Many types of yoga practice involve cleansing the chakras, and after getting the breathing right, many practitioners consider it one of the more important elements of the yoga experience.
Once you’ve found something as beneficial in your life as chakra cleansing, it’s only natural to want to share what you’ve learned with others and pay it forward, so to speak.When you want to become a reiki or yoga practitioner or teacher, it’s important that you know your stuff.
To that end you would be best advised to get yourself a good quality book on the subject, filled with all the diagrams and knowledge you could want.
We’ve been looking through some of the best chakra books that are out on the market today, and we’ve identified a handful that would make a really good choice of book for those who want to get serious about the subject.
We wanted to narrow it down to just 5 books, but it was super hard to pick just 5.
We’ll be reviewing the books very shortly, and after that we’ve got a handy buying guide for you which will take you through everything you’ll want to consider before purchasing.Then we top that off with another handy section where we answer some of your most frequently asked questions.
Here goes…
Top 5 Best Chakra Books For Aspiring Practitioners
Wheels of Life: A User’s Guide to the Chakra System by Anodea Judith
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The original version of this classic came out in 1987 (not too long ago if you ask me) and it brought the concept of the chakra system to the masses, with over 300,000 copies sold worldwide.It’s written by Anodea Judith, who still remains one of the more prominent authors in the field of the chakra system. The version that’s in the shops today has been updated and has been expanded upon.The book explains how to use your chakras to: Gain spiritual wisdom, Experience Better Health, Discover New Energy, Enhance your Creativity, and Manifest Your Dreams. All of which sounds very promising. And this is taught through the book in quite a holistic way. There are physical exercises, poetic meditations, and visualizations to try out.The first chapter introduces the reader to the concept of the chakra system. And the next 7 chapters discuss one chakra each, starting with chakra 1.
Then there are an additional 5 chapters, which discuss matters such as how the different chakras interact with each other, chakras and relationships, and so on. It appears that it’s these latter chapters that have been expanded on for this newer edition.It’s rated at over 4 stars out of 5 on both Amazon.com and Goodreads. It’s available in several different forms, paperback, Kindle, new, used, and even as an audiobook.
Pros:
- Classic book on the Chakras
- From a highly acclaimed author
- Updated and expanded upon
- Still a bestseller to this day
Cons:
- The illustrations are not in color
- User’s guide rather than practitioner’s guide
- New Age Chakra's Health Growth healing
- self help spiritual metaphysical
- improved spirituality, and strengthening of psychic powers.
- Anodea Judith (Author)
- English (Publication Language)
Anodea Judith’s Chakra Yoga
What we love about this book is just how well it combines the concepts of the chakra system together with the concepts of yoga. And of course, that’s it’s written by top chakra author, Anodea Judith.
And what makes it such a good book on the subject is how there’s gorgeous step by step photographs for the various yoga poses and postures. The exercises couldn’t be made clearer.
So this book goes beyond mapping out where the chakras are positioned in the body and guides through breathing practices, bioenergetic exercises, guided meditations, mantras and yoga philosophy.
The chapters take a chakra each, with several yoga and other exercises designed to work on that chakra. The process involves 7 different stages, and is designed ultimately to awaken the divine presence within you.
Both students and teachers could make great use of this book.
And, you know, even after well over 300 individual customer ratings, the average Amazon customer rating for this book comes in at an incredible 5 stars out of 5. How impressive is that! Even the most sceptical of people would have to agree with that.
Pros:
- Combines concepts of chakras and yoga
- Written by top chakra author, Anodea Judith
- Outstanding customer feedback
Cons:
- It is expensive for a book, but we would argue that the price is worth it for an aspiring practitioner. Or you could opt for a used one at a much lower price.
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Related: Our Book Review of Yoga for the Inflexible Male
Tuning the Human Biofield: Healing with Vibrational Sound Therapy by Eileen Day McKusick
While Reiki is one of the more common means of helping and healing the chakra system, this can also be achieved with vibrational sound too.
How this sound balancing works is by using special tuning forks (sold separately) along the body’s electromagnetic field, which the author refers to as a biofield.
