Wheels of Life: A User's Guide to the Chakra System [Abridged, Audiobook] [Audio Cassette]

Anodea Judith (Author), Kitt Weagant (Narrator)

Book Description

Publication Date: November 1998

Offering a Western approach to the chakra system, this comprehensive guide addresses the development of the physical, emotional, mental, spiritual, and political aspects of human life. Using a multi-dimensional approach that combines theoretical understanding and practical exercises, the author shows how each of the levels of consciousness represented by the chakras are necessary for a complete life.

Editorial Reviews

From the Publisher

It is truly rare for a book to be a real classic. But that certainly is the case with Anodea Judith's Wheels of Life.

When it was first published there was not much in-depth information about the chakras available in the West. But that changed with Wheels of Life. People responded by buying over 125,000 copies of this wonderful book.

Now, Wheels of Life has been revised and expanded to meet the times and keep this book the leading title on the subject.

The main focus of Wheels of Life is an in-depth examination of each chakra. But it doesn't stop there, for above all, this book is practical. You will learn what each chakra can do for you and how you can clear it, balance it, and strengthen it to help you achieve optimum health, improved spirituality, and strengthening of psychic powers.

Other topics look at the chakras as a group so you can see how they interact. You will learn how chakras function in relationships. New in this edition is an entire chapter on how to foster healthy chakras in children.

Together, the seven chakras form a profound formula for wholeness that integrates mind, body, and spirit. From liberating our spirits to manifesting our dreams, the chakras are the very wheels that carry us through life.
--This text refers to the Paperback edition.

About the Author

Anodea Judith, Ph.D. is the founder and director of Sacred Centers, and a groundbreaking thinker, writer, and spiritual teacher. Her passion for the realization of untapped human potential matches her concern for humanity's impending crises--her fervent wish is that we "wake up in time." She holds Masters and Doctoral degrees in Psychology and Human Health, with lifelong studies of alternative medicine, yoga, mythology, history, sociology, systems theory, and mystic spirituality. She is considered the country's foremost experts on the combination of chakras and therapeutic issues and on the interpretation of the Chakra System for the Western lifestyle. She spends much of her time on the road teaching, with workshops and trainings offered across the U.S., Europe and Central America.
--This text refers to the Paperback edition.

Product Details

• Audio Cassette
• Publisher: Alternative Audio; Abridged edition (November 1998)
• Language: English
• ISBN-10: 1574532030
• ISBN-13: 978-1574532036
• Product Dimensions: 7 x 5 x 0.8 inches
• Shipping Weight: 5.6 ounces
• Average Customer Review: 4.7 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (38 customer reviews)
• Amazon Best Sellers Rank: #4,416,609 in Books (See Top 100 in Books)

More About the Author

Anodea Judith holds a doctorate in Health and Human Services, with a speciality in Mind-Body healing, and a Master's in Clinical Psychology. Her best-selling books on the chakra system, marrying Eastern and Western disciplines, have been considered groundbreaking in the field of Transpersonal Psychology and used as definitive texts in the U.S. and abroad. With a million books in print in 14 languages, her books have won her the reputation of solid scholarship and international renown as a dynamic speaker and workshop leader. She is the founder and director of Sacred Centers, a teaching organization that offers workshops and teleclasses in chakras, evolutionary activism, yoga, manifestation techniques and much more. You can find her on the web at http://www.sacredcenters.com.

Customer Reviews

Most Helpful Customer Reviews

79 of 81 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars Definitely the book to have on Chakras, November 22, 2003

By 

merrymousies (Waterford, VA USA) - See all my reviews

This review is from: Wheels of Life: A User's Guide to the Chakra System (Llewellyn's New Age Series) (Paperback)

I had been looking for awhile for a good book on Chakras that was straightforward and easy to undertsand. There are so many books on Chakras and many of them (at least the ones I found) went way too deep too fast and lost me. I needed a book that went Chakra by Chakra, explaining what each represents and providing some exercises to work them. This book was perfect! Each chakra chapter starts out with a one-pager with words that help explain that chakra (e.g. 1st Chakra - earth, roots, grounding, survival, body, food, beginning, etc). Then there is a meditation. Then there is text that walks through each type of description (e.g. "grounding"). Judith connects the concepts to the body and explains how its all connected. There are yoga exercises as well as recommended reading of other books to learn more about each Chakra. Excelent book - It really lays things out in a simple way that is straightforward and unmuddied. Lots of hand drawings throughout as well as some great quotes to ponder. Gods and Godesses are also mentioned in the text which is great. Excellent book!

