The Chakras Explained
What are chakras?
The word Chakra means ‘wheel’ in Sanskrit. Thousands of years ago, yogic scriptures depicted seven energetic centers in the human body that relate to different characteristics of our human experience - physical, emotional and spiritual. Ancient yogis used to sit in meditation for very long periods of time to keep the energy flowing freely through the chakras!
The Chakras are small discs or wheels of energy that are located from the base of the spine all the way to the top of the head and beyond (we actually have more than seven chakras that extend beyond the body, but that is for another blog post).
Each chakra is developed at different points in our lives. They are the structure and foundation upon which we relate to ourselves and the world around us.
Let’s Dive Deeper
Ever learn about Maslow’s hierarchy of needs in school? Well the chakra system follows a very similar structure. It’s safe to say that this concept was taken from the chakra system that was developed thousands of years ago. As you read each of the meanings below, you’ll notice the similarities!
It is also no coincidence that there are bundles of nerves in each of the areas where the chakras are located in the body. Each charka is associated with specific organ functions and emotions. Being the energetic beings that we are, we can store past trauma and emotions within our chakras that can create energetic blocks.
An example of this would be a childhood trauma that gets stored in the root chakra area relating to security around money. Because this trauma has not been brought from the unconscious to the conscious mind, that person will continue to live with these patterns until they feel it is safe to look at, shift and release. This is when modalities such as Reiki, hypnosis therapy and energy healing can be beneficial to help work through stuck energy.
Read below to find out which of your chakras are balanced or blocked!
An overview of the seven chakras
Root Chakra (muladhara)
Located at the base of the spine. Colour red. Element earth.
This is the first chakra to develop. It is associated with our survival instincts and is closely connected to the physical body. Our safety, security, beliefs around money, family and our ancestral lineage can show up here.
Balanced – grounded, stable, secure in the body, feeling safe, healthy relationships (money and personal).
Blocked – feelings of scarcity, dis-trust, fear, stress about money, feeling unsafe in your body, lower body pains or discomfort.
Sacral Chakra (swadhisthana)
Located below your navel where your reproductive organs are. Colour orange. Element water.
This is the chakra associated with our sexuality, creativity and self empowerment. It is the center of our emotions, feelings, pleasure and desires. This is also usually where our creative ideas start to form and take shape.
Balanced - feeling safe to express desires and emotions freely, able to open up to others, comfortable in your own skin, creative flow, trust in self.
Blocked - depression, detachment from feelings, indulgent, aggressive, over sensitive, fear, anxiety, worry, reproductive or pelvic issues.
*I love to use movement and dancing to balance this chakra. Journalling works great as well.
Solar Plexus (manipura)
Located above navel. Colour yellow. Element fire.
This chakra is our power center. It is were our self esteem, confidence, inner power, strength and sense of self are developed. This center is also where our ego begins to develop as children as we start to see ourselves as unique individuals.
Balanced - energy, strength, self confidence, will power, vitality, mental balance, ability to relate to the world around you in a healthy way.
Blocked - overactive ego, overcompensation, need to prove you’re right, aggression, anger, overly opinionated, guilt, lack of energy, low self esteem or confidence, strong inner critic, fear of rejection, adrenal, digestion or liver problems.
Heart Chakra (anahata)
Located in the center of the chest. Colour green. Element air.
The heart chakra is where the earthly chakras associated with your identity and physical body merge with the spiritual chakras located above the heart. When our heart is open and balanced, we feel a sense of joy, trust, love and gratitude for life. When it is blocked or closed, we can be holding onto anger, resentment, grief, shame and fear of connection. This center is where we hold our emotional depth and develop our connection with others.
Balanced - trust, fearlessness, gratitude, peace, self trust, connectedness, healthy boundaries, emotional control, self love.
Blocked - fear of partnership, resisting connection, grief, anger, sadness, living in the past, jealousy, overbearing or controlling behaviour, anxiety.
Throat Chakra (vishuddha)
Located in center of throat. Colour blue. Element ether.
This chakra is where we speak our truth and feel safe to express our authentic selves to the world. It is where we communicate our needs and feel seen and heard. When this chakra is balanced, we can feel confident expressing ourselves in a healthy manner and take well to advice and honours other people’s opinions. When imbalanced, this can show up as being overly talkative or unable to speak up and share your voice, unable to listen to others and can have hard time with advice and opinions of others.
Balanced - able to create healthy boundaries, speak up for self, voice opinions in a healthy way, listen and receive, can take criticism well, communicate needs clearly, articulate, honest, truthful.
Blocked - fear of being out of control, thyroid issues, back issues, trouble expressing self, overly talkative,
Third eye Chakra (ajna)
Located in middle of brain in-between the eyebrows. Colour indigo. Element light.
This chakra is where our command center is for our intellect and intuition. It is where we see through our minds eye and where dreams and visions for the future take place. This is also where we can hold limiting beliefs that hold us back from reaching our dreams.
Balanced - focused, determined, intuitive, foresight, ability to stay open, inner wisdom, trust, sixth sense, capability to make choices.
Blocked - moodiness, fear, headaches, sinus issues, closed mind, untrusting, rigid thinking, cynicism, attachment to logic.
Crown Chakra (samsara)
Located a few inches above the top of our head. Colour white or violet. Element of spirit, aura or cosmic energy.
This chakra is where our connection to spirit or an energy beyond just the physical body resides. It is what allows us to detach from the illusion of being separate from the world around us. It is our connection to our spiritual selves, the divine and that all is one.
Balanced - connection to Self beyond form, unshakable trust in your inner guidance, trust in life, connection to that which is beyond.
Blocked - rigid thoughts, analysis paralysis, fear of alienation, disconnected from the Universe beyond the body, disconnected from spiritual realms, lack of trust in inner guide, unhappiness, feeling unsatisfied with life.
Are you looking to find more balance in your life?
I currently offer 60-min intuitive energy healing sessions to help you clear blocked or stuck energy from your chakras and energy field so you can feel aligned and rebalanced. In my sessions I use a mix of Reiki, meditation and Shamanic energy healing practices. Check out my Intuitive Healing page to learn more!
Much love,
Gill xo
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