This is not just some generic book about where the chakras are, but instead maps out the entire biofield of the human body and shows exactly where pain and trauma is stored, and how to clear it.
McKusick explains the science between these “pathological oscillations” in the biofield caused by trauma, and how tuning forks can help to rebalance the biofield.
She also goes on to explain how her own work in sound therapy and in healing others which she developed herself. And she reveals how the locations of the chakras correspond directly with her biofield discoveries.
This is not a book about chakras as such, but for those who want to become practitioners in energy healing, this could be one of your more effective methods, should you decide to take up this form of practice.
And it goes beyond teaching the practitioner sound healing, and even provides guidance in how to choose your tuning forks.
After nearly 1000 individual customer ratings on Amazon, the average customer rating comes in at 4 and a half stars out 5, which is very positive.
Pros:
- Explains science behind biofields
- Teaches sound healing
Cons:
- Only one chapter on the chakras
- Tuning the Human Biofield: Healing With Vibrational Sound Therapy
- McKusick, Eileen Day (Author)
- English (Publication Language)
- 272 Pages - 09/01/2014 (Publication Date) - Healing Arts Press (Publisher)
Reiki Healing for Beginners: The Practical Guide with Remedies for 100+ Ailments by Karen Frazier
This book is specifically aimed at aspiring energy healers. It’s the perfect source book for those who learn by doing, since it’s very application focused rather than theory heavy.
Rather than have individual chapters on each chakra, this book works differently. It concentrates on exactly what ailments you want to treat and how to treat them. Whether it’s a physical ailment or an emotional one.
Part one introduces the reiki healing process. Part two talks about common reiki tools, and how to heal yourself and others. Part three consists of 2 main chapters. There’s chapter 6 which talks about physical healing, and chapter 7 which talks about mental, emotional and spiritual healing.
These two chapters list the various ailments in alphabetical order, which makes them very easy to find. Each technique comes with simple step by step guidance and is fully illustrated in color.
The book also teaches a few complementary techniques to use alongside the reiki healing, including the use of symbols, music and meditation.
There’s also a handy glossary at the back of the book, and for those who wanted to develop their knowledge and training further, there’s also a section on resources, along with the books’ references.
Pros:
- Remedy focused & practical
- Aimed at practitioners
- Fully illustrated in color
Cons:
- No dedicated chapters on each chakras
- Frazier, Karen (Author)
- English (Publication Language)
- 240 Pages - 07/24/2018 (Publication Date) - Callisto (Publisher)
The Ultimate Guide to Chakras by Athena Perrakis
There are a number of aspects to this book that make it such a good book on chakras.
A main point being that this book talks about 9 different chakras, not just the 7 chakras that most other chakra books talk about.
Within it’s 200 plus pages, there is a chapter dedicated to each of these 9 chakras, as well an introduction which goes back to the ancient Hindu texts where the chakras appear to be first talked about. And it’s here that she explains how energy moves in the body and how to activate energy flow.
The chakra chapters are multifaceted. They talk about acupuncture, meditation, yoga, and how different crystals, and essential oils help to support each chakra. They even go into working with goddesses and spirit guides, and teach you how to create a dedicated chakra altar.
So, although it’s described as a beginners guide, it is very thorough and in depth, and would make a welcome addition to a practitioner’s book shelf.
It’s a pleasure to read with it’s colored illustrations and photographs.
The author Athena Perrakis, is also the creator of the world’s largest online metaphysical resource website, SageGoddess.com.
The customer feedback on this book is off the charts, with an average customer rating of 5 stars out of 5 on Amazon, even after hundreds and hundreds of individual customer ratings.
Pros:
- Very thorough & in depth
- Color photos & diagrams
- Goes back to practice origins
Cons:
- Expensive for a 200 page book
- Perrakis, Athena (Author)
- English (Publication Language)
- 208 Pages - 09/11/2018 (Publication Date) - Fair Winds Press (Publisher)
Best Chakra Books For Aspiring Practitioners Buying Guide
We’re going to kick this buying guide off by going through some of the different things you should look for in your chakra book.
