Characteristics
Texts and teachings present different numbers of chakras. Also different physical structures are considered chakras. David Gordon White thus emphasizes:
"In fact, there is no "standard" system of the cakras. Every school, sometimes every teacher within each school, has had their own cakra system."The following features are common:
- They form part of the body, along with the breath channels, or nadis, and the winds (vayus).
- They are located along the central channel (sushumna/avadhūtī).
- Two side channels cross the center channel at the location of the chakras.
- They possess a number of 'petals' or 'spokes'.
- They are generally associated with a mantra seed-syllable, and often with a variety of colours and deities.
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