Chakras are the energy centers that receive, create, store and disperse life force energy throughout our body and surrounding energy fields. They nourish and sustain us physically, emotionally, mentally and spiritually. There are 7 main chakras; Root, Sacral, Solar Plexus, Heart, Throat, Third Eye, and Crown. Each chakra is associated with a part of the body and represents a specific color.
The Root chakra (red) is located at the base of the spine. Its focus is survival, safety, security, and grounding.
The Sacral chakra (orange) is located below the navel between the hips. Its focus is creativity, sexuality and intimacy.
Solar plexus (yellow) is located above the navel and below the chest. This focuses on personal power, self-confidence, freedom of choice, and control.
Next is the Heart chakra (green) located at the center of the chest at the heart. The heart's focus is self-love, love of others, capacity of love and center of emotions.
The Throat chakra (blue) is located at the center of the throat. Its focus is communication, Self-expression, and speaking your truth.
The Third eye chakra (indigo) is located at the center of the forehead. The focus of this chakra is intuition, imagination, knowing and wisdom.
The crown chakra (violet or white) located at the top of the head focuses on inspiration, spirituality, consciousness and life purpose.
So how do we know if these energy centers are imbalanced?
First and foremost, if your Root chakra is imbalanced or “out of whack” then ALL of your chakras are out of whack. It's always best to start from the bottom and work your way up. If your Root chakra is imbalanced, you may experience clumsiness, sleepiness, poor circulation, reproductive issues or issues with metabolism. To regain balance, start by getting grounded. I suggest finding a nice quiet shaded area outside. Take a seat on the grass, let the eyes close and focus on your breath. Take deep breaths in to fill the chest and belly and long deep breaths out to exhale completely. Listen to the nature around you and Imagine with each inhalation that roots are growing from your sitz bones. The roots grow longer and deeper into the earth. Take your time here and practice becoming grounded.
Signs of Sacral chakra imbalance point to lower back pain, PMS, infertility, digestive issues, lack of energy, kidney and gallbladder problems. To balance the Sacral chakra, start with a cup of hibiscus tea. Some yoga poses you can work on for this chakra are triangle, low lunge, butterfly, or wide legged forward fold. Imagine a warm orange light pulsing with each breath you take. Incorporate orange colored foods into your diet like pumpkin, carrots, mangos or oranges.
Imbalance of the Solar Plexus chakra often comes with indigestion, panic attacks, liver problems, frequent illness and high blood pressure. Dandelion tea, ginger, yellow fruits and squash are foods associated with stabilizing the Solar Plexus. Helpful yoga poses include downward dog, child's pose and cobra pose. It’s important to keep a mantra in your practice. Try repeating to yourself “I am confident and I am strong”. Imagining personal power, feeling in control and the color yellow.
The green chakra or the Heart chakra imbalance often leads to chronic fatigue, upper back pain, heart related issues, anxiety, depression, and respiratory ailments. To gain stability in the Heart chakra, eat LOTS of green leafy vegetables, peas and avocados. Any yoga pose that includes a heart opener is great for this energy center; camel pose, seated cat cow, standing backbend, and the bridge pose are perfect. Drink some rose or jasmine tea and repeat this affirmation throughout your day: “I am open to giving and receiving love”.
Imbalances of the Throat chakra commonly lead to neck stiffness, cold symptoms, thyroid imbalances, constant clearing of the throat and issues with breathing. Regain stability by adding plums, sea plants, fruit juices, figs or melons to your daily diet. Yoga poses associated with the Throat chakra are cat, cow, puppy pose, lion's breath and king cobra. Work on your lion's breath as much as you feel necessary. Reflect while enjoying some peppermint tea and affirm “I speak my truth”.
Third Eye chakra imbalances include ear and eye ailments, balance issues, learning disabilities, and hormone dysfunction. Forward fold, tree pose, warrior 3, and pyramid pose are great to incorporate into your practice for this chakra. Eating purple berries, purple potatoes and grapes are helpful. Chant "SHAM" and add the mantra: “I allow myself to fully see. I am connected to the universe. I trust myself”. Once balanced you will feel faithful and imaginative.
Last but certainly not least is the Crown chakra. If there are imbalances of the Crown chakra you could feel dizzy, have vision issues, memory problems, and nervous system imbalances. To balance this energy center, get lots of fresh air, sunlight and drink plenty of purified water. Yoga poses to practice are the head stand, lotus pose, forearm stand, and corpse pose. A great way to help balance this chakra is to meditate with a clear quartz and or a purple amethyst crystal. Repeat to yourself “I let go of my ego. I am divine”. At the end of the day, drink a warm cup of lavender tea as you imagine a white bright white light surrounding you.
Take this information and see how it works for you! Focus on one chakra a day for 7 days or practice one chakra a week. Remember, this is just a guide. Feel free to play with it, remove and add things wherever necessary, listen to your body, and have FUN!
Stay wild.
— Toni-ann Mann.
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