A Mini Introduction To The 7 Chakras

Most of us have heard of Chakras being mentioned in either some mainstream television show;like "Avatar: The last Air bender", or one of anime's most famous shows, "Naruto"), or from an energy worker, who speak about chakra balancing, healing, and unblocking, and even from some of our favorite celebs such as Jhene Aiko in her music. But before we get into our mini intro of the Chakra System, I first want to let you guys know that the chakra system has an abundance of depth and information out there. So today, I'm only getting into introductions and providing basic information to you in hopes that it sparks inspiration for you to look deeper and expand your knowledge on the topic of chakras. I will be defining the characteristics, color associations, and the impact that chakras are believed to have on our mind, body, and soul.

The Chakra systems originated in India between 1500 and 500 BC in the oldest scriptures of Hinduism called the Vedas. Chakras or Cakra  translates to "wheel" in sanskrit (an ancient Indo-European language of India). We can imagine them as being the wheels of free-flowing positive energy in our bodies, from the base of our spine to the crown of our head and beyond. A balanced chakra wheel can be thought of as a free-flowing stream that allows us to feel content with life, and see it as a beautiful opportunity that has been given to us. A balanced chakra system allows us to maintain a healthy relationship with ourselves and others. When there's an imbalance in our wheel, life can be challenging; it can result in anxiety and unhealthy emotions about our lives. There are a total of seven Chakras.

---

The 7 main chakras

Positive Exchange Wellness: Balance Affirmation Cards

The Root Chakra

The root chakra governs our basic needs, and everything that makes us feel secure and stable. Blockages of the Root Chakra can show up through symptoms both in psychological and physical aspects: restlessness, obsession with materialistic matters, insecurities, lower back pain, constipation as well as kidney problems. Opening this chakra starts with Trusting and loving yourself and letting go of your fears. A balanced root chakra can lead us to enjoy a life that is stable, secure, and an understanding of the deep rooted connection we have to the universe.

Sanskrit Name: Muladhara

Location: Base of the spine, Pelvic floor

Color: Red

Gemstone: Red Jasper

The Sacral Chakra

This is where the magic happens! This chakra governs our sexuaul and creative energy.  An unbalanced sacral chakra can also have psychological and physical impacts such as: emotional instability, fear of intimacy, lack of creative motivation, sexual dysfunction, addictive behaviors, and depression. An aligned sacral chakra can lead us to foster healthy relationships with ourselves and others, fulfil our sexual needs, be passionate and creative in our endeavors.

Sanskrit Name: Svadhisthana

Location: Above the pubic bone, below the navel

Color: Orange

Gemstone: Red Aventurine

The Solar Plexus

The solar plexus is said to govern all metabolic, digestive, and stomach related matters. It focuses on our individual will power. Think of it as building courage and standing up for who we are and what we believe in. When the solar plexus is unbalanced, we lack self-esteem and feel powerless. Symptoms can be found in behaviors such as self-doubt, critical judgment of our physical appearance, anger towards others, digestive issues, acid reflux and chronic fatigue. When this chakra is properly balanced, we live our life with confidence; we make decisions that we trust are the best for us,  and we treat ourselves and others with compassion.

Sanskrit Name: Manipura

Location: Navel to rib cage

Color: Yellow

Gemstone: Yellow Jade

The Heart Chakra

It is believed  that the heart chakra is the mvp of chakras, because it governs the highest vibration of all LOVE. It is very important to have a balanced heart chakra; an unbalanced heart chakra can lead to lack of empathy, the inability to forgive, codependency, the need to please others at all cost, premature aging, asthma as well as other respiratory problems. When we work to heal and balance our heart chakra,  it gives us the power to love ourselves and others. With an open heart, we are able to see the world with child-like eyes, admiring life and it’s beauty. Unlocking our heart chakra also results in  healthy relationships that flow with ease.

Sanskrit Name: Anahata

Location: Center of your chest

Color: Green

Gemstone: Green Aventurine

The Throat Chakra

The throat chakra governs our ability to communicate and express ourselves. When a throat chakra is blocked, we might feel like we can't verbally, physically or emotionally express ourselves. A blocked throat chakra can include psychological effects, such as trouble speaking the truth or expressing our thoughts, an inability to listen to others or keep secrets, fear of judgment, poor coping skills, and physical effects such as  sore throat, headaches, thyroid issues and voice loss. Opening this chakra can give us the ability to express our true feelings without fear of judgment from self and others. It allows us to build strong communication in relationships, and learn to freely be our authentic self.

Sanskrit Name: Vishuddha

Location: Base of your throat

Color: Blue

Gemstone: Amazonite

The Third-Eye Chakra

The third  eye chakra is associated with our intuition, psychic abilities, and perception. When this chakra is unbalanced, we might feel like we're in space without clarity, unable to process our thoughts and ideas and a disconnect from our true purpose. Symptoms of a blocked third-eye can look like nightmares, seizures, hallucinations, learning difficulties, personality disorder, eye problems, and hearing difficulty. A balanced third eye can bring us clarity, and motivation to go after our dreams. We are easily able to interpret our dreams, listen and trust our intuition.

Sanskrit Name: Ajna

Location: Between our eyebrows

Color: Indigo

Gemstone: Sodalite

The Crown Chakra

The crown chakra governs our consciousness and enlightenment. This chakra is associated with God( or your particular belief system). An unbalanced crown chakra can lead to feeling spiritually lost and feelings of no direction and purpose in life. Symptoms can include depression, mental disconnection, loss of faith, headaches, light sensitivity dementia and other  neurological disorders. The crown chakra affects the health of our brains and therefore our entire mental, physical and spiritual health. Balancing and opening the crown chakra is essential for a deep spiritual connection within ourselves, the universe and God.  Energy entering and leaving the Crown facilitates our flow of positive energy with the other six chakras, and it creates the outlook we hold on life.

Sanskrit Name: Sahaswara

Location: Top of our head

Color: Purple

Gemstone: Amethyst

---

Unblocking the chakras

Now that you have some information on what the chakras are, you might be wondering how to open, or balance some of your own chakras. I'll leave you guys with three of my favorite simple ways to open the chakras. My first tip is to get familiar with the colors associated with the chakras and eat fruits or vegetables that color. For example, if you want to balance your heart chakra, try to eat more leafy greens, avocados, green tea, cucumbers etc. I also recommend meditating with gemstones that have healing properties for the specific chakras. If you don't have any crystals, I recommend investing in a Red jasper. It is an amazing crystal; it’s properties include grounding and balancing the root chakra. Lastly, use affirmations/mantras to speak balance into your life. Affirmations are one of my favorite tools for balancing my chakras, because it allows me to speak things into existence and also affirm myself. If you have never worked with affirmations before, check out my chakra balancing affirmation cards in my wellness shop; it's great for any beginners who are looking to balance their life using  the chakra systems.