What exactly are Chakras?
Chakras are the body’s energy centers. They are found in the astral body, running up and down the spine from the base to the crown of the head. The astral body is an energy body that exists within our physical body. There is an astral body part for each physical body part. It is impossible to see or touch the astral body. This is also why humans are unable to view the chakras.
Each chakra corresponds to a gland in the physical body and emits a distinct color and energy. Because each chakra is linked to unique spiritual, emotional, psychological, and physical parts of our being, it is thought that blocking or malfunctioning them can cause physical, psychological, and emotional problems. On the other side, it is thought that conscious knowledge and balancing of these energy centers leads to happiness and good health.
Muladhara Chakra is the Chakra of the Roots.
Element – Earth; Color – Red
The Muladhara Chakra is placed between the anus and the genitals at the base of the spine. The emotions of survival, stability, ambition, and self-sufficiency define it. When this chakra is out of balance, a person feels unsteady, ungrounded, without ambition, purpose, fear, insecurity, and frustration. These are replaced by more positive emotions when the root chakra is balanced, and you feel steady, confident, balanced, energetic, independent, and strong.
Muladhara Chakra’s seed mantra (beej mantra) is ‘Lam.’
Tree Pose (Vrkshasana) and Mountain Pose are two postures that serve to balance the Muladhara Chakra (Tadasana).
Sacral Chakra (Svadhishthana Chakra)
Orange is the color, while water is the element.
The Svadhishthana Chakra has positioned four fingers below the navel in the lower belly. The underlying urge for sexuality, as well as creativity and self-worth, are among its characteristics. When the sacral chakra is out of balance, a person may feel irritated and emotional, lack energy and creativity, be manipulative, or be obsessed with sexual fantasies. It makes one feel more lively, cheerful, positive, fulfilled, compassionate, and intuitive when it is balanced.
Svadhishthana Chakra’s seed mantra (beej mantra) is ‘Vam.’
Svadhishthana Chakra can be balanced by doing balancing postures like Crow Pose (Kakasana) or standing poses like Triangle Pose (Trikonasana).
One of the goals of yoga is to achieve this. Yoga aims to stimulate and balance these chakras or energy centers in the body through asana practice.
Solar Plexus Chakra (Manipura Chakra)
Yellow is a color, and fire is the element.
The Manipura Chakra is placed between the navel and the bottom of the rib cage, at the solar plexus. Ego, rage, and hostility are some of the feelings that characterize it. Physically, an imbalance of the solar plexus chakra might appear as digestive issues, liver issues, or diabetes. Depression, low self-esteem, rage, and perfectionism are all emotional issues that people face. We feel more energetic, confident, productive, and focused when this chakra is balanced.
Manipura Chakra’s seed mantra (beej mantra) is ‘Ram.’
Poses such as Classical Forward Bend (Paschimottanasana), Classical Cobra Pose (Bhujangasana), and Bow Pose can be used to work on the Manipura Chakra (Dhanurasana).
Heart Chakra (Anahata Chakra)
Green is the color, while air is the element.
The Anahata Chakra is placed in the heart region, as its name suggests. This chakra is associated with feelings of love, attachment, compassion, trust, and passion, and it is the seat of balance. An unbalanced heart chakra can lead to emotional disorders such as wrath, lack of trust, anxiety, jealousy, fear, and moodiness. A person begins to feel more sympathetic, loving, hopeful, pleasant, and motivated after harmonizing this energy area.
‘Yam’ is Anahata Chakra’s seed mantra (beej mantra).
Poses like Half Bridge Pose (Ardha Setubandhasana) and Fish Pose might help to balance the heart chakra (Matsyasana).
Throat Chakra (Vishuddha Chakra)
Blue is the color, while space is the element.
The Visuddha Chakra, which corresponds to the thyroid gland, is positioned at the base of the throat. It’s linked to creativity, healthy expression, religion, and the ability to communicate effectively. Terrorism, stillness, a sense of weakness, or the difficulty to articulate our views are all symptoms of a blockage in the throat chakra. This chakra allows for creativity, positive self-expression, constructive communication, and a sense of fulfillment when it is balanced.
