language for things that are hard to grasp — without requiring you to belong to any particular religion.
The 7 chakras at a glance — overview table
This table shows all seven chakras with the key associations from traditional teachings — including the 7 chakra colours, which follow the spectrum of the rainbow:
| # | Chakra (Sanskrit) | Colour | Symbolism | Mantra |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Root chakra (Muladhara) | 🔴 Red | Grounding, security | LAM |
| 2 | Sacral chakra (Svadhishthana) | 🟠 Orange | Sensuality, creativity | VAM |
| 3 | Solar plexus (Manipura) | 🟡 Yellow | Self-confidence, will | RAM |
| 4 | Heart chakra (Anahata) | 🟢 Green | Compassion, love | YAM |
| 5 | Throat chakra (Vishuddha) | 🔵 Light blue | Expression, truth | HAM |
| 6 | Third eye chakra (Ajna) | 🟣 Indigo | Intuition, clarity | OM |
| 7 | Crown chakra (Sahasrara) | 🟪 Violet/white | Connectedness, consciousness | (Silence) |
For a detailed look at the colours of the 7 chakras — including tips on how to use them in clothing, living spaces and meditation — see our article on chakra colours and their meaning.
The 7 chakras in detail
🔴 1 · Root chakra (Muladhara) — grounding and security
The root chakra is the foundation of the system — symbolically located at the base of the spine. Its Sanskrit name Muladhara means "root support". It stands for everything that sustains us: security, stability, trust in our own existence, connection to the earth.
Symbol: four-petalled lotus · Element: earth · Colour: red · Mantra: LAM
In everyday life: walking barefoot, hiking, grounding yoga poses such as the mountain pose (Tadasana), warm red accents in your living space.
🟠 2 · Sacral chakra (Svadhishthana) — sensuality and creativity
The sacral chakra is symbolically located in the area of the lower abdomen. Svadhishthana roughly means "one's own dwelling place". It represents joy of life, sensuality, creativity and the ability to form and enjoy relationships.
Symbol: six-petalled lotus · Element: water · Colour: orange · Mantra: VAM
In everyday life: creative activities (painting, music, cooking), dance, flowing movement, time near water.
🟡 3 · Solar plexus chakra (Manipura) — self-confidence and will
The solar plexus chakra is located above the navel. Manipura means "city of jewels" — a poetic image for the inner source of strength. It stands for self-confidence, willpower, decisiveness, and the calm certainty that you can shape your own life.
Symbol: ten-petalled lotus · Element: fire · Colour: yellow · Mantra: RAM
In everyday life: making clear decisions and standing by them, powerful yoga poses such as the boat pose (Navasana), sunlight.
→ Read more about the solar plexus chakra: meaning, the colour yellow and inner strength
🟢 4 · Heart chakra (Anahata) — compassion and connectedness
The heart chakra is the centre of the system — the transition between the lower, body-related and the upper, mental chakras. Anahata means "the unstruck" or "the unwounded". It stands for compassion, love, forgiveness and connectedness — with others and with yourself.
Symbol: twelve-petalled lotus with a six-pointed star · Element: air · Colour: green (also pink) · Mantra: YAM
In everyday life: time in nature, gratitude rituals, chest-opening yoga poses.
→ Read more about the heart chakra: meaning, colour and symbolism
🔵 5 · Throat chakra (Vishuddha) — expression and truth
The throat chakra is symbolically located in the area of the larynx. Vishuddha means "purification". The blue chakra stands for expression, communication and the ability to speak your own truth — clearly, but without harshness.
Symbol: sixteen-petalled lotus · Element: ether/space · Colour: light blue · Mantra: HAM
In everyday life: singing, journaling, honest conversations, mindful listening. Light blue is also considered one of the calmest colours for bedrooms — read more in our Feng Shui bedroom guide.
🟣 6 · Third eye chakra (Ajna) — intuition and clarity
The third eye chakra — known as the "third eye" — is located between the eyebrows. Ajna means "to perceive" or "to command". It stands for intuition, imagination, clarity and the ability to see beyond the obvious.
