What Are Chakras?

In Sanskrit, the word “chakra” means “disk” or “wheel” and refers to the energy centers in your body. These wheels or disks of spinning energy each correspond to certain nerve bundles and major organs. 

Your chakras must stay open or balanced to function at their best. You may experience physical or emotional symptoms related to a particular chakra if they get blocked. 

Seven main chakras run along your spine. They start at the root, or base, of your spine and extend to the crown of your head. Some people believe you have at least 114 different chakras in the body. 

The chakras most often referred to are the seven main ones, which we will explore in more detail below.

Root Chakra

The root chakra, or Muladhara, is located at the base of your spine. It provides you with a base or foundation for life, and it helps you feel grounded and able to withstand challenges. Your root chakra is responsible for your sense of security and stability. 

Sacral Chakra

The sacral chakra, or Svadhisthana, is located just below your belly button. This chakra is responsible for your sexual and creative energy. It’s also linked to how you relate to your emotions as well as the emotions of others. 

Solar Plexus Chakra

The solar plexus chakra, or Manipura, is in your stomach area. It’s responsible for confidence, self-esteem and helping you feel in control of your life. 

Heart Chakra

The heart chakra, or Anahata, is located near your heart, in the center of your chest. Unsurprisingly, the heart chakra is all about our ability to love and show compassion. 

Throat Chakra

The throat chakra, or Vishuddha, is located in your throat. This chakra has to do with our ability to communicate verbally. 

Third Eye Chakra

The third eye chakra, or 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.

Crown Chakra

The crown chakra, or Sahasrara, is located at the top of your head. Your Sahasrara represents your spiritual connection to yourself, others, and the universe. It also plays a role in your life’s purpose.

What Does it Mean if a Chakra is Blocked or Unbalanced?

Diane Malaspina, Ph.D., a yoga medicine therapeutic specialist, says she prefers to think of chakras as out of balance versus blocked. 

“There can be a depletion of energy flow or too much energetic activity in a chakra — each will manifest into different outcomes,” she explained. 

When a chakra is low in energy, she said, you’ll have difficulty expressing the particular qualities associated with that chakra. 

Dr. Malaspina said that 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, Malaspina said, it can show up as depression and insecurity. Too much energy 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 close to that chakra, according to Dr. Malaspina. This includes your organs, bones, joints, and tissues near that area. 

Psychologically, she says, 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 of the experience,” said certified yoga teacher and master reiki healer Guadalupe Terrones. According to Terrones, experiencing 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,” she said. 

Terrones also said prolonged imbalance may lead to physical disease and illness, musculoskeletal issues, and mental health challenges like depression or anxiety. 

Tips for Chakra Alignment

• Practice mindfulness and meditation: Meditation is an effective way to calm your mind and focus on your inner self. Practicing mindfulness and meditation can help you achieve a deeper level of awareness and balance your chakras. Start by focusing on your breath and visualize each chakra and its associated color.
• Use aromatherapy: Aromatherapy is a natural and effective way to balance your chakras. Essential oils have different levels of frequencies that are associated with other chakras. For example, frankincense is an excellent grounding oil for working with the lower chakras, such as the sacral. Or use rose oil to heal a broken heart as it has the highest frequency of all oils, vibrating at 320 MHz. Rose Oil enhances the frequency of every cell, bringing balance and harmony to the body and brain.
• Practice yoga: Yoga is a holistic approach to physical, mental, and spiritual wellness. It can help you balance your chakras by focusing on specific poses that stimulate each chakra. Some yoga poses that can help balance your chakras include the Mountain Pose for the root chakra, the Triangle Pose for the sacral chakra, and the Camel Pose for the heart chakra.
• Eat a balanced diet: Eating a balanced diet can help you maintain a healthy body and mind and balance your chakras. Each chakra is associated with specific foods that can help balance it. For example, foods such as root vegetables, protein, and healthy fats can help balance the root chakra, while oranges, mangos, and pumpkin seeds can help balance the sacral chakra.
• Use crystals: Crystals are believed to have healing properties and can be used to balance your chakras. For example, amethyst can harmonize the crown chakra, while citrine can help with the solar plexus chakra. You can carry the crystals or place them near you while meditating.
• Sound Healing: Sound healing uses different frequencies to heal and balance the body, including the chakras. You can listen to music or sounds that resonate with each chakra, such as crystal singing bowls, tuning forks, or chimes.
• Color Therapy: Each chakra is associated with a specific color, and color therapy can help balance them. You can use different colored clothing or visualize the color associated with each chakra while meditating. Black is a grounding and protective color, while white is associated with the crown chakra. White absorbs energy, which is why people tend to wear white during spiritual practices. 
• Energy work: Energy work such as cranial sacral therapy, reiki, or quantum touch uses the hands to transfer energy and promote healing. A trained practitioner can use energy work to balance the chakras and promote a healthy energy flow throughout the body.
• Nature Walks: Spending time in nature can help balance your chakras, especially the root chakra. Walking in a park or a forest, connecting with the earth, walking on the beach, breathing fresh air to ground yourself for a healthy, energetic flow. 

Remember, balancing your chakras is a continuous process. Incorporating these tips into your daily routine can improve your overall well-being and promote a healthy energy flow throughout your body.