Chakras

The Sanskrit word Chakra literally translates to wheel or disk. In yoga, meditation, and the practise of Ayurveda, this term refers to wheels of energy throughout the body.

In the human body there are seven main chakras. These chakras start from the base of the spine and move up through the crown of the head. To visualize what a chakra looks like imagine seven swirling wheels of energy each resonating its own colour. Chakras are a point where matter and consciousness meet within each person. They aid our physical, mental, and spiritual bodies to connect together and heal. This invisible healing energy, called Prana, is vital life force, which keeps us vibrant, healthy, and alive.

The state of our chakras are an essential part of our daily experiences. They are the bridge that takes us from the deepest most basic aspects of life into higher realms of healing. Each chakra has an area within the body it corresponds to as well as emotions it resonates with. If our thoughts, feelings, and ideas are blocked, our energy field will be blocked.  Blocked chakras or out of balance chakras may wobble or shrink in size. 

Chakras are a bridge for the mind to connect to the body via the pathway of energy.  The smallest unhealthy idea will grow and develops in our energy field and then we can experience negative emotional patterns or feelings that may make us feel drained physically.  Everything is connected and effects each aspect of ourselves. 

If chakras stay out of balance for long enough the affects on the body can be catastrophic. Without a healthy balance of life force energy, we experience physical, emotional & mental imbalance and illnesses may follow. The body will feel dis-eased and disease can manifest and take hold physically.  When our energies are balanced, we feel strong and grounded. When we are out of balance, we may feel insecure and uprooted. The longer we remain out of balance, the more disease can infiltrate into the human body. Identifying chakras that are out of balance before the affects are felt in the physical body is vital to healing ourselves. 

Everyone has the potential to have a relatively balanced chakra system. Recognising the ego’s role in creating blocks in this energy system is paramount to creating a balance. For example, most children are taught “don’t talk to strangers” as we grow this belief system usually dissolves. The mind recognises that this is a belief that is no longer valid and no longer serves us.  It no longer governs our beliefs and therefore it does not affect our energy systems. People who have completed a lot of energy healing work or were lucky in their upbringing may be relatively balanced but with a small amount of guidance anyone can heal. 

Chakras need to be thought of as the blueprint for your own self-care. They need to be re-aligned regularly.  This can be achieved through clearing negative thoughts and patterns. Meditating, yoga, and other natural forms of energy work can help achieve a balanced system. Some people prefer to have a regular routine to ensure they do not fall out of alignment and others prefer to wait until their bodies begin to fell out of alignment before balancing and clearing their energy systems. The choice is yours but once you start to keep a regular routine you’ll know right away when to tend to your chakras. 

Activities that can influence our chakras health are:  

• Physical exercises – Yoga, dance, massage, chiropractic adjustments
• Visualisation – colour therapy, guided visualisation
• Breathing practices - breathing meditations
• Chanting – mantra repetition, vibrational healing music
• Relationship – sharing energy through relationships
• Energy Healing, such as Reiki, angel therapy, crystal therapy, dousing, aromatherapy 
• Meditation – guided meditation, affirmations, Positive thinking 
• Outer life – Diet, nature 

What does someone with a healthy chakra system look like? 

         *  Grounded and has a healthy relationship with their physical body 

         *  Aware of their emotions without being ruled by them 

         *  In good health and vitality 

         *  Sexually content / sexually respectful without being sexually driven and disrespectful

         *  They would have confidence without dominating others 

         *  Compassionate and loving, yet centered and peaceful

         *  Can communicate feelings or ideas with truth and clarity and be able to listen to others 

         *  Does not judge and is understanding of differences

         *  Has an imagination, wisdom, and a personal connection with spirit 

This is the perfection we hope to strive towards.  Each person has the means to achieve it. It takes time patience and dedication, but it is possible. T he main thing to remember is that the mind, body, and spirit working together in a holistically with the seven chakras allows the chakra system to become one.

What blocks a Chakra 

There are many things that can block a chakra. Childhood traumas, cultural conditioning, limited belief system, bad habits, physical and emotional injuries or even just lack of attention all contribute to chakra blockage. Depending on the cause different chakras will be affected.  Each chakra governs different emotions, physicality issues and spiritual vibrations. 

In everyday life we can encounter many difficulties, for every problem, we develop a coping strategy. If these difficulties continue, these coping tactics become repetitive patterns and eventual anchor in the body and psyche as defense structures. The first part of healing is to recognise a problem exists. It is important to be familiar with the blocks we carry, find, and recognize their source and why they have emerged. Once we know this, we can develop tools to heal them. 

To restore balance in your chakras you must first tune into your emotions and how you are feeling. Once you have done this you can figure out which chakra needs attention. For example, if you are feeling low in energy and tired you can use the yoga pose that targets the navel area to re-energize and re-align the chakra or chakras that are affected. This pose is shown under solar plexus chakra section on this page. If you are feeling anxious and nervous you can try the root chakra pose to help rebalance your emotions and your chakras. If you are feeling like you need more courage to speak your truth, the right poses can open and stimulate the throat chakra. 

ROOT CHAKRA

This chakra is all about survival, physicality, grounding, and the tribe energy. 