The Vishuddha Chakra’s seed mantra (beej mantra) is ‘Ham.’
Shoulderstand (Sarvangasana) and Plough Pose both stimulate the Throat Chakra (Halasana).
Ajna Chakra – Chakra of the Third Eye
Indigo is the color, and none is the element.
Between the brows is the Ajna Chakra (also known as the Agya Chakra). The Third Eye Chakra, also known as the Third Eye, is frequently used as a focal point during asana practice to improve attention and awareness. Meditation on this chakra is thought to eliminate past-life karma and offer emancipation and intuitive insight.
Intelligence, intuition, insight, and self-awareness are some of its characteristics. When it’s out of whack, it can make you feel insecure and fearful of success, or it can make you more egoistical. Physical symptoms of an imbalance include headaches, hazy vision, and eye strain. When this chakra is active and balanced, a person feels more spiritually and emotionally alive and confident. Without the dread of death, one becomes his own master and loses all attachment to earthly possessions.
The Ajna Chakra’s seed mantra (beej mantra) is ‘Om.’
When performing Headstand, the Ajna Chakra is activated (Shirshasana).
Crown Chakra (Sahastrara Chakra)
Element – None; Color – Violet/White
At the crown of the head is the Sahastrara Chakra. Spirituality, enlightenment, and dynamic thought and energy are all centered in the seventh chakra. It facilitates the flow of wisdom from within and bestows the gift of universal consciousness. When it becomes unbalanced, one may experience feelings of irritation, depression, and destructiveness.
‘Aum’ is the seed mantra (beej mantra) of the Sahastrara Chakra.
Headstand can be used to balance the Sahasrara Chakra (Shirshasana).
Health and Chakras
Chakras are linked to the organs and glands of the specific location in which they are found. As a result, they have a significant impact on our health, mental state, and interpersonal relationships. The chakras can be balanced or imbalanced depending on a variety of things such as our lifestyle, environment and surroundings, prior experiences, and so on. When a chakra is out of balance, it either becomes hypoactive or hyperactive. The functioning of a hypoactive or blocked chakra is either insufficient or decreased. A hyperactive chakra, on the other hand, indicates that there is too much energy pouring into that region, resulting in an imbalance in the total flow of energy throughout the body.
Because chakras are interconnected, when one of them is out of balance, it disrupts the functioning of the others as well. This causes people to feel detached, nervous, and scared, and it can also lead to health problems in one or more bodily parts.
Your chakras must be balanced in order to work properly. And in order to do so, you must first understand what the chakras are and what you can do to care for them.
Chakras: Their Function and Importance
The chakras serve as distribution points for energy. They disperse the five pranas to their respective localities. The root chakra, for example, will distribute ‘apana prana’ to the pelvic region and offer energy to the organs there. This distribution pattern is disrupted when a chakra is blocked or not operating properly, resulting in physical or psycho-emotional/energy difficulties.
The chakras can be balanced or awakened in a variety of ways.
Every chakra has its own frequency and speed of rotation. Diet, lifestyle, cognitive patterns, and other factors can affect the frequency and pace of these events. When there is an imbalance, it causes problems with the dispersion of the pranas. Consider what would happen if a 50-watt light bulb received a 500-watt or 10-watt power supply! When we talk about balancing or awakening the chakras, we’re talking about getting them back to their normal pace.
The following can be used to help balance the chakras:
Diet: An imbalance of the five elements in the body is one of the main causes of a chakra imbalance. A well-balanced diet aids in the balancing of the body’s constituents.
Asanas: Asanas help to activate and improve the functioning of the chakras. They also make it possible for the chakras to heal on their own.
Breathing: Breathing aids in the expansion of prana flow in the body as well as the removal of stale prana.
Meditation and prayers help to clear the mind and eradicate negativity and manipulation from a person’s life.
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