Get In Touch With Your Energy Centers
We are made up of the physical body as well as the emotional and spiritual bodies. So much of what we work with at Elemental Wellness is the physical body, helping to understand root cause of illness and correcting imbalances and deficiencies in order to heal. We also spend a lot of time discussing the emotional self and how it impacts the physical body in terms of stress and the nervous and hormonal systems. But it is the energetic element of ourselves I want to talk about today.
The presence of an aura has been well established and accepted in science. There is a measurable energy field that surrounds the body. We can even document energy lines that flow in a pattern throughout our body, called meridians. Working with these is the basis of acupuncture which has been shown to have significant positive effects on many conditions, especially those associated with pain. But to go even further, the spiritual body is layered and has several ways to connect the physical body to your higher self, or spiritual body. The 7 main chakras are the most important.
The word chakra comes from ancient Sanskrit and refers to our energy centers or vortexes. Each chakra has a specific location and corresponds to a different physical, emotional, and spiritual aspect of life. They are meant to be free flowing energy centers, however they can become sluggish or even blocked. This can manifest as certain physical or emotional challenges. Understanding your chakras and learning how to cleanse and balance them can be a very useful tool in healing as well as rising up to meet your highest self.
Root Chakra (Muladhara)
Location: Base of the spine
Color: Red
Element: Earth
Function: Grounding, security, survival, stability
Signs of Imbalance: Anxiety, insecurity, financial instability, fatigue
Ways to Balance: Grounding exercises, walking barefoot, root vegetables, red foods/clothing/jewelry, affirmations like "I am safe and secure."
2. Sacral Chakra (Svadhisthana)
Location: Lower abdomen, just below the navel
Color: Orange
Element: Water
Function: Creativity, pleasure, emotions, sexuality
Signs of Imbalance: Guilt, low libido, creative blocks, emotional instability
Ways to Balance: Dancing, swimming, orange foods/clothing/jewelry, creative activities, affirmations like "I embrace pleasure and creativity."
3. Solar Plexus Chakra (Manipura)
Location: Upper abdomen, near the diaphragm
Color: Yellow
Element: Fire
Function: Confidence, personal power, willpower
Signs of Imbalance: Low self-esteem, digestive issues, lack of motivation
Ways to Balance: Core exercises, sunlight exposure, yellow foods/clothing/jewelry, affirmations like "I am strong and confident."
4. Heart Chakra (Anahata)
Location: Center of the chest
Color: Green (sometimes pink)
Element: Air
Function: Love, compassion, relationships, forgiveness
Signs of Imbalance: Loneliness, bitterness, fear of intimacy, heart-related health issues
Ways to Balance: Deep breathing, nature walks, heart-opening yoga poses, green foods/clothing/jewelry, affirmations like "I give and receive love freely."
5. Throat Chakra (Vishuddha)
Location: Throat
Color: Blue
Element: Ether (Space)
Function: Communication, self-expression, truth
Signs of Imbalance: Fear of speaking up, sore throat, thyroid issues, dishonesty
Ways to Balance: Singing, journaling, drinking herbal teas, blue foods/clothing/jewelry, affirmations like "I speak my truth with clarity."
6. Third Eye Chakra (Ajna)
Location: Between the eyebrows
Color: Indigo
Element: Light
Function: Intuition, insight, inner wisdom
Signs of Imbalance: Lack of clarity, indecision, headaches, eye problems
Ways to Balance: Meditation, visualization, limiting screen time, affirmations like "I trust my intuition."
7. Crown Chakra (Sahasrara)
Location: Top of the head
Color: Violet (or white)
Element: Divine Consciousness
Function: Spiritual connection, enlightenment, universal awareness
Signs of Imbalance: Feeling disconnected, lack of purpose, skepticism, headaches
Ways to Balance: Prayer, meditation, spending time in silence, affirmations like "I am connected to the universe."
You may have noticed that each chakra has a color assigned to it, the full rainbow. This leads me to a simple and powerful visualization exercise that can help cleanse and balance your chakras. Sit or lie in a comfortable position and take a few deep breaths in and out to relax and center yourself. When you are ready, imagine breathing in a warm red light and with your exhale push that red light all throughout your body, reaching every cell and tissue. Do this for 3-5 breathes, whatever feels right to you. Then move on to the next color of the rainbow, orange, then yellow, and so on. After spending some time breathing in and out each color, close the meditation by picturing all the colors of the rainbow swirling around you, beautiful and balanced. Take another 3 deep breaths in and out and thank yourself for the time, attention, and love of this practice.
If you would like a guided meditation to cleanse and balance your 7 chakras, try this one found on Insight Timer:
Practicing this type of meditation weekly or even daily can bring about astounding change. I encourage you to start giving your energetic body some love and attention as part of your complete path to healing.
