The word “Chakra” is Sanskrit and directly translates to wheel or disk. The chakra system is believed to have been around sometime between 1500BC – 500BC, according to the ancient Indian Vedas (body of religious text).
You’ve probably heard of them but wonder, what exactly is a chakra? Is it a physical thing or something we can’t see with the naked eye?
Although you can’t physically see your chakras, you can certainly feel them. You know the butterflies you get in your stomach? That would be your solar plexus chakra acting up. When your intuition has been completely on point, you’ll have your third eye or crown chakra to thank.
Our chakras are energy centers that correspond to different parts of our bodies and can produce certain feelings and emotions. We might be perfectly balanced in one area and completely unbalanced in another. Trauma, injuries, and painful emotions can all cause these energy systems to fall out of their natural order.
Maybe you believe in the spiritual side of life or think it’s all pseudo-science. Either way, you can benefit from trying to get the different energies you may be lacking in life, to operate at their fullest potential.
One thing to note when attempting to heal your chakras either by yourself or by a reiki master is to steer clear of false information. Don’t fall down the rabbit hole of people claiming to cure cancer or any other illness or disease. Listen to your doctor or medical practitioner about those types of matters. Again, use chakra healing, meditation, and other spiritual practices as a bonus for healing.
Fact or Fiction-
If you’ve been feeling closed off from the world you might have some heart things you need to work on. If you’re suffering from low self-esteem, the solar plexus area is what you’ll want to focus on.
Regardless of your level of belief in the metaphysical, the chakra system is all about learning the areas of yourself that need healing. This way you can show up as your best, most confident, and loving version of yourself.
Simple things like meditation, crystals, breathwork, and certain foods can help to bring your chakras back into harmony and alignment. Read on to learn more about the chakras and how to heal them.
Root Chakra-
The root chakra is located at the base of the spine and is represented by the colour red. When in balance it keeps you grounded and gives you a sense of security regarding financials, food, shelter, etc.
Just as you can’t first build a house without a solid foundation, it may be hard to go through life without feeling secure in your ability to survive and thrive. This may be especially hard if you’ve dealt with homelessness or house and food insecurities in the past.
Click this link for a guided root chakra healing meditation.
Element: Earth
Crystals: Red Jasper, Bloodstone, Red Carnelian
Foods: Red berries, beets, red peppers, tomatoes, root vegetables, and spices such as cayenne and paprika.
Affirmation: I am safe and secure and all of my needs will be met with abundance.
Sacral-
The sacral chakra is located about two inches below the naval and is represented by the colour orange. It controls your sense of sexuality and sensuality, creativity, and ability to indulge in life’s pleasures.
When unbalanced, you may feel uninspired and find it hard to enjoy the little things in life. Especially if you are an artist or creative type, creating your art might feel like a drag. When in balance you’ll feel lively, sexy, inspired, creative and vibrant. You’ll want to soak up all that the world has to offer.
Click this link for a guided sacral chakra healing meditation.
Element: Water
Crystals: Citrine, Tiger’s eye,
Foods: Oranges, papaya, peaches, apricots, sweet potatoes, squash, orange bell peppers, carrots, pumpkin and turmeric.
Affirmation: I deserve to indulge in all of life’s pleasures.
Solar Plexus Chakra-
The solar plexus chakra is located in the area of your stomach where you feel butterflies and is represented by the colour yellow. When in balance, you’ll feel a sense of personal power, confidence, and a readiness to take on anything and get sh*t done.
When out of balance you can feel unmotivated, have low self-esteem, and feel the need to control everything. This can be challenging if you’re someone who struggles with chronic anxiety.
Click this link for a guided solar plexus chakra healing meditation.
Element: Fire
Crystals: Citrine, Yellow Jasper, Yellow Tourmaline, Sunstone.
Foods: Lemons, bananas, pineapple, honey, corn, olive oil, Yukon gold potatoes, and curry spice.
Affirmation: I am powerful and while I may not have control of everything in life, I can control how I respond to whatever life throws at me.
Heart-
The heart chakra is located in your heart centre and is represented by the colour green. This chakra controls your ability to give and receive love to others and most importantly to yourself.
