Getting to Know Your Chakras

I’m finally coming around. After far too many years of rolling my eyes whenever a “new-agey” topic came up, I am finally starting to see the light. Do I still find some new age practitioners to be a bit too woo-woo for my liking? Yes. However; despite my initial cynicism around anything having to do with eastern medicine or new age practices, I can now say that I have become a believer–at least when it comes to the various energy centers within our body and our ability to manipulate them for higher levels of emotional and physical well being.

These energy centers that I’m referring to are commonly referred to as our chakras and each one of us has seven dominant chakras within our being. These seven chakras make up the backbone of our energetic bodies.

My transformation from cynic to believer came after I was treated to a couple of energy work sessions (Reiki, for those of you who are familiar with different energy work modalities) by a friend of mine whose sole purpose was to make me eat my words and unroll my eyes. It worked. I don’t claim to understand everything about what went down in those energy sessions (the practitioner never even touched me, she just ran her hands above various parts of my body), but I can tell you this–I (the eye rolling, cynic) absolutely felt a shift in my energy centers and this shift was radical enough to make me want to drill down deeper into the subject and gain a greater understanding of what role our chakras play in our overall well being.

Over the next three months I will be sharing several posts about chakras in order to help provide a basic understanding of what they are, how they operate within our bodies and what we can do to optimize their power. I encourage you (especially those of you who are skeptics, like I was) to approach this material with an open mind and be willing to consider the validity of this information. I wouldn’t be sharing any of this if I hadn’t personally experienced a drastic shift in my energy levels after those initial Reiki sessions–but I did, and because I did; I am now a believer and want you to have access to this valuable information so that you can put it to use within your own life.

So, without further ado, let me introduce you to your seven fascinating and oh-so-powerful chakras…

Getting to Know Your Chakras

Before I make any formal introductions, I think it is important to elaborate a bit more upon what exactly our chakras are. The word “chakra” is the Sanskrit word for wheel. You can envision your chakras as wheels of energy that run from the base of your spine to the top of your head.

Your seven main chakras are like organs for your energetic body. Just as different organs in your body regulate different bodily functions, your chakras control, regulate and maintain energy for specific functions throughout the body. Unlike other bodily organs however; chakra functions are physical as well as emotional and spiritual. Each of the seven chakras is responsible for governing the energy in a specific area of the body and the health of your chakras will determine (to a large degree) your overall health and well being.

So, now it is time for the introductions…

Root Chakra: The first chakra is your Root Chakra. It is located at the base of your spine in the tailbone area. This chakra represents your foundation and feelings of being grounded. It is connected to the beliefs that you were taught as a child, your personal identity and your values. It is also related to emotional issues such as financial independence and survival. If this chakra is blocked, it can manifest in lower-back pain, problems with the immune system, depression and even varicose veins.

Sacral Chakra: This second chakra is located in your lower abdomen, approximately two inches below the navel and two inches in. it represents our connections and ability to accept others and new experiences. It also symbolizes creativity, and sexuality and is the chakra of feelings. If this chakra is damaged, it can result in hip pain, fertility problems, illness in the prostrate or ovaries and arthritis.

Solar Plexus Chakra: The third chakra is located in the upper abdomen, between the navel and the rib cage. This chakra represents confidence, self-esteem and the sense of being in control of your life. It regulates the liver, gall bladder, stomach and adrenal glands. A weak Solar Plexus Chakra can be linked to ulcers, stomach issues, eating disorders and liver problems.

Heart Chakra: The fourth chakra is the heart chakra and is located in the middle of your chest, just above your heart. As you might imagine, this chakra is the one that regulates our ability to love. It is also the chakra that enables us to feel compassion for others and to forgive those who wrong us. As the middle chakra, the heart chakra also serves to balance the functions of the mind, body and spirit. Regulating the heart, circulatory system, thymus gland and lungs, this chakra if blocked, can lead to heart problems, asthma, lung issues and allergies.

Throat Chakra: This fifth chakra is located in the throat (duh!). It determines your ability to communicate effectively and to say what needs to be said. It symbolizes your self-expression and sense of truth. The throat chakra takes care of the toxins in the lymph nodes, thyroid, esophagus and mouth.

Third Eye Chakra: This chakra is also known as the Brow Chakra and is located in the forehead between your eyes. It represents intelligence, intuition, and the abilty to see the big picture. It guides your wisdom and ability to make decisions. The bodily functions governed by this chakra include those of the brain, nervous system, eyes, ears and nose. If your Third Eye Chakra is weak, it might manifest in neurological illnesses, headaches and eye problems.

Crown Chakra: This highest chakra is located at the very top of your head and represents your ability to be fully connected on a spiritual level. As the highest chakra, it allows you to be open to things like meditation and prayer and allows you to appreciate both inner and outer beauty. In the body, this chakra regulates the muscles, skin and bones. If the Crown Chakra is blocked, it can result in spiritual disconnect, discomfort and angst.

Though all chakras are at work in each of us at all times, most of us have one or two chakras that we are most guided by. To get an idea as to which chakra is most dominant in your life, just take a look at your personality and natural tendencies.

Those guided by their Root Chakra tend to be confident, self-assured and ambitious.

Those guided by their Sacral Chakra typically enjoy creative pursuits and relish good food and sensual (not just sexual) pleasures.

Those guided by their Solar Plexus Chakra are usually very energetic and love to exercise and stay active.

Those guided by their Heart Chakra tend to be extremely sensitive and wear their hearts on their sleeves. They also love to take care of others.

Those guided by their Throat Chakra are excellent communicators who express themselves easily and wittily. They also love a good debate and enjoy deep conversations.

Those guided by the Third Eye Chakra tend to trust their first instincts when making decisions and are often admired by others for their insightfulness and wisdom.

Those guided by the Crown Chakra are deeply spiritual and tend to believe that they have angels watching over them or spirit guides leading them.

In the following weeks, we will dig deeper into a study of our chakras and explore ways to maximize their effectiveness in our physical, emotional and spiritual lives; but for now, spend some time focusing your attention upon the different regions in your body where your chakras reside. Experiment with feeling the energy in each chakra and try to determine which chakra is currently most dominant in your life.