Image of a yoga pose drawing with 7 chakras and corresponding gemstones

Chakras

The world of chakras is a fascinating one. And understanding how to use them to your advantage can lead you down a great path of abundance, health and well-being.

Graphic - Complete Guide to understanding chakras

Why are my Chakras important?

Imagine a beautiful, flowing stream. Undisturbed, the water will flow from the very top of the mountain to the very bottom. It will eventually lead to the sea. This is water’s natural course, right? But imagine that a large load of debris deposits itself into the stream. It’s now altering the water force. It may have even caused the water to stop flowing to the lower parts of the stream. Ultimately, it has now been altered and the surrounding landscape will have a flow on affect from this debris.

This is how your chakras work because the flowing water mirrors the flow of energy through the energy centres or Chakras.

I am sure you have an idea about what your debris is! Learning to understand your Chakras will give you the power to move that debris with ease.

The history of chakras

Chakras are a complex and ancient energy system that originated in India. They were first mentioned in the Vedas, ancient sacred texts of spiritual knowledge dating from 1500 to 1000 BC.

What are Chakras?

Chakra (cakra in Sanskrit) means “wheel” and refers to energy points in your body. They are thought to be spinning disks of energy that should stay “open” and aligned, as they correspond to bundles of nerves, major organs, and areas of our energetic body that affect our emotional and physical well-being.

The Chakra system is a profound philosophical system that represents the levels of consciousness. It is the map to the architecture of your soul.

You may hear of a Chakra being described as blocked. If you follow the premise that a Chakra is a spinning wheel then it is more likely that a Chakra could be unbalanced or out of alignment. I prefer to think of it this way. An unbalanced Chakra just needs a little nudge to have it spinning correctly and with practice these nudges become simple and super quick to achieve, although maintenance is the best alternative.

With an unbalanced or misaligned system, there is the concept that something may be over stimulated or under stimulated. Chakras are the same and an over or under stimulation may manifest itself in your body in various ways.

When you begin the process of looking at your own Chakras you will begin to understand the over or under stimulation concept and recognise your own state of being.

As we understand it, each Chakra represents different aspects of our physical and energetic bodies. So, for example, an under-stimulation of the base Chakra, which is all about security, survival and the foundation of your life may manifest as, depression and insecurity. An over-stimulation therefore may manifest as fearlessness without precaution, or hoarding because you need more to feel secure.

Graphic of the seven chakras and colours
Graphic of the 7 chakras

The Seven Chakras

There is a total of seven chakras in the human body. They start from the end of your spinal cord and go all the way to the top of your head.

Each chakra is of unique importance and has its own function for the overall well-being of your body. Therefore, if any become out of sync, it can negatively impact your physical, mental, and spiritual health.

Each of the seven main chakras has a corresponding colour, location, suggested crystal companion, essential oil, and health focus.

Graphic of Root Chakra

The Root Chakra

Colour: Red

Location: At the bottom of the tailbone–in the perineum for men and the cervical area for women.

This chakra’s role is to connect all of your physical, bodily energy with the Earth itself. In other words, this chakra ‘grounds’ you.
When your 1st chakra is balanced, you’ll feel a deep sense of peace. You’ll feel safe in the knowledge that all of your core needs are met. Because of this, all total body healing starts here.

Graphic of solar plexus chakra

The Solar Plexus Chakra

Colour: Yellow

Location: In your stomach–around 2-3 inches above the belly button.

This is the chakra where your self-confidence and personal power sit together in harmony.

This is by far the most powerful supporting chakra for bravery and boundary-setting.

When balanced, high self-esteem and self-worth are bonus by-products. 

Graphic of sacral chakra

The Sacral Chakra

Colour: Orange

Location: In your pelvic region, a couple of inches below the belly button.

Also known as ‘the place of the self’, the sacral chakra is therefore all about your creative identity as a human.

This chakra helps you enjoy your life here on Earth. It’s the energy that motivates you to enjoy the fruits of your labour.

When this chakra is balanced, you’ll truly relish in all the finer things in life. Because of this, you’ll enjoy them without overdoing them.

Graphic of green heart chakra

The Heart Chakra

Colour: Green (although some suggest pink)

Location: In the chest, in and around the heart space.

In spite of all its translations, this chakra is fundamentally just about love. Love is the most healing frequency of all. Similarly, when your Heart Chakra is balanced, you are easily able to feel love and empathy for yourself and others.

Graphic of blue throat chakra

The Throat Chakra

Colour: Sky Blue

Location: Right in the middle of your throat.

This chakra helps you to quite literally speak your truth. When balanced, you’ll do so in a smooth, confident, authentic way.

The Throat Chakra is your official seat of self-expression, also giving a voice to your personal preferences, beliefs, and values.

When balanced, you openly and lovingly speak the truth. Moreover, you express yourself in whichever way feels most in alignment at any given time.

In other words, there’s nothing that enlightens and inspires those around you like an open Throat Chakra.

Graphic of Indigo third eye chakra

The Third Eye Chakra

Colour: Indigo

Location: Between the eyebrows–extending to your brain’s pineal gland.

The infamous third eye chakra, Ajna, roughly translates as ‘beyond wisdom’.

This is because this mystic energy centre opens you up to expanded states of consciousness. They go way beyond the five senses and the material world we live in. Extrasensory perception, intuition, and psychic abilities are all born from the third eye. This is because of the brain’s small yet extremely powerful pinecone-shaped gland. It sits just behind Ajna, and goes by the name of the ‘pineal gland.’

Furthermore, long before brain imaging, many ancient cultures knew about the third eye’s presence. They believed it to be our human connection to the divine.

When your Third Eye is balanced, you’ll feel in tune with the physical and spiritual world. You’ll also be able to connect with both your ego and your soul. 

Graphic of violet crown chakra

The Crown Chakra

Colour: Violet/White

Location: At the very top of your head, resting on your crown.

The final chakra is often described as a lotus flower with many petals that open or close.

Your Crown Chakra is pure consciousness, connecting you to the Universe. This complete Universe is also known as ‘Om’. And it’s quite literally nothing personal…

When it comes to the concept of the crown chakra, it’s something we all have in common. Every human, animal, plant, eco-system, planet, and star has that same lifeforce energy.

Achieving a balanced crown chakra is the goal of any spiritual practice.

Further Information About the Chakras

As Chakras are all energetic centres of the body that correspond to feelings, one of them probably resonated with you as you were reading. A different one may resonate with you tomorrow. It’s likely that one resonates with you more than any others as a continuous problem, a chakra where you often deal with blocks.

In the clinic, I use 100% therapeutic essential oils and ethically sourced individual crystals.