Spirituality

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5 min read

A Beginner’s Introduction to the 7 Chakras

What are the 7 chakras, where do they sit, and what does it feel like when one is blocked? A walk through each energy centre, from root to crown, with simple ways to rebalance it.

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Jenny Dsouza

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23 February 2023

Collage: a woman meditating cross-legged in violet tones with seven coloured chakra dots along her spine, in front of a lavender circle and a torn peach paper strip, framed by pale lotus flowers on pink paper.

Today, modern life is burdened by stress, toxicity, and negative media consumption. Unlike a treatable disease, these modern problems cannot be fixed overnight. The chakra system is one of the ancient techniques to realign our mind-body-spirit through simple everyday practices. It focuses on using the inbuilt energy centres for our spiritual, physical, and mental healing.

Read on to find a gamut of possibilities for enlightening yourself with the knowledge of seven chakras. Knowing about the seven main chakras will help you to align your physical self with your mental and emotional self, ensure your complete well-being and improve your quality of life through simple techniques like chakra meditation for free-flowing positive energy.

7 Chakras Meaning and Where Are They Housed?

Chakra in Sanskrit means a wheel or a cycle. Our very life force or Prana flows through these Chakras. Our body has 100+ lower chakras and upper chakras in all, out of which seven chakras are predominant. These seven chakras start from the base of the spine and go upward till the crown, and are linked with our physical, mental & emotional well-being, as well as personal power and spiritual energy. The seven main chakras are as follows.

  1. Root Chakra: located at the end of the spine, near the tailbone
  2. Sacral Chakra: located in the lower abdomen, near the navel
  3. Solar Plexus Chakra: located in the upper abdomen, near the sternum, also known as the navel chakra.
  4. Heart Chakra: located in the chest, above the heart
  5. Throat Chakra: located at the centre of the throat
  6. Third Eye Chakra: located on the forehead, between the eyes
  7. Crown Chakra: located at the top of the head, at the centre of the scalp, also known as the seventh chakra.

Although each of the chakras corresponds to a specific part of the human body, it is believed that these chakras exist in our Astral body and therefore are intangible main energy centers of the human body; they are more like a concentration of energies. According to the yogic philosophy, humans have three bodies: physical, astral, and causal which together hold our soul. The astral body is a counterpart of the physical body. It is the astral body that carries the awareness of Prana (divine energy) and Chakras. Our Prana must flow freely through these seven chakras.

What Happens When The 7 Chakras Are Out of Their Element?

The seven Chakras are our energy centers, fuelling our very being. The energy flow between these circles should be free-flowing. We must strive towards the optimum functioning of these chakras by facilitating the hindrance-free circulation of Prana (i.e. energy flowing amongst several key energy centers located in our body).

When there is free-flowing positive energy, the chakras spin like wheels, keeping our whole being regulated and healthy through chakra balancing. When the seven chakras are blocked, the flow of energy is restricted and this slow and sluggish flow of energy poses a problem. The hindered energy gives way to physical ailments, mental ill-being, emotional imbalance, and spiritual vacuum.

Now there are a plethora of healing techniques that you might want to try to unblock the chakras for energy flow and regain the harmony between your body, mind, and soul. Every method has its own benefits and way of practice; you may use the one that aligns best with your persona and your belief system. The question that now arises is:

How Do I Know If Any of My 7 Chakras Are Blocked?

If you have been feeling low, mentally and physically, you might want to check if one or two or more or all of your seven chakras are blocked. The prominent indication of your chakras being blocked is you feeling low all the time; when you don’t feel like yourself or are feeling sickly all through the day. Negative thoughts, sadness, anxiety, low energy, low sex drive, feeling exhausted all the time, mental fog, zero to a low inclination to do anything fun, giving up on your hobbies, losing passion, and being disinterested in things you loved to do previously, are all signs of blocked chakras. Your heart feels heavy and your head light and foggy; when you feel the world is coming to an end and your life is filled with stagnancy and your day seems a long tiresome drudgery, are all indicators of blocked chakras. A definitive way to end this misery is to restore the balance of your chakras.

Every chakra has a corresponding color, element, gemstone, or yoga pose that can restore its balance. When a chakra is surrounded by and exposed to its affiliates, it functions in an optimum manner, stays on top of its game, and makes available the best it has to offer.

Just like every chakra has conforming articles, chants, and procedures, it also has a series of indications and symptoms that denote the fact that the chakra is blocked.

Every chakra tells a tale: a happy, effervescent one if it is operating in the best form, and a rather glum one if it is blocked and needs work. Let’s see what signs the chakras present when they are blocked.

All About the Blocked Chakras and How to Unblock Them

1. Root Chakra (Muladhara Chakra)

Root Chakra is the foundation of yourself. The first chakra is the house of a sense of stability and here is the beginning of all kinds of balance located at the base of our spinal cord. It represents our basic physical need for food, clothing, and shelter and our imminent emotional need of feeling safe and interconnected.

