Ready to unlock your power? You’ve probably heard about chakras at your latest yoga class, brunch with your besties, or even your favorite T.V. show. But what is a chakra? And how do we keep them open and balanced? The seven chakra system is extensive, but don’t worry! We’re here to guide you to higher energy.
What Are Chakras?
Chakras are localized energy points in the body, each representing its own center of spiritual power. The word “chakra” derives from the Sanskrit term cakra, which translates literally to “wheel” and refers to these points of spinning energy.
Seven main chakras run along the spine, each aligned with major organs or nerve bundles. They start at the base of your spine, otherwise known as the root chakra, and extend to the crown of your head.
These spinning discs draw in energy and keep your body’s physical, psychological, spiritual, and emotional well-being balanced and open. If a chakra is blocked, you may feel physical or emotional symptoms specific to that particular chakra.
Some believe that there are over 114 different chakras located within the body. However, these seven are widely acknowledged as the most common.
The Seven Chakras
Each of the seven chakras has a corresponding name, focal point, and color representing their different wellness targets. Let’s start from the ground up!
Root Chakra, or Muladhara
As the first and base chakra, this chakra’s energy focuses on maintaining a solid foundation. Often associated with the color red, the root chakra is located at the bottom of your spine and supports your fundamental physical and emotional needs.
A blocked or imbalanced root chakra can present itself in several ways. You might feel sluggish, extra stressed, emotionally unbalanced, or unsettled.
Think your root chakra may be out of alignment? Focus on some mantra meditation practices, grounding yoga poses, and harness the energy of healing crystals and stones!
Root Chakra Location:
Base of the spine.
Root Chakra Color:
Red.
Root Chakra Represents:
Foundation, grounding, and basic needs.
Sacral Chakra, or Svadhishthana
A healthy and balanced sacral chakra houses creativity, relationships, and sexuality. The Sanskrit term for the sacral chakra, Svadhishthana, translates literally to “a place of self.” Your sacral chakra is where your identity blossoms, and feelings of creativity, joy, desire, and arousal come into play.
A blocked or imbalanced sacral chakra may present as a lack of creativity, low sex drive, anxiety, and detachment from your emotions. Essential oils, healing stones, and some reflective journaling can significantly aid the healing of a blocked sacral chakra.
Sacral Chakra Location:
Directly below the naval.
Sacral Chakra Color:
Orange.
Sacral Chakra Represents:
Sense of sexuality, pleasure, and joy.
Solar Plexus Chakra, or Manipura
You know that gut feeling you can’t explain in the pit of your stomach? That’s your solar plexus chakra hard at work! The solar plexus chakra is responsible for your self-esteem, self-expression, and unconscious intuition. Your solar plexus is a glowing powerhouse that, when balanced, shines brighter than ever.
An unbalanced solar plexus chakra can present itself as poor self-esteem, irritability, and even various stomach issues in your body. Aromatherapy, affirmation techniques, and catching some “solar” sun rays can help keep your solar plexus chakra open and receiving.
Solar Plexus Location:
Upper stomach area.
Solar Plexus Color:
Yellow.
Solar Plexus Charkra Represents:
Confidence, personal power, and intuition.
Heart Chakra, or Anahata
Your heart chakra rules over, you guessed it, the heart! A balanced heart chakra means appreciating the beauty in all things through an achieved state of openness and acceptance. This chakra is where your earthly needs and spiritual aspirations meet as one.
A blocked heart chakra can mean struggling with respiratory issues, trusting others, and feeling disconnected from your emotions. Healing stones like rose quartz and clear quartz can stimulate your heart chakra and promote balance.
Heart Chakra Location:
Center of the chest.
Heart Chakra Color:
Green.
Heart Chakra Represents:
Love, compassion, and acceptance.
Throat Chakra, or Visuddha
This chakra is directly related to our verbal ability to communicate and express ourselves. If you’re having trouble standing up for yourself or you’re finding it hard to speak with a friend, partner, or parent, this could be your throat chakra calling for help!
Making sure your voice is heard is an excellent way to heal a blocked throat chakra. Chanting affirmations, throat chakra-specific yoga poses, meditation and singing can promote throat balance and clarity.
Throat Chakra Location:
The throat.
Throat Chakra Color:
Blue.
Throat Chakra Represents:
Communication and expression.
Third Eye Chakra, or Ajna
Your all-seeing third eye chakra represents your connectedness to an otherworldy form of spirituality. The third eye is a mystical and invisible “eye” located between your eyebrows, one that can transcend the conscious self and see beyond ordinary perception.
A healthy and balanced third eye chakra can follow intuition and understand the bigger picture, while a blocked third eye might mean a lack of clarity and feeling stuck or lost in your daily life. Guided meditations, aromatherapy incense, and healing stones like amethyst and moonstone can all work to mend a blocked third eye.
Third Eye Chakra Location:
On the forehead, between the eyebrows.
Third Eye Chakra Color:
Indigo.
Third Eye Chakra Represents:
Foresight, intuition, and imagination.
Crown Chakra, Sahasrara
The crown chakra is the seventh and final chakra located along the spine. This chakra taps into our conscious mind and aligns us with our foundational beliefs and ideals. A balanced crown chakra will tell you whether it’s time to hold on or let go. Directly connected to the brain, this chakra has enormous power.
When this chakra is out of balance, you may feel all is lost. Don’t worry! Welcoming harmony into your life, meditating, discovering singing bowls, and reconnecting with nature can all promote clarity in this chakra.
Crown Chakra Location:
The very top of the head.
Crown Chakra Color:
Violet/white.
Crown Chakra Represents:
Enlightenment, awareness, and intelligence.
More Chakra Information and Chakra FAQs
What is a chakra?
A chakra is a spinning energy center within the body. These specific energy points align with our body’s nerve bundles and major organs and can affect our emotional and physical well-being.
How many chakras are in the body?
When referring to chakras, we most frequently recognize the 7-chakra system or the 12-chakra system. However, some cultures believe that upwards of 100 chakras are located within the body.
How can you open a chakra?
Chakras are most commonly opened and aligned by these practices:
- Meditation
- Yoga
- Crystal/stone healing
- Aromatherapy
- Chakra eating
- Exercise
Which healing stones are best for each chakra?
Each chakra has specific healing stones that target clarity and promote a healthy balance.
Root chakra stones: Red jasper, tiger’s eye, garnet
Sacral chakra stones: Tiger’s eye, sunstone, topaz
Solar plexus chakra stones: Citrine, amber, yellow jasper
Heart chakra stones: Rose quartz, pink opal, emerald
Throat chakra stones: Blue tiger’s eye, aquamarine, turquoise
Third eye chakra stones: Opal, Amethyst, Sapphire
Crown chakra stones: Clear quartz, moonstone, diamond
How do chakras affect me?
Chakras affect every single aspect of your life. Healing a blocked or imbalanced chakra can target any part of your life that may need improvement, such as relationships, wealth, self-esteem, health, etc.
Where does the chakra system originate?
Chakra practices can be traced back to India between 1500 and 500 BC. Each chakra’s energy data was recorded in The Vedas, the earliest literary Sanskrit text from ancient India.
Thanks for reading our guide to chakras. Interested in learning more about the seven main chakras? Check out Spencer’s Holistic & Healing collection for more energetic goodies, and read up on our Beginners Guide to Tibetan Singing Bowls for extra chakra healing techniques. Get in touch with your spiritual energy!
