Llewellyn’s Complete Book of Chakras: Your Definitive Source of Energy Center Knowledge for Health, Happiness, and Spiritual Evolution

In Llewellyn’s eighth Complete Book, prolific author Dale (The Spiritual Power of Empathy) compiles a materia medica of energy healing. At more than 1,000 pages, Dale’s compendium includes a thorough investigation of chakra energy systems, traditions, and practices. Like reference books for homeopathy and herbalism, this title doesn’t try to convince readers of the efficacy of the system; assuming the reader’s interest, it provides comprehensive details on the state of the art, beginning by systematically and exhaustively describing the chakras. For instance, in her chapter on muladhara, the first Hindu chakra, Dale talks about the relevant emotional issues, explores the history of its meaning, illustrates it with a diagram of the spine, delves into the associated endocrine and organ system effects, and provides a glossary of muladhara’s components. Dale follows the specifics with expansive sections on the history of chakra systems and a speculative section on esoteric systems such as astrogeographia. This is not a beginner’s book (though Dale includes a “pocket guide” to orient new students), but it truly lives up to its “complete book” moniker; if it’s related to chakras, it’s in here. (Nov.)