Signs of blocked root chakra:

How to Unblock the Root Chakra:

To unblock the Muladhara Chakra, you have to practice activities that take you closer to the roots. Perform the above-mentioned Yoga Poses every day. Spend time in nature: walk barefoot on grass or in the sand, go hiking in the mountains, lie on the grass to read, or sit in silence on the rocks. Wear more red clothes, wear a hematite. Eat natural foods instead of those manufactured by plants. Meditate regularly. Do body scanning meditation. Practice alternate nostril breathing every day. Try visualization techniques wherein you imagine roots growing from your feet anchoring you to the ground below or a white light entering from the base of your spine and entering your body. You may rub a few drops of essential oils of ginger or sandalwood or cedarwood or eucalyptus on your feet, tailbone, and wrists. They will make you feel instantly grounded. You may also rub a metal spoon on your feet because metal has grounding properties. You may also try Root Chakra Affirmations.

2. Sacral Chakra (Second Chakra)

Sacral Chakra is the energy center of your creativity and self-expression. It denotes your ingenuity and imagination. It affects your sensitivity, sexual energy, passions, and emotions. Your quality of relationships and your degree of intimacy highly depend on the sacral chakra.

Signs of blocked sacral chakra:

Sacral Chakra Symbol: To purify svadhisthana, the six petals of the sacral chakra lotus represent the traits of wrath, envy, cruelty, hatred, pride, and desire that must be conquered. A continuous cycle of birth, death, and pure consciousness.

How to Unblock the Sacral Chakra:

The foremost step that you need to take to balance the Sacral Chakra is to connect with yourself. Try self-healing modalities like Reiki, Body-scan, Meditation, Aromatherapy, or Massage. This may be followed by connecting with Water: swimming in a sea or a river, taking, long relaxing baths, preferably with orange essential oils and/or orange-scented candles.

Hydrotherapy works as well: have sufficient amounts of water throughout the day. Chant the affirmations while sipping water. Consume more orange-hued foods: orange, sweet potato, butternut squash, melons, and mangoes.

Most importantly, get creative. Find anything that makes you do a physical activity such as paint, draw, cook, or dance, anything that lets your positive emotions flow. Do hip-opening poses and exercises in the morning and at bedtime.

3. Solar Plexus Chakra (Third Chakra)

This chakra, often known as the manipura chakra, defines our relationship with the Self. When the solar plexus chakra is blocked, we feel powerless and out of control. Our self-worth stems from this chakra. How we view ourselves, whether our confidence is at its peak or down below, is largely dependent on this chakra. If the manipura chakra is blocked, you will be hesitant to make decisions, will be a procrastinator, and will lose out on opportunities. When this chakra is balanced, self-compassion & worthiness flow freely.

Signs of Imbalance:

Solar plexus chakra symbol: A red triangle of fire appears in the center of the symbol for the solar plexus chakra. Tejas, or tattva, is a representation of strength, power, and sharpness.

How to Unblock the Solar Plexus Chakra:

To unblock your Solar Plexus Chakra, start by loving and accepting yourself unconditionally. If that doesn’t come naturally to you, start affirmations and journaling. Look at yourself in the mirror while chanting affirmations. You may consider meditating on a candle flame and meditating under the sun to kindle the fire element within you. Eat easily digestible foods. Wear yellow often. You may even consider painting the walls of your room, yellow. Perform yoga poses and exercises that strengthen spiritual health.

4. Heart Chakra (Anahata Chakra)

The chakras are all in a linear line from the root to the crown and the heart chakra is right in the center of all the chakras. Anahata Chakra (Sanskrit word) corresponds to the purest, most selfless of emotions: love. The Heart Chakra regulates our ability to love and to be loved. We form connections and relationships based on our energies regulated by heart chakra. Our responses and actions full of kindness, love, and compassion are elicited from this chakra. If this chakra is blocked, then our capacity for forgiveness, philanthropy, magnanimity, generosity and the simple equation of understanding and empathy in close relationships is affected.

Signs of Imbalance:

Heart chakra symbol: Our love for ourselves and others, compassion, empathy, and forgiveness are located in the fourth main chakra. The anahata chakra is linked to joy, compassion, spiritual health, and unrestricted love.

How to Unblock the Heart Chakra:

Unblocking the heart chakra requires you to first love yourself, by treating your body and mind right that same energy moves to improve the heart chakra as an energy center. Begin by eating right, especially, green vegetables: cruciferous and leafy. Include green superfoods in your diet such as spirulina, chlorophyll, green tea, and matcha tea.

The second step is to be mindful, always aware of your feelings. Acknowledge and respect your feelings, accept them, and then deal with them. Don’t be harsh on yourself. Thirdly, show yourself some kindness. Gift yourself small acts of love: a spa day, a foot massage, reading your favorite book with a cup of tea, Mandala painting, listening to music, anything that makes you happy and relaxed.

Fourth, trust yourself. Believe in the magic of love. Do journaling, and meditation, practice restorative yoga poses, and read affirmations to remember and restore your faith in love.

