The chakras are related to our energetic bodies and paying attention to their specific locations reveals how aligned we are with our authentic self. Knowing where each chakra are in relation to each other and how we can maintain and protect their functions on a moment to moment basis will benefit our well being physically and emotionally.
What is a Chakra?
Human beings without exception are said to have seven primary chakras, or energy hubs / centres, according to ancient yogic teachings. Chakra, sometimes known as Cakra, is Sanskrit and translates to ‘wheel’. The name Chakra is primarily a female name of Indian origin that means Energy Centre Of The Body. If you’ve ever felt mentally tired but physically well, encountered newfound energy through rage, or just wanted to give someone the biggest hug in the world, then you have experienced chakras within you.
The energy of each centre is said to turn and spin like a wheel. The seven best known chakras align along the spine, starting from the tail bone and ending at the crown of the head.
The chakras perform an important role in our mental, physical and emotional being with each individual hub of energy being specific in its purpose and commanding its own unique part of our being. When balanced, aligned, and unblocked, energy flows freely through the chakras, harmonizing your body, mind, and spirit. These energy centres can do the opposite when blocked or out of balance. The interrupted energy flow sows discord and can cause specific mental, physical, and spiritual problems.
In relation to the human body the chakras are part of the subtle body, you can not see or touch these, you cannot remove or implant and they are neither solely physical nor solely spiritual. In fact there is no definitive scientific evidence they exist despite centuries of teachings specifically ancient yogic and Hindu texts.
In more recent times the chakras have become increasingly popular among yoga practitioners, spiritual seekers, and New Age philosophers and there is much evidence on a personal level that balanced chakras can improve personal well being. When your chakras are in alignment through proper chakra balancing and healing, your physical self and spiritual self are fully receptive to the energy of the universe. You’ll feel deeply at peace and brimming with vitality.
However, blocked chakras can manifest themselves in different ways. You could experience an emotional imbalance through negative feelings of insecurity, loneliness, and greed, or physical issues like headaches, indigestion, and colon problems.
A brief Chakra History
The chakra system originated in India between 1500 and 500 BC in the oldest text called the Vedas. Evidence of chakras, is also found in the Shri Jabala Darshana Upanishad, the Cudamini Upanishad, the Yoga-Shikka Upanishad and the Shandilya Upanishad. They appeared in Rg Veda over 29 times, spelled as ‘Cakra.’ In this text, they are referred to as ‘seven wheels’ and ‘rays of light.’
The 7-chakra system seems to be the most popular one but several other chakra systems can be found and there is no way to say whether one system is better than the others. For instance, in traditional Buddhism, monks often practice the 5-chakra system. From Hindu sources themselves, many different systems, such as the six-chakra system, the nine-chakra system, the twenty-one-chakra system, and more have evolved. Some belief systems may believe in thousands of chakras through the body in a more detailed map of well being.
Chakra systems are different because chakras are not physical objects. They are more to do with feelings and emotions that exist on a different plane within your physical being and they can only be felt as fluid sources of energy. Naturally, the number of chakras that one person deals with will be based on how they evaluate their feelings.
Yet there are three chakras common in all kinds of chakra systems. One is the crown chakra, or above the head (again, we are just talking about metaphysical positions). The second one is the heart chakra, which, as you may have guessed, governs the heart area. The third chakra is the sacral chakra, which is located below the navel and governs a person’s sexual emotions.
These three chakras are common in all systems because they govern the main emotions a person experiences. The rest of the chakras vary from person to person and even depend on their theosophical ideology.
The belief that you can awaken and energize the chakras first came from tantric teachings like Kundalini yoga. In Kundalini, various practices such as pranayama (breath work), bandha activation, and mantra recitation are practised to awaken energy in the first chakra, the root (Muladhara). Once the root is awakened, the energy flows up through the spine passing through each chakra location in the body until reaching the seventh one, the crown at the top of the head (Sahasrara), where profound spiritual transformation occurs.
The Chinese meridians are different stating the chakras have a specific position in the energetic body but no definite nervous node or precise physical connection. Therefore the chakras are a belief different from the historic Chinese system of meridians in acupuncture.
Although we see above that some believe there may be many or even thousands of chakras in the human body, this article will focus on the generally recognised seven primary energy hubs.
When a chakra is blocked.
Why would a chakra become blocked and how? What are the effects of a chakra unable to flow freely? Blocked chakras may result in physical, mental, and emotional tension and prevent us from experiencing positive emotions like joy, love, pleasure, and safety. And it’s not just feeling badly about yourself, but also may lead you to outwardly express apathy, procrastination, or that you’re able to be taken advantage of easily.
The imbalance could also be due just as much to highly energetic activity, an overactive chakra as well as depleted energy or an underactive chakra and both these types of blockages cause varying issues.
With an underactive chakra, it may produce a struggle to feel and express the particular qualities of that energy hub, whilst with an overactive chakra those qualities become a domineering behaviour force fast turning flow into negative traits and blocks.
Considering a chakra may have become unbalanced whilst experiencing too much physical, emotional or mental stress, its useful to get to know the individual chakra energy hubs to assess which particular kind of stress is affecting which area in order to work on renewing the energy flow. Here is a brief example of the seven chakras:
Chakra 1 Root – A blocked root chakra, base of the spine may typically come from childhood experiences. Feeling insecure and unsafe growing up, often moving around, never feeling at home or settled or cared for, there may be a struggle to find a sense of safety and security as an adult.
