My Reiki II class is well underway.  It is a private class with only one student--a lady who has been using her Reiki I skills on a regular basis, for self-reiki as well as reiki for her friends and family.  She has shown herself to be committed to reiki and a serious student.  She is ready for this next step.

We begin Reiki II with a brief review of  Reiki I and then go on to an introduction to the 7 chakras.  Chakras are energy centers or vortices  that correspond to 7 nerve plexuses & also to the endocrine system.

• Chakra 1 is located in the region of the coccygeal plexus, is related to the adrenal glands, corresponds to the color red, and, as the root chakra, is concerned with issues of survival. 
• Chakra 2, also known as the relationship chakra, is located at the sacral plexus, is related to the gonads (ovaries and testicles), corresponds to the color orange, and is active in matters of creativity--the incubation of creative ideas. 
• Chakra 3  is located at the solar plexus, corresponds to the color yellow and is involved with the ego or your personal power. 
• Chakra 4 is the heart chakra and is active in matters of unconditional love, self-acceptance, and a non-judgemental viewpoint.  Either the color rose or green is the corresponding color representing this chakra; the thymus gland is the connection to the endocrine system, and it is located at the heart or the cardio-pulmonary plexus. 
• The throat is the location of the 5th chakra & is involved in issues surrounding your creative voice and artistic expression.  The color associated with chakra 5 is blue, the glands are the thyroids and parathyroids. 
• The 6th chakra is known as the third eye and is located on the brow between the eyes.  The gland that corresponds with the 6th chakra is the pineal gland, and the associated color is indigo, a dark blue.  This chakra is the site of intuition. 
• The 7th chakra, located at the  crown, is involved with spirituality and living in the present moment.  The color is lavender, the gland the pituitary, the master gland.

The above treatment of chakras is just an overview and a superficial treatment of the chakra system.  Two of the books I use to teach chakras are:  Anatomy of the Spirit, by Caroline Myss, and Wheels of Life, by Anodea Judith.