You may be familiar with the 7 major chakras of the human body. But did you know that some chakra systems count 12 or more chakras? In order to enhance your understanding of the energy body, it is essential to know your 12 chakras. Familiarity with the 12 chakra system adds depth, context, and appreciation for your understanding of how chakras work and how to best balance energies in your life.

What Is The 12 Chakra System?

The idea of a 12 chakra system is considered as relatively new. As much as one may appreciate simplicity in learning about the chakras, there is no unique or unified understanding of the 12-chakra system to this day.  The knowledge about the 12 chakras mostly comes from modern perspectives expressed by contemporary healers and energy workers.

Put simply, there are 2 main types of configurations presented in modern healing schools of thoughts: The 12 chakras are located either both inside and outside of the body or all inside:

• The first one locates 5 chakras outside of the human body in addition to the 7 primary chakras. This is the most common way to represent the 12-chakra system, including one chakra below the root chakra and the remaining ones above the crown.
• Another one includes all 12 chakras inside the human body, positioning 5 additional energy centers in-between the commonly known 7 chakras.

Despite the numerous variations of 12 chakras configurations, it’s important to note that the most commonly referenced energy centers are two additional chakras above the crown and the Earth chakra (or chakra located below the root chakra and the surface of the earth).

The 12 Chakras: Our Connection to the Universe

Simply, the 12-chakra system brings forth the vision of our connection to the entire universe.

The premise of the 12 chakra system is that all living beings are part of a whole.  Each of us is grounded to the earth and linked to the universe via a thin cable. That cable stretches from roughly three feet below your feet to miles and miles up through the atmosphere and on deep into outer space.

Cyndi Dale, energy healer and author of the “Advanced Chakra Wisdom”, emphasizes the 12-chakra system as a way to use a wider range of energies for healing. Using 12 chakras allows us to draw from powerful energies outside of the human body and get in touch with the whole array of dimensions of our human experience.

Even though contemporary healers mention the existence of additional chakras, it’s said that shamanic traditions have used the extraneous chakras or “power centers” for millennia for their healing practices.  In many ancient traditions, earth and sky energies are believed to mix within the human body. The twelve-chakra system is a vivid representation of this belief.

Organization of the 12 Chakra System

Working on the assertion you are already familiar with what a chakra is and the basic seven energy centers, let’s focus on the remaining five introduced in the 12 chakra system. Similar to the format of standard spiritual chakra charts, the five additional chakra centers in the 12 chakra system each possess their own location, color, and function.

The 8th and 9th chakras are generally represented above the head, and the 10th chakra slightly under the ground. However, we can find descriptions of the twelve chakra system locating the 8th chakra underground and the remaining higher energy centers above the crown.

To sum it up, the number of additional chakras is the same, but the order in which they are presented is slightly different. Below is a presentation of the two main series of 12 chakras with a slight variation where the 8th chakra is interchanged with the 10th chakra between the first and second system.

12 Chakra Chart #1

The position of chakra #8 et #9 above the crown chakra is a fairly common representation of the higher chakras. The following chakra chart contains 12 energy centers and locates the “underground” earth chakra in 10th position.

• 8th chakra – Located slightly above the crown chakra, about 1 inch above it. With the 8th chakra, we enter realms transcending space and time. This energy center is said to open access to parallel universes and lives; it gives access to the realm of the Akashic records and the sphere of potentialities in the making. It is a useful center for shamanic healing and communication with spirit guides.
• 9th chakra – Located further above the crown chakra, the 9th chakra is said to be the “seat of the soul.” It allows access to your soul’s code or higher purpose. It can be seen as the door to archetypal energies or patterns that play an important role in shaping our destiny.
• 10th chakra – Located about a foot and a half below the surface of the ground. It ensures our connection with the earth. Because it works primarily with the energies of the earth, it is very physical in nature. It participates to our physical well-being and connects us to the grounding energies of the earth and our environment. Just like the first (or root) chakra, it is useful to heal any bone and bone marrow-related issues. It can also play a role in any DNA-reltated or hereditary issues.
• 11th chakra – Located outside of the human body, it is said to be accessible through the hands and feet. It makes up and energy field that connects of human sphere of influence to the supernatural. Shamans can use this chakra’s dimension to produce magic and influence the physical with supernatural powers. The 11th chakra emphasizes the mind as a powerful tool to shape matter.
• 12th chakra – Located on the outskirts of the 12-chakra system, it allows us to stretch beyond our common sphere of understanding into universal unity with all that is. It is said that it’s the chakra of mastery of the soul’s purpose through our human existence.

12 Chakra Chart #2

The second 12 chakra chart we will be presenting will include the following centers:

• Earth chakra — (8th) — Located roughly three feet below into the earth at your feet. — Brown — No matter where you are, the earth chakra keeps you grounded. This chakra anchor harnesses all the pieces of the human puzzle, from DNA to bone and blood. NOTE: Depending on individual interpretation of chakra study, the location of the 8th chakra varies, but its function as grounding chakra epicenter is the same. Additional locations range form between the heart and throat chakras to just above the crown chakra. Another interpretation states the human aura is the 8th chakra; conglomeration of all chakra energy.
• Lunar chakra — (9th) — Located just above the (7th) sahasrara chakra or crown chakra. — Silver or white — The ninth chakra links you to the energies of the moon. It is the main hub for karmic understanding and channeling that governs intelligence, communication with spirit guides, and funnels information about incarnations.
• Solar chakra — (10th) — Resides above the ninth chakra. — Gold — Associated with masculine energy, the solar chakra governs your ability to live your dreams. This chakra helps you to focus your will to remove blockages and give your existence purpose.
• Galactic chakra — (11th) — Located just above the solar chakra. — Mixture of violet, gold and silver — Considered a channel for prophecy, the 11th chakra governs your ability to transcend space and time and allows you to access the Akashic Records, also referred to as the Universe’s cosmic “Book of Life.”
• Universal chakra — (12th) — Located above the galactic chakra. — Multi-faceted, multi-colored orbs of light — Known as the chakra of Universal Consciousness, the 12th chakra allows you to transcend the mundane to reach Enlightenment and commune with the Divine.