Customer Reviews

Wheels of Life: A User's Guide to the Chakra System

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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!

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.

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

This offering from Adodea Judith has the most useful information on the caring for the chakra system that I've found in 10 years of performing chakra therapy. I recommend it to my clients often. Anyone interested in chakras and how they interact with our physical bodies would benefit by reading this work as well as having it for reference.

This book has a lot of ideas about chakras and some practical exercises, although in containing ideas collected from a variety of sources it includes some misleading statements and false assumptions, which the reader will have to discern through their own experience and research. This is a nice book for a reference collection or for those seeking a thorough overview of chakras and the metaphysical traditions associated with them. The author is enthusiastic about the subject matter, and tends to be open to a wide range of ideas about chakras, though she does not claim to have an authoritative understanding of chakras and metaphysics. There are many books available about chakras, and this is a fairly good one, since it exposes the reader to a wealth of information and ideas rather than a single narrow viewpoint or dogmatic teaching.

Anodea does it again. This is THE chakra manual. It is a helpful text for professional body/energy workers, and clear enough to understand for those who are new to the chakra concepts. Each of the 7 chakras are explained in detail, both historically and from a western viewpoint. Along with exercises that one can do to enhance the health of each chakra. A MUST for anyone interested in the chakra system.

This is a must read for anyone working with the chakras.It is very detailed and simple to understand.It also has diagrams and charts for easier understanding of using and working with the chakras.

This book has everything you will ever need to know about the Chakra System. The author takes you step by step through the Chakras, explaining them in detail, their color their sound, their meaning, the parts of the body they represent, possible malfunctions and remedies as well as exercises. A work well done! Gail Fo

So is this book meant to be used for reference, as a workbook, or something that you just sit down and read? I use it for all three, and turn back to it over and over again. It is quite a hefty tome, a compendium of information, essays, and inspiration. Judith walks the reader through the chakras, weaving together a variety of traditions to present an accessible and systematic discussion that includes yoga exercises, meditations, essays, and cross-references related traditions with explanations. The essays are hers, but of course the rest of the content is pulled from other sources -- it's not a piece of fiction. What it is, instead, is a resource that I can't imagine not having on my bookshelf.

This book goes well beyond the basics that are found in other books. Anodea Judith laces her work with insightful theory and psychology, to help you grow and connect. It has all the basics, but also much more. This is a great book to help you establish a chakra balancing practice. These are tools you can use throughout your life to help you keep balanced even in times of disaster and suffering.