Chakras and well-being glossary: prana, kundalini, mindfulness, placebo

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Indian traditions: the vocabulary of the subtle body

• Chakra: a Sanskrit word meaning "wheel". A symbolic centre of the subtle body in Indian Tantric traditions. See origins and the Western reading and the guide to the chakras.
• The seven chakras of the modern system: root, sacral, solar plexus, heart, throat, third eye, crown. Their Sanskrit names are muladhara, svadhisthana, manipura, anahata, vishuddha, ajna and sahasrara.
• Nadi: "channel" in Sanskrit: a symbolic pathway through which breath and energy are said to flow. The main ones are ida, pingala and sushumna.
• Prana: the Sanskrit term for vital breath. In yoga, it is linked to breathing.
• Qi (chi): the Chinese notion of vital breath or energy. It resembles prana but belongs to a different system of thought. No scientific measurement has ever demonstrated it.
• Kundalini: "coiled" in Sanskrit: a symbolic energy, represented as a serpent coiled at the base of the spine, which is said to be "awakened" in certain Tantric yoga practices.
• Bija: "seed" in Sanskrit: a mantra syllable associated with each chakra (for example lam, vam, ram, yam, ham, om).
• Mantra: a word, syllable or phrase repeated during meditation or prayer in Indian traditions.
• Mandala: a circular diagram used as an aid to meditation in Hindu and Buddhist traditions, and more broadly as a decorative motif.
• Subtle body: in several traditions, a non-physical double of the body where the chakras are said to be located. It is a symbolic representation.
• Aura: a coloured halo said to surround the body, according to certain esoteric currents. So-called Kirlian photographs (from 1939 onwards) show an electrical discharge whose appearance depends on humidity and contact, not an aura.

Well-being practices

• Yoga: a set of Indian practices (postures, breathing, meditation). The classical text is attributed to Patanjali, dated variously between the 2nd century BCE and the 4th century CE.
• Hatha yoga: a form of yoga centred on postures and breathing, the most widespread in the West.
• Pranayama: breath-control exercises in yoga.
• Meditation: training in attention, through breathing, a sound, an object or the body.
• Mindfulness: attention brought to the present moment, without judgement. The mindfulness-based stress reduction programme (MBSR) was developed by Jon Kabat-Zinn in 1979. Study results are variable and modest.
• Cardiac coherence: a slow breathing technique, at about six cycles per minute, practised for a few minutes several times a day. It is studied for its effect on stress.
• Sophrology: a relaxation and visualisation method created in 1960 by neuropsychiatrist Alfonso Caycedo.
• Relaxation: a set of techniques to relax the body and mind (breathing, muscle release).
• Visualisation: an exercise that consists in mentally picturing an image or a scene.
• Grounding: a sense of stability, often worked on in sophrology or meditation by bringing attention to the feet on the ground or to the breath.
• Sound bath: a session of listening to sustained sounds (bowls, gong, tingshas), practised for relaxation. See sound and meditation.
• Reiki: a practice of Japanese origin (early 20th century, attributed to Mikao Usui) that consists in placing the hands near the body. Studies have shown no effect beyond the placebo effect.

Critical thinking and reference points

• Crystal therapy (lithotherapy): the belief that stones can act on health. No evidence shows this. See what we believe and what we know.
• Crystal elixir: water supposed to be "imbued" by a stone. A practice to avoid: some stones release metals or dissolve.
• Energy: a word with two meanings: in physics, a measurable quantity; in esotericism, a subtle force that is not measured. Much confusion arises from this double usage.
• Balancing: a common term in energy practices for saying that one "rebalances" centres or an energy. It has no established medical basis.
• Placebo effect: an improvement felt because one believes a treatment or object works, regardless of its own action. It is real but subjective.
• Confirmation bias: the tendency to notice what confirms one's beliefs and to ignore the rest.
• Pseudoscience: a practice that presents itself as scientific without following its method (testable hypotheses, reproducibility).
• Complementary / alternative medicine: practices used alongside medical treatment (complementary) or in place of it (alternative). A practice that replaces care can be dangerous.
• Ayurveda: the traditional medical system of India. Not to be confused with chakras, which belong to yoga and Tantra.
• New Age: a Western spiritual movement that emerged in the second half of the 20th century, mixing Eastern traditions, esotericism and personal development.
• Miviludes: the French public body that monitors cult-like abuses and can advise on risky practices.

This glossary distinguishes what belongs to a cultural tradition, a practice of attention or relaxation, and a belief without evidence. A relaxation practice does not replace medical advice or psychological follow-up.

Frequently asked questions

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The meanings mentioned belong to tradition and symbolism. They are neither promises of results nor medical advice. Back to Full glossary.