75 of 77 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars Good book!! How can 100,000 readers go wrong??, November 18, 2002

By 

El Brujo "Brujo Hechisero" (Lowell, Ma) - See all my reviews

This review is from: Wheels of Life: A User's Guide to the Chakra System (Llewellyn's New Age Series) (Paperback)

This was my first book on the Chakra system and to be quite frankly it has been one of those books I always go back to look for references. My personal opinion is that Anodea Judith, PhD, has done an excellent book, both for the beginner in working and understanding the Chakras as well as the advanced.
Each chapter is dedicated to a particular Chakra. You will learn, the Sanskrit name to each Chakra, it's meaning, location, Element, Function, Inner State, Outer State, Body Parts, color, Mantra sound, Hindu Deity, as well as other deities from other pantheons. Also each chapter has a meditation on that particular Chakra as well as Yoga exercises to harness that particular Chakra to your favor. I have been directed to other books, because people say that there are better books out there. But to be honest this book for beginners is simple and right to the point. Anodea Judith, PhD writing is down to earth, and direct. Think about it, how can 100,000 readers go wrong. If you are looking for your first book on Chakras, you will not go wrong here. This is a good book, full of a wealth of information.

71 of 79 people found the following review helpful:

2.0 out of 5 stars Should have been called Anodea's thoughts on Chakras., October 14, 2007

By 

Sachinrao Panemangalore "sacpc" (San Jose, CA, USA) - See all my reviews
(REAL NAME)   

Amazon Verified Purchase

This review is from: Wheels of Life: A User's Guide to the Chakra System (Llewellyn's New Age Series) (Paperback)

I bought this book , after reading all the reviews written by Yoga teachers on this page. I was kind of disappointed with the quality of information in the book in quite many ways.
This book preaches a lot of good and useful things , right from diet to exercise to visualization. I liked the concept of balancing of chakras for kids and would help guide new or to-be parents. Also the fact presented in the book that women are ignored in most yogic scriptures which explain self realization.

But, there are some major doubts on the main subject being discussed in this book.
1. The author has suggested that use of LSD or Marijuana might be good to get a glimpse of what to expect when higher chakras get excited. There is no mention of which research led her to conclude the same. Please Do not believe this!!
2. For every Chakra the author mentions the Tarot Suit, Sephira, Archangel names. But there is not mention of why is there this association.
3. There is no or very less reference to Kundalini power. I would have expected a chapter dedicated to this with detailed references to the Nadis in the appendix. Any serious book on chakras would do that.
4. Too much visualization and imagery , and a lot less information of
Mantra Yoga ( Chanting Yoga used to steady the mind ).
5. Well , Jogging a aerobic exercises have been suggested to help balance the chakras. I agree , aerobic exercises and weights are excellent workout ( I myself am a kettlebell fan ).But these activities actually
increase excitation and the author seems to have left out important information on Pranayama. Seems strange for a PHD and Yoga teacher.
6. Kapalabhati and Mool Bandha, Ashwini Mudra are for the first 3 chakras, the author mentions them only for the 3rd chakra, and that too with no mention to their sanskrit names or their meanings.

Well, I would suggest anyone who wants to seriously understand chakras , to look elsewhere.There is a wealth of information on the internet.
No book may give you all the knowledge, but atleast take care that it does not give you incorrect information. Every person find's his or her own way to self realization.
I dont believe, that to understand eastern philosophy, the author needs to mix it with western philosophy and vice-versa. They are different schools of thought and both of them can co-exist independently. A person wishing to understand either of them just needs to gain a better understanding of the perception of each philosophy before diving into the details. I am going to go further in my study to understand and realise the chakras, but I am done with this book.

Regards
sachin