Chakra 2 Sacral – Below the naval. Mentally, blocked sacral energy can manifest as issues such as co-dependency or feeling overwhelmed by our emotions. Other signs your sacral chakra might be blocked: Overindulgence in sexual fantasy. Lack of interest in sex all together. Difficulty expressing our emotions, needs, and creativity
Chakra 3 Solar Plexus – Two inches above the naval. Many of our past traumas become stored in the body and continue to affect thought patterns and behaviours. People who have experienced a strict upbringing, bullying, or authoritarian parents, or those who have suffered mental or physical abuse tend to have difficulty balancing the third
Chakra 4 Heart – Heart centre area. In the case of your heart chakra, it’s associated with love and understanding when in equilibrium. Heart chakra may become blocked after a breakup, divorce, or death of a loved one. In situations where there is tremendous emotional pain, a person may decide not to get close to anyone again to protect themselves. However, rejecting all possibilities of future love and connection closes down the heart chakra. But things like stress and emotional pain — usually caused by bad memories, emotions, and/or overthinking— can close it up.
Chakra 5 Throat – Throat area. Imbalance or blockages in the throat chakra happen when we experience challenges around communication. These can come from opposite sides of the communication spectrum. For example, a blocked throat chakra may occur if you’re feeling too nervous to speak. Or maybe feeling someone has taken their voice away by not allowing them to speak up or express themselves, mainly when growing up. Imbalances can also occur from being repeatedly ridiculed whenever voicing an opinion.
Chakra 6 Third-eye – Between eye brows. There are many reasons why a chakra can become blocked, but the most common cause is an unhealthy lifestyle. Too much stress, negative thinking, a lack of physical exercise, not enough sleep and an unhealthy diet are all leading contributors of a blocked chakra. Instinct is also known as the sixth sense which is the innate wisdom we have that affects our response to various life experiences. Feeling disconnected from intuition and instincts can have you feeling very confused about your life purpose. When you feel like you do not have access to, or struggle to hear this internal guidance it may be a strong indication that your third eye energy centre is blocked.
Chakra 7 Crown – Top of the head . The biggest challenge of the Crown Chakra is on a mental level; when someone is too withdrawn and attached to the materialistic pursuits of this existence as well as stuck in their way of thinking. A person with a blocked Crown Chakra may experience unwillingness to be open to other ideas, thoughts, or knowledge. This is the oneness hub relating to being open to a higher existence.
Unblocking the chakra flow.
The good news is that it is possible to release blockages in chakras and bring them back to balance. It is possible to do this at any time required and simply and quickly too.
Of course we do bear in mind that there is no scientific evidence that chakras exist and that the methods used to realign energy centres are “tried and tested” over centuries by people exploring their souls rather than scientifically proven.
There are many test and favoured ways to rebalance chakras and these are simple and easy for us to do in our normal daily routines and lives. There is no need for complicated processes or expensive accessories.
Visualization meditation – Chakra meditation means mindfully tapping into a chakras powerful energy or healing a blocked chakra. You can meditate directly on a chakra by visualizing the presence of energy in the its specific location including the chakras colour and element. For example, you can imagine an ocean of water for the sacral chakra.
Mantras – Chakra mantra is a term used to describe any mantra that is used in combination with a focus on a particular chakra in order to balance that chakra. It often refers to the use of the seed mantras associated with each chakra, but it can also mean other mantras in Sanskrit or English connected with the chakras According to ancient yogic teachings, each chakra has a seed mantra (vocal sound). Chanting this mantra is one way to align a chakra.
Yoga poses – Chakra yoga benefits you by helping you become aware of your body’s subtle energy system and aids in opening and balancing your chakras! When your chakras are open and balanced, perfect health is the result. Most of us have heard of using yoga as a healing modality, if done in a open, aware and meditative fashion. Specific asanas can improve the energy flow in a particular chakra. Poses that stretch or compress the location of a chakra can be particularly beneficial. For example, backbends open the heart chakra as they expand the chest, and twists strengthen the solar plexus chakra as they apply compression to the upper abdomen.
Foods –For centuries, yogis have believed that eating foods of the same colour as a chakra will help bring it into balance. For example thinking about the root chakra, simply eating regular meals with healthy, organic foods will churn the energy of the base chakra. Foods that contain a large quantity of Earth energy, and therefore ones that are best suited to increasing flow within the root chakra, include grains, nuts, legumes, root vegetables, and meats. In addition, you should eat earthy food with a lower frequency to work on the lower chakras and lighter ‘airy’ foods with higher frequencies to open the upper chakras.
Crystals – Crystals are believed to hold vibrational energy and believed to transmit this energy balance to all emotional, physical and spiritual energies. Like with foods, crystals that share the same colour as a chakra may help rebalance it. You can work with crystals by holding them, wearing them on your body, or keeping them in your home. Every crystal has its unique benefits, so it’s best to research different ones first, then choose the one most suited to you.
Sound healing– The vibration of the sound is said to help break up the chakras blockage and each chakra has its own frequency to heal and calm. There are many free sounds on line relating to specific chakra frequencies to play in the back ground when meditating or just relaxing at home.
Breath-work – One way to work on realigning all your chakras at once is breathing exercises from Kundalini yoga. Pranayama increases your life force and promotes free-flowing energy in the entire subtle body.
Specific activities for each chakra– Certain activities may help activate a particular energy centre. For example, as the throat chakra is related to voice and communication, using your voice through singing or public speaking can help open this chakra. Or, if you want to open the upper two chakras, activities that use the brain, like meditation and reading spiritual texts, can help.
The most important thing in our own personal well being programs is balance and self care. You don’t have to subscribe to any belief system or accept everything relating to chakra or any related spiritual content but it is also useful not to write off the concept of chakra either. However, if you approach energy healing with an open mind, you can test out these theories yourself and possibly improve your health and well-being.