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If you have booked a chakra balancing session, or you are thinking about it, you are probably wondering what will actually happen. Will you lie down? Will someone touch you? What are they doing with the crystals and bowls? It helps to know before you walk in.
At Soul Awakening Academy, we teach chakra work through accredited courses, so we know how a well-run session flows. If you want to learn the skills yourself, our Chakra Balancing and Energy Healing Diploma is a beginner-friendly place to start.
This guide walks through a session step by step, explains what each chakra represents, and gives an honest view of what research does and does not show. You can also read how chakra work fits into an ethical coaching framework in our guide to chakra-based coaching.
A chakra balancing session is a form of energy healing in which a practitioner focuses on the seven main chakras, the energy centres believed to run from the base of the spine to the crown of the head. The aim is to restore balance and ease blockages in the energy flow, which practitioners link to emotional wellbeing.
Sessions are usually one-to-one, in person or online. They are calm, quiet, and fully clothed. You do not need any belief or experience to take part.
The word chakra comes from Sanskrit and means wheel. Early Indian texts use it in other senses, and later Buddhist and Hindu tantric traditions developed the idea of energy centres in the body. The seven-chakra model most people know reached the West through Sir John Woodroffe’s 1919 book, The Serpent Power.
The rainbow colours now linked to each chakra were added in the 20th century. So chakras are a spiritual tradition, not an anatomical system, and science has not found evidence that they exist.
Every practitioner works a little differently, but most sessions follow this pattern.
The session begins with a conversation about how you are feeling, what has been going on in your life, and what you would like from the session. This is your chance to mention anything that makes you uncomfortable, such as being touched. You can ask questions and stop at any time.
You lie down or sit comfortably. The practitioner may guide a few minutes of slow breathing or a short meditation to calm the nervous system and help you switch off from the day.
Next, the practitioner assesses each chakra, often by scanning with their hands just above your body or by tuning in intuitively. Some also use a pendulum or simply listen to what you have shared. This is where they form a picture of which chakras seem more open or more blocked.
This is the main part of the session. The techniques vary widely, and your practitioner may combine several.
Technique | What It Involves | What It Is Used For |
|---|---|---|
Hands-on or near-body work | Light touch or hands held just above each chakra | Focusing attention and encouraging relaxation |
Guided visualisation | Imagining colour or light at each energy centre | Calming the mind and building self-awareness |
Crystals | Stones placed on or near the chakras | Adding focus and a sense of grounding |
Sound healing | Singing bowls, crystal bowls, or tuning forks | Deep relaxation through vibration and tone |
Affirmations | Positive statements linked to each chakra | Shifting limiting beliefs |
Aromatherapy | Gentle scents such as lavender | Supporting calm and emotional comfort |
The practitioner gently brings you back to the room. Many invite you to share what you noticed and offer simple aftercare, such as drinking water and resting. Take your time getting up.
Here is a quick guide to what each chakra traditionally represents and how it may come up in a session.
Chakra | Location | Colour | Traditional Themes |
|---|---|---|---|
Root | Base of spine | Red | Safety, stability, grounding |
Sacral | Lower abdomen | Orange | Creativity, emotion, pleasure |
Solar plexus | Upper abdomen | Yellow | Confidence, personal power |
Heart | Centre of chest | Green | Love, compassion, forgiveness |
Throat | Throat | Blue | Self-expression, honest communication |
Third eye | Between the eyebrows | Indigo | Intuition, insight |
Crown | Top of the head | Violet | Spiritual connection, meaning |
These are traditional associations, not medical facts. Some practitioners also link the solar plexus with digestion, but a session cannot diagnose or treat digestive issues. For more on each centre, see our guides to the root chakra, the sacral chakra, the solar plexus chakra, and the heart chakra.
Experiences vary greatly. Many people feel deep relaxation, warmth, or gentle tingling. Some feel emotional and cry or laugh, while others see colours or images. Afterwards, clients often say they feel lighter and more centred.
Some people feel nothing at all, and that is perfectly normal. How much you feel is not a measure of whether the session was worthwhile.
A typical session lasts around 60 to 80 minutes, depending on the practitioner and the techniques used. There is no medical standard for how often to have one. Some people book a single session during a stressful time, while others return every few weeks or months as part of their self-care.
Both are forms of energy healing, and they often overlap. Reiki is a Japanese practice that works with a general flow of energy, usually through light touch or hands held just above the body. Chakra balancing is more specific, because the practitioner moves through the seven energy centres one by one and may use colour, crystals, or sound bowls along the way.
If you want a wider view of the field, our guide on how to become an energy healer compares the main approaches.
This is a health-adjacent topic, so it deserves a straight answer. There is no scientific evidence that chakras exist, and no meaningful way to measure them. Chakra balancing is a complementary wellness practice, not a treatment for any condition.
The calm many people feel is real, though, and it likely comes from the parts of a session that have some research behind them. The National Center for Complementary and Integrative Health reports that meditation and mindfulness can help with stress and anxiety, although much of the research is preliminary.
In short, a session can be a pleasant way to relax and reflect. It should not be relied on to treat anxiety, pain, or any health problem.
For most healthy adults, a gentle session carries little risk. A few points are worth knowing:
Emotions can surface during relaxation and breathwork. Tell your practitioner if anything feels overwhelming.
Meditation can occasionally increase anxiety. In one review, about 8 percent of participants reported a negative effect.
See your GP for persistent pain, anxiety, or low mood, and never stop prescribed treatment.
Choose a practitioner with trauma-informed training. Our guide to trauma-informed spiritual coaching explains what that looks like.
Yes, in a simple way. Daily practices such as meditation, journaling, affirmations, and mindful breathing give you many of the same calming benefits. Our guides on five easy ways to balance your chakras and how chakras can balance your emotions are good starting points.
Choose a trained, accredited practitioner and ask what to expect.
Wear comfortable clothes and avoid a heavy meal beforehand.
Set a simple intention, such as rest or clarity.
Drink water afterwards and give yourself quiet time.
If a session sparks your curiosity, you can train to offer them. Our IPHM-accredited Chakra Balancing and Energy Healing Diploma covers all seven chakras across nine modules, including colour therapy, crystals, meditations, and affirmations. It is self-paced; most students finish in around 3 to 6 months, and graduates are eligible for professional insurance via Westminster Global.
Not sure where to begin? Our guide on how to become a chakra healing practitioner in the UK explains the full path.
You discuss your intentions, relax with slow breathing, and the practitioner works with each chakra using techniques such as near-body work, visualisation, crystals, or sound.
Most sessions last around 60 to 80 minutes, though this varies by practitioner.
Many people feel deeply relaxed, with warmth or tingling. Some feel emotional, and some feel nothing, which is normal.
No. Sessions are gentle and quiet. Tell your practitioner if anything feels uncomfortable.
No. There is no scientific evidence that chakras exist. It is a complementary relaxation practice, not a medical treatment.
No. You stay fully clothed throughout.
Whether you want to understand your own energy or build a practice helping others, the right training makes all the difference.
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