I began my journey with chakras and meditation when I was around 18. I was a little lost in life and was suffering from anxiety disorder with panic attacks. I was just starting college and that made me even more anxious. During this time yoga was just taking off in the U.S and I was always into trying new workouts. I started my yoga practice at a studio close to school and there I was introduced to chakras. It really peaked my interest and so I read endless books about chakras expanding my understanding. You could even say that chakras were the catalyst into my spirituality practice and mindfulness. But what are they? This is my easy guide to getting started on chakras and understanding the power they hold to progress your wellness journey!
The chakras system originated in India, and it can be seen as the foundation of many spiritual and philosophical practices. The word Chakra is the Sanskrit for “wheel.” You can think of it as your life force, or energy within your body.
Chakras are the energy centers in the body that connect and help regulate you physically, mentally, emotionally, and spiritually. There MANY chakras but there are seven chakras that are the most known and focused on so for this intro we will also focus on them.
Chakras expand up from the base of your spin to the top of your head, and are associated with elements. They are also linked with major nerve centers and endocrine glands.
Your goal is to balance and strengthen the energy flow throughout the chakra system to support your well-being. Your chakra centers can become blocked, or stuck – meaning the flow of energy is hindered.
Now that you got a little intro into the chakra system as a whole lets chat about each energy center —
MULADHARA / Root Chakra
This chakra is located at the base of your spin near your tailbone. It is associated with your adrenal glands, large intestines, spine, legs, and feet. You usually see this chakra shown as a red color along with its association with the earth element.
Mental and emotional connection: This is your center for security, survival, stability and grounding.
Supportive Foods: Tomatoes, strawberries, raspberries, cherries, red apples, peppers, pomegranates and beets
Signs of Imbalance or Blockage:
- Skeletal and muscular ailments
- Fear, nervousness
- Resistance to change
- Greed
- Fears of not being enough or not being safe
How to Open:
- Connect with the earth – get outside, garden
- Dance
- Spend time with others
- Add a new spice to your diet like saffron or paprika
- Wear red
- Use red crystals like ruby and garnet
- Aromatherapy – clove and rosemary are great options
- Yoga – tree pose and mountain pose
SWADHISTHANA / Sacral Chakra
This chakra is located in your lower abdomen right below your belly button. Think of your testes or ovaries (reproductive system), bladder, bowels, large intestines. Usually shown as a beautiful orange color and is associated to the element of water.
Mental and emotional connection: This is the place your creativity, movement, fertility, abundance, sensuality and passion are homed
Supportive Foods: oranges, apricots, peaches, mangoes, carrots, squash, pumpkin and yams
Signs of an imbalance or blockage:
- Hip, lower back pain, kidney or genital issues
- Hard time expressing your emotions or if you are overly emotional/ attached
- Feelings of shame or guilt
- Fears around pleasure, intimacy or change
How to Open:
- Spend time near water
- Stay hydrated
- Connect intimately with your partner
- Wear orange
- Use orange crystals like goldstone or carnelian
- Aromatherapy – orange or sandalwood
- Yoga – goodness pose, revolved triangle pose
MANIPURA/ Solar Plexus
Located in your upper abdomen, above your belly button. This chakra is often time shown as yellow and associated with the element of fire. Connected to your pancreas gland, stomach, small intestines upper back and overall digestive system.
Mental and emotional connection: This is where your personal power, confidence, vitality, control and self worth all sit
Supportive Foods: yellow lentils, corn, bananas, yellow peppers, fresh pineapple, yellow squash, and grains
Signs of imbalance/ blockage:
- Gastrointestinal issues
- Self doubt
- Hard time making decisions
- Aggressions
- Fear of failure or criticism
How to Open:
- Practice self love
- Focus on belly breathing
- Explore mental blockages
- Wear yellow
- Use yellow crystals like citrine or amber
- Aromatherapy – lemon, grapefruit
- Yoga – boat pose, warrior pose
ANAHATA / Heart Chakra
Just as it sound this chakra is located at the center of your chest, a little above your heart. Associated with your thymus, heart, lungs, circulatory and lymphatic systems. Often shown with the color green and is related to the element air.
