If you've spent any time at all in the spiritual community, you'll most definitely have heard the word Chakras; however, if you are relatively new to the spiritual scene, you may not have a solid idea of what exactly chakras are and why they are important. This series of articles will explore the importance of chakras, how to maintain open and balanced chakras, and what to expect if your chakras are out of balance.
The chakra system was first recorded in India in sacred texts called the Vedas written between 1500-1000 B.C.E. Chakra literally means "wheel" and they are often depicted as spinning disks of colored light that correspond with different regions of the body. These chakras, when opened and aligned, connect to our nerves, muscles, and organs to energy lines throughout our bodies. When disrupted or closed off, we can often feel physical, emotional, and psychological symptoms. Some experts estimate that there are over 144 different chakras in the human body; however, it is common among most spiritual communities to focus on the seven main chakras that run in sequence along the spine. Below is a brief description of each chakra; a more specific guide for each of the seven main chakras will be addressed in individual articles.
Root Chakra
The root chakra is depicted as the color red and is found at the base of the spine, right around the tailbone area. The rook chakra is responsible for physical health, stability, and grounding. This is also the chakra for our most basic of needs and instincts.
Sacral Chakra
The sacral chakra is represented by the color orange and sits just above the root chakra between the navel and the pubic bone. The sacral chakra is our pleasure and creativity center.
Solar Plexus Chakra
The solar plexus chakra appears as a beautiful bright yellow and is located above the navel and below the sternum. The solar plexus is our energy center. It is also the site of our self-esteem and confidence.
Heart Chakra
The heart chakra is typically seen as a vibrant and life-giving green color. This chakra sits right where you would guess, in the middle of the chest adjacent to the heart. The heart chakra is our emotional center. It is the site for our love and compassion.
Throat Chakra
The throat chakra is a beautiful sky blue color and sits below the chin, right in the center of the throat. This chakra is our voice and our communication center.
Third-Eye Chakra
The third-eye chakra sits in the middle of your forehead directly above your eye line and is usually represented by the color indigo. This chakra is our sight chakra and is aligned with our intuition and imagination.
Crown Chakra
The crown chakra is represented as either the color purple, gold or white and sits directly at the top of the head. This chakra is our connection to the universe. It is also the site for our intelligence and awareness.
Through meditation and awareness of the state of our chakras, through Reiki and divination, we can get a sense of where our bodies are at just by the state of our chakras. We can also do work to keep our chakras in alignment. Some of these tasks are very chakra specific, and we will cover them in individual articles. For now, let's walk through a brief balancing mediation that can help make sure our chakras are in alignment.
Find a quiet resting place where you are able to relax and let go of the stresses of your world, even if only briefly. Sit or lay in a comfortable position where you can remain relaxed, but still alert enough to work on balancing your chakras. Take several slow deep breaths. With each exhale, imagine the tension slowly leaving your body. As you breath deeply, you notice that your head and scalp begin to tingle with relaxation. That sensation begins to move into your face, your neck. Your head may start to feel heavy; allow that heaviness to increase your relaxation. You become aware that your breathing has evened out and your arms and torso begin to relax. Allow that relaxation to spread to your hips, your thighs, down through your knees and out your feet.
As you become fully entrenched in a state of relaxation, imagine that roots are beginning to stretch into the ground through your feet. As the roots bury deeper in the earth, you are able to draw white energy through them. As you draw the energy up through your feet, you start to feel energized. Continue to draw that white light up through your body until you reach your root chakra. Take note of how bright the chakra is. Can you brighten it by adding the white light? Once you've charged that chakra, move up to your sacral chakra and charge it with the white light. Continue to draw the light up to each chakra, checking the brightness and adding to it with the white light. When you get to your crown chakra, imagine the white light bursting through the top of your head, and cascading down around your body, forming a barrier of white light. Allow this light to surround you, to protect you, to guide, and to guard you. When you are ready, allow your consciousness to return to your body. Flex your fingers and toes, stretch your muscles, and open your eyes. You've just balanced your chakras. You might feel light and energized.
You are welcome to repeat this meditation as regularly as you wish. Note that if your chakras are blocked or feel dark or stagnant, you may want to seek some assistance with opening those up. A skilled Reiki practitioner or energy worker can usually work wonders on those more stubborn chakras. Balance and alignment are important for our whole being, so make sure to take care of those chakras. As always, love and light sent to you and blessed be!