Introduction to Chakras: What Are the 7 Main Chakras

September 28, 2016

Introduction to Chakras: What Are Chakras?

Perhaps you are new to Chakras or have heard them mentioned here or there. In this series I will discuss the 7 main Chakras in your body. Although there are an additional 8-12 for the next level and in truth, we have 114 Chakras, I will just focus on the 7 main ones for now!

What are Chakras?

7 Main Chakras

Before we go any further, let's cover what a Chakra even is! A Chakra is an 'energy center'. These energy centers are located along your spine and start from the pelvic region (Base Chakra) and work their way up to the top of your head (Crown Chakra).

It is believed that each energy center is where our energy flows through and each Chakra spins in a different direction. Each Chakra is responsible for different emotions, health support, spiritual support and other traits. If a Chakra is blocked or unbalanced, it causes change on physical and metaphysical levels. For this reason, you want your Chakras to be open and cleared of any unwanted or negative energy.

What Are the 7 Main Chakras?

Starting at the base of your spine and working up to the top of your head, the 7 main Chakras are:

1. Root/Base (Muladhara)
2. Sacral (Svadhisthana)
3. Solar Plexus (Manipura)
4. Heart (Anahata)
5. Throat (Vishuddha)
6. Third-Eye (Ajna)
7. Crown (Sahaswara)

How to Tell if Chakras are Unbalanced?

Chakras can be over-active or under-active. For example, someone with an over-active Throat Chakra may suffer from being overly talkative or speaking harshly of others. 

Sore Neck Throat Chakra

Whereas an under-active Chakra in the throat can lead to not saying what you want to say when you should, in fact, speak up and stand up for yourself.

There are also health issues which may arise. For the above example, the Throat Chakra, what would you expect a health issue to be if it was not balanced?  You probably already guessed it and you are right: a sore throat. Other health issues could include thyroid, dental issues, mouth problems, laryngitis, TMJ and neck pain. For all illness in the body, it is believed there is a corresponding Chakra or Chakras which are not in balance and have led to the illness.

Different Ways to Clear and Balance Chakras

During our daily routines we encounter various situations in which we form opinions and hear news that is not always positive and uplifting. We also encounter people who are known as 'psychic vampires', people who unknowingly (or knowingly) drain you of your energy. Dealing with negative energy leads to draining the energy in our Chakras and also filling them with dark and negative energy. There are many methods to cleansing and balancing your Chakras including:

Balancing Chakras

• Yoga - Not only is Yoga good from an exercise point of view, there are specific poses designed to strengthen and clear each Chakra!
• Color Therapy - Each Chakra has it's own color and it only makes sense to work with the color(s) of the Chakra(s) in need of recharging. Simply by eating foods of that color(s), wearing certain colors and even visualization of those color(s) can help you balance your Chakras.
• Meditation - There are some great guided meditations out there. Simply listen and relax and let your body, mind and soul do the rest! You can work on specific Chakras or all of them for a complete recharge!
• Essential Oils - Scent is amazing and different essential oils will work with each Chakra. I will get into specifics on each Chakra later on in this series.
• Crystals and Gemstones - Not only are they beautiful to look at, they are also helpful in raising vibrations and clearing away unwanted energies. One of the easiest ways to work with crystals and Chakras is to match color of the crystal with that of the Chakra but other rules apply to. For example, certain dark(black) gemstones are great for the base Chakra which is red in color. We will discuss this in further detail later on but  you can do your own research on crystals for a specific Chakra and begin making a list. Some crystals are easier to obtain than others!
• Affirmations - Words are powerful, especially when we visualize and affirm certain statements. Again, each Chakra resonates with different affirmations, so this will also be discussed individually later on in the series
• Spiritual or Holistic Healer - Working with someone who is a Spiritual or Holistic Healer can also be helpful. A Reiki practitioner, crystal healer, energy workers and even a psychic who can work with past life issues can all be of service. Remember, our Chakras hold energy including thoughts and emotions both present and past. Sometimes healing our Chakras takes time and requires going back into older memories.