Chakras are energy centers in certain spiritual and yogic traditions, typically described as seven focal points along the body’s spine. The term can also refer to the concept of energetic channels or wheels of life force. In common usage, chakras often appear in wellness, meditation, and holistic health contexts. The plural form emphasizes multiple centers rather than a single point.
"She studied the chakras to balance her energy during meditation."
"Yoga classes frequently include attention to the chakras and how they influence wellbeing."
"He explained that unbalanced chakras can affect emotional and physical health."
"During the retreat, participants focused on aligning their chakras through breath and visualization."
Chakras comes from the Sanskrit cakra (चक्र), meaning wheel or circle. The Sanskrit root cak- relates to turning or rotating, reflecting the wheel-like idea of energy centers that spin or resonate within the body. The word entered English through translations of yogic and tantric texts, particularly In the late 19th and early 20th centuries as yoga and Indian spirituality gained popularity in the West. Initially used primarily by scholars and practitioners of Eastern philosophy, chakras broadened into mainstream wellness discourse in the 1960s–1970s with the rise of holistic health movements. The plural chakras is standard in English when referring to multiple centers; chakrā is the feminine singular form in Sanskrit, but in English usage, chakras is treated as a regular plural noun. The term has since become a widely recognized technical noun in yoga, mindfulness, alternative medicine, and popular culture discussions of energy flow, wellness, and spiritual balance.
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Words that rhyme with "Chakras"
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Chakras is pronounced CHA-krəs or CHAK-rahz in some accents, IPA /ˈtʃæk.rəz/. The primary stress falls on the first syllable. The second syllable is a reduced /rəs/ in many dialects, with the 'a' like the 'a' in cat and the final 's' voiced as z in standard American English. For most listeners, it sounds like CHAK-ras, with a quick, light second syllable. IPA reference: /ˈtʃæk.rəz/.
Common errors include over-pronouncing the second syllable, turning /rə/ into a fuller /rəz/ or /ɪz/. Another error is misplacing the primary stress on the second syllable, saying chæ-KEH-ras. To correct, keep the first syllable strong: /ˈtʃæk/ and reduce the second to a quick /rəz/, letting the final s voice as z. Practice saying the word in one breath: /ˈtʃæk.rəz/.
In US and UK, the pronunciation centers on /ˈtʃæk.rəz/. The main difference is vowel quality and final r-coloring; rhotic US accents may vocalize the r more prominently, while non-rhotic UK accents reduce r in syllable coda, though the /r/ in -ras is often not syllabic. Australian English generally aligns with /ˈtʃæk.rəz/ but with slightly more centralized vowels and a faster tempo. Overall, differences are modest and revolve around vowel length and r-coloring.
Three main challenges: the cluster /æ/ in the first syllable can be misapplied to colder American /eɪ/ or /e/. The second syllable /rə/ is a weak syllable that often gets reduced to /rə/ or /rəz; learners sometimes add a schwa too strongly, saying /ˈtʃæk.ræz/ or /ˈtʃæk.ɹeɪz/. The final -s voice is a z sound, which can be pronounced as s in some dialects. Focusing on the reduction of the second syllable and voice of the final s helps. /ˈtʃæk.rəz/.
Chakras combines an initial stressed syllable with a reduced second syllable and a voiced final consonant, a pattern common in English loanwords but less frequent with Sanskrit-derived terms. The key is maintaining the crisp /æ/ in the first syllable, then a quick, non-stressed /rə/ in the second, and ensuring the final /z/ is voiced rather than devoiced. IPA: /ˈtʃæk.rəz/.
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