The Sevenfold Journey: Reclaiming Mind, Body & Spirit Through the Chakras

by Anodea Judith

Combining yoga, psychotherapy, movement, and ritual, the authors weave ancient and modern wisdom into a powerful tapestry of techniques for facilitating personal growth, healing, and transformation. Based on their popular Nine-Month Chakra workshops, THE SEVENFOLD JOURNEY provides a step-by-step approach to healing and balancing one's life using contemporary psychotherapeutic techniques, yoga, bioenergetics, journal exercises, meditation, dance, and ritual. Visit the home pages of and

Genres: Spirituality, Health, Nonfiction, Psychology, Self Help, Metaphysics, Meditation

289 pages, Hardcover

First published April 1, 1993

About the author

Anodea Judith, Ph.D. is the founder and director of Sacred Centers, and a groundbreaking thinker, writer, therapist, and spiritual teacher. Her passion for the realization of human potential matches her concern for humanity’s impending crises — her fervent wish is that we “wake up in time.” She holds Masters and Doctoral degrees in Psychology and Human Health, is a 500 hour registered yoga teacher (E-RYT), with lifelong studies of psychology, mythology, sociology, history, systems theory, and mystic spirituality. She is considered one of the country’s foremost experts on the combination of chakras and therapeutic issues and on the interpretation of the Chakra System for the Western lifestyle. She teaches across the U.S., as well as in Canada, Europe, Asia, and South and Central America.

Reviews

[Razvan Moldovan · Rating 5 out of 5]

After acquiring some knowledge on what the chakra system is, its functions and how we are affected by it it was time to put everything to work and to act (chakra 3 right :D).

Each chapter of the book starts with a brief description of the chakra so I highly recommend to start reading other books if want some more in depth explanation, examples being Wheels of Life and Eastern Body, Western Mind by Anodea Judith.

The exercises presented walk you through how to balance each chakra, whether it's excessive or deficient. These include working with yoga poses, all sorts of meditation techniques, group exercises and journal writing, like for example challenging beliefs, patterns and attachments all of which can be at very subtle levels.

I really liked the book because of the diversified types of exercises that apply to everyone because of their psychological underlying and can be a good starting point for somebody that wants to change something in their life even by making abstraction of the chakra system. The only limitations can be dedication and the time invested in this rainbow journey because, of course, this is a long term adventure so its recommended to make a habit in doing the exercises and revisit the book once in a while.

Good luck in your personal development and make it sweet.

[Sarah · Rating 5 out of 5]

I think the is the best basic book on working with the chakras. She includes meditations, yoga postures and activities as well as the usual correspondences associated with each chakra.

[Kirsten D · Rating 4 out of 5]

Woo-woo, but not insufferably so! Delightful and thoughtful. Filled with practical recommendations for movements, practices, and journaling prompts for each chakra.

[Teji · Rating 3 out of 5]

Belief in chakras aside, it offers a lot of good exercises for self-assessment and self-improvement.

Quotes
"Most of us suffer from what I call a 'disabled will'. Too many times we were made powerless, overly criticized or punished for our actions, taught to submit to authority...In this culture, we are raised to obedience. Parents teach children to suppress their anger, to never talk back...Schools reward obedience, as do armies, and many jobs...We pay taxes to finance wars we don't want, add to pollution while we commute to our jobs, submit ourselves daily to routines that suppress our spirits...The disabled will is vulnerable to domination, for when we fail to realize our own will, others can use it instead...The disabled will is vulnerable to addiction, to control by another, and to enslavement in general. When this happens, a feeling of powerlessness ensures..." p130

"It is through desire that we ignite the will. When we expand our horizons from self to other, from singleness to duality, we are given choice. To consciously choose is an act of will. Change and reorganization of our life energy are the result. Power, connected with our bodies and our feelings, and tempered through understanding, is the goal." p130

"The first step in developing a stronger will is to validate your present will by seeing that your will creates everything that you do and have. This is even true if it's something you think you don't want to do-- it is still your will that directs it. Only when we realize that the will is quite operative can we learn to redirect it...It is hard to activate will without a purpose of goal. Without these, will becomes merely whim." p149

[Jennifer Sullivan · Rating 5 out of 5]

Anodea Judith has established herself as the GO TO gal for understanding the Chakra system as we know it in the western world. Of course, Eastern philosophy (which is the origin of Chakra work) looks at this system in a much deeper way with a slightly different twist. With that said, you can't get any better than Judith in terms of understanding the basics of the 7 most commonly known energy centers of our body!

