Every subtle body communicates to the others and the universe through psychic centers. The universe is composed of spinning wheels and spirals of energy. Any organism gathers cosmic energy through nonphysical vortices of pure energy - energetic "transformers" named chakras. According to ancient tradition, psychic centers located in the ether body have the energetic forms of lotuses. In the physical body, chakras are represented in the forms of plexuses and endocrine glands.

Chakras are an essential part of our bio-energy system, being its energetic centers. All humans have and use their chakras, even if they are not aware of them. In Sanskrit, the chakra is a wheel of life, an energetic circuit. 
Chakras enable us to gather energy from the cosmos, process it, use it, and even release it back. Gathered cosmic energy can be kept in the subtle bodies, and when needed can be transformed by chakras to the physical body for its proper functioning (this process is reversible as well).

The chakra system is an active, self-perpetuating spiral. Each chakra, as a spinning antenna, receives and filters energy from cosmos and delivers it to a particular physical organ in its area or endocrine gland, supplementing them with prana energy. Much of the chakras work is concerned not only with specific areas of the body, but also with the maintenance of a healthy balance between the individual’s subtle bodies and the physical body and different areas in the whole bio-energetic system. Chakras are interdependent and interconnected centers of the chakra system. Chakras influence each other in their work. If one chakra is unbalanced and not working properly, it affects others and leads to a general imbalance of the chakra system. A healthy, active chakra increases the energetic potential of all chakras, whereas an unbalanced and dysfunctional chakra decreases normal energy flow in the chakra system and slows down the whole organism and the entire energy system. Even one dysfunctional chakra in the chakra system causes more chakras to close. This dysfunction leads to an occurrence of energetic imbalances, physical illnesses, and emotional blocks in the energy system. 

Ancient Indian thought determined the nonphysical energetic centers as sites of consciousness. The chakras’ tops are represented as plexuses or brains of the nervous system. From this point of view, the chakra system may be accepted as a model of consciousness. The consciousness of all living organisms is based on energy traveling through the energetic systems. Chakras are centers of different levels of consciousness, ranging from the "base" level to the high spiritual.

The major chakras are located on the spinal column and on the head, and one chakra is located in the heart plexus. Every physical organ has a minor chakra, and there are many minor or secondary chakras around the human body. All acupuncture points are chakras as well. Many authors believe that minerals have one chakra, while animals have three or four. Humans have seven major in-body chakras, one minor chakra, and one very important out-of-body chakra. We believe that more out-of-body chakras will be discovered in the not-too-distant future.

When the chakra is closed or blocked, it stops spinning and becomes dysfunctional. Chakras may become closed when they are congested with stale or stagnant energy. One way they can close is during an instance of fight-or-flight response of the organism. This response is a natural way for the organism to become alert and prepared to any danger or unusual situation. However, if this stressful condition of the body is left uncontrolled and continues for a long time, the chakras may stay closed and dysfunctional. When the physical body stays in prolonged stress (distress) or depression, the chakras cannot spin and work properly; they become unbalanced, blocked with stale and stagnant energy and unbalanced. Our thoughts and attitudes can block energy flowing through the chakras as well. Unexpressed emotions can cause the chakras to be overcharged, leading to their closing or blockage. Personality problems both cause and are caused by energy imbalances. Imbalances in the chakra system of the physical body reveal themselves through both negative personality and physical illness dysfunctional chakras cause imbalances in the subtle energetic bodies, and imbalances in the subtle bodies then manifest in personal, psychological and emotional problems.

When chakras are closed, energy cannot be transformed and released to the physical body. If energy is not flowing freely through energetic systems, physical problems may develop in specific areas, and discomfort or illness can occur in the organism. When a chakra is blocked, it needs healing by uncovering and removing whatever is blocking it. The clearing of congested energy from the human energy system becomes a necessary prophylactic way for keeping the organism healthy.

Because the chakras work together as a system, a block in the functioning of one chakra may affect the activity of another. These chakras are especially inter-related 
(a) the root chakra and the third eye tie, 
(b) the sacral chakra and throat chakra, and 
(c) the solar plexus chakra and heart chakra. 
If one chakra is not functioning, it must be cleansed, balanced, normalized, and healed together with the associate chakra accordingly.

Chakras are interrelated not only with parasympathetic and sympathetic autonomous nervous systems, but endocrine systems as well. Chakras transform vital energy to the endocrine glands. The root chakra (Muladhara) correlates to the testicles, the sacral chakra (Svadhisthana) ­ the ovaries, the solar plexus chakra (Manipura) ­ the adrenals and pancreas, the heart chakra (Anahata) ­ the thymus, the throat chakra (Vishuddha) ­ the thyroid and parathyroid, the third eye chakra (Ajna) ­ the pineal gland, and the crown chakra (Sahasrara) ­ the pituitary (master) gland. Chakras feed the life-force into our endocrine systems, which regulates our hormonal balance.

During our many years as healers, we have observed that healthy chakras spin in a clockwise direction and in the same way in both sexes, whereas closed, unbalanced chakras spin in a counterclockwise direction, stay still, spin in eclipses or move unevenly. The energy balance of the bio-energy system, which is very important to our general well-being and health, can be achieved by energy that is in a constant smooth flow, refreshed and vitalized, aided by constantly spinning  chakras.