Understanding Chakras
Chakras, the energy centers within our bodies, play a vital role in maintaining balance and well-being. When aligned and healthy, they can help improve mental clarity, emotional stability, and physical vitality. By nurturing your chakras through practices like meditation, yoga, or mindfulness, you can cultivate a deeper connection to yourself and enhance your overall quality of life. Discover the empowering benefits of balanced chakras and unlock your true potential.
Chakras are considered energy centers within the body, originating from ancient Indian traditions of yoga and meditation. There are seven main chakras, each aligning along the spine from the base to the crown of the head. These are the root, Sacral, Solar Plexus, Heart, Throat, Third Eye, and Crown chakras. Each chakra is associated with specific physical, emotional, and spiritual functions, as well as particular colors and elements. When these energy centers are balanced and aligned, they are believed to promote overall well-being, clarity, and inner peace. However, blockages or imbalances in the chakras can contribute to emotional stress, physical discomfort, or a sense of disconnection.
Practices like meditation, yoga, aromatherapy, and sound healing are often used to harmonize and energize the chakras, helping individuals feel more grounded, energized, and aligned in their daily lives. By focusing on maintaining balanced chakras, many find improvement in their mental, emotional, and spiritual health, leading to a more holistic sense of harmony and vitality..
The root chakra, Muladhara, is orange ruby red when healthy,and connects us to the center of the earth, via roots extending from the bottom of our feet. It moves in a clockwise direction and connects to the physical auric body. The adrenals, spinal column and kidneys are connected here, along with the legs, feet, and skeletal system. It is also connected to the muscle tissue and immune system. The note C activates it, while the note G helps balance it. The primordial sound here is OO, as in loot. Toning these notes helps open the root chakra.
Balancing crystals include obsidian, smoky quartz, hematite, carnelian, red jasper, garnet, ruby, and clear quartz. These stones help boost Ojas (immune system), and help muscle tissue, bones and blood to renew themselves.
When this chakra is out of balance, fear may become obsessive, which blocks this energy center. This can result in feeling scattered, spaced out, needing to be grounded. This shuts the root down. Standing barefoot on the earth and/or touching an adult tree immediately provides grounding.
When a person becomes overly focused on wealth and all its trappings, the root becomes wound up, with an inability to connect to the higher chakras, especially the heart chakras. This is why most billionaires seem to be suffering extreme malaise. Because their root chakras are over stimulated and their heart chakras are closed, they have lost the ability to empathize with others. Their focus is not on helping others, but is instead focused primarily on gaining more wealth, even though they will never be able to spend what they have in one lifetime.
This is where we are connected to all people, all of creation. Our basic survival instincts are rooted here, and connected to our hunter gatherer ancestors. Fears related to sufficient food, ability to keep a roof over your head, healthcare and transportation originate here. A four petal lotus blossom is its symbol. The etheric body is located here, which is an energy matrix which supports the physical body with its vital field. This energy matrix exists before our cells begin to form, and will continue to exist after our bodies are no longer bringing in Prana, in other words, deceased. Letting go of fear at this level and accepting the abundance which is our inherent birth right keeps this chakra open and vital.
Positive affirmations can help prevent imbalance or the shutting down here. Here are a few examples: " have everything I need, no complaints whatsoever," "The Universe knows my needs and provides them," and "I am one with all of creation and have nothing to fear." Having trust opens us up to manifestation.
Walking is the best exercise for balancing Muladhara. Parks, beaches, wildlife refuge, urban neighborhoods with lots of trees will have more healing impact than overly crowded, polluted, industrial areas. Fresh air and clean water provide vital sustenance for the body and increase stability. This chakra supports all the other chakras. Sitting around a campfire with a group of friends is an excellent activity to help strengthen Muladhara. So is hosting a potluck dinner, because our connection to one another originates in this energy center.
Questions to ask yourself when focusing on Muladhara include asking if you're eating enough nutritious food, maintaining a healthy schedule and lifestyle, and whether or not you're financially stable. If the answer to these questions is no, then ask yourself what actions you can take to resolve this, in order to create a more sustainable and healthy future for yourself. Trust in the Universe is our inherent birthright. All it requires is letting go of the fear which has been ingrained in your consciousness due to the Pragya-Apharad of the society in which you live in and is not the natural state of consciousness. We are all children of the Universe, with as much right to be here as every sentient being to exist on this beautiful blue planet.
