The Chakras are energy centers that run along the spine. Each chakra is represented by a different color. Optimal physical and mental health is achieved when all of the chakras are aligned and balanced, meaning each chakra is bright and not too opened or not too closed. I will share an example. The throat chakra has to do with faith and understanding. Because the 5th chakra is located in the throat and governs higher communication, speaking, hearing and listening, it helps us to understand our inner truth and convey it with our voice to the outside world. The sense for the 5th chakra is hearing. Chanting, singing, speaking, reading aloud are all good for the 5th chakra. Let's say a person's throat chakra is too open. You will notice that this person is often rude, crass and verbally abusive. They say anything that comes to mind without thinking how it will make the other person feel. They might experience disorders relating to the throat like hyperthyroidism. Excessive energy in the 5th chakra can cause hearing problems, inability to listen, excessive talking and an overactive thyroid. If a person's throat chakra is too, they have trouble communicating their thoughts verbally. This leads to an inability to express feelings and ideas, withheld words and surrender to others.
I really recommend watching this video series on the chakras:
Part 2
Part 3
Ways to Balance The Chakras
*Visualization
You can do this visualization to balance your chakras. First, make yourself comfortable. You can sit in the position you see in the photo. Take a few slow deep breaths in and out. Once relaxed, imagine a flow of bright, beautiful white light entering the top of your head (crown chakra) and filling up each chakra with pure divine energy. Start with the root chakra, located at the base of your spine (consult the picture to see where each chakra is located). See this spinning chakra getting redder and brighter, getting all of its energy blockages removed. Do this for each chakra, going up the spine. Continually take slow breaths throughout this visualization. After this exercise you will feel more balanced, refreshed and at peace.
*Crystal Therapy
Putting these crystals directly on the body on their corresponding chakras will instantly balance and energize them! Each crystal has a particular vibration that affects each chakra. They clear any energy blockages that the chakras.
*Aromatherapy
Aromatherapy includes using essential oils to awaken each chakra. Each chakra has many different essential oils that can be used to clear its energy.
The root chakra, or the first chakra, which deals with base needs and survival, also connects us to the earth which sustains those survival needs, so we would use essential oils that help us align to the earth’s energies to feel supported by her. Some oils that harmonize with the earth and the base chakra are those trees that have deep roots into the earth. Essential oils like sandalwood, cypress, elemi, cedarwood, and rosewood.
This sacral chakra, or the second chakra, is the sexual center of our body and if it is imbalanced we can feel a lack of sexual drive or just the opposite, excessive libido. Disharmony in this center often begins in puberty, when sexual energy begins to awaken. Lack of self-esteem, uncertainty, lack of nurturing or tenderness in the teen years can seriously lead to instability, negativity and rejection of the child’s sexuality. Repression of sexual energy can erupt in angry and hostile ways, creating sexual confusion, emotional detachment, and bitterness rather than openness and love. Creative potential can become misdirected and power struggles can ensue. Instead of using this sacral energy for love, co-creation in partnership and sexual sharing in union, a person with a dysfunctional second chakra can often become money hungry, using wealth and the power it has over people to dispassionately control and dominate them. Essential oils that can help disperse negativity and low self-esteem are Chamomile, Clary Sage, Frankincense, Geranium, Elemi, Jasmine, Lavender, Melissa, Neroli, Patchouli, Rose, Sandalwood, and Vetiver.
The naval chakra, or the third chakra is all about the self, our ego and the development of personal power. At puberty, we open the third chakra and begin to actualize a better sense of individuation and self-esteem. With a healthy solar plexus energy, the teenager will begin to move away from the family as the center of his tribe and relate more to others; understanding how he/she, as an individual, connects to the greater whole and to a communal tribe. With a strong solar plexus, a person will become more self-aware, and self-confident. This new found personal power can enable the individual to create and manifest his own personal beliefs and desires. This can often look like rebellion to the tribe/family, but is necessary if he is ever to realize his own self-respect and self-esteem. Words like self-responsibility, self-assertion, self-control, self-understanding, self-actualization and self-criticism are all solar plexus words. If this energy center is imbalanced or compromised, then a sense of rejection sets in. We become fearful and loose the ability to assert our true selves, sliding deeper into gloom, discouragement, and despair. We become unsure of our intuitive knowing and begin depending on others to create our reality. We give up our personal power, forfeit our self-respect and abandon our self-esteem. Luckily there are some essential oils that support our positive self-image and help us identify with a sense of self-empowerment. Oils that assist the solar plexus on an emotional level are frankincense, rose, myrrh, melissa, neroli, elemi, rosewood, sandalwood, chamomile, and rosemary.
The heart chakra, or the fourth chakra, is the center of the chakra system in that it connects the 3 higher chakras to the 3 lower ones. In the heart chakra we learn to get in touch deeply with our core being and our core truth. The heart’s voice is one of the voices of our Soul and when we are still, and listen intently, we can hear our true heart’s desire. The fourth chakra gives us skills to intimately love, to reach out and touch others, and to invite Spirit’s love to flow through us. When imbalanced or dysfunctional, the heart chakra energy becomes muddied and stagnant. When this happens we can often feel jealous, indifferent and lonely. Instead of flowing energy out, we become needy, grabbing at others energies, demanding attention and asking others for love instead of looking within for self-love. Fear, despair, hate, longing, condemnation, “heartlessness” and envy are all negative expressions of a dysfunctional heart chakra. We become incapable of accepting other’s love, unable to receive, and therefore more unwilling to give. Life becomes guarded and love becomes greedy. We pretend we don’t need other people and that we can cope alone, when actually inside we are desperate to feel wanted and accepted. The heart chakra teaches us that first we must love ourselves. How can we ever expect anyone else to love us if we have no self-love? The laws of karma suggest that we can only reflect back to us what we feel about ourselves. If we are capable of self-love and appreciation, then we will attract someone who will support us in the kind of love we offer ourselves. If there is no self-love, and we begin to demand others to love us and fill the vacant hole we have created within, then we begin to build karma with that person, and at some point, there will be a pay-off time. When we can love ourselves, love flows out to others. Others who are able to love themselves gravitate to us and in a balanced union, partnership is created karma-free. We each sustain self-love, and as a reflection, are therefore loved by others. Essential oils that help to balance love of self and others are rose, geranium, palmarosa, neroli, elemi, melissa, hyssop, rosewood, chamomile, ylang ylang, galbanum, angelica and jasmine. Essential oils that ease heartache and calm the circulatory system when there is tightness or palpitations are angelica, marjoram, hyssop, lavender, neroli, melissa, rose, chamomile, ylang ylang and jasmine.
*Simple Chakra Exercises (Chakracises)
Crown Chakra- Chakracise your crown chakra through prayer or meditation.
Brow Chakra- Chakracise your brow chakra with visualization, remote viewing, and lucid dreaming.
Throat Chakra- Chakracise your throat chakra by gargling with saltwater, singing, or screaming.
Heart Chakra- Chakracise your heart chakra by doing pushups, swimming (breast stroke), and hugging yourself.
Solar Plexus Chakra- Chakracise your solar plexus chakra by dancing (do The Twist, hoola hooping, and belly dancing).
Sacral Chakra - Chakracise your sacral chakra with pelvic thrusts and circular pelvis movements.
Root Chakra - Chakracise your root chakra by stomping your feet upon the ground, marching, and doing squats.
Aura Cleansing Exercises - Chakracise your aura by cleansing it by showering, soaking in an epsom salt bath, smudging with sage wand, or deep cleansing breaths.
*Reiki Healing