Symbol: two-petalled lotus · Element: light · Colour: indigo · Mantra: OM
In everyday life: meditation, visualisation exercises, moments of stillness without a screen.
🟪 7 · Crown chakra (Sahasrara) — connectedness and consciousness
The crown chakra forms the conclusion — symbolically at the crown of the head or just above it. Sahasrara means "thousand-fold", after the thousand-petalled lotus that represents it. It stands for connectedness with something greater, pure consciousness and inner expansiveness.
Symbol: thousand-petalled lotus · Element: thought/space · Colour: violet or white · Mantra: silence (or OM)
In everyday life: silent meditation, time in wide-open nature (mountains, starry skies), moments of conscious gratitude.
Chakras in everyday life — four gentle approaches
You don't need to be a yogi to work with chakra symbolism. Four everyday-friendly approaches:
- Choose colours consciously — clothing, home textiles or flowers in the colour of the theme currently on your mind. Inspiration: our chakra colours guide.
- Meditation — calmly let your attention travel through the seven areas of the body, from bottom to top. A gentle introductory guide can be found in our guide on sleep meditation.
- Mantras — quietly repeating the syllables LAM through OM, each time with attention on the corresponding area.
- Design your sleep space symbolically — from wall art to a sleep system with chakra references. What that could look like in practice is shown in our Feng Shui bedroom guide.
Chakras and sleep — the idea behind AURIPURA®
We spend roughly a third of our lives asleep — and this is exactly where the idea behind AURIPURA® begins: what if the sleep space itself carried the chakra symbolism?
Our chakra mattress integrates seven energy rods — each associated with one of the seven chakras, arranged along the line of the body from the root to the crown. No promise of effect, but a consciously designed symbol: your sleep space as a place that honours the tradition on which this entire guide is based.
Whether the teaching accompanies you spiritually or you simply experience it as a beautiful sense of order — either way, a high-quality, consciously designed sleep space is the foundation.
Frequently asked questions about the 7 chakras
What are the 7 chakras?
The seven chakras are energy centres from the traditional yogic-tantric teachings of India. They are symbolically located along the spine — from the root chakra at the base to the crown chakra at the top of the head. Each chakra represents a life theme, a colour, a symbol and a mantra.
What colours do the 7 chakras have?
From bottom to top: red, orange, yellow, green, light blue, indigo and violet (or white for the crown chakra) — the colours follow the rainbow spectrum. All the details in our chakra colours guide.
What does the colour black mean for chakras?
Black is not one of the classic seven chakra colours. In some modern interpretations, black is associated with protection and grounding and linked to the root chakra — for example with dark stones such as onyx or tourmaline. In traditional teachings, however, the root chakra colour is red.
In what order are the chakras arranged?
From bottom to top: 1. Root chakra, 2. Sacral chakra, 3. Solar plexus chakra, 4. Heart chakra, 5. Throat chakra, 6. Third eye chakra, 7. Crown chakra.
Are chakras scientifically proven?
No. Chakras are a concept from India's spiritual tradition and not anatomically verifiable structures. They are a cultural and symbolic system that people have used for centuries to organise inner experience — comparable to other traditional teachings such as Feng Shui.
How can I engage with the chakras in everyday life?
Gentle approaches include: meditation, consciously chosen colours, yoga, mantra recitation, or a symbolically designed sleep environment. All of these practices are spiritual traditions — not medical applications.
The seven chakras — with you every night.
The AURIPURA® chakra mattress carries the symbolism of all seven chakras within it: seven energy rods, arranged from the root to the crown. 100 nights to try it, free shipping.
Continue reading in the chakra universe
- Chakra colours & their meaning — All seven colours in detail, with everyday tips.
- Heart chakra — meaning, colour & symbolism — The fourth chakra explained in detail.
- AURIPURA® energy rods — How the seven chakras became a sleep system.
- Feng Shui bedroom — The lifestyle guide for your sleep space.
- Sleep meditation — Four techniques for your evening ritual.
Note: Chakra teachings are a traditional spiritual system of symbolism and do not constitute medical claims. The practices described are mindfulness-oriented traditions, not therapies. If you have health concerns, please consult your doctor or a medical professional.
