What is a chakra?
Based off Hindu/Yoga practices, a Chakra (Sanskrit "cakra") is an energy wheel or vortex. There are 7 of them along our spine. Each one affects various parts of out body, such as the organs and glands. When these are not aligned or if they become blocked, we can experience physical distress as a result. below I will cover Each of the 7 chakras, what they affect and how to tell if they are not aligned or if they are blocked, how to unblock them, a list of body parts that are affected by the chakra and a list of crystals that can be used to help during meditation.
Crown - "I Know" (Sahasrara)
The Crown chakra is the 7th chakra. This one is located at the top of the head. It is through this chakra that we are able to gain connection to the universe, divine creator, God, our higher self, however you may see it. Allowing this chakra to be opened enables a sense of self realization, personal development and the opportunity to explore the path your soul is meant to travel.
Color: Violet
Element: Thought
Body: mind
Crystals: clear quartz, amethyst, labradorite, lepidolite, sugilite, moon stone, selenite, herkimer diamond, charoite, howlite
Signs this chakra is blocked:
nervous system disorders
depression
feelings of separation
confusion
dissociation
anger
feeling un grounded
How to unblock this Chakra:
get out. simply go outside. be in nature. be barefoot in the woods, sit in dirt, soak up some sun.
meditation. any way that you can meditate, do it. rather it is in the shower, out side, in your room, in your office, find a way to calm your self,
affirmations. tell yourself things like "i am at peace", "i allow myself to be guided by a higher energy", "i let go of my ego"
When it it balanced:
Feelings of bliss
you are connected and present
open and receptive to information
loving
Third Eye - "I See" (Anja)
The third eye is the 6th chakra. This chakra is located at the center of the forehead, just above and between the eyebrows. Through this chakra, we are able to tap into our intuition. The third eye can work through meditations, dreams, astral projections, and insights from the universe. You may have heard the term "pineal gland", this is located at the center of our brains. Rene Descartes describes this as "the seat of the soul". Keeping this chakra balanced will allow us to see more than we could imagine; divine creation, view past the 3d world we live in, remove veils that hide other realms from us. As some one with the gift of sight myself, making sure to keep this particular chakra aligned and balanced and spinning as it should is a must.
Color: Indigo
Element: light/spiritual center
Body: eyes, pineal gland, pituitary gland, brain, base of skull, brow, face, lymphatic and endocrine systems
Crystals: blue tigers eye, soladite, fluorite, kyanite, amethyst, blue apatite, labradorite, lepidolite, ametrine, lapis lazuli, sodalite, hag stone, clear and blue quartz, obsidian
Signs this Chakra is Blocked:
headaches above the brow
vision problems
denial
easily manipulated
lack of direction and clarity
nightmares
anxiety
How to unblock this chakra:
let go of ego
healthy eating (purple potatoes, blackberries, plums, purple grapes)
meditation; a good practice for this is to sit comfortably, concentrate on your breathing for 5-10 breaths, make sure you keep your breathing steady. focus on the location of your third eye. Sometimes I use tiger balm on this spot, just a tiny touch of it. keep breathing and keep focusing on your third eye. use visualization to help maintain focus and do your best to hold the imagery of your choice in mind. You should begin to actually feel your third eye tingle or vibrate.
pay attention to your dreams. simply trying to pay attention to them would be enough. its a form of focus which brings attention to the 3rd eye.
use crystals when you meditate. anything that is purple or in the purple family. Lay comfortably and place it on your third eye to use it during meditation.
When it is balanced:
Intuition is heightened
imagination is wild
you gain clarity of the mind
Throat Chakra - "I speak" (Vishuddha)
The Throat chakra is the 5th chakra and is located at the center of the throat. It contributes to communication and speech. Spinning between the third eye and heart chakras, we are able to communicate through both freely. If this is not properly aligned, the things we say about what we think or feel may be miscommunicated, which can be an issue when speaking to loved ones or in professional settings. The throat chakra also plays a vital role in how we perceive the world around us.
