Chakras
From the Sanskrit for “wheel” or “circle”, the word “chakra” refers to each of the seven centers in the human body to which we are connected spiritually. They are also the centers from which life energy, also called prana or chi, flows, and keeping our chakras open and free from blockages will allow us to increase our chi and avoid becoming spiritually and energetically depleted. It is also important to maintain a balance of the chakras, keeping them aligned and allowing life energy to flow freely throughout the body, which helps to maintain our physical, emotional, and spiritual health.
The Subtle Body
Chakras are not part of our physical body, but our spiritual or energy body, also known as the subtle body. The subtle body, according to the most revered Hindu text, The Bhagavad Gita, is composed not of tissue, blood, and bone, but of our mind, intellect, and soul. Although our chakras cannot be physically touched, they impact our physical beings significantly due to their connection to our life energy.
The Seven Chakras
There are seven chakras in our subtle body which start at the base of the spinal cord and ascend to the top of the head. Each chakra corresponds to a different energy center and has a different role and location in the body. The chakras are also related to the seven colors of the rainbow. Below is a brief explanation of each chakra along with its color, Sanskrit name, and location in the body:
- ROOT CHAKRA – RED – “Muladhara”
The root chakra is located at the very base of the spine. When seated in a Yoga pose, it is what is most closely connected to the earth and “roots” us physically to it. The root chakra is associated with our survival instinct and the fulfillment of our basic needs for food, water, and shelter. When we feel insecure in our ability to survive, we may experience feelings of anxiety which can inhibit our potential for spiritual connectedness and growth. A balanced root chakra engenders feelings of safety and emotional security.
- SACRAL CHAKRA – ORANGE – “Swadhishtana”
The sacral chakra, located between the root chakra and the navel in the lower abdomen, is related to all things pleasurable and fulfilling. When our sacral chakra is in balance, we feel a sense of happiness and emotional well-being, and we can consummately enjoy physical things such as food, sexuality, and the presence of others around us. The sacral chakra is also closely related to our creative center. An unbalanced sacral chakra may result in behavior that is addictive and potentially harmful. Conversely, it can also result in an inability to find joy in things we normally do and a lack of desire to create.
- SOLAR PLEXUS CHAKRA – YELLOW – “Manipura”
The third chakra is connected to our sense of self-worth and self-esteem. The solar plexus chakra can also be the source of our motivation and decision-making; having a balanced solar plexus chakra can help us find equilibrium between stagnancy and movement. A blocked solar plexus chakra may result in either charging ahead when we shouldn’t or inaction when action should be taken.
- HEART CHAKRA – GREEN – “Anahata”
The heart chakra, found along the spinal column just above the level of the physical heart, is related, unsurprisingly, to our feelings of compassion, unconditional love, and forgiveness—towards both ourselves and others. When our heart chakra is out of balance, we may lack necessary boundaries, embracing things or people we shouldn’t or we may find we have an inability to feel compassion or love. Located at the very center of all the seven chakras, the heart chakra is also referred to as “Dharma” in Esoteric Buddhism and is part of The Four Noble Truths or fundamentals of the teachings of The Buddha.
- THROAT CHAKRA – BLUE – “Vishuddha”
The throat chakra, located in the divot just above the center of the collarbone, is the hub of our communication ability and allows us to confer our thoughts, feelings, and truths to others in a way that is clear, concise, and kind. A balanced throat chakra ensures that we can express ourselves in a way that others can receive and understand and allows us to hear others from a place of compassion and understanding. When our throat chakra is closed, we may find ourselves speaking either too much, unclearly or in an unkind way. An imbalance in our throat chakra may also be evident when we feel unable to express ourselves and prefer silence over potentially being misunderstood.
- THIRD EYE CHAKRA – INDIGO – “Ajna”
In Sanskrit, the word “ajna” translates to “perceive” or “beyond wisdom”. Our third eye chakra is located right between the eyebrows, and it is here from which our sense of intuition originates. When our third eye chakra is at its most open, we may be able to experience the gift of clairvoyance and other psychic abilities. An open sixth chakra corresponds with having a sixth sense—possessing the ability to somehow know or feel something which is not physically seen, felt, tasted, smelled or heard. Those for whom the third eye chakra is completely (or mostly) unblocked are usually more spiritually enlightened beings, and psychically gifted. When the third eye chakra is totally or mostly blocked, we are unable to perceive anything outside of the five senses and are likely overly analytical with a tendency to intellectualize every part of life.
- CROWN CHAKRA – VIOLET – “Sahaswara”
Also called the “thousand-petal lotus” chakra, the crown chakra is located at the utmost top of the head. Achieving openness of the crown chakra is the objective for those seeking spiritual enlightenment and it is associated with a state of pure consciousness. The crown chakra is also affiliated with divinity and reaching the highest levels of spirituality. Those of us with a completely blocked crown chakra have no interest in spirituality or enlightenment, and probably have no belief in the existence of a reality outside the physical world. It takes most of us many years of study to develop an understanding of spirituality and the daily practice of spiritual connectedness in order to fully open the crown chakra, and many of us will find achieving this very difficult (if not impossible) even after much effort.
Finding Blocked and Open Chakras
When you feel an imbalance in your life, be it physical, emotional, or mental, you will know that one or more of your chakras are closed or out of balance. Referring to the seven chakras and their corresponding affiliations, ask yourself if any of them apply to your current situation. Your answer may be different each day and chakras can become blocked or imbalanced based what we are dealing with (or our ability to deal with it) on a given day.
For example, if you feel you are having difficulty expressing yourself in a way that others are receptive to, you may find your throat chakra is blocked. Feeling like you are having trouble making decisions about your life or feeling a sense of immobility may mean that you have an imbalance in your solar plexus chakra. When you feel physically, emotionally, and spiritually balanced, your chakras are probably open and aligned for the most part.
How Spiritual Healers Can Help Unblock and Balance Our Chakras
If you are having trouble determining whether your chakras are open and/or balanced, you may want to seek assistance from a professional energy healer or spiritual healer who is trained in finding and repairing any misalignment and/or blockages of the chakras. A trained spiritual healer may use a variety of methods to heal your chakras, usually employing one or more of the following techniques: chakra massage, guided meditation, chakra stones, and/or a Tibetan singing bowl (a bowl which makes a “singing” tone when sounded). Once you’ve had the chance to have a professional energy healing and chakra balancing done, you may feel confident enough to take on the task yourself so that you can balance or open your chakras in the privacy of your own home. This can be done through meditation with a focus on the chakra you feel needs balancing or unblocking. It may help to place your hand over the chakra you are working on to help you maintain your focus during meditation.
How Often Should Chakras Be Balanced?
It’s important to note that we rarely achieve perfection in balancing and opening our chakras, and even if we do, maintaining this level of perfection is nearly impossible for all of us but the most enlightened. We will likely need to re-balance and/or unblock our chakras fairly regularly, although you may find that more frequent chakra care will be necessary at times in your life when you are encountering more negative energy or personal difficulty. There may be other times during which you feel an overall sense of happiness, health, and balance, and your chakras are able to maintain a state of equilibrium and general openness. Take the time to listen to what your mind, body, and spirit are telling you, and use that information as a guide to help you maintain a state of physical, mental, and spiritual balance.
© 2017 5th Dimensional Quantum Healing & Awareness by Author: Roisin Herrera