Customer Reviews

Chakras: Energy Centers of Transformation

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The energy vortices or charkas are located within the cerebrospinal system and are the points of interaction between the spirit and the body. Each of the 7 main charkas is also connected to certain glands in the body and therefore has a role in the hormonal system.

The psychophysical energy dealt with here is electrochemical and operates through the life force (prana) that moves through the body along the nadi channels. The seven main chakras are all connected to the main nadi. By understanding this system one can cultivate a higher state of being.

This illuminating and comprehensive book includes the following chapters: 1. The Principles of Tantra Yoga, with a section on states of consciousness; 2. Kundalini Yoga; 3. The Essentials of the Chakras; 4. Chakras, Rebirth & Spirituality. The appendix consists of extracts from the Hindu scriptures on the various stages of Yoga.

The aforementioned Chapter 3 deals with each of the chakras in turn, providing a description of each, the psychological energies that operate in it, the shape, yantra and color of each chakra, its predominating sense aspects, its seed sound (bija), number of petals, residing deity and ruling planet. It was interesting to learn about the Soma Chakra, an unnumbered energy point also called Amirta or Indu, that resides within the 7th or Sahasrara chakra.

The principles of the chakra system and practical applications are discussed in detail, including visualization techniques. The text is enhanced by beautiful color paintings of each energy vortex plus plenty of interesting black and white illustrations. The book concludes with a glossary and index.

Johari's revised and expanded edition of Chakras is a very accessible work and packed with facts. As such it is ideal for both the novice and the advanced energy worker. It provides all the information, techniques and tools to activate one's energy system for enhancing spiritual growth, balanced emotions and mental and physical well-being.

I'm a recreational reader and love tapping into all sorts of subjects. I find Harish Johari's work on the Chakras very informative and poetic. It's simple and easy to read and Johari writes from the heart. This book may very well become a prime reference for yoga instructors and eastern religious philosophers if it hasn't already. I'd highly recommend it as a Chakras reference book even if you've have read or own many.

With pretty colors and informative pictures that you could even hang on the wall if you framed properly. Pretty much everything you need to know about the chakras and what they represent. Can apply it to jyotish (eastern astrology) or just to energy work in general. Someone else said the sanskrit words were confusing. For true scholars, the sanskrit sounds are hold meaning in and of themselves; there aren't too many; it's authentic as is. Highly recommended.

This book by Harish Johari well explain about the Wheels of energy fields / centers in our body. For a better visual images please look at Alex Gray sacred mirrors

Though I found certain sections very interesting and appreciated the authors detailed concepts, this book was not an easy read. First of all the Chakras themselves aren't even mentioned much until chapter 3. This is because the previous sections are talking about other things related to the chakras like prana and kundalini energies. There are many sanskrit words that can be difficult to keep straight in your mind if you haven't heard them before. In fact because I had difficulty getting into the flow of reading this book I stopped and picked up The idiots Guide to Hinduism- Read that 400 page book cover to cover- and then after that I picked up this book again and felt a lot more comfortable with it because the Idiots guide had explained all those sanskrit terms pretty well. Still, I didn't like that the book isn't concise sometimes and it's easy for your mind to glaze over. The other thing I didn't like was the pictures. I love that it had full illustrations and that it also had these illustrations again in coloring book form so that you can color them yourself for meditation.. but the pictures themselves I found somewhat distressing. Not all of them- but some. A couple of them were even plain scary looking to me. Like the one representing the root chakra which shows a woman with very wide bulging eyes staring at you. Now these pictures all have meaning to them obviously, but when you're meditating on something it shouldn't disturb you in the least and as for me- well I couldn't meditate using that. Personally I enjoy the CD that is meant to accompany this book much more than the actual book itself. Amazon sells the CD and it's basically mantras you can use for your chakra system.

A very interesting book which allows you to travel to new levels of the mind - a transformation for all that read it. It allows one to find peace and serenity, and helps garner trust in oneslelf. It also allows creativity to grow.

This book is a classic on the chakras, and specifically on the breath (pranayama) and meditation techniques employed within kundalini yoga and tantric traditions as part of the enlightenment/awakening process. In addition to being a writer and teacher of these subjects, the author Harish Johari was also a well-known Indian artist, and his depictions of the yantras and deities associated with each chakra within the tradition he is presenting are included in this updated edition (and are lovely - breathtaking in their detail.)

This book is really a detailed manual for practicing the pranayama and meditation techniques of kundalini yoga/tantra (or specifically, the techniques of this particular branch of kundalini yoga/tantra, as their are other variations.) It includes a classic overview of kundalini energy and each of the chakras, the relationship of physical yoga (asanas) to pranayama/meditation, and details on locks (granthis), mantras (chants), yantras (geometric visualizations), deities, colors, and more, used in this tradition to open the chakras and move the kundalini up from the 1st chakra into the 7th in a controlled, traditional manner. Johari also includes psychological information related to the traits and energies of each chakra, and how the opening of a chakra may manifest psychologically, which is a little more unusual in traditional teaching texts of this type, and is part of what makes this a modern classic. Frequent references and quotes from Patanjali's Yoga Sutras and the Upanishands are included.

Because of these references and the use of Sankrit terms, this book is probably not the best resource for readers entirely new to the chakras and kundalini yoga. A glossary is included in the back of the book however, so an industrious beginner may be able to work their way through it. Otherwise, books such as Chakra Yoga: Balancing Energy for Physical, Spiritual, and Mental Well-being by YogaZone founder Alan Finger or Kundalini: Divine Energy, Divine Life by energy healer Cyndi Dale would be my personal starting recommendations.

However, for any serious student of yoga, particularly kundalini yoga, or for anyone already somewhat familiar with the chakras and associated pranayama and meditation techniques, this will be an invaluable resource.

I really enjoy this book. It contains information which I failed to find in many other books, devoted to chakra's. Only thing I'd like to add is that chakra's system connected to physical body in two side way. You can begin with end you like. But greatest benefit you can get paying attention on physical, energy and chakra systems same time. Prolonged staying in "wrong" body position with attempt to meditate can be fruitless and even harming to health.

Why Not?
This book is very confusing, it uses a lot of sanskrit words,
which just makes it impossible to comprehend.
The information is presented with no form, they're is no way to remember everything. The book has no life in it.
The book needs more pictures, and the use of english terms instead of sanskrit.
If you are trying to learn about chakras, and yoga, this isn't the book for you.
It is like a sanskrit dictionary.
The part that really bugs me, is that it says the book is about chakras, when most of it is about Yogi Meditation.

Expect for that, the book has nice pictures (but few) and very descriptive.