The second chakra, Svatisthana, glows orange and is connected to the reproductive system and sexuality. It is located in the pelvic and lower abdominal area. It moves in an anti clockwise direction and connects to the etheric auric body. All our creativity comes from here. Women carry babies here. Art, song, music, poetry, writing, and hobbies all spring from the sacral chakra. All our sexuality and sensuality arise from this energy center. When it’s in balance, we have access to limitless amounts of pleasure. This is also where the energy for teaching. coaching, mentoring, as well as self-love and nourishing ourselves properly. Taking pleasure in that which we create strengthens and harmonizes Svatisthana, which opens us up to creating yet again. The primordial sound here is O, as in GO. The corresponding note is D, with A as complimentary. It’s located 6 cm (2.4”) below the navel and it helps regulate the ovaries or testes, kidneys, bladder, prostate, pelvis, bodily fluids, adrenal glands, large intestines and lower back/sacrum. It governs the gonads and the reproductive system.
When this chakra is weak or blocked it contributes to being overly critical of oneself and others, blocking ourselves from pleasure due to feelings of unworthiness. When this chakra is overstimulated, a person may be overly focused on sexuality, seeking temporary pleasure without the sustaining energy of mutual love and respect. People who abuse others sexually in any way are suffering from overstimulated" and "I am worthy of giving and receiving love, and I accept this in abundance right now".
Crystals which strengthen Svatisthana include carnelian, citrine, tiger's eye, and clear quartz. Activities which strengthen this chakra inclue taking long, relaxing baths with bubbles or epsom salts following an extra attentive session of Abhyanga, 15 minutes of yoga asanas and 20 minutes of Transcendental Meditation. Another is visiting an art gallery, an outdoor music festival, a wildlife sanctuary, or engaging in arts and crafts yourself. Painting, singing, dancing, crochet, knitting, writing and creating music all are given energetic assistance from Svatisthana. This is also the home of our intuition. When you have a gut feeling, it originates in the sacral chakra.
Dancing without inhibition to drumming and other rhythmic instruments is an excellent way to balance and strengthen Svatisth your pelvis and hips to freely sway amplifies this energy center, especially when dancing in a group setting outdoors, with a campfire to dance around. This chakra developed at the point in time when humanity realized that there was a much greater chance of being able to survive when in a group of other people all supporting one another. It was the sacral chakra in action collectively when people first began to remain in groups and travel from one location to another together. This chakra's symbol is a 6 petal lotus flower.
The third chakra is known as Manipura and glows yellow. It is located at the navel and is also known as the solar plexus chakra. This is the home of our own personal power and sense of confidence. It moves in a clockwise direction and connects to the vital auric body. Our morals and ability to stick to them despite the circumstances originate in this energy center. This is the home of our own personal free will. When this chakra is too weak, you might take other's comments or expressions personally, or assume that people don't have our best interests at heart. This also contributes to being a harsh critic of oneself and perhaps suffering from imposter syndrome, even if we have many qualifications. Regardless of certifications and qualifications, each of us is worthy and deserving of self-confidence. When this chakra is overstimulated, the tendency towards narcism is very marked. When this is combined with a lack of empathy, a person may become quite villainous in nature. This usually correlates with overstimulated first and second chakras.
This chakra is connected to the pancreas and it governs the stomach, liver, gallbladder and nervous system. It corresponds with the digestive system and lower back. The resonating musical notes are E and the complimentary note is B. The sound for toning is AW, which sounds like the o's in the word DOOR. The crystals which strengthen Manipura are tiger's eye, malachite, hematite, jasper, citrine, amber and clear quartz. Its symbol is a lotus flower with 10 petals. The cat pose in yoga, which involves having both hands and knees supporting the body, and with a deep breath, arching the back as you exhale, and bring your head down to your chest. Hold this asana for several seconds.
When Manipura is in balance, we're responsible and have confidence in our strengths and talents We have purpose and focus and are able to push forward without constantly seeking another's approval. We have the courage to not care what others think and have healthy self-esteem. We don't feel the need to manipulate others or control them. We are secure and aware of the fact that we have the power to shape our lives. We understand that it's impossible to control everything, but know that by taking charge of our own lives, we have the power to manifest the destiny we wish for. We don't allow others to manipulate us and we don't feel less than anyone else.