Therefore, this Chakra manifests strongly in the motivation to ensure personal survival by way of food, rest, and sexual expression. Spiritually, the base chakra has to do with protection of individual integrity. Building a solid foundation supports everything else you do. Healthy social and family relationships indicate that the solid foundations within your chakra system have created a positive effect on your physical, emotional, and spiritual health. 

This chakra is associated with water and balance. When it is in balance, we feel like we are full of ideas and ideas just flow. When its not balanced we feel rigid and emotionally weak like a plant that needs watering.  

Emotional Challenges: fear, abandonment, restlessness, lack of energy, loss of interest in the real world or practical survival skills, volatile emotions, obsession with one thing, selfishness, insecurity, anxiety

Physical challenges:: Rectal problems, conditions that affect the feet, knees, and hips, arthritis, osteoporosis and other bone problems, depression, restless, feeling “spacey”, unfocused mind, frequent fear, difficulty with stillness, hoarding, greed, overweight, underweight.

Emotional Outcomes: feel secure, effortless daily life, confidence, work with the world not against it, no doubt about your place in the world, relationships, money or career. 

Physical Outcome: strong and healthy lower back muscles and spin, healthy digestive tract, urinary tract, bowels, hips and legs, healthy weight. 

Affirmation for the Root Chakra: I am safe.

SACRAL CHAKRA
This chakra is all about emotional connection, creativity, pleasure, healthy sexuality when connected to emotional need, relationships, reproduction, maternal and paternal experiences, self-nurturing. The colour associated with the sacral chakra is Orange. Orange symbolizes energy. It is a combination of red (for personality) and yellow (for wisdom). Orange integrates these to help us overcome anger and develop self-control. 

Emotional Challenges: guilt, feeling stuck, not taking responsibility for our emotion, including blame and feelings of guilt, not open to receive pleasure, poor boundaries

Physical challenges: Bladder or kidney trouble, Ob/Gyn problems, pelvic pain, chronic menstrual cramping, problems with feminine reproductive organs.

Emotional Outcomes: express feeling openly and clearly, great self-confidence, you know your strengths and work on your weaknesses, take life as it comes, aware and happy about your sexuality, open to intimacy, great passion for life, live life to the fullest, healthy pleasure and desire. 

Physical Outcome: healthy abdomen, healthy bladder, regular pain free menstruation cycles, healthy kidneys and urinary tract, strong fertility, healthy ovaries, healthy prostate.

Affirmation for the Sacral Chakra: I live life to the fullest, with good health and vitality.

SOLAR PLEXUS

This chakra is the sense of identity. This Chakra is all about individuality, empowerment, personal power, confidence, mental learning, balances self-esteem. 

The solar plexus chakra is associated with the fire element because fire provides warmth and comfort, but also can cause fear and terror.  If aligned your self-esteem and confidence will grow while you take action and become more productive. When your solar plexus is blocked you can lack courage and have a low self-esteem and feel stuck and stale. By working on the solar plexus you can awaken your true personal inner power and work through your fears.   

Emotional Challenges: shame, governed by ego lack of concentration, difficult to make decisions, trouble judging a situation, trouble taking action or getting things done, low self-esteem, fear of rejection, over sensitivity, self-image fears, indecisiveness, overly aggressive, difficulty maintaining or obtaining personal power,  

Physical challenges: stomach and/or digestive disorders, intestinal disorders, diabetes, hypoglycaemia, indigestion, anorexia/bulimia, liver problems, and gallstones,  

Emotional Outcomes: complete awareness/control over your emotions and thoughts, control of ego mind, acceptance and surety of your place in the Universe, have self-love, great appreciation for people in your life, warm demeanour, feel warm and inviting to others, self-love, appreciation, strong will  

Physical Outcome: good digestion, controlled weight, healthy stomach, healthy blood, healthy strong ligaments, healthy pancreas, liver and kidney, healthy colon  

Affirmation for the Solar Plexus Chakra:  I am confident in all that I do. I am successful and release my creative energy into this Reality, effortlessly.  

HEART CHAKRA 

This chakra is all about expansion, freedom and growth, relationship connectedness, self acceptance, forgiveness, gratitude, love, compassion, emotional empowerment, hope. Located near the center of the breastbone or sternum, this chakra represents higher consciousness and love. 

The heart chakra acts as the balance point for all the chakras. It governs our relationships and how we interact with other people.  A balanced heart chakra is expressed in acceptance of self and others, personal values and ethics, following one's unique direction in life. With a balanced chakra unconditional love, forgiveness, acceptance, and compassion will be achievable. When the heart chakra is blocked you can become possessive and co-dependent and create a dysfunctional relationship with your nearest and dearest without realizing it. You may also feel isolated and create a fear of rejection.  

When this chakra is open and stimulated your voice moved through space like healing energy and helps you communicate your emotions in a healthy way. You become a better listener and hear in between the words listening to others and the emotions they are reflecting honoring their personal truths without judgement or personal emotions of your own.  

