Chakra Pronunciation: Surprises in How to Pronounce it!

Have you ever realized that you’ve been pronouncing a word incorrectly your whole life — and everyone around you has, too? Prepare to be surprised by this lesson about how to pronounce chakra correctly! (Yes, this chakra pronunciation tutorial is much more complicated than the one on aura pronunciation.)

As background, this article is very much in my wheelhouse, because I’m an English teacher AND also Reiki energy work practitioner — so I use the word “chakra” all the time! The explanation here is from first-hand experience from trainings, plus extensive research.

What is a Chakra? Meaning and Definition.

Before we get into the chakra pronunciation lesson, let’s first define the meaning of the word. The term “chakra” is from the Sanskrit language, and refers to the energy centers in the body, which connects to the rough translation of the word as: “wheel.” Each center is associated with specific chakra colors and meanings, and traditionally, the human body is seen as having seven chakras.

For example, the First Chakra is at the base of the spine, and is associated with a red aura, and feeling grounded and safe. During chakra balancing, energy work practitioners can help even out the flow of energy, unblocking any chakras that have become blocked up, and allowing life force energy to flow more freely.

How to Pronounce Chakra

Now we get to the heart of the matter at hand: How to pronounce chakra correctly. First, let’s identify how NOT to say it, as we did with our tutorial on how to pronounce Reiki.

INCORRECT Chakra Pronunciation

Most Americans say the word chakra as “SHAK-ruh” or “SHAK-rah” — with the first syllable sounding like the word “shack.” This is incorrect chakra pronunciation! (Just as it’s incorrect to say that a black aura meaning in energy work is negative.)

In fact, to follow correct conventions of the Sanskrit language, the first syllable of chakra should be pronounced “CHUCK” — like chucking a ball across the room. This means that the tutorials out there which advise saying “CHAA-kruh” are incorrect, as the middle sound of the first syllable should be “UH,” not “AH.”

Moving on, the second syllable of chakra is pronounced “ruh,” but should have a rolled “r” sound at the start, if possible. This rolled “r” is not a common convention in English, so if you’re not able or comfortable doing it, that’s understandable — but know it’s supposed to be in there.

CORRECT Chakra Pronunciation

Therefore, what’s the correct way to pronounce chakra? The full and accurate answer is: “CHUCK-ruh,” with a rolled “r” in the middle of the word. So for example, I’d say to a client, “The fourth CHUCK-ruh is associated with a green aura.”

Whoa! I haven’t been this surprised since I learned that in some systems, there are more than 7 chakras — including the Soul Star Chakra above the head, and the Earth Star Chakra under the feet!

How to Pronounce Chakra, in Sum

I hope this article about chakra pronunciation has been enjoyable as well as useful. If you’d like to read further about each of these fascinating energy centers, check out my article about the chakras associated with a purple aura meaning, and the wonderful Second Chakra orange aura meaning.

Want more? Learn about the Fifth Chakra’s blue aura meaning, and the Third Chakra’s yellow aura meaning!