The whole world is currently stuck in the energy of Manipura. Colonization along with the industrial revolution and now the technological revolution have contributed to drastically changing the world and creating limitless opportunities for each of us, but fear and hateful rhetoric has escalated out of control, contributing to the world's leaders choosing to go to war with other nations. When we evolve into living in the heart chakra, these power struggles will be resolved diplomatically, and humans will finally realize how harmful and war is, and we will finally know world peace. Digestive troubles always have a connection to Manipura, and are connected to feelings of loss of power. Asking yourself questions like “Do I have a lack of personal power in my life.” and “Is there any chance that I might be abusing my own personal power or taking advantage of another in any way, or am I allowing myself to be taken advantage of?” can help increase self-awareness and recognition of patterns of behavior, which therefore helps us to change that behavior.
Affirmations to strengthen Manipura include these; "I am worthy and capable and deserve love and respect," "I am open to the abundance the universe has to offer me," and "Today I choose to think before I speak or act." Being mindful always strengthens and balances this chakra. All our self-confidence, self-esteem, feelings of belonging, worthiness, ability to take responsibility for ourselves and learning to trust and accept our gut feelings stem from the solar plexus chakra.
Journaling is an excellent activity for balancing this energy, as is creating a vision board. When focusing on healing Manipura, ask yourself questions about where you live, whether or not you're in a relationship (and if you're not, whether or not you seek to be in one), how much money you make, the type of work you do and if you're happy in that work, how many hours a week you work and what type of friends you have.
The fourth chakra is the heart chakra and is called Anahata. It glows emerald green, and the higher heart glows pink. It moves in an anti clockwise direction and connects to the astral auric body, otherwise known as the Emotional Aura or Body. There is teeny tiny Bhodi tree in the center of the higher heart chakra which exists for the purpose of worshipping the Divine. Giving praise to our Creator is the highest form of prayer. This chakra is related to Unconditional Love. It enables us to love ourselves and others, to avoid being judgmental and to empathize with other's struggles. Crystals which strengthen the heart chakra include jade, aventurine and rose quartz. The symbol is a 10 petal lotus flower.
People suffering from imbalance and weakness of this chakra are unable to express empathy. They lose their own sense of humanity while focusing on fearing others because of their differences, rather than celebrating our diversity. Indigenous cultures understand our interconnectedness and sayings like “In L’akesh” which means “I am yourself,” and the Sanskrit saying, “Namaste” means “That which is Divine within me salutes that which is Divine within you” are examples of this prescient awareness. A healthy heart chakra is accompanied by deep inner peace and serenity. Imbalances in the heart chakra can lead to people being cold, emotionally distant and self-aggrandizing. Or a person may constantly shower love on others without loving themselves first. This creates energetic imbalances and can result in situations where people may take advantage of the person who is always giving. Dinacharya deepens love for self by incorporating daily rituals of self-care into your schedule until they just become automatic.
The heart chakra is located in the chest and it governs the lungs, heart, and thymus gland. It is also connected to the circulatory system, hands, shoulders, breasts, and upper back. It is the center of Prana Subdosha, and the seat of consciousness.It’s musical note is F and the complimentary note is D, The sound for toning is AY as in Hay. Singing and Thai Chi, involving swinging the arms up and down and expanding the chest are great exercises for this chakra. So is reciting poetry at an open mic, or watching your children in a talent show, musical presentation or sports activity, because of the love we have for them. You can literally feel your heart expand during these experiences.
When disasters strike or a much loved well-known person crosses over the rainbow, many hearts open simultaneously. The passing of Dolly Parton recently and the collapsed iceberg in Nepal are two examples of events which triggered the opening of billions of our hearts at once, Dolly was a kind and generous person who loved and accepted everyone. She rose from rags and lifted herself to great heights with her songwriting and singing and she blessed millions of people along the way, and also helped lift hundreds of her Appalachian neighbors and family members out of poverty, The flash flood in Nepal was so immense and sudden and took so many lives in a place where the world’s oldest religions were founded has reminded billions of us of the urgency of the climate crisis and our role as oil burning and polluting humans in this extremely precarious situation we find ourselves in. With open hearts and open minds, we join together to implement the solutions and seek more sustainable ways of living together on this beautiful blue planet. And we do this not for our own sake, but for the sake of our children.
Heart Math Institute has done much research on the connection between heart and mind and have found that the heart has its own mind, as does the gut. Our feelings of love, compassion, generosity, and forgiveness arise from here, and here we are communicating to all of humanity and all of creation, I have been blessed to be in Hands Across America, when 6 million of us Americans held hands from the Golden Gate Bridge to the Empire State Building to raise awareness for the unhoused. Our hearts shone through our hands that day, and we magnified that light and love through each other from coast to coast.