When in balance, being open and receptive to others will come naturally. You’ll feel more compassion and empathy for yourself and those around you.
Relationships with yourself, partners, family, friends, and co-workers will flow more easily. If you feel that you’ve been hurt or betrayed then you could be more closed off emotionally than you realize. We tend to hold onto hurtful things deep in our subconscious where they can get stuck and close us off from love.
Click this link for a guided heart chakra healing meditation.
Element: Air
Crystals: Jade, Rose Quartz, Rhodochrosite, Malachite
Foods: Leafy greens, broccoli, cucumbers, green tea, matcha, avocados, green grapes, herbs such as parsley, mint, cilantro, and basil.
Affirmation: I understand that to love others I first must love myself. I can forgive those who have hurt me in the past by first forgiving myself.
Throat Chakra-
The throat chakra is located in your throat and is represented by the colour blue. It’s in charge of communication and expression. When in balance, you’ll easily get your point across clearly and straightforwardly. You’ll be able to stand your ground, stick up for yourself, and avoid speaking lies and half-truths.
When your throat chakra is out of balance, you could have trouble speaking your truth, have issues with setting boundaries and telling people “no” as well as struggling to find the right words to say to get your message across. You could also have difficulty standing up for yourself.
Click this link for a guided throat chakra healing meditation.
Element: Sound
Crystals: Aquamarine, Lapis Lazuli, Blue Lace Agate, Turquoise,
Foods: Blueberries, blackberries, sea greens, juices, tree fruits
Affirmation: I speak my truth, I say what needs to be said in a way that is respectful to myself and others.
Third Eye-
The third eye chakra is located between your eyebrows and is responsible for your intuition, self-awareness, imagination, and perspective.
When your third eye is balanced, you’ll feel more connected to other living beings and see the bigger perspective on life. You’ll make decisions that authentically align with your life’s vision and purpose.
When your third eye chakra is unbalanced, you might feel disconnected, unfulfilled, and lacking purpose. You may find it tough to make choices and take actions that authentically align with your greatest desires. Your imagination could be stifled and you could have trouble envisioning the life of your dreams.
Click this link for a guided third-eye chakra healing meditation.
Element: Light
Crystals: Amethyst, Sodalite, Fluorite, Black Obsidian
Foods: Purple cabbage, eggplant, plums, purple grapes, blueberries, purple carrots, purple potatoes, cacao
Affirmation: I see beyond what is in front of me and envision the deeper meanings of life.
Crown Chakra-
The crown chakra is a step above the third eye chakra (literally and figuratively). It is your utmost, highest consciousness that doesn’t concern itself with the issues of the human consciousness, but with your ultimate spiritual being. It connects you to the spiritual world and makes you realize that this earth is not all that there is.
When your crown chakra is balanced, you’ll feel connected with the divine, feel present in your body, and not sweat the small stuff. When it’s unbalanced, you’ll feel super concerned and drained by small human inconveniences, feel disconnected from your body and brain, and not feel a strong connection to the universe.
Click this link for a guided crown chakra healing meditation.
Element: Thought
Crystals: Clear Quartz, Moonstone, Howlite,
Foods: Lastly, since this chakra is associated with the spiritual as opposed to the physical body, certain foods won’t have much effect. Aim to ingest as much unprocessed, clean, whole foods into your diet as possible. Things like meditation and yoga will also work wonders to balance your crown chakra.
Affirmation: I am one with the universe, a divine light being, I am constantly being guided in the right direction by my inner knowing.
Conclusion-
Hopefully, this post has taught you more about what chakras are and why they’re important. Even if you’re still skeptical, attempting to hone things like your sense of security, confidence, playfulness, communication, and spirituality are all key components to becoming a better version of yourself.
Whether you’d like to focus on one specific chakra for a while or work on them in addition to one another is completely up to you. If you’d like to leave it up to the professionals, search for some reputable reiki healers in your area. Reiki masters can help you figure out which chakras are blocked and work with you to open them.
Use these steps to make your chakras more balanced and work together in harmony. By doing so, you can show up in the world as your best self, for yourself and others.
