Thousands of years of Eastern wisdom have referred to chakras and their power, and in recent years, with the uptake in popularity of yoga, reiki and meditation in Western society, you’ve probably come across them more and more often. But what exactly are the 7 chakras? And what do they do? Let’s take a closer look. The term ‘chakra’ is Sanskrit for ‘wheel’ and is the term used to describe energy centres in your body.
While they certainly have spiritual significance, they also align with organs, nerves and other physiological areas that determine wellbeing.
While many believe that there are over 100 chakras in the body, there are seven that are most widely known and accepted to have a commonly known health focus.
These chakras align along your spine and each is normally represented by a single colour. It is believed that a blockage of energy flowing through any of the chakras will lead to an imbalance in that area of your body or life and needs to be addressed for you to resume
balance and stability. Let’s take a look at each of the chakras and what they mean.
Root Chakra – Muladhara Chakra – Red
Situated at the base of your spine, the root chakra is your ‘grounding’ chakra and relates to stability in your life and security in your physical identity. If your root chakra is blocked, it may present physically in ailments such as arthritis, bladder and colon issues. From a well-being perspective, a blocked root chakra may manifest as feelings of insecurity a lack of general wellbeing.
Root chakra location: base of the spine
Colour: red
Element: Earth
Sacral Chakra – Svadhishthana Chakra – Orange
Located just under the belly button, the sacral chakra relates to self-worth – confidence in being worthy of pleasure, creativity and sexuality. If your sacral chakra is experiencing blockages, chances are you’ll also experience problems in your lower back, your urinary tract and even in your libido.
Sacral chakra location: 4 fingers below the navel
Colour: orange
Element: water
Solar Plexus Chakra – Manipura Chakra – Yellow
The solar plexus chakra is located near the solar plexus in the upper abdomen and is the seat of self-confidence and self-esteem. This chakra relates to our sense of personal power, and blockages in it will manifest as indigestion and heartburn, eating disorders, and
even ulcers. It might also manifest emotionally, bringing feelings of low self-esteem, perfectionism anxiety, and anger.
Solar Plexus chakra location: solar plexus
Colour: yellow
Element: fire
Heart Chakra – Anahata Chakra – Green
The chakra of love and compassion, the heart chakra is located in the centre of the chest. When energy flows clearly through it, we are balanced in love and compassion for ourselves and for others, feel motivated, optimistic and understanding. When out of
balance we may tend to feel lonely and isolated and overcompensate by putting other people first, regardless of the impact on ourselves. Physically, a blocked heart chakra may manifest as heart problems, asthma or weight problems.
Heart chakra location: centre of the chest
Colour: green
Element: air
Throat Chakra – Vishuddha Chakra – Blue
The throat chakra is located in the throat and is the base of communication – whenever you’re feeling like you can’t be heard or communicate clearly it might be due to a blockage in the throat chakra. Voice and throat problems are likely to be physical manifestations of a
blocked throat chakra, but you may also see it play out in other areas, such as finding yourself gossiping, having trouble speaking your mind or being overly dominant in conversations.
Throat chakra location: throat
Colour: blue
Element: space
Third Eye Chakra – Ajna Chakra – Indigo
Your third eye chakra is located between your eyes and is the seat of intuition – it helps you to follow your gut and see the bigger picture rather than being bogged down in minutiae. Blockages in the third eye chakra will manifest physically as visual issues,
having problems concentrating and unexplained headaches, and spiritually, you may notice a lack of ability to follow or understand your intuition.
Third eye chakra location: between the eyes
Colour: indigo
Element: none
Crown Chakra – Sahastrara Chakra – Violet/White
The crown chakra, located at the very top of the head, impacts all the other chakras, as well as the brain and nervous system. If the crown chakra is aligned and open, then it is able to help the other chakras to remain open and clear. The crown chakra is the seat of enlightenment and wisdom and represents a connection to your life’s purpose. Blockages in the crown chakra may manifest as stubbornness, skepticism, or narrow-mindedness.
Crown chakra location: top of the head
Colour: violet/white
Element: none
Photo by Jared Erondu on Unsplash
