You’ve probably heard the word Chakras… maybe at a yoga class… and whilst you might be familiar with some of the concepts, I thought this would be the perfect opportunity to delve into a little bit of background so you can discover everything you need to know about Chakras.
What are Chakras?
Chakra is the Sanskrit word for “wheel” or “disc”. Each of the seven chakras represent the energetic centres of our body and are sited where the nerve endings meet. These pressure points are where our life force is said to flow through us. Both Hindus and Buddhists believe that when our Chakras become blocked or misaligned, it can affect our body mentally, physically and emotionally and the only way that we can clear and prevent future issues, is by maintaining wellness in all Chakras of the body. Chakra health is all about allowing the flow of energy in your body to find balance.
How do I know when my Chakras are Blocked
If you’re feeling a little run down, anxious, indecisive, or have painful joints, this can be down to your chakras.
What Can I do to re-balance my Chakras?
Like anything in life, Chakras need a little bit of tlc to keep them in perfect harmony. Practising breathing exercises to encourage the flow of energy or sitting calmly whilst meditating can be extremely beneficial in getting your chakras back in balance. Doing a yoga class can also bring your chakras back into alignment. Practising Affirmations can also help to rebalance your chakras.
What are the 7 Chakras.
So let’s go through what the 7 chakras are and what they each do. There are 7 main Chakras in the body ranging from our head to the base of our spine. Each has its own unique function, colour, and location. Instead of starting from the top-down, Chakras are numbered in the opposite direction, starting at the base of the spine and ending with the head.
➀ The Root Chakra.
Located at the base of the spine (tail-bone), the root chakra is the first of seven – consider this like the foundation to your house . It’s represented by the colour red and is known to regulate feelings of safety, our sense of instinct and grounding.
How do we know it’s out of balance?
We begin to experience symptoms such as:
- Anxiety
- Hopelessness
- Loneliness
- Difficulty letting things go
- We’re unfocused
- Low energy or mood
- Skeletal issues such as arthritis, painful joints, etc
➁ The Sacral Chakra.
The second chakra is located in the pelvis and is associated with the color orange. It’s directly connected to the adrenal glands, which are responsible for producing a variety of hormones. This chakra is also connected to our genitals and urinary organs (also known as the genitourinary system).
This chakra is responsible for the regulation of emotional and sexual needs, and our creativity and confidence.
When out of balance in this chakra you may experience the following:
- Emotional imbalance
- Loneliness
- You may struggle with addictions
- Lack of motivation
- Little or no interest in sex
- Lack of confidence and creativity
- Feelings of worthlessness
- Feeling that you’re useless and unloved
It’s also common to hear of people experiencing dysfunctional relationships due to an imbalance in the Sacral Chakra.
➂ The Solar Plexus.
Our third chakra is known as the Solar Plexus. It’s found under the ribs and is represented by the colour yellow. Due to its location, it’s often easy to interpret what this chakra is linked to. It deals primarily with our digestive system, and regulates the sense of fear, power, and our ‘gut feelings’.
When out of balance you may experience:
- Anxiety
- Feeling constantly on edge or afraid
- Eating disorders
- Low self-esteem
- Lack of self-confidence
- Low self-respect
- Issues with the liver, digestion, weight balance, asthma, and even diabetes.
➃ Heart Chakra.
The fourth chakra is known as the heart chakra. As the name suggests, it’s situated in the center of the chest and is represented by the colour green. It represents love, compassion, and connection with both ourselves and others.
A blocked heart chakra can often be felt physically as well as emotionally and mentally. You may experience the following:
- Poor Circulation
- High/Low blood pressure
- Various heart and lung conditions
- Feeling worthless
- An unhealthy dependence on others
- Inability to trust ourselves or others
➄ Throat Chakra.
The throat chakra is our fifth chakra, and as the name suggests it can be found in the throat. It’s represented by the colour blue, and is responsible for the thyroid gland, feelings of safety, power and the way in which we express ourselves.
When this chakra is out of balance you may feel:
- Anxious
- Depressed or ‘blue’
- Stuck in a rut
- Insecure
- Low self-esteem
- Low self-confidence
- Hormone fluctuations
- Difficulty listening and taking in what others are saying
➅ Third-Eye Chakra.
The sixth chakra is the Third-Eye, and it can be found between our eye-brows. It’s represented by the colour indigo and is connected to the pineal gland. The Third Eye is known for regulating our spirituality, our thoughts, hopes, and dreams.
When out of balance, expect to experience:
- Cynical thoughts and feelings.
- Headaches or tension
- Vision problems (caused by the tension)
- Feelings of being lost
- Insomnia or difficulty getting to and staying asleep
➆ Crown Chakra.
The seventh and final chakra is the Crown chakra. It’s located at the crown of the head and is associated with the colour violet. The Crown Chakra is connected to the pituitary gland and nervous system and is often associated with wisdom, cosmic energy and our sense of awareness.
Signs that your crown chakra is blocked.
- Headaches
- Fatigue
- Mental illness such as depression and anxiety
- Feelings of hopelessness
- A lack of perspective
So there we have it… know you know the basics of your 7 Chakras and their purpose. If you would like to delve more deeply into understanding how the chakras affect your life and how to keep them balanced and perfectly aligned, why not check out my Chakra Balancing Diploma. This Accredited course guides your body, mind and senses along the colourful journey of the seven major Chakras. Using extremely powerful yet practical techniques, you will explore your Chakra imbalances & learn how to how balance & realign this energy along with a spiritual affirmation to help you to release negative energies trapped deep within your mind, body & emotions. To find out more, click here.