I have read other books by her and regularly watch her video, the Illuminated Chakras (available on YouTube) but THIS book is by far the best! If you purchase only one book on understanding, healing and activating the Chakras - let this be it! Not only does she explain the core meaning of each of the Chakras, she skillfully incorporates self-help, New Age philosophy and easy physical exercises you can do to activate each energy center. This is essentially a work book as you can use it to learn, explore, express and heal each Chakra.

VERY highly recommended! <3

[Jeremy Garber · Rating 5 out of 5]

This is a lovely and helpful book for introducing both the theory and the practice of identifying and activating your chakras. Judith outlines the broader theory and the specific moods, colors, etc. of each chakra, but the best part of the book is the journaling practices, exercises, and group work that accompany each chapter. This is the distillation of a nine-month course that could easily last a lifetime. I found after my kundalini awakening that this book helped me put a name to what I was experiencing. Highly recommended!

[Jason · Rating 4 out of 5]

This is a manual or practical guide to work through issues associated with the chakras. It is well written and clearly set out. It could easily be used by groups as a guide to work through the Chakras together and indeed this is is prime purpose as it forms the basis for a course the authors run.

This is much lighter in theory and metaphysical philosophy than Judith’s other works but this isn’t a criticism as the intention was to produce a practical manual. I would recommend this book as a good place to start for new yoga students.

[Em]

Read this in 2014 or 2015 as part of an in-person workshop at a local yoga studio. We had a fantastic teacher. While I don't buy in to a lot of chakra woo woo, if you view each chakra as a psychological lens, it can help with reflection and processing of emotions and memories.

[Anna · Rating 3 out of 5]

3,5

[Katarzyna Mikołajczyk · Rating 3 out of 5]

Było spoko. To jeszcze nie ten czas na czakry dla mnie. Ale już trochę więcej zrozumiałam.

[ArtemisKate · Rating 5 out of 5]

Great book when used with Judith's other two works. Well rounded approach.

[Teri Ciocco · Rating 5 out of 5]

I was surprised at how well this book was put together. I considered myself fairly knowledgeable on the chakra system but this book was less technical but more practical about the basics of the system. It has been wonderful grow another level using this book. It was interesting watching the entire class process each chakra throughout the workshop. Just by reading the book and acknowledging and learning about each chakra everybody's life was changed by healing in areas that needed work, even if we weren't aware there was work to be done. After journeying through the book, I'm humbled and left thirsty to learn more. The only con is that the photo's in the book need updating, although I did find the 1980's clothing to be amusing.

[Kay · Rating 5 out of 5]

Finally! After working through this book since March, I can say that I've finished it and it was very worthwhile. I do wish there'd been more movement focused activities for the upper chakras, but overall this was a really great workbook on getting to know and balancing the chakras.

[Endira77 · Rating 4 out of 5]

practical exercises, well-organized visually

[Holly · Rating 4 out of 5]

will keep as a reference and for inspiration

[Ellen · Rating 5 out of 5]

What a marvelous book to read over and over... so much there about the chakras, yoga, movement, self discovery!

[Andel Bailey · Rating 5 out of 5]

Spirituality is something that is a huge factor in my life. Reading this book with help you guide your spirit better.

[Jolanda]

energie van de chakras

[Linda · Rating 3 out of 5]

One of the books for my yoga class. This one is on the Chakras, and the connections between mind and body.

[Cassie · Rating 5 out of 5]

A beautiful, comprehensible guide for learning about the Chakra system. You could use this both in classes and in individual study. I refer to it often.

[Ard · Rating 4 out of 5]

Excellent book on 'chakra psychology', which is how the title was translated into Dutch and which describes much better what you can expect from this book.

[Lisa Lewis · Rating 5 out of 5]

Great way of getting started. I do recommend reading it several times.

[Krista · Rating 4 out of 5]

A great reference/workbook! I borrowed this from a friend but need to get one of my own.

[Adam Longbons · Rating 5 out of 5]

This book is life changing!!!