Balancing Chakras

Chakras
     Chakra is sanskrit for wheel or circle. ​It is a spinning energy vortex interacting with various physiological and neurological systems in the body. The entire universe is made of energy, and we are no different. There are seven main chakras, or energy centers which align the spine, starting from the base of the spine through the crown of the head. When our energy centers are out of balance, our prana doesn’t flow well. Since mind, body, soul, and spirit are intimately connected, awareness of an imbalance in any area is important in keeping your energy flowing.

     The seven Chakras along the spinal column each hold a specific kind of energy, emotion, color and sound. They are the doorways between our emotional, mental, physical, and spiritual bodies. We can use meditation and awareness to promote energy flowing freely throughout these centers, as they can easily become blocked. 

If you notice recurring emotional patterns or ailments in the body, learn about which energy center it is associated with. For example, if a common worry for you has to do with basic survival needs being met, you might want to work on your first Chakra. 

With practice we can become tuned in to our chakras, but to start, just visualize them using color and sound. Deepak Chopra has a guided meditation series that I love. He goes through each Chakra and helps you visualize the color and mantra associated with it.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=3661sFNFoKU
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=McP1_0j2US4&t=3s

First Chakra - Root Chakra

The Root Chakra (Muladhara) is located at the base of the spine. This Chakra is associated with security, stability,  and core survival needs. Our support and stability comes ultimately from the earth. This is our energy center closest to earth and when it's open we feel grounded and connected, safe, and fearless. It encompasses the first three vertebrae, the bladder, and the colon. When this chakra is unbalanced you may feel anxious, uneasy, fearful, worried and stressed. This can lead to low energy. Here are some methods to balance your root chakra:

1. Make sure your environment is safe and that you are getting your basic needs met. Take care of your body by eating well and exercising.
2. Are you drinking too much alcohol or not getting enough sleep? 
3. Engage in activities like reading, learning, discussing topics such as spirituality and consciousness.
4. Dig your toes in the grass and connect to the earth. Visualize white light energy coming down from the cosmos going through your crown chakra, down through your body and through your feet into the ground. Imagine roots are coming down out of the bottoms of your feet and rooting deep down into the earth and then visualize that energy coming back up through the earth and going back up through your body and back out into the universe. Really connect to the earth.
5. Cultivate self-love and compassion.
6. Say the mantra LAM as you visualize the color red in the area of your root chakra.

When you think about money, safety, or shelter, do you feel a sense of peace or a sense of unease? Physical symptoms may include digestive issues, lower back problems. Feelings of anxiety and fear may arise associated with the need to survive.
When balanced you’ll feel peace, confidence and clarity. 
Element - Earth
Sound - LAM

Second Chakra - Sacral Chakra
​
The Sacral or (Svadhisthana) Chakra, embraces our right to feel. This chakra sits below the navel, above the pubic bone, behind the genital region. This chakra is associated with the powerful masculine and feminine elements that give rise to the energetic force of creativity, vitality, sexuality, and potency. When open you feel intimately connected with the creative force of the universe. Svadhisthana means “one’s own base or center.”

This chakra is associated with pleasure, relationships, creativity and emotions. When balanced, you can revel in the pleasurable things life has to offer, without overdoing them. You'll feel a sense of wellness and abundance from sex, good food, and all the simple pleasures in life, without addiction or gluttony. 

​Symptoms that it may be out of balance are: depression, decreased sex drive, impotence, and a lack of passion.

Element - Water 
Color - Orange. 
Sense - Taste
Sound - VAM 

Ask yourself: "Is what I'm about to do good for me? Is it healthy and nourishing?"

When this chakra is in harmony we feel more connected to others, we feel sociable, we have a healthy relationship to our sexuality, and are more creative. When this chakra is unbalanced we can feel an emotional numbness, stiffness in both our body and mind, a lack of or uncontrolled sexuality, and an inability to be alone.

Start with this guided meditation:
https://www.youtube.com/watch?time_continue=10&v=f2X7Flhf2Xg

After you feel comfortable with that one, move on to this one:

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=bhHRlp7QTz4

And this one:
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=OONFKPHEgYY

Third Chakra - Solar Plexus Chakra

Your Solar Plexus (Manipura) Chakra is the third Chakra. Our power center. It is located in your abdomen, above your belly button, and is the energy center responsible for personal power, self-esteem and confidence. Associated with the diaphragm. When you feel strong emotions like love or fear, you may feel them here. That "gut feeling" we have is here and is out intuition.

The Manipura Chakra means “lustrous gem”. When you meditate on this chakra, imagine a ball of yellow light is residing there. With each breath, imagine yellow light entering your body and going straight to this area. As this yellow light becomes brighter, visualize it expanding and beginning to spread throughout your body. Every fiber and every cell is being wrapped in this warm, glowing yellow light. You may repeat to yourself: "I am the power of the universe".

When open you feel empowered and confident to manifest your highest potential.

When out of balance you may notice you're quick to anger, experience a need to control things, feel greedy and not very compassionate. You may also feel indecisive, needy, and insecure.

Create some personal affirmations. Think about things you're good at, noticing the feeling of confidence that arises, and focus your attention there.

Element - Fire
Color - Yellow
Sound - RAM

Fourth Chakra - Heart Chakra

The Heart Chakra (Anahata) is our energy point of love and compassion. Located physically just behind the heart area, this Chakra can be incredibly powerful when used as a focus for meditation. When you feel deeply moved by something, you may feel it in the area of your heart Chakra.
​
You are love. Giving and receiving unconditional love to the plants, animals, people, and most importantly, ourselves.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?time_continue=1&v=xXL2ObrT918

​Anahata resides in the middle of the seven chakras and unites the lower chakras of matter and the upper chakras of spirit. This Chakra is also spiritual but serves as a bridge between our body, mind, emotions, and spirit. The heart Chakra is our source of love and connection.

When out of balance we may notice our boundaries are blurred and notice interpersonal issues. 

Element - Air
Color - Green
Sound - YAM

Fifth Chakra - Throat Chakra

The Throat Chakra, (Vishuddha) is positioned at the point of the throat or the neck and is associated with verbal expression, creativity and communication. Opening the Throat Chakra means learning how to trust your own voice, speaking your truth, while at the same time finding peace with the external world. If this Chakra is blocked, you may feel frustration in communicating your true feelings, lacking the confidence in expressing ideas, preventing your own voice from being heard. Work with this Chakra using positive affirmations, visualizing blue light, and singing the mantra HUM.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Iezs5P7oriE
The fifth Chakra includes the neck, thyroid, and parathyroid glands, jaw, mouth, and tongue.
Dr. David Simon often refers to the following ancient wisdom: There are three gateways you should cross before speaking.

1. First, ask yourself, “Is what I am about to say true?”
2. If so, proceed to the second gateway and ask, “Is what I am about to say necessary?”
3. If the answer is yes, go to the third gateway and ask yourself, “Is what I am about to say kind?”

Speaking your highest truth doesn’t mean it's ok to be hurtful to someone else. When speaking from your Highest Self, your spiritual essence will come across as kind and compassionate.

Pranayama breathing that helps in opening the throat chakra are the Ujjayi breath and the lion’s breath.

​Element - Ether
Color - Blue
Sound - HAM
Gems to balance this chakra are sapphire, blue topaz, lapis lazuli, aquamarine, and turquoise. ​

Sixth Chakra - Third Eye Chakra

The Third Eye Chakra, (Ajna) is the chakra of perception, imagination, intuition, and visualization. It is found in the space between the eyebrows.  It is the seat of our inner voice - our intuition. Opening our sixth chakra can enhance clairvoyance, lucid dreaming, expanded imagination, and visualization.

A pranayama breathing technique associated with this Chakra is called Brahmari or the “bee breath”. Bringing both hands to your face, place the two middle fingers over your eyes, place the index fingers on the eyebrow line and the pinky fingers under the cheekbones. Close your ears with your thumbs. Take a deep inhalation and exhale the word AUM with the emphasis on the “M” sound while creating a buzzing sound like a bee. Continue for two minutes. 

​Element - Light/Dark
Color - Indigo
Sound - OM
Gems that help open the Ajna chakra are amethyst, lapis lazuli, and azurite.

Seventh Chakra - Crown Chakra

​The Crown Chakra, (Sahaswara), is referred to as the thousand-petal lotus Chakra. This is the top Chakra of the seven and located at the crown of the head. Sahaswara is our source of enlightenment and spiritual connection to our higher selves, every being on the planet, and the devine energy that encompasses all that is. 

​A Pranayama breathing techniques you can do before meditation is Nadi Shodhana, or alternate nostril breathing. 

Gems you can wear or have in your environment to help open and align the seventh chakra are amethyst, selenite, and sugilite.

Element - Thought/Time/Space/Pure Consciousness
Color - Violet
Sound - OM
Gems - white, gold, or violet stones

Diet
In addition to working with our Chakras, it is important to take care of our physical body. The way we treat our physical body will affect our mind and spirit. Take care it by healthy eating, exercising, cutting back on sugar and processed foods, and avoiding drugs, smoking, and alcohol. There is no denying the physical, psychological, and spiritual effect in which all foods have. There is a “heaviness” factor of foods, listed here in order from lightest to heaviness:
1. lettuce and other greens.
2. fruits and most vegetables.
3. wheat, rice, and other grains.
4. nuts, beans, and other legumes.
5. cheese, dairy products, including eggs.
6. fish, seafood.
7. chicken, poultry.
8. beef, pork, other red meats.
Note that meats, especially red meats are the ‘heaviest' foods. Generally, foods which are harder to digest, or which are higher in protein are 'heavier' than those which are not. Animal products are heavier than plants. You may be able to increase your energy level by eating lighter foods.  
​
Pranayama is the formal practice of controlling the breath, which is the source of our prana, or life force energy. The main purpose of pranayama is to relax the body and mind. There are many kinds of pranayama depending on what chakra you are working with.