What are Chakras?
In Sanskrit, the word chakra means wheel and refers to the energy centers in your body. These wheels of spinning energy each correspond to certain nerve bundles and major organs. To function at their best, your chakras need to stay open, or balanced. If they get blocked, you may experience physical or emotional symptoms related to a particular chakra.
The human body has seven main chakras each in a specific location along your spine and are responsible for regulating different aspects of physical, emotional, and mental health. They start at the root, or base, of your spine and extend to the crown of your head. That said, you actually have 114 different chakras in the body.
Each one is associated with a specific colour, location, and function. When they are in balance, they allow for the free flow of energy throughout the body.
Balancing chakras has numerous benefits, including improved physical health, increased emotional stability, and enhanced mental clarity. By ensuring that each chakra is balanced and functioning correctly, we can maintain optimal health and wellbeing.
WHAT ARE THE 7 MAIN CHAKRAS?
Let’s look at each one more closely and the common signs of blocked chakras.
ROOT CHAKRA
The root chakra (Muladhara) is located at the base of your spine and it helps you feel grounded and able to withstand challenges. Your root chakra is responsible for your sense of security, stability and fulfilment, it is associated with the colour red.
Common signs of blocked Root Chakras are:
Physical symptoms: Fatigue, lower back pain, bones and teeth, bladder, kidneys and constipation.
Emotional signs: Anxiety, fear, lack of trust, and feeling disconnected from oneself and depression.
Behavioural patterns: Hoarding, overeating, addictions and being overly materialistic.
SACRAL CHAKRA
The sacral chakra (Svadhisthana) is located just below your belly button. This chakra is responsible for your sexual and creative energy, healthy boundaries and being generous, it is associated with the colour orange.
Common signs of Sacral Chakras are:
Physical symptoms: Low libido, menstrual irregularities, urinary tract issues, adrenal issues and lack of flexibility.
Emotional signs: Compulsive behaviour, tension, frustration and excessive sex drive.
Behavioural patterns: Unemotional, low creativity, poor social skills and lack of desire or passion in life.
SOLAR PLEXUS CHAKRA
The solar plexus chakra (Manipura) is located in your stomach area. It’s responsible for confidence, self-esteem, willpower as well as helping you feel in control of your life, it is associated with the colour yellow.
Common signs of blocked Solar Plexus Chakras are:
Physical symptoms: Digestive issues, poor metabolism, low immunity, diabetes, chronic fatigue and panic attacks.
Emotional signs: Poor self-esteem, feelings of powerlessness, and difficulty setting boundaries.
Behavioral patterns: Perfectionism, workaholism, judgemental and controlling.
HEART CHAKRA
The heart chakra, or Anahata, is located near your heart, in the center of your chest. It comes as no surprise that the heart chakra is all about our ability to love and show compassion. If the heart chakra is not working properly you will have a hard time finding fulfilment and a true sense of purpose in life, it is associated with the colour green.
Common signs of blocked Heart Chakras are:
Physical symptoms: Heart and lung issues, poor circulation, breathing difficulties and high blood pressure.
Emotional signs: Feeling disconnected from others, difficulty trusting, and lack of empathy and anti social.
Behavioural patterns: Codependency, people-pleasing, and being overly critical of others and manipulative.
THROAT CHAKRA
The throat chakra (Vishuddha)is located in your throat. This chakra has to do with our ability to communicate verbally, it is associated with the colour green.
Common signs of blocked Throat Chakras are:
Physical symptoms: Sore throat, vocal cords, thyroid issues, sinus and dental problems, chronic neck and shoulder pain.
Emotional signs: Fear of speaking up, difficulty expressing oneself, and feeling unheard.
Behavioral patterns: Overuse of sarcasm, lying, and gossiping.
THIRD EYE CHAKRA
The third eye chakra (Ajna) is located between your eyes. You can thank this chakra for a strong gut instinct. That’s because the third eye is responsible for intuition. It’s also linked to imagination. It’s also related to your intellectual abilities, it is associated with the colour blue.