Color: Blue/light blue
Element: Ether/Sky
Body: throat, respiratory system, teeth, vocal chord, thyroid, lungs, arms, heart, blood system
Crystals: turqouis, lapis lazuli, amazonite, aquamarine, angelite, blue apatite, sodalite
Signs this chakra is blocked:
raspy voice
thyroid problems
moodiness
issues with teeth or gums
respiratory system issues
stiff neck
ear/hearing problems
fear of speaking out
feelings of being misunderstood, or unheard
How to unblock this chakra:
add more blue to your life. wear it, paint it, bathe in it, decorate with it
do neck stretches
perform the bija mantra. this can be done by chanting the word "ham" get comfy any way you can and take a few deep breaths. next, as you exhale, say the word "ham" for as long as you can exhale.
write. write anything. as I mentioned above, the throat chakra is a link between the heart and third eye chakras. simply expressing yourself in writing is a great way to help find balance.
When it is balanced:
you will not only appear trust worthy, but you will be trust worthy
good communication
calm
honest
expressive
Heart Chakra - "I Love" (Anahata)
The heart chakra is the 4th chakra. It is located in the center of the chest. This one, in my opinion is the most important chakra to keep open, aligned and balanced. It guides us on our paths of love. Not just love of others, but self love. It governs our emotional development, relationships and acceptance. As humans, we all experience heart break. Rather in our childhood, our young adult life, or even as old folks. this can and will cause the heart chakra to become unaligned. Healing from heart break begins with opening and balancing this chakra.
Color: Green
Element: Air
Body: circulatory system, lungs, heart, shoulders, thymus, immune system
Crystals: emerald, jade, amazonite, green aventurine, malachite, rhodochrosite, rhodonite, rose quartz
Signs this chakra is blocked:
lacking empathy,
feelings of bitterness, hate, jealousy
trust issues
depression
troubled relationships
lack of self-discipline
resentment
over all lack of happiness
How to unblock this chakra:
positive affirmations such as "I am open to love", "I love myself", I have an open heart"
certain yoga poses (I'm no yoga expert, use caution and such if you try anything new)
write yourself a love letter telling you everything you love about you.
Volunteer some place. This sounds crazy, but sometimes volunteering can be benefiting to you as well as those you help. By the end of the day after you volunteer, you feel good about yourself, you may be humbled, less jealous, less angry, and those you helped also developed a positive repor with you.
guided meditation. With the awakening of our generation, who have become so open to spirituality, it is not hard to find a guided meditation online. I love this one.
Eat your greens. we cant fully rely on balanced chakras for our health and well being. eating healthy is also part of having a balanced chakra.
mantra chanting
use sound. once of my favorite people in history, Nicola Tesla once said "if you want to find the secrets of the universe, think in terms of frequency, energy and vibration" a good frequency to listen to to help open the heart chakra is 341.3 Hz. this one is associated with air. However, you could also listen to 528Hz. This one is known as the "love" frequency.
When it is balanced:
peacefulness
loving/feel loved
generous
compassionate
relationships and challenges are easy and enjoyable
acceptance of self
Solar Plexus Chakra - "I Can" (Manipura)
The Solar Plexus is the 3rd Chakra. It is located below the chest. This chakra is linked to the ability to achieve goals, adapt, and enforce a sense of personal empowerment. Providing also, the means for self awareness. Being more self aware also helps to create a sense of purpose. Keeping this chakra balanced could help answer questions such as why, how and when. This is the chakra that our inner power and our ego comes from. Our ability to transform in any manner relies on the Solar Plexus.
Color: Yellow
Element: Fire
Body: Central nervous system, skin, pancreas, liver, digestive tract, gall bladder
Crystals: golden heliodor, calcite tigers eye, citrine, rutilated/clear and lemon quartz, pyrite, yellow jasper, amber, yellow topaz
Signs this chakra is blocked:
low self-esteem
feeling powerless
pessimistic
over analytical
control issues
manipulative behaviors
misuse of power
gal bladder and stomach issues
digestive problems
feeling over-responsible for others
How to unblock this chakra:
stating affirmations like "I feel motivated to pursue my purpose" or "I forgive myself for past mistakes and I learn from them."