Emotional Challenges: Lack of self discipline, Difficulty in relationships, an attempt to live vicariously through another, Dependence on someone else for your happiness  

Physical challenges: Heart, lung conditions, pneumonia, chronic bronchitis, asthma, tuberculosis, breast cancer, despair, hate, envy, fear, jealousy, anger, shy, lack of empathy 

Emotional Outcomes: great compassion, kind, caring, understanding, joyous and outgoing, feeling completely at ease with yourself and the people in your life, understand others and accept them for who they are, you will not judge or be critical of their actions, enjoy solitude,  

Physical Outcome: healthy heart, good circulation, normal blood pressure 

Affirmation for the Heart Chakra:  I am an infinite being full of Divine Love, which I give freely and openly accept from others!  

THROAT CHAKRA 

This Chakra is all about creativity and communication. It is associated with creativity, self-expression and the search for truth. 

The Throat chakra is associated with thyroid gland, upper lungs and respiratory system. The throat chakra brings out your inner truth. The throat chakra allows us to communicate our thoughts and feelings. It is directly connected to the ability to express inner creativity. Both teaching and learning are affected by the balance of the throat chakra.  

Emotional Challenges: Difficulty expressing oneself, Poor learning ability, habitual lying, Fear, doubt, uncertainty, dishonesty or lying, criticism, excessive talking, inability to listen, fear of speaking 

Physical challenges: Sore throat, ear infections, swollen glands, thyroid dysfunctions, laryngitis, voice problems, deafness, cervical (neck) problems, TMJ,  

Emotional Outcomes: Communication (speaking and listening), creativity, learning to take responsibility for one's own needs, self expression, helpful, know what you want out of life and you are not afraid to ask for it, not afraid to express your weaknesses  

Physical Outcome: clear sinuses, strong healthy shoulders, flexible head and neck, healthy throat, healthy jaw, teeth and gums, healthy ears, healthy thyroid, relaxed body, non addictive behaviour

Affirmation for the Throat Chakra: I speak freely and with confidence.  

THIRD EYE CHAKRA  

This Chakra is all about gaining wisdom of true self, joy, insight, greater consciousness, non verbal communication, iintelligence and psychic power. 

Third eye chakra is associated with the pituitary gland, eyes, nose, ears and skeletal system. The brow chakra is directly related to your senses of sight and hearing. It has to do with perception. It is the seat of understanding that affects how we see the world we live in and how we make sense of what is being perceived.  

The third eye chakra is all about intuition or the sixth sense and it governs how the rest of the chakras function. When it is blocked you feel mistrust, cynical and too attached to logic rather than intuition. Working to open your sixth sense means you open your mind to the deeper meanings of existence and you see things from a different perspective to ordinary ideas. An open third eye helps you receive messages from your subconscious that your ordinary senses can not.   

Emotional Challenges: Jumping to conclusions, Confusion, Indecision, lack of perception, inability to see the bigger picture in life situations

Physical challenges: Brain tumours, strokes, blindness, migraine headaches, blindness and other eye problems, confusion, difficulty concentrating poor memory, poor vision, denial

Emotional Outcomes: opening up to Universal Knowledge, understand that you are the Creator in your Reality, higher states of consciousness, astral travel, out of body experiences, receive messages from your Spirit Guides, Angels and other Enlightened Beings, intuitive, great memory learn without a problem

Physical Outcome: healthy clear Brain, healthy viens, healthy eyes healthy ears, healthy spine, calm, controlled nausea, clear sinuses, balanced hormones, healthy inner ear

Affirmation for the Third Eye Chakra: I can see and think clearly, I see that all is well in my world.  

CROWN CHAKRA 

This chakra is all about recognizing the All-that-is, letting our light shine, rising above human needs, understanding the eternal life, letting go and moving on, the concept of holographic universe, the connectedness of all things. 

The crown chakra is the body's primary co-ordination center. It ensures a connection to universal sources of energy and with the world as a whole. A balanced crown chakra allows for expanded awareness on an emotional level. The crown chakra signifies illumination.  The crown chakra is connected to beauty itself and the spiritual realm. 

This chakra helps you understand who you are beyond your physical self. It is not located in the body but above like a halo or crown on the head. When this chakra is closed you think happiness comes from the material world and is found outside of you. To strive for happiness, you try to collect material things and happiness like this is never lasting. Working on this chakra helps you to achieve internal happiness without being attached to the material world. It therefore helps you feel free in any situation you encounter.  

Emotional Challenges: Co-ordination difficulties, Poor balance and clumsiness, An attempt to stop new thoughts (in self or others), Lack of spiritual exploration, selfishness, lack of commitment, lack of inspiration, 

Physical challenges: Lack of understanding, confusion, learning difficulties, chronic exhaustion not associated with physical ailments, lack of purpose, loss of meaning or identity, spiritual addiction, denial of spirituality and lack of trust in divine, 

Emotional Outcomes: great intuitive knowledge, wisdom, aware of your spiritual self, selfless, devoted to the well-being of others because you see them as a part of you, rather than as separate

Physical Outcome: healthy muscles, energized, enjoy sunshine, comfortable in all environments

Affirmation for the Crown Chakra: I trust my inner knowing to guide me through life.