Chakra Healing – Restoring Energy Flow for Holistic Well-Being

Energy healing has been around for centuries in Eastern cultures and is becoming increasingly popular in the West. It is based on the idea that vital energy flows through chakras that are connected to different parts of your body and mind.

Generally, the chakras are meant to rotate at healthy paces but sometimes they get blocked and slow down or even stop rotating altogether. Chakra healing can help restore those healthy rotations.

Root Chakra

The root chakra, also called Muladhara, creates a foundation for the other chakras above it and is responsible for feelings of stability, security, and safety. It is often affected by issues related to the home, family, and childhood experiences that create a sense of grounding.

Energizing the root chakra involves embracing your physical body and tapping into the earth’s energy. One way to do this is by mindfully taking a walk and connecting with the environment around you. Another way is by practicing yoga. Poses that help to balance the root chakra include Vrksasana (Tree Pose), Ardha Chandrasana (Half Moon Pose), and Prasarita Padottanasana (Wide-Legged Forward Bend).

In terms of emotional health, balancing the root chakra is about loving yourself and being self-sufficient. A common imbalance of the root chakra is fear of losing control. To help balance this, you can try writing down your fears in a journal and talking about them with a trusted friend or partner.

The color associated with the root chakra is red, so incorporating this color into your everyday life can also help to energize and balance this chakra. Try a warm oil self-massage or practice the ancient yoga tradition of Abhyanga, where you heat sesame, almond, or coconut oils and massage your entire body with them. Using a roller is a great way to take this with you on the go and apply it to pulse points like the wrists, inner elbows, or under your ears.

Sacral Chakra

The sacral chakra, also known as the second chakra is home to your passion and sensuality. It fuels your desire to explore and experience life, as well as enforces healthy boundaries with others. When this energy hub is out of balance, people often feel shameful or guilty about their sexuality and have difficulty pursuing creative endeavors. Other signs of an imbalanced sacral chakra include addictions, compulsive behaviors, and reproductive issues such as infertility, menstrual cramps, and lower back or kidney problems.

This energetic center needs fluidity to thrive, so embracing the element of water is a great way to promote sacral chakra healing. Take a swim in the ocean, river, or lake, or enjoy a relaxing shower or warm bath to soothe overwhelming emotions. Yoga is another excellent holistic practice that will help you get the energy flowing through the sacral chakra. Try poses such as Pigeon Pose, a pose that stretches and strengthens the hips and thighs.

A diet that is high in natural, organic fruits and vegetables (including a lot of cruciferous veggies) and lean proteins will keep the energy flowing through the sacral chakra. You can also incorporate foods that are orange in color to help support this chakra, such as carrots, sweet potatoes, apricots, and mangoes. Enjoying some orange-colored essential oils can also help balance this chakra. Some examples of these oils include orange, ylang-ylang, and neroli.

Solar Plexus Chakra

The solar plexus chakra (also called Manipura) is responsible for your sense of personal power and willpower. When this energy center is healthy, you can manifest your highest goals and put the plans in motion to start actualizing them in your life. It’s also connected to your self-esteem, sense of purpose, individual will, and digestion.

When the solar plexus is out of alignment, common physiological cues include digestive issues like stomach pain, heartburn, or acid reflux. It can also manifest as an overwhelming feeling of helplessness, insecurity, or inauthenticity.

To heal the solar plexus chakra, evoke feelings of generosity in your daily life and practice yoga poses that encourage this energy center’s growth. For example, the Cobra Pose is a great yoga pose to promote solar plexus healing by balancing the functions of the gallbladder, liver, spleen, and pancreas.

Another simple but effective way to balance the solar plexus chakra is by using essential oils. Aromatherapy can be a great tool for emotional health and well-being, as it helps to relax the mind and body. Some essential oils that are great for the solar plexus are cedar wood, bergamot, rosemary, and chamomile. Try incorporating these essential oils into your daily routine to help you achieve holistic wellness!

Throat Chakra

The throat chakra, known as Vishuddha in Sanskrit, is all about communication and self-expression. If you’re having trouble expressing yourself or speaking your truth, this chakra has likely become blocked. A healthy, open-throat chakra means that you’re confident in your voice and can communicate clearly without feeling anxious about the reaction of others.

Unblocking this chakra can be done through many different methods, from practicing a yoga pose called a lion’s breath to chanting a bija mantra. A bija mantra is a one-syllable sound that activates a specific chakra, and the throat chakra is “ham.” To start, sit in a comfortable position, close your eyes, and chant ham slowly in your mind and out loud.

Foods like pears, apples, and plums are said to be healing for this chakra, along with beverages that promote openness and balance, such as coconut water, herbal tea, and warm water. Another option is to use crystals that resonate with this chakra, like sodalite or lapis lazuli, and place them in a grid formation over your throat.

Energy healers believe that when the chakras become unbalanced, they can manifest as physical, mental, spiritual, or emotional symptoms. Practicing certain meditations or yoga poses can help restore them, and incorporating specific foods, mantras, or crystals can provide additional healing. Researchers aren’t sure how this energy-based approach works for spiritual cleansing as well, but they do know that placebo effects can be real and create genuine improvements in well-being.

Third Eye Chakra

The third eye chakra (also known as ajna) is situated between your eyebrows and at the center of your forehead. Often associated with wisdom, this chakra helps you gain insight and discern truth from illusion. A balanced third eye chakra allows you to see life clearly and makes it easy for you to trust your intuition. This chakra also provides clarity in decision-making and enables you to set clear goals for yourself.

Ajna is often influenced by a person’s mental health, which means you can nurture it with meditation and other mindfulness practices, like writing in a journal or keeping a thought log. Another good way to activate this chakra is through breathing exercises, specifically nadi shodhana or alternate nostril breathing. This type of breathing brings the energy into the heart chakra, which in turn, stimulates the third eye.

Ajna is associated with light, so bringing more of it into your life can help balance this chakra. You can do this by incorporating the color indigo into your daily routine, chanting the sound of OM, or simply visualizing a dazzling indigo ball of light illuminating your vision, both internally and externally. In addition, essential oils like sandalwood, patchoui, juniper, rosemary, and frankincense are known to boost this chakra. You can try using them in a diffuser during your meditation or combining a few drops with a carrier oil to massage the third eye area, temples, and base of the skull.

Crown Chakra

Located at the top of your head, this chakra is associated with a spiritual connection to the universe and your inner self. The Crown Chakra connects to your intuition and self-knowledge, enlightenment, and a sense of oneness with all that is. It’s also connected to your memory, focus, and intellect.

An open and balanced Crown Chakra enables you to see the bigger picture and understand how all things are interconnected. It helps you to let go of limiting beliefs and embrace a spiritual worldview. When this chakra is blocked, you might feel disconnected or apathetic. You may experience issues with your mental health, including a lack of concentration and memory.

Meditation, yoga poses, and incorporating crystals into your routine can help to support this chakra. Certain crystals are said to correspond with each chakra, including amethyst, purple fluorite, and charoite. You can meditate with these stones or simply carry them around with you. You can also play music that is tuned to 963 Hz, the frequency that relates to this chakra, as it is believed to promote spiritual growth.

Practicing a simple yoga pose called Rabbit Pose or Sasangasana is a good way to stimulate the Crown Chakra. Begin by kneeling on your mat with your knees hip-distance apart and reaching back to clasp onto your heels. Hold this posture for several breaths, and then bring yourself up to a seated position.