39: Have We Forgotten the True History of the Chakras? The Hidden Origins of Modern Yoga Philosophy

Most of us learned that the chakras are an ancient yogic system, but what if that story isn’t quite true?

In this episode, I take you down the rabbit hole that completely changed how I understand chakras. What started as simple class planning for my yin yoga series turned into a deep dive into the forgotten history of the modern Western chakra system.

We'll trace their journey from early Tantric philosophy to Theosophy, Carl Jung, and the New Age movement. You’ll learn how a mix of Western psychology, color theory, and mysticism transformed a centuries-old meditation map into today’s popular seven-chakra rainbow model.

Together, we’ll explore:

• Why the modern chakra system isn’t as ancient as it seems
• How Western thinkers and energy-healing culture shaped its evolution
• What Sanskrit scholars reveal about the original Tantric practices
• How source amnesia changed modern yoga—and what we can do to reconnect

This episode is perfect for yoga teachers, philosophy students, really anyone who's ever felt like the chakra system didn't quite add up. Get ready because this conversation will change how you see yoga history forever.

All Mats Taken Links:

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For Deeper Study

Christopher Wallis (Hareesh)

• Website: https://hareesh.org
• Online courses: https://tantrailluminated.org
• Book: Tantra Illuminated: The Philosophy, History, and Practice of a Timeless Tradition https://amzn.to/4nZCGkk *

Christopher Tompkins

• Patreon: https://patreon.com/kundaliniyoga
• Master Chakra Course and manuscript translations

James Mallinson & Mark Singleton

• Roots of Yoga (Penguin Classics, 2017) - Essential anthology of original yoga texts showing chakra diversity https://amzn.to/48hcP2J *

Episode References & Further Reading

Primary Articles Referenced in This Episode

Pascale, Sian. "The Chakras Revealed: Shattering 7 Common Misconceptions - Why Everything You Know About the Chakras is Probably Incorrect (Sorry!)" The Light Collective
https://www.thelightcollective.yoga/journal/the-chakras-revealed
The article that sparked this entire research journey

Wallis, Christopher (Hareesh). "The Real Story on the Chakras" (February 5, 2016)
https://hareesh.org/blog/2016/2/5/the-real-story-on-the-chakras
Essential reading on what classical Tantric texts actually say about chakras

Leland, Kurt. "The Rainbow Body: H