5. Throat Chakra (Vishuddha Chakra)

Throat Chakra gives us a voice. It helps us to express what is in our hearts. It enables our energy centers to express ourselves with clarity and truthfulness. Blocked vishuddha chakra causes us to lose our voice; it renders the energy moving upwards but still makes us incapable of expressing ourselves and we feel tied by fear of consequences, lack of willpower, and a lack of choice of speaking out. Introversion, shyness, self-consciousness, or on the other extreme, excessive talking, interrupting, gossiping and the inability to listen to others are typical symptoms of the blocked throat chakra. Also known as vishuddha chakra.

Signs of Imbalance:

Throat chakra symbol: It stands for expression, growth, and communication. It is portrayed as a sixteen-petal lotus. A circle is encircled by a triangle with a downward-facing angle (representing quintessence).

How to Unblock the Throat Chakra:

Practice meditation to quieten your mind. Listen to music. Practice yoga poses. Try the visualization technique: close your eyes, and imagine a clear blue light entering your throat and filling you up with positive energy. Then, find the courage to speak up. Say affirmations every day. Begin by expressing yourself on paper: try journaling. Try your hand at public speaking: take a class or two, and find a space to meet people and talk to them. Have coffee dates with your friends and peers, join a hobby class; basically, don’t hold yourself back. Pick that phone, shoot that email, go over for a chat or a walk with a friend, and talk.

6. Third-Eye Chakra (Ajna Chakra)

The third-eye chakra, also known as ajna chakra, imparts depth to our perspective; gives us the energy to see beyond the obvious. It enhances our intuitive capabilities and makes us wiser, sounder, and perceptible to the inconspicuous nuances. The third-eye chakra enables you to cut through the illusions and see the clear picture. A blocked third-eye chakra will prevent you from listening to your inner voice; it will cause you to distrust your gut feeling. It may also leave us highly suspicious of other people or leave us naïve to be overly trusting.

Signs of Imbalance:

Third eye chakra symbol: The third eye chakra's two petals stand for the idea of a dualistic relationship between the Self and Divinity. The upside-down triangle stands for your union with the divine and complete enlightenment.

How to Unblock the Third-eye Chakra:

The third-eye chakra is related to light. Meditating in sunlight or near a window which lets the light in, is very beneficial. Chanting and Breathwork such as alternate nostril breathing help in unblocking the ajna chakra. If you are not habituated to meditation, at least sit in silence and be still for some time every day. Eat purple or indigo-colored foods and wear the same-colored clothes often. Practice the Yoga Poses to unblock chakras. Use essential oils such as jasmine, sandalwood, and patchouli in your daily life. Resort to alternative healing modalities such as Reiki, Aromatherapy, and Sound Baths for chakra cleansing. These will help increase your focus and help you get in touch with your inner voice. Pay attention to your intuition, even if you do not decipher the signs earlier, you will after the event has occurred. Listen and honor these messages. Once you start noticing ‘the signs’, you will attune better to your instincts, heightening your inner voice.

7. Crown Chakra (Sahasrara Chakra)

The crown chakra holds the highest place and potential in the body. Awakening the crown chakra rouses every cell in the body. This chakra relates your power to the divinity; it is your link to the higher consciousness or the life beyond. It is an entry point for the life force, it is a doorway to the cosmic world. The crown chakra makes us one with the universe. It keeps us connected to the whole world as well as the spiritual world.

Signs of the blocked crown chakra:

Crown chakra symbol: Thousand-petalled lotus: This symbolizes our union with the cosmos and connection to the divine. The lotus blossom represents wealth. The ring: The circle is a common symbol for infinite and cyclical nature because it is limitless, just like energy itself.

How to Unblock the Crown Chakra:

The most important thing to do to unblock your Crown Chakra is to keep your surroundings clean. Next, cleanse your chakra aura. You may either take help of healers and experts or you may try it yourself by taking salt baths, listening to high-frequency music, chanting mantras, lighting scented candles or incense sticks, burning camphor or bay leaves to cleanse the air, and having air purifying plants in your surroundings. Next is to perform yoga postures (asana practice), deep breathing exercises, and self-massage with fragrant oils. Thirdly you must pray and meditate regularly. Find the power of human consciousness within. Call out to the higher power. Have faith in the process and believe in the guidance you receive. Be positive and focus on the divine qualities within.

Concluding the Seven Chakras

Along with this, it is imperative to live a wholesome life. Mind, body, and soul are all connected. To balance one, all must align. Thus, go holistic: eat well, sleep well, exercise well, behave well, and act well in addition to all the above remedies. Be full of love and positive self-expression. Be wise and salvation will follow.

So, this was all about the seven chakras. This is a deep subject and there is no end to its exploration. This article, however, has thrown significant light on the subject and it is a good start if you are aiming to heal yourself by unblocking the seven chakras. It is best to start sequentially, bottom to top. Start with unblocking the base focal point root chakra and you are good to go.

Editor's note: chakras are a spiritual framework, and this guide offers no medical advice. If you notice any of the physical or emotional symptoms mentioned in this guide, please talk to a doctor or a mental health professional.

Lifeism shares ideas and practices for reflection. It is not medical, psychological or financial advice. Read our Disclaimer.

V
Jenny Dsouza

Senior Writer