Common signs of blocked Third Eye Chakras are:
Physical symptoms: Headaches, migraines, neurological issues, personality disorders, vision problems and scalp and hair issues, it is associated with the colour indigo.
Emotional signs: Difficulty concentrating, nightmares, distrust of others, anxiety and insomnia.
Behavioural patterns: Avoiding responsibility, feeling disconnected from spirituality, and being overly judgmental.
CROWN CHAKRA
The crown chakra (Sahasrara) is located at the top of your head. This chakra represents your spiritual connection to yourself, others, and the universe. It also plays a role in your life’s purpose, it is associated with the colour violet.
Common signs of Crown Chakras are:
Physical symptoms: Chronic exhaustion, sensitivity to light and sound, cognitive delusions dementia, epilepsy and autoimmune diseases.
Emotional signs: Feeling disconnected to spirituality, lack of purpose or wisdom and desires complete isolation.
Behavioural patterns: Avoiding spiritual practices, feeling disconnected from oneself and others, being overly attached to material possessions, excessive righteousness, cynical and narrow mindedness.
**It's important to note that experiencing these signs/symptoms it does not necessarily mean that a specific chakra is blocked or imbalanced. However, if you're consistently experiencing multiple symptoms related to a particular chakra, it may be worth exploring ways to balance and heal it**
What does it mean if a chakra is blocked or unbalanced?
When a chakra is low in energy, you’ll have difficulty expressing the particular qualities associated with that chakra. When a chakra is overactive, the qualities are a dominant force in the person’s life. This can have both physical and emotional effects.
For example, the first chakra is about security, survival, and the foundation of our life. If it’s underactive, it can show up as depression and insecurity. If there’s too much energy, it can show up as fearlessness without precaution or hoarding because you need more to feel secure.
Can a blocked chakra affect your health?
In general, the location of the chakra that’s out of balance may affect the parts of your body in close proximity to that chakra. This includes your organs, bones, joints, and tissues near that area.
Psychologically, imbalances in the chakras may cause an emotional imbalance. This may lead to increased anger, sadness, fear, or indecisiveness.
It’s important to pay attention to both the psychological and physiological sensations because they can inform each other and uncover the root cause.
Too much stress — physically or mentally — may cause one or more chakras to be out of balance.
Personal habits such as poor physical alignment or posture, eating unhealthy food, or self-destructive behavior may cause a chakra to be imbalanced. Prolonged imbalance may lead to physical disease and illness, musculoskeletal issues, and mental health challenges like depression or anxiety.
Balancing Chakras Explained
Chakra balancing is the process of restoring harmony and balance to the body's energy centers. It involves various techniques that aim to clear blockages or imbalances in the chakras, allowing energy to flow throughout the body. By addressing any blockages or imbalances in these energy centers, one can enhance their overall wellbeing and sense of inner harmony.
How Do You Rebalance Your Chakras?
Reiki: Reiki is a form of energy healing that can be used to balance the chakras. A trained Reiki practitioner can channel healing energy to the individual, helping to remove blockages and restore balance.
Stones and Crystals: They can be used to clear and activate the energy of each chakra, allowing them to work more effectively. Chakra stones help to dissipate stagnated energy in the body, while restoring balance and harmony. By placing them on or near the appropriate chakra area of the body, they help to open and align the energies within our bodies. Chakra stones are also beneficial in helping us deepen our meditation practice by providing support with calming and focusing energies.
It is important to note that chakra healing is a holistic approach and should be combined with self-care practices such as proper nutrition, exercise, and stress reduction techniques. By incorporating these practices into your daily routine, you can maintain a balanced flow of energy throughout your body and enhance your overall well-being.
When chakra balancing, it is recommended to focus on the lower chakras first. These include the root chakra, sacral chakra, and solar plexus chakra.
Note that each chakra affects the others. If one chakra is blocked, it can cause imbalances in the entire chakra system. By starting with the lower chakras, the energy flow can be established from the ground up, allowing for a more balanced and stable energy system.