Heal from the past. This one is never easy. It may require therapy, meds, yoga, anything. I want to tell you though, that it is absolutely OK to seek therapy. anyone and every could make use of it. Don't ever let anyone tell you that therapy is not worth it.
get 20-30 minutes of sun every chance you get.
meditate
chanting
When it is balanced:
self confidence
confident
in control
ambitious
joyful
easy-going
Sacral Chakra - "I Feel" (Svadhisthana
This chakra is the 2nd chakra. It is located below the navel. The Sacral chakra drives our creative and sexual energies. Our sexuality, movement, emotions and pleasure all stem from this one. Enthusiasm and a strong sense of self esteem are carried through this chakra as well. Joy of life, dreams and expression are also fostered through this. When properly aligned, the sacral allows you to embrace your own body, to fully accept it as it is.
Color: Orange
Element: Water
Body: kidneys, bowels, reproductive organs, immune system, bladder
Crystals: carnelian, sun stone, tigers eye, citrine, coral, carnelian, moon stone, amber, gold stone, quartz
Signs this Chakra is blocked
anxiety
jealousy
guilt
lack of sexual desire
reproductive problems
UTI
problems accepting love
lack of healthy boundries
controlling through sexual energy
uterine, bladder and kidney trouble
no creativity
emotional isolation
How to unblock this chakra:
affirmations such as "I attract relationships with loving people who support me", "my body is vibrant and I am comfortable in it", "I embrace change and make the best of my future"
reconnect with water by swimming or sitting near a body of water
get creative and try new things
dance or stretch, anything that can open the hips
meditation
When it is balanced:
playful energy
inspired
pleasure in all areas of life
confidence in yourself and your creations
healthy libido
healthy and loving relationships
optimistic
Root Chakra - "I Am" (Muladhara)
The root chakra is the 1st one and is located at the base of the spine. Muladhara is considered to be the source of our Kundilini energy. Look at this one as the framework of a house, your house. By having an open root chakra, we are able to reconnect with the earth. This chakra plays a big role in how secure we feel as well as how peaceful we feel with ourselves as well as the world around us. This one is what we will lean on to gather stability in our life, a sort of base for all things to start. It is connected to our need for survival, as well as our sense of belonging.
Color: Red
Element:
Body:
Crystals: carnelian, quartz, hematite, bloodstone, tourmaline, jasper, smoky quartz, garnet, amethyst, agate, jet, amazonite, rhodonite, charoite, citrine, kyanite,
Signs This Chakra is blocked:
fearful
anxious
self pity/doubt
aggressive
greedy
lust for power
cynical
materialistic
fear
back and joint pain
sciatica
insecurity
How to unblock this chakra:
affirmations like "I am always safe"
reconnect with earth
grounding
heal from past insecurity
meditation
follow guided visual meditations
this one sounds crazy, but I have tried this with much success, use a metal spoon and rub that from the ball of your foot (under your toes) down to your heel.
When it is balanced:
safe/secure
centered/grounded
happy to be alive
In conclusion, the best way to balance your chakras will boil down to affirmations, yoga, meditation and of course, a healthy diet. One thing I did not include was a list of all the foods for each chakra. That one is pretty simple to figure out, simply go for natural foods that are the same color as the chakra. For example, you can add carrots to your diet for help in balancing your sacral chakra, leafy greens for your heart chakra, squash for your solar plexus chakra and so on. As always, seek medical attention for things that are seriously wrong before trying to treat yourself via chakra balancing, attempting certain yoga positions or changing your diet.
If there is anything that is wrong in this article, or you would like to add to it or simply have any questions, feel free to reach out to me via email at info.odinscrows@gmail.com
Thanks for reading!
Merry Meet and Merry Part