The Guide to Chakras: for beginners
The word chakra pays reference to the energy centre of your body. In Sanskrit, the word means ‘disk’ or ‘wheel’. When all of our chakras (because there are 7 of them) are spinning it works with the different nerves and organs in our body.
For these areas of our body to function at full capacity, all of our chakras need to be open, stay open and be in balance. If any chakra is blocked, you may experience discomfort both physically and emotionally.
These seven chakras run along the spine of your body and start at the base of your spine and reach the crown of your head.
Don’t worry if you still are a little confused, these will all be covered below!
The history of chakras
The term chakra has become well known through its use in yoga and from any New Age philosophies. However, they are a complex and ancient energy system, which originated in India.
Chakras were first mentioned in the Vedas as part of the spiritual knowledge of Hinduism. This dated back to 1500 to 1000 BC.
The 7 chakras and what they mean
As part of the energy system, we explore the 7 main chakras that work within our body. Let’s explore what each chakra is and how they impact us.
1. Root Chakra
Known as Muladhara is at the base of your spine and represents grounding and stability. It impacts your survival factors like money, food, shelter, safety, comfort, and belonging.
Location: At the base of your spine (tailbone area)
Colour: Red
Affirmation: I’m safe / I’m centered & grounded
When the chakra is open you feel confident to take on challenges!
2. Sacral Chakra
Known as Swadhisthana and is located in your lower abdomen. This represents your sense of abundance, wellbeing, pleasure, and sexuality.
Location: Lower abdomen, near your belly button.
Colour: Orange
Affirmation: I receive pleasure and abundance with every breath I take / I enjoy pleasure in all areas of my life
When the chakra is open you feel abundant, emotionally intelligent and creative!
3. Solar Plexus Chakra
The Manupura is located in your stomach area and has control over your self-worth, self-confidence, and self-esteem. You know when you get those butterflies or the pit of your stomach feeling?
Location: Upper abdomen in your stomach
Colour: Yellow
Affirmation: I respect myself at all times /I deserve a wonderful life
When the chakra is open you have confidence, control of your life and feel free to express your true self.
4. Heart Chakra
Of course, your heart (Anahata) is your love, joy, and inner peace!
Location: At your heart - the centre of your chest
Colour: Green
Affirmation: I allow love to fill me up and guide me in all my actions / I’m grateful for all my blessings
When your chakra is open, your heart is open and ready for deep compassion and empathy.
5. Throat Chakra
Known as Vishuddha and is in your throat. This chakra controls communication, truth and self-expression!
Location: In your throat
Colour: Light blue
Affirmation: I express myself fully, creatively & respectfully / I speak & hear the truth
When your chakra is open you can express yourself clearly and effectively.
6. Third-Eye Chakra
Or Ajna is located between your eyes and is a representation of your intuition, imagination and wisdom.
Location: Forehead - in between your eyes
Colour: Dark blue/purple
Affirmation: I always honor and follow my intuition / I invite sacred transformation
When your chakra is open your will experience visions and intuitive hits that help to guide you!
7. Crown Chakra
The top of your head and works with your inner and outer beauty and is a sense of your spiritual connection!
Location: Top of your head
Colour: White/violet
Affirmation: I honor the divine within me / I’m infinite & boundless
When your chakra is open you are connected spiritually and are able to access your higher consciousness!
How do you know if your chakras are blocked?
As you have now discovered, each chakra represents a different area of your body and a different type of energy.
When you experience a block in each chakra you will experience different symptoms/feelings. So let’s dive into each chakra and what you may experience if it is blocked.
Root Chakra
Feeling stuck or sluggish
Stress over external factors
Consistent financial problems
Hate or anger towards your body
Feeling not good enough as you are
Just getting by or going without
Sacral Chakra
Feeling abuse, hurt and confusion
Challenges to allow yourself to be emotionally and sexually intimate
Negativte connotations about sex and feeling “sexy”
Lack of trust you can be loved for you
Self-image issues
Consistent toxic relationships
Solar Plexus Chakra
Feeling powerless
Letting go of your power to keep the peace
The struggle to take action on your dreams because of self-esteem
Anxiety and stomach pain
Heart Chakra
The fear of commitment
Feeling you have to please others to be loved
Hurt from past relationships - putting a guard up against any future hurt
Holding of grudges
Heart disease
Asthma
Allergies
Trouble giving or receiving love
Trouble being compassionate
Throat Chakra
The fear of speaking and saying what you feel or want
Going along with what others say/do so you don’t upset them
Frustrated that people don’t listen or hear what you say
Sore throat or the feeling of a blocked throat
Third Eye Chakra
A struggle with purpose and the meaning of life
Disconnection from your intuition
Struggle to make decisions
Feeling lost from your spiritual purpose or path in life
Headaches and tension in the brow area
Feeling out of alignment
Crown Chakra
Feeling lonely or aimless
Attachment to material possession and achievements (to define you)
Disconnect from the spiritual side
Lack of connection from a higher power
Feeling of unworthiness to spiritual help
Migraines and tension headaches
Don’t stress if you feel you may have any blocks, there is so much to help you!
How to work on unblocking your chakras
There are a lot of ways you can work to open your chakras. The work I do with my clients to help them with these blockages include:
Affirmations (as mentioned above)
Journal prompts (you can find some great ones here)
Visualisations (a visualisation of the unblocking of the chakra)
When visiting my clients in person, I also use a pendulum to find where the blockages are. However, by just talking to my clients I can find the blockages that are present within them.
For your meditation, you want to bring awareness and focus to the blocked chakra. You can also chant your affirmation while doing the meditation.
Of course, if you want to do more chakra work, email me here - I have some special offers coming up to help with chakras like my mastermind!
My journey with chakras
When I was 5 years old, I was introduced to reiki and chakras - when I was taught all about meditation and breathwork.
For me at this age, it was about moving the energy around my body. Being introduced to the word was probably why I wanted to go to India 16 years ago because I could never explain why I went.
Of course, being in India allowed me to dive deeper into chakras, which happened when I went to an Ayurveda practitioner Ashram - Amma was the guru in India.
Here I was introduced to chakras on a deeper level. For me, it was all about coming into alignment when I had Ayurveda treatment.
My knowledge in chakras has been developed from my teacher Katie Rose (yoga and Ayurveda) so I can practice and help others with their chakras.
Final thoughts
When it comes to chakras, you can always go deeper with your knowledge and unblocking. There are so many levels of research.
One thing you can take from reading this is, just be conscious of your chakras and work to bring a level of consciousness to what is happening in your body.
So the key takeaways are:
Learn each chakra and what they represent
Learn what it means to have a blockage in certain chakras
Work to unblock them through your own practice or with someone else (I’d love to help you)
If you want to go deeper with your chakras, my mastermind is coming soon!! Learn more about it by contacting me!