The word chakra comes from Sanskrit and means ‘wheel.’ It refers to invisible energy centres in the body, through which energy flows. There are seven main chakras, located between the base of the spine and the top of the head, and these are the ones you will hear most about. However, there are roughly 200 chakras in the body, and in spiritual terms, you may hear them referred to as 3rd Dimension and 5th Dimension chakras.
For now, let’s keep it simple and concentrate on the seven main chakras. If you go for a chakra clearing session, these are the ones the practitioner will concentrate on. In ascending order from the base of the spine, they are:
- Root chakra: Muladhara in Sanskrit. The first of the physical chakras, it’s concerned with survival and primal instincts. Red in colour, it’s located near the base of the spine.
- Sacral chakra: Svadhisthana in Sanskrit. The second chakra is linked to sexuality and self-expression. Orange, situated below the navel.
- Solar Plexus chakra: Manipura in Sanskrit. The chakra of self-belief and confidence. Yellow, it’s just below the breast bone.
- Heart chakra: Anahata in Sanskrit. The link between the physical and the spiritual, the heart is about love and connection, as you may expect. Green is associated with the heart, and it’s located in the centre of the chest.
- Throat chakra: Vishuddha in Sanskrit. The first of the purely spiritual chakras, concerned with communication. Blue in colour, the Throat chakra is, unsurprisingly, near the throat.
- Third Eye chakra: Ajna in Sanskrit. This is the chakra of intuition. Indigo in colour, the Third Eye is situated between the eyebrows.
- Crown Chakra: Sahasrara in Sanskrit. Often referred to as the ‘thousand petal lotus,’ the Crown chakra is linked to enlightenment and divine connection. It’s violet, and it’s on top of the head.
While chakras don’t form part of the anatomy, and nobody ever died from an unbalanced or blocked chakra, it’s important that they are balanced so the energy can flow freely through them. If you’re feeling out of sorts, but there doesn’t seem to be a physical cause for it, maybe one of your chakras is blocked. Lower chakras such as the root chakra may cause physical symptoms of malaise, while imbalance in the third eye could mean your intuition