Chakras are intersections where energy centers located on the front and back of your body from different body parts converge. When the chakras are open and flowing at the right frequency, they can improve your physical, emotional, and mental health. But if a chakra is blocked or unbalanced, it can cause discomfort and symptoms in all areas of your life.
The root chakra is positioned at the base of your spine and it’s the foundation of your entire system. Symptoms of a blocked/imbalanced root chakra include anxiety, low self-esteem, and fear. Emotionally, it can cause you to live with a scarcity mindset or victim mentality, and physically it can show up as lower back pain, bowel problems, sciatica, hips, or bladder issues.
If the sacral chakra is out of balance, you may feel emotionally explosive and irritable or find yourself not connecting to other people. You may also have difficulty expressing yourself creatively or you might feel like you lack sexual desire or sensuality. When the sacral chakra is balanced, you feel joyful and generous and have a sense of playfulness.
Blocked or unbalanced Vishuddha chakra can cause throat or thyroid problems. Emotionally, you may struggle with feelings of guilt, jealousy, or fear of speaking your truth authentically. When the chakra is healthy, you will have good relationships and be able to communicate clearly.
What happens when you heal chakras?
When balanced, aligned, and unblocked, chakras energize and harmonize your mind, body, and spirit. When they’re blocked or out of balance, however, your energy flow is disrupted, and you may experience specific mental and physical problems.
To heal chakras, you can practice various yoga poses and wellness practices. Any activity that improves the flow of energy throughout the entire chakra chain can help bring your body back into balance. You can also work with a certified chakra healer or spiritual teacher who provides exercises and experiences specifically designed to stimulate and balance your energy centers.
The first chakra, for example, is associated with survival and basic security, so it’s essential to keep it healthy. Blocked energy in this area can lead to feeling unbalanced, ungrounded, and anxious. It can also cause you to pay too much attention to material things and create unhealthy attachments, such as money, sex, drugs, and food.
Spending time in nature and listening to soothing music can help you feel more grounded and secure, which will benefit the root chakra. You can also meditate with specific chakra affirmations to rebalance the energy in this area of your body.
Stretching is another way to release blockages in the chakras, particularly the root, and sacral. To clear the root chakra, for instance, try a head-to-knee forward bend that’s similar to a hamstring stretch. You can find these stretches in many different types of yoga and also by practicing some simple stretching techniques at home.
Does chakra give you Power?
The chakras are seven key points in the body-vortexes of energy that run along your spine. When they’re balanced and free-flowing, you’re empowered to feel at ease, peaceful, and connected with creation. The chakras are believed to be the portals through which our vital life force (prana) flows.
Chakras are also known as “energy centers” and they’re based on the concept of polarity, a balance between the divine feminine and masculine. The energy is said to move up and down the spine in a similar way that your blood moves through the body’s veins. There are three main nadis, or energy pathways, that run up and down the spine: ida, Pingala, and Sushumna.
To stimulate the earth chakra, walk barefoot on the ground (preferably outside) and focus on the sensation of the soil under your feet. You can also try chanting, which helps increase the earth element in your system. You can find chanting recordings online, but it’s also best to chant in groups or with a teacher, as the experience is more powerful that way.
To activate the throat chakra, rest a blue stone like lapis lazuli on your neck. The throat chakra is associated with truthful expression. It’s thought that people with blockages to this chakra may be unable to speak their truth or may have difficulty expressing emotions. The third eye chakra is located at the center of the forehead and governs intuition. When open, you can trust your gut instincts and get a sixth sense of sorts about people and situations. To nurture this chakra, you can practice meditation or hypnosis and use indigo hues in your home decor (think a purple pillowcase or indigo rugs).
What religion is associated with Chakras?
You’ve probably heard about chakras at a yoga class or seen them on TV. They’re spinning forces of energy that run down your spine. Each one is believed to correlate with a different emotional or physical health issue. You can also find them mentioned in New Age books and yogic practices. Some even believe that if your chakras are imbalanced you will struggle with addiction.
The modern Western chakra system arose in multiple places, starting with Madame Blavatsky and the Theosophical movement in the 1880s. Then Charles Webster Leadbeater wrote his book ‘The Chakras in 1927. He drew on traditional concepts from Tantra and Indian religious culture and combined them with occult interpretations.
These chakras are centers of energy within the auric field (a human aura) that are said to spin and transform energy throughout our body and mind. They’re believed to be influenced by the Five Elements – Earth, Water, Fire, Air, and Space – and a host of psychological states.
Most chakra systems are associated with deity energies, as well. The most common are Ganesh, Brahma, Vishnu, Rudra, Isvara, and Sadasiva. The highest chakra is Sahasrara, where the kundalini rises through the spinal column to enlightenment and is enthroned at the crown of the head. These deities are referred to as the Cause-deities. The spiritual belief is that these energies influence the body’s physical and mental health and can lead to a mystical experience.
What are the symptoms of Chakra Opening?
The chakras (or chakram) are spinning wheels of brilliant energy that line up along the central channel of our subtle body, the shushumna nadi. When these vital centers open, the yogic path of awakening to consciousness leads to spiritual knowledge and enlightenment.
The root chakra is the foundation of our well-being and is responsible for stability, focus, self-appreciation, and connection to the outside world. Any disruption to this chakra can affect all other chakras. When this is the case, some common symptoms indicate that energy needs to be restored to balance.
If you feel like everything is crashing down around you, you may be experiencing an imbalance in the root chakra. You can work to bring this chakra into balance through the practice of yoga, meditation, breathing exercises, chanting mantras, and a healthy diet.
When the heart chakra opens, you become more aware of your feelings and can express love in all forms. This includes self-love, compassion for others, and the love of nature. You also develop a more mature relationship with food, choosing healthier options and avoiding junk foods altogether.
As you move up the chakra ladder, you’ll find your intuition is heightened. You’ll be able to get a gut feeling about people and situations without even thinking about them. You’ll know whether something is good or bad and you will follow your instinct. You’ll often see geometric patterns or colors in your dreams and experiences, as these are signs of an activated pineal gland.
How to clean your Chakras?
If you’ve taken a yoga class, experienced an energy healing session like reiki, or simply watched a few YouTube videos on the subject, then you know that chakras are the energetic centers of spinning energy in our bodies. They correspond to nerves/organs, and when they are open and unblocked, they contribute to our overall health. However, if the chakras are full of bad energy, you may feel drained, run down, and unlike yourself.
To balance and cleanse the chakras, you can use yoga poses, meditation, affirmations, and pranayama. However, there are also simple things you can do in your daily life that will help the process.
The root chakra is associated with the element of earth, so any activity that connects you to the grounding earth will support a healthy cleanse for this area. Spring cleaning your house, gardening, or playing in the park are just a few examples. Similarly, the sacral chakra is associated with water, so a swim, a soak in a tub, or even a shower can be a great way to rebalance this energy center.
Visualize each chakra as glowing its respective color, and imagine beams of light traveling through them. Repeat the visualization with each of the seven chakras to complete a comprehensive, but effortless, chakra cleansing exercise.
