What are Chakras?
Chakras are energy centers in the human body that are believed to play a vital role in our physical, emotional, and spiritual well-being. The word “chakra” is derived from the Sanskrit word for “wheel” or “disk,” and these centers are often visualized as spinning wheels of energy, you can call them psychic centers that exist along the spine,. They don't exist on the physical plane, but rather in the spiritual dimension. Chakras determine the frequencies responsible for human experience.
Personally, I have reaped immense benefits by incorporating the principles of chakra balancing into my spiritual routine.
There are seven main chakras in the human body, each associated with a specific area of the body and with certain emotions, physical sensations, and aspects of consciousness. Starting from the base of the spine and moving upwards, the seven chakras are:
1. Root Chakra (Muladhara): Mula meaning “root” and Adhara meaning “support” or “base”
Located at the base of the spine, the root chakra is associated with our sense of grounding and stability. It governs the physical body, our connection to the earth, and our basic needs such as food, shelter, and security.
Signs of balance: Feelings of security, safety, and stability
Signs of imbalance: Anxiety, nightmares, fear, pain in the feet and legs, weight gain (particularly in the bottom half of the body), feelings of disconnect or alienation
Location: The base of the spine, the pelvic floor and the first three vertebrae, Body Parts : includes spinal column, bone, teeth , nails ,hair legs & feet. Glands : Adrenal glands.
Colour: Red
Seed sound : LAM .
Mantra : Om Namah Shivaya (Om Nah-Mah Shee- Vah-Yah).
2. Sacral Chakra (Svadhishthana): Svadhisthana means the “dwelling place of the self”
Located just below the navel, the sacral chakra is associated with our emotions, desires, and sexuality. It governs our ability to feel pleasure, creativity, and to form relationships.
Signs of balance: Feelings of creativity, playfulness, and sensual and sexual pleasure
Signs of imbalance: Addictive/compulsive behaviours, sexual dysfunction, fear of change, emotional instability. In the body, the sacral chakra connects with reproductive issues (infertility, impotence, or menstrual issues) and lower back, kidney, or stomach disorders.
Location: The lower abdomen below the tailbone (includes lower pelvis, womb, and genitals)
Seed sound : VAM
Mantra : Om Jita Kamaya Namaha (Om Jee-tah Kah-mah-yah- Nah-mah-hah)
3. Solar Plexus Chakra (Manipura): Manipura means lustrous gem
Located above the navel, the solar plexus chakra is associated with our personal power, self-esteem, and self-worth. It governs our ability to take control of our lives, to set boundaries, and to feel confident.
Signs of balance: Confident, motivated, purposeful, reliable, responsible
Signs of imbalance: Aggression, overly dominating toward others, low self- esteem
Location: 8th thoracic vertebrae, about 2 inches above the navel.
Colour: Yellow
Seed sound : RAM
Mantra : Om Suryaya Namaha (Om Soor—yah-yah Nah-mah-hah)
4. Heart Chakra (Anahata): Anahata means unhurt
Located in the center of the chest, the heart chakra is associated with love, compassion, and relationships. It governs our ability to give and receive love, to feel empathy, and to connect with others.
Signs of balance: The ability to love and forgive yourself and others
Signs of imbalance: Hatred, selfishness, jealousy, and fear of betrayal
Location: Center of the chest. Anahata located on 1st thoracic vertebrae
Seed sound : YAM
Mantra : Om Tare Tuttate Ture Swaha (Om Tah-re Too-tah-the Too-re Swah- hah)
5. Throat Chakra (Vishuddha): : Vishuddha meaning “pure”
Located in the throat, the throat chakra is associated with communication, self-expression, and the ability to speak our truth. It governs our ability to articulate our thoughts and feelings, to listen to others, and to express ourselves creatively.
Signs of balance: Authentic expression comes easily and naturally
Signs of imbalance: Difficulty tuning into the true self, the urge to hide opinions and desires from yourself and others, gossiping, dominating conversations, difficulty listening to others, neck pain, hormone fluctuation (relating to the thyroid)
Seed sound:- HUM
Mantra : Om Mani Padme Hum (Om Mah-nee-pahd-meh Hoom)
Affirmation : I speak my truth . I listen with awareness. I am calm & clear, always express myself with love easy & novelty. I hold myself accountable. I am
6. Third Eye Chakra (Ajna):
Located in the center of the forehead, the third eye chakra is associated with intuition, perception, and wisdom. It governs our ability to see the bigger picture, to understand the world on a deeper level, and to trust our instincts.
Signs of balance: Strong intuition and inner wisdom, the release of the ego
Signs of imbalance: Someone becomes cynical and overly attached to external circumstances. When out of balance, a person may also store tension in the head, causing headaches or vision problems.
Seed sound : OM
Mantra : Om Namo Narayana
7. Crown Chakra (Sahasrara): Sahaswara meaning "the thousand petal lotus"
Located at the top of the head, the crown chakra is associated with spiritual connection and enlightenment. It governs our ability to experience transcendence, to connect with a higher power, and to understand the meaning of life.
Signs of balance: Feelings of enlightenment and a spiritual connection to our higher selves
Signs of imbalance: Happiness depends on external conditions, existential depression, narrow mindedness, greed and materialism, excessive egoism. The imbalance of the crown chakra can also manifest physically through headaches, fatigue, and mental illness.
Seed sound : OM or AH
Mantra :- Om Mani Padme Hum (Om Mah-nee-pahd-meh Hoom)
Each chakra is associated with a different aspect of life, and it's said that when one or more of these centers are blocked or imbalanced, it can lead to physical or emotional discomfort. Practicing chakra meditation and visualization can help to unblock and balance these energy centers, promoting a sense of well-being and overall balance in one's life.
How to balance your chakras?
Balancing your chakras is essential for maintaining good health and well-being. When one or more of your chakras is blocked or overactive, it can lead to physical, emotional, and spiritual imbalances. To keep your chakras in balance, you can try the following techniques:
1. Meditation: Meditation is a powerful tool for balancing your chakras. By focusing your attention on each chakra, you can help to clear any blockages and promote energy flow. I personally learnt the meditation of Chakras from Sri M's Chakra Dharana. You can find the video here.
2. Yoga: Yoga is a physical practice that can help to balance your chakras by strengthening and stretching the body. Certain poses, such as the spinal twist, the cobra pose, and the eagle pose, are particularly effective for balancing the chakras.
3. Essential Oils: Recently, I came across this concept and though I haven't tried it myself, I've heard remarkable things about it. There is a belief that essential oils can balance the chakras, with specific oils offering different effects for each chakra. Let's look at science as well:
A 2011 study suggests that some essential oils can help lessen stress and anxiety when used in tandem with traditional medicine.
Another study from 2012 on the sleep benefits of essential oils found that smelling lavender oil before bed had a positive effect on sleep.
While the research is mixed, many people claim to enjoy the chakra-balancing benefits of essential oils.
There are many trusted websites that sell these oils like Ygeiax.
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This is a personal account of my experience with the concept of Chakras. In order to fully immerse yourself and start to see results, it's important to establish a ritual centered around the chakras. At first, you may feel unsure or confused, but I can assure you that with consistent practice and focus, you'll gain a deeper understanding of the concept and identify the right ritual that works best for you. Remember that finding the right ritual for you may take some time and experimentation, but the journey itself can be very rewarding. Keep an open mind and be patient with yourself, and you may find that your understanding and connection to the chakras deepens with time.
The key is to simply start somewhere and allow the journey to unfold naturally.