Mental and emotional connection: Here is where your compassion, connection, love and acceptance
Supportive Foods: kale, broccoli, spinach, chard, dandelion greens, parsley, celery, cucumber, zucchini, matcha, green tea, avocado, lime, mint, peas, kiwi, peas, spirulina, green apples
Signs of imbalance/ blockage:
- Cardiovascular, lung, arm or hand issues
- Hard time letting go of the past
- Inability to forgive
- Fear of rejection, issues with being vulnerable, hard time connecting with yourself and others
How to open:
- Practice gratitude and forgiveness
- Focus on love not criticism
- Wear green
- Use green crystals like emerald or malachite
- Aromatherapy – rose and jasmine
- Yoga – crescent moon pose, camel pose
VISHUDDHA/ Throat Chakra
Associated with the element ether or space. The throat chakra is often shown as blue and related to the throat. It is connected to the thyroid, mouth, jaw, and respiratory system.
Mental and emotional connection: This is the center of your communication, truth, joy and creativity
Supportive Foods: Blueberries, pears, apples, apricot as well as tart fruits such as peach, plum, lemon, kiwi, grapefruit, and lime
Signs of imbalance/ blockage:
- Neck, throat and jaw issues
- Lack of self expression or ability to listen
- Issues with creativity
- Not expressing your truth
- Criticism of yourself or others
- Fear of rejection or conflict
How to open:
- Express yourself and be authentic
- Laugh, sing or hum
- Wear blue
- Use blue crystals like tanzanite or aquamarine
- Aromatherapy – peppermint, lavender
- Yoga – shoulderstand, cobra pose
AJNA/ Third Eye Chakra
Your third eye chakra is often one that is most well known even if you aren’t fully aware of chakras as a whole. Shown as a purple color and associated the element of light. This chakra can be found between your eyes. It is related to the pituitary gland, brain, skull, eyes, endocrine system and autonomic nervous system.
Mental and emotional connection: Here is where your insight, imagination, visualization and intuition all call home
Supportive Foods: Purple grapes, purple kale, blueberries, purple cabbage, eggplant, and purple carrots.
Signs of imbalance/ blockage:
- Headaches, sinus or eye issues
- Self-doubt
- Despair, lack of hope or belief in yourself
- Fear of losing control, relying on your intuition
How to Open:
- Trust your intuition
- Eat whole foods
- Minimize distractions
- Wear indigo
- Use indigo/ dark blue crystals like amethyst
- Aromatherapy – clary sage and lemongrass
- Yoga – Childs pose
SAHASRARA/ Crown Chakra
Finally your crown chakra is associated with cosmic energy. It is located at the top of your head – think of it as floating above your head in the cosmos that it is associated with. Connected to your pineal gland, and central nervous system. It is often shown as a violet and white color.
Mental and emotional connection: This is the home of beauty, spiritual connection, enlightenment and wisdom
Supportive Foods: Coconut water, herbal teas, raw honey, and lemon
Signs of imbalance/ blockage:
- Denying the spiritual/ your connection to spiritual
- Hard time making decisions
- Being overly intellectual
- Being judgmental
- Focus on material things
- Fear or spiritual connection, or being let down
How to Open:
- Explore spiritual practices
- Spend time outside
- Separate thoughts and feelings
- Meditative practice
- Wear violet or white
- Use white crystals like quartz or selenite
- Aromatherapy – rosewood
- Yoga – corpse pose, butterfly pose
I hope that this overview helps you to find a new way to connect to your wellness practice through mind, body and spirit.
ADDITIONAL Resources:
My Chakra Downloadable Chart Freebie
The Subtle Body: An Encyclopedia of Your Energetic Anatomy
Comments +