My family and I were out in Palm Springs, California and it was very hot. We had to stretch quite a bit, and the moment all our hands connected a bolt of electricity and heart love surged through all of us. We spontaneously began singing “We Are The World” and as we were leaving, people held their hands out to me as we drove past them, and I touched hundreds of hands as we drove very slowly away.
I have also been in Ohm circles at National Rainbow Gatherings where several thousand of us held hands and Ohmed for about 20 minutes after a morning of silence, and then celebrated life itself and prayed and danced and sang and a double rainbow appeared, which seemed to be God/Creator talking to us. The hands are connected to the heart and when people gather together in love and peace, they not only lift their own vibrations, they help raise the vibrations of the whole world.
Heart chakra affirmations revolve around reminding ourselves to love ourselves. “There is love in abundance in this world and Inam willing to receive and give this love to myself and others” and “The more I love myself, the more others love me and themselves and the more love there is to go around.” When making decisions in life, ask yourself, “Does this action increase the love in the Universe?” prior to meditating, and the answer will arise from deep within your heart. It is here we know truth.
Exploring the higher chakras: throat, third eye, and crown
Continuing our journey through the energy centers, we ascend beyond the heart into the higher chakras that govern communication, intuition, and spiritual connection.
The fifth center, Vishuddha (the throat chakra), radiates vibrant azure blue light and governs truthful expression, authenticity, and our ability to speak with integrity. It is also associated with setting and maintaining clear boundaries. It is located in the throat and governs the neck, shoulders, and arms, bronchial and vocal apparatus, lungs, mouth, teeth, tongue, circulation and alimentary canal, while corresponding to the thyroid gland. It is the energetic center of the fifth layer of the aura, known as the etheric template body. It moves in a clockwise direction and connects to the lower mental auric body.
Since the throat is in the neck, which connects the head to the body, the throat chakra links our thoughts to our actions. In the day and age of tablets and cell phones, which require looking down, many of us carry tension and pain in this area. Paying special attention to this area during Abhyanga, or simply massaging it on its own, are good ways to strengthen the neck, and therefore Vissudha. Self-massage of the neck should begin with the left hand for females and the right hand for males, beginning at the opposite side of the neck at the occipital region (base of the skull) with open cupped hand, glide downwards to the shoulder, over the shoulder, and down the biceps to the elbow, then back up to starting position. Repeat three times on both sides. Then, beginning with the same hand, gently knead the same area while gliding downwards to the wrist and back up. Repeat and do the same on the opposite side. Then go deeper into the muscles, making circular motions with the fingers from the occiput to the shoulder and back up again. Repeat on opposite side.
Gua Sha stones can be used to scrape the same area from occiput to elbow and back up again, and Kansa wands can be used to help pull Ama out of the dhatus. I will demonstrate this technique during our second Saturday Zoom workshop class.
Practicing mindfulness, concentrating on what someone is saying without thinking about a response, is an excellent exercise for balance and strength in this energy center. Pausing for a moment after the other person has finished their comment helps with this and cuts down on excessive chitter chatter. Focusing this way for at least a half hour and then gradually increasing that can be truly beneficial for becoming an excellent communicator. Singing, humming, chanting, and toning are all good exercises here. The toning sound for Vishuddha is EH, as in FEATHER. The note is G, with the complimentary note being D.
The crystals for this chakra include turquoise, aquamarine, lapis lazuki, azurite, jasper, and clear quartz, which all assist with expression and finding your unique voice.
When open and clear, it empowers us to share our wisdom and listen with compassionate attention. A balanced throat chakra helps us be mindful of what we say and how our words affect others. We are honest about what we wish and what we need and do our best to do so without being rude or hurtful. This chakra can help us intuit what others are thinking, sometimes gives us a premonition of who is calling before we answer the phone.
An imbalanced Vishuddha contributes to talking over others, interrupting, or having trouble speaking up for ourselves. Some may develop a narcissistic tendency to focus solely on themselves, without empathy for others, causing others to perceive these folks as being arrogant or condescending.
Its symbol is a 16 petal lotus flower.
(The toning sound here is IH, as in IN. The corresponding note is A, with the complimentary note of E. Crystals for Ajna include lapis lazuli, sapphire, tourmaline, and clear quartz, which are all associated with inner vision, intuition, and extrasensory perception.) Move down to Ajna
Affirmation examples revolve around willpower and determination. I am open and willing to establish and maintain clear and firm boundaries for myself and a strong will by being authentic. I make good use of my will by taking good care of myself, with healthy food, a good routine and daily Dinacharya to increase love for myself and others. I express my feelings and emotions in a healthy manner and do my best to focus on positive thoughts and avoid addictive substances and behaviors.
Above it sits Ajna, the third eye chakra, glowing in deep indigo blue at the center of the forehead, slightly above the eyebrows. This center houses our inner vision, clarity of thought, and higher intuitive awareness, enabling us to see beyond surface appearances. Wisdom, detachment, discernment, imagination, knowledge, and faith arise from this energy center. This is the sixth layer of the aura, known as the celestial body. Ajna regulates the pituitary glands, eyes, nose, sinuses, head, as face and governs the lower brain, left eye, ears, nose, and nervous system.
Imbalance here can cause feelings of spaciness, due to focusing too much energy on the psychic realm. A depletion here can lead to being overly skeptical and cynical, narrow-minded and easily brainwashed or susceptible to addictive behaviors and use of addictive substances.
A well-balanced third eye chakra helps us to have trust in the universe to provide all our needs and maintain an optimistic outlook without being fearful and full of doubt. Understanding our interconnectedness with others and our role as co-creators in the world helps us manifest what we wish to in this world. Kundalini yoga, which focuses on the third eye chakra while doing breathing exercises like Pranayama helps to strengthen and open this energy center. This energy center moves in an anticlockwise direction and connects to the higher mental auric body
Its symbol is a two petal lotus flower.
Practicing mindfulness helps to develop this chakra as well, paying attention to gut feelings and instincts and waiting patiently for inner guidance. Transcendental Meditation and other types of meditation are excellent methods for deepening self-awareness and intuition. The act of surrendering the will to a Higher Power is an essential part of this process and the third step of 12 step recovery programs.
Affirmations for Ajna revolve around strengthening trust and faith, while letting go of fear. I release all fear and surrender my will to the Creator. I am a child of the universe and I deserve to give and receive love. I focus on love and wisdom and open myself to spiritual guidance. I am ready for the teacher to appear. I am always protected. I am never alone. Everything happens for a Divine reason, and the Universe is conspiring to do great things for me.
Finally, Sahasrara, the crown chakra at the top of the head, shines in brilliant violet and pure white light. Connecting us to universal consciousness and transcendent peace, it reminds us of our oneness with all creation, and fills us with grace, beauty, serenity, and enlightenment. Engaging in mindful silence, focused meditation, and sound toning brings these higher centers into graceful alignment with our grounded lower foundations. This is the seventh layer of the aura, and connects to the spiritual auric body, known as the celestial body, and it moves in a clockwise direction.
Amethyst, moonstone, fluorite, clear quartz, and sodalite are good crystals for working with this chakra. They help to develop spiritual awareness and can add inspiration to meditations.
The symbol for Sahasrara is a thousand petal lotus flower. The toning sound is EE, as in BEE. The note is B, with the complimentary note F.
(Pranayama and Kundalini Yoga focus on strengthening and opening the third eye. Keeping a dream journal is an excellent exercise for increasing intuition and understanding of the symbols appearing in our dreams.)
Visualizations for this chakra include imagining the top of the head is wide open, with pure golden white light and/or the violet flame streaming down into the top of the head straight from the central sun. It is here where we have the closest connection with our Higher Self and the Divine. It is here we draw down healing energy from the heavens. It is here we can sit on a golden throne within while looking at our viewing screen where we can visualize working on balancing and cleansing the chakras, balancing and cleansing the hypothalamus, pituitary and pineal glands, repairing and cleaning the aura, and even repairing DNA.
As we are currently in the most transformational times in known human history, more people than ever are awakening and developing this chakra. As we enter the Age of Aquarius, we are lifting our energy to the 5th Dimension, with a deep understanding of our interconnectedness with each other and everything that exists, all of creation. When enough people develop Sahasrara, we will collectively realize there is no need for war, injustice or inequality. Instead, we can focus our attention on sustainable, renewable energy sources, clean up the environment and the atmosphere, and create communities centered around these concepts.
Amethyst, selenite, and clear quartz crystals help strengthen and balance the heart chakra. Meditation helps strengthen it, as does prayer, contemplation, mindfulness, and studying words of wisdom by spiritual teachers.