Working with your chakras can be highly healing. If you are interested in holistic healing, you’ve probably heard of the concept of chakras and know a little bit about chakra healing.
The chakra system has origins in India, over four thousand years ago. Knowledge of chakras came to the western world through the practice of yoga. Chakra literally translates as ‘wheel’ or ‘disk’ and refers to the sphere of bioenergetic activity emanating from the nerves branching from the spine. There are seven of these wheels or chakras, and they are stacked in a column of energy that spans up from the base of the spine to the top of the head.
In addition to the seven major chakras, there are also lots of minor chakras found in the hands and feet, and other areas of the body. But generally, when we talk about chakras, we mean the seven major centers of energy. You might work with specific chakras for different results, but all the chakras are interrelated and can affect each other.
The lower chakras can help to ground us and build a strong foundation. If you have more energy in your higher chakras, you might be full of imagination, and a very spiritual person. While this is great, sometimes our chakras can become distorted and unbalanced, and we might struggle. For example, while the third eye chakra can help us to be perceptive, we can become prone to confusion and illusion if it becomes unbalanced and we can lose our clarity.
Different qualities and imbalances are associated with different chakras, and paying attention to your lower chakras are very important. These chakras relate to issues such as feelings, power, and sexuality, and are an essential aspect of love.
The Root Chakra
An unbalanced root chakra can cause issues with fear, and this may stem from experiences of neglect, abuse, or wounds related to survival. A balanced root chakra will give you a sense of stability and trust in the world, and if it becomes unbalanced, you may come across issues to do with survival and the ‘right to have’; meaning you might find it hard to let yourself have nice things.
Physically, the root chakra can show up as issues with the lower body, like the feet, legs, and lower back, as well as the solid aspects of your body like teeth and bones. Additionally, you might suffer from digestive disorders or issues with eating.
Healing practices for your root chakra can include physical activities to connect with your body - like yoga! As well as lots of physical touch. The root chakra has a red color, and is also associated with sandalwood and cinnamon, as well as sage. Drumming music is also associated with it - so bringing any of these aspects into your life can help you feel more grounded and present in your body.
The Sacral Chakra
This chakra is associated with the ‘right to feel’. If you grew up hiding your emotions or not expressing emotions, you might have an imbalance in your sacral chakra. Avoiding feelings and emotions can cut us off from the important information that feelings bring us. It can make us feel numb and disconnected from what we really want.
This can also cause a lot of feelings of guilt, perhaps excessively. While a balanced sacral chakra shows up as emotional intelligence, an imbalance can cause poor boundaries and a fear of change. Physically, you can suffer from lower back pain, lack of flexibility, or sexual problems.
To heal the second sacral chakra, you have to assign yourself healthy pleasures. The color associated with it is orange, and essential oils are jasmine and neroli. Engaging with these aspects in your life can help to heal second chakra issues.
The Solar Plexus Chakra
The third Chakra is the solar plexus chakra, which focuses on the right to act. The solar plexus chakra can become imbalanced if we fear punishment, or act a certain way that we don’t really want to. This chakra is connected to personal power, and when we don’t have enough space to develop our inner authority, it can become imbalanced and we can feel shame.
A balanced solar plexus chakra can help us to define and discover ourselves, and make us feel responsible. When it’s imbalanced, we can become easily manipulated, or dominated. Physically, issues with the solar plexus can show up as digestive disorders, chronic fatigue, and stomach issues.
Healing practices can involve exercise, and trying to take a few more risks. The color for the solar plexus is yellow, and smells include lemon and juniper. Bringing these elements into your life can help to heal the solar plexus chakra.
By Amy Cavill