If you’ve practised yoga or movement, or practise meditation, you would have heard the term “7 chakras” or “chakra balancing” at some point in your journey.
The chakra system, once thought to be reserved for the new age hippies, is now becoming more mainstream as people seek alternative ways of healing without synthetic drugs.
I have only been introduced to the concept of chakra healing a few years ago during my yoga journey in India, and have since centralised my entire practice and teaching style around it.
Read also: 7 Chakras for Beginners – Chakras and Their Meanings Explained
For those of you who are new to the chakras, or who would like to find out more about this ancient system of healing, there are plenty of resources out there. Nonetheless, I find the best way to learn is to access good quality books that can provide a simple way of explaining the concept of the chakras and its applications on daily wellbeing and healing.
In this post, I will introduce the 9 books that have been very helpful in my journey to understanding the Chakras.
1. Chakra healing by Margarita Alcantara
Chakra Healing by Margarita Alcantra is a very easy read for complete beginners to understand the what the chakra system is, and how to align or balance them.
The book is structured into 4 parts:
- The Powerful Chakra System
- Healing Your Chakras
- Yoga Poses
- Crystals
Recommended for complete beginners who prefer a step-by-step approach or need visual illustrations to help you grasp the concept of the chakras better.
2. The Chakra Bible by Patricia Mercier
If you prefer a small and portable book on the chakras, The Chakra Bible by Patricia Mercier will definitely be for you.
This book provides a good overview of each chakra, including their colours, healing crystals and techniques that could be used to balance them.
Besides the 7 chakras, there are additional insights on newly discovered chakras and those from other philosophies.
Recommended as a great guide to Chakras for beginners who want easily digestible information without too much depth. Even if you’re an expert on the 7 Chakras, this is a great quick reference guide.
3. Wheels of Life by Anodea Judith
Possibly the most popular book for beginners, Wheels of Life provides a very thorough introduction to the modern world’s understanding of the chakra system.
Anodea Judith has done an excellent work in explaining the chakras and the application of them in our lives. It is very well written and can be enjoyed even by the non-spiritual person.
Some things I really like:
- Comprehensive and well-structured to make it easy for people to understand the chakra system
- Practical exercises including yoga and meditation, which can help readers immediately apply tips to their daily lives
- Visually appealing with plenty of illustration
- Backed with scientific references
The book touches on simple yoga movements as a way of balancing your Chakras, however, it does not go into great detail so it’s best when paired with a yoga book for beginners.
4. The Book of Chakras by Ambika Wauters
The Book of Chakras is more textbook-style yet still easy to understand. This is a great book to start with if you want just enough information to get you started on the chakras.
Ambika Wauters describes how each chakra is associated with our different bodies (the physical, mental and emotional), and provides practical tips such as using meditation, visualisation, affirmation and questions for self-reflection.
You will also learn (albeit briefly) about the different chakra healing and balancing methods in this book.
5. Complete Book of Chakras by Cyndi Dale
Possibly one of the most detailed and comprehensive book on chakras, the Complete Book of Chakras does live up to its name.
This is a thoroughly researched reference book that explores the chakras from its history, practices and the science behind them. You will learn how to use chakras for personal healing and balance, but also understand more deeply its meaning and transformative journey through time.
As this is a very thick book (with >1000 pages), this is a more suitable book for beginners who are willing to invest time to learn more about the topic, or for more advanced chakra learners.
6. The Ultimate Guide to Chakras by Athena Perrakis
The Ultimate Guide to Chakras is a practical book which provides step-by-step guidance for beginners to approach the topic of chakras, complete with many different exercises and questions for the reader to reflect upon.
In this book, Dr. Athena Perrakis also shares additional knowledge on related healing practices including those of healing crystals, herbs, aromatherapy and tarot cards among others.
What I like about the book is that it is both suitable for beginners and more advanced readers. The book also provides many actional tips which makes the learning of the chakras more applicable and easy to comprehend.
7. Crystals for Beginners by Karen Frazier
Many of you who read my blog regularly would know that I am a huge user of healing crystals.
The concept of healing through crystals is closely related to that of the chakras in that both systems work on your subtle bodies and helping you access natural energies for healing and balance.
Crystals for Beginners is an excellent read for people who are learning about crystals for the first time. The book gives a complete guide to healing crystals, how to use them, their associated chakras, and how to build your collection.
A very easy to understand read for people who want a simple guide on using healing crystals for chakra balancing.
8. Chakra Yoga by Anodea Judith
For people who practise yoga, Chakra Yoga by Anodea Judith is a great resource on how to focus your yoga practice on chakra balancing and to tap into your subtle energy using yoga poses, breath control, meditation, mantras and visualisation.
I love the fact that the poses are organized by the chakras. Even if you are an advanced yoga practitioner or yoga teacher, this book is a great reference on how to understand the poses from the viewpoint of the chakra system.
Let’s not forget the clear instructions and step-by-step visuals that make it so easy to follow the guide. Another win for Anodea Judith!
9. Chakra Foods for Optimum Health – Deanna Minich
Last but not least, I want to share a new read as I am also just learning about how to use foods to balance the chakras.
Chakra Foods for Optimum Health by Deanna Minich provides an in-depth analysis on the relationship between food and chakras. It is great for people who want to go beyond the theoretical understanding and learn how your daily habits can affect your energy balance.
I like that the beginning of the book provides a useful quiz to help readers check if any of their chakras are out of alignment. Each chapter also begins with a case study about someone with problems related to a particular chakra, and how food has the ability to address the issue.
Even for someone who tries to eat healthily, this is a great resource to understand the application of healthy eating on energy balance through the chakras.
Related Posts on the Chakras:
- 7 Chakras for Beginners
- Beginner’s Guide to Vedic Meditation (Transcendental Meditation)
- True Meaning of a Yoga Asana Practice and What it Means for Your Mind, Body and Soul
- Healing Crystals Guide: What Science Says and How to Use Them Effectively
Which is your favourite Chakra book?
These are the best chakra books which I would recommend reading for beginners. Each book is unique and so I would recommend reading all of them if you are serious about your chakra journey.
Otherwise if you prefer simple references on the chakras, you can also get my Chakra posters which provide a snapshot on the chakras that you can print, hang or keep in your purse.
Let me know how your chakra journey goes, remember to leave a comment below!
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The YogaMad is founded by Mila, an avid yogini who is passionate about inspiring others to live their best lives while finding mind-body-soul balance. She has a background in business consulting but has left the corporate world in her quest to live out her dreams as a yoga nomad.