Level of knowledge and experience
If you’ve been working with the chakras for many years already, you may well decide that you don’t really need a book that’s aimed at beginners.
However, you should also bear in mind that such books are often better at explaining the basics, and as such can often make for better books for increasing your knowledge and understanding of the subject.
Of course, on the other hand, you will need it to be sufficiently in depth to be worth your while. It’s about striking the right balance.
Nature of your Practice & Any Sub Topics to be Included
You will have to decide if there are any sub topics or side topics that you’d also like to include and incorporate into your work.
For example, do you want to work with crystals with your clients? That’s a very popular way of working with the chakras. Or would you like to take a yoga class through chakra cleansing guided meditations? Do you want to convey the teachings of the Buddha?
Best Sellers
All of the chakra books we have shown you are almost all top best sellers with retailers.
The only reason we didn’t state just where each book is the retailer best sellers lists is because this is liable to change as new books work their way in and compete with the best.
Well Known Authors
Although there are quite a lot of books about chakras out on the market at the moment, it still remains a very niche subject. Even as something as many millennia old as the chakras system becomes “new age”.
There are only about 10 really well known authors when it comes to chakra literature. But the only well known author to currently have a chakra book in retailer’s best seller lists is the highly acclaimed Anodea Judith, who’s book “Wheels of Life” made our number 1 pick.
Color
Chakras are regularly identified in books, not just by where they sit on a diagram of the human body, but also by specific colors.
So, with that in mind, you’ll want any chakra book you invest in to be in full color. It’s important.
Peer Reviews
The best way to gauge whether a particular book is right for you and for your particular needs, is to find out what other people think about it.
You can find loads of book reviews online. Sometimes you’ll see them right on the retailer’s website like you do with Amazon. Or Goodreads.com is another great site for book reviews, and if you’re not already a member of Goodreads, you can still read the reviews.
Don’t try and read them all though – you haven’t got that much time on your hands! Sometimes a review site will give you an average customer rating, and that in itself can be pretty helpful in determining if a book is any good.
Flicking Through
If you can get to a bookstore that sells chakra books, then that’s great. But if not, there’s no need to worry. Online book retailers like Amazon often allow you to view actual pages in the book before you buy it.
Sadly more often than not this is just the Contents page and an introductory chapter. However it’s usually enough to help you get a good feel of what the rest of the book is going to be like.
Amazon also allows you to download free samples, so you kind of try before you buy and view pages of the book offline.
If you still can’t choose
Of the books in our top 5 we have shown you, although there is some considerable overlap within some of the books, some of them are quite complementary to the others, and there’s no rule to say you can only use one book. If you can’t decide between a book on reiki healing and a book on sound therapy, why not just get both?
We’re going to level with you here
Reiki healing isn’t so much like a subject than can be taught, but is more an intuitive healing process. If you don’t identify as a lightworker, and don’t feel you already have some natural healing power within you, then even the best books on the subject will do little to help you become a reiki practitioner.
Reiki – Frequently Asked questions
What is the best Reiki book for beginners?
We think Reiki Healing for Beginners by Karen Frazier, is a great little Reiki book for beginners. It covers the basics quite succinctly and then goes into how to treat specific ailments, which is what you want to know most as an aspiring practitioner and healer. The guidance goes step by step and there are color illustrations throughout the book.
How long does it take to be certified in Reiki?
You know, that’s one thing that’s so great about learning Reiki – you can learn it in no time at all. You can learn it in just 10 hours in person or in a group. And, thankfully, you don’t need any prior knowledge in the field of medicine.
Do you need a license to practice Reiki?
I’m glad you asked. Because Reiki is the practice of laying of hands for therapeutic purposes, there may be laws in your state governing its practice. We won’t be covering that here though, it is for you to go and find out about any Reiki licensing in your particular state.
How much does it cost to learn Reiki?
The cost of learning Reiki depends very much on who is doing the teacher. There are many different providers and courses you could look into. Where prices aren’t readily available, you can always ask for a quote. If you can, it pays to shop around.
How much can I earn as a Reiki practitioner?
A Reiki treatment usually will cost between $25 and $100, with the average cost for one session being $70.
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