What are chakras?
The word chakra is rooted in Sanskrit and translates to “wheel” or “disk.” Even though you might find chakra books and accessories in New Age shops, this concept is far from new. It dates back to early Hindu, Taoist, and Buddhist traditions. While each philosophy has a slightly different take on chakras, they generally agree that the chakras are vortexes of powerful energies swirling inside of us.
“Chakras are not only physical; they are related to our states of mind, our beliefs, our habits, our conditioning,”
In an ideal world, our chakras would be perfectly healthy and we’d be living our best lives all the time. The reality? Our energy centers get blocked by forces like stress, illness, conflict, and loss. That prevents the flow of chi or prana, or vital life-force energy through the body. The chakra system then gets out of whack, causing all sorts of bad health issues, emotional blocks, lack of inspiration, depression, anxiety—you get the picture. And it can be frustrating! Our bodies are designed to be in balance, much like the yin and yang forces all around us.
Benefits of Open Chakras?
When we open up our chakras, it helps us work with any unresolved issues we carry from this life or past lives. Many of us have leftover patterns that we carry from our parents, family, and our ancestor's history. We want to work with this energy to heal ourselves from these life patterns that don’t serve us anymore. Many people will talk about affirmations, changing your thoughts, and that this will help you change your life. Changing your thoughts will definitely help, but we need to change our core emotions and subconscious thoughts. We need to work with this energy to help us release these traumas or issues that hold us back from our life purpose and our higher selves. The greatest gift you can give to this planet is to heal the self. When we meditate we are actually tapping into our higher self or the divine energy source from within to help us to heal our energy along with expanding our energy. I like to really focus on opening the heart chakra. This is the chakra that is the bridge between the lower and higher chakras. Meditation is a process of complete surrender, self-love and letting go of the ego. This is the Taoist way! Follow the Tao for true spiritual healing and self-love!
First Chakra is the Root Chakra
Located at the base of the spine. Think of the roots of a tree on the earth. Ground to the earth is the root chakra. The element is earth
Color: Red
Emotion: Vitality, your life force energy
Body: adrenal glands, kidneys, the bones, the spinal column, the leg
Foods: meats, protein, and dairy products. Watch how much you put into the body of these foods
The lesson of the root charka has to do with security, feeling safe, being successful in the world, money, Future security, grounding, stability, balance, and patience. Like a growing Oak Tree.
Not balanced: You may be self-centered or insecure, greedy, big temper, concerned with survival, or security in the world. Not feeling safe in the world
Second Chakra - Navel Chakra
Located - 2 inches below the navel
Element - Water
Color - Orange
Emotions - Sexuality, Procreation - Raw emotions
Body Parts - Ovaries and Testicles, prostate, genitals, the spleen, the womb, the bladder
Foods - Orange foods, like oranges, carrots, squashes, yams, and pumpkins Lesson from the second chakra are giving and receiving. its raw emotions, raw pleasures, or raw desires. addictions, family, tolerance, creativity, sharing with other people.
Not in Balance overindulgence in sex or under indulgence in sex, overindulgence in food, addictions, eating disorders can come to form a second blocked chakra. Not balanced: Jealously envy, possession. impotence or bladder problems.
Third Chakra Solar Plexus
Located - in the middle of the tummy
Emotion: the seat of knowingness - your gut center follows your gut -This is the second emotional center. It possesses the information, it processes food. It's like a radio receiver and fine-tuning how you receive information
Color: Yellow
Element: - Fire
Foods - bananas, pineapple, yellow bell peppers, lemons, yellow lentils, and even oats
Body - Nervous system, the digestive system. metabolism, pancreas, adrenals glands, the stomach, the liver, the gall bladder, the muscles
Lessons, Power, self will, empowerment, believing in self. mastery of desire, control, radiance and warmth, the transformation of self, humor laughter, immortality,
Not in balance: Ego, Overwhelming power, needing to be in charge, bossy, egotistical, Too much anger, too much fear, hatred, needing to be recognized, all the can create digestive problems.
Fourth Heart Chakra
Located: Heart
Color: Green or Pink
Expression - Love, Healing, Clairsentience
Food- All of your leafy greens, green vegetables, and green fruits like apples and kiwis.
Element - Air
Emotion- Their emotional center, and anchors the higher and lower energies, It’s where clairsentience is or empathic feeling people. This chakra is when we start reaching spirit and the higher levels of awareness, Your higher self energies.
Body - Deals with the blood, circulation, heart, thymus, arms hands, and lungs,
Lessons: Divine love, unconditional love, forgiveness, compassion, understanding, group consciousness, and connection to everyone, a oneness with all life. peace, openness, harmony & contentment,
Heart Chakra Not in balance: Sadness, Depression, not feeling worthy of love, not loving the self, hard time in relationships, unable to forgive, heart problems, and circulation problems are all related to a blocked heart chakra.
5th chakra - Throat
Located - Throat area
Expression - Communication Speaking Truth, Clairaudience
Color - Sky Blue
Foods - Eat darker blue foods like blueberries, grapes, and teas that soothe the throat
Element - Ether
Emotions - Creativity, Speech, Expression, sound, and communication
Body - thyroid gland, parathyroid glands, hypo thymus,
Lessons: The power of the spoken word, speaking your truth, self-expression of self, Creative expression, in speech, art, writing, being an expression of your true self, Honesty, and kindness.
Not in balance: afraid to speak, afraid to get up in front of people, afraid to express themselves, afraid to communicate, lack of knowledge or discernment, thyroid problems.
6th chakra - Third Eye
Located - Between eyes & forehead
Expression - Awareness, Clairvoyance, Wisdom, Seeing!
Color - indigo or dark blue
Foods - Eat darker blue foods that are almost purple like purple versions Blueberries, concord grapes, and plums
Element - Light
Emotions - Having visions of the past, present and future, see auras, people energies Body - cerebellum, brain, vision, eyes, pituitary gland,
Lessons: intuition, clear sight or visions, imagination, powerful and vivid dreams, peace of mind, wisdom, devotion, perception & Higher Mind
Not in balance: lack of concentration, not seeing things clearly, clouded vision, cynical, tension, fear, headaches, nightmares, vision problems, feeling of being over detached in the world
7th chakra - Crown Chakra
Located - Top of the head
Expression - Thoughts and Will
Color - Violet
Foods - Eggplant and lots of water
Element - Light
Body - pineal gland, nervous system, cerebral cortex
Lesson - Higher truths, Higher Wisdom, The Divine Truths, We download the high truths and wisdom from this chakra, Its your inspiration, your spiritual will. Selfless service. Your connection of all consciousness.
Not in balance: lack of inspiration, confusion, separate from the world, being manipulated by other people because of not having your own thoughts. and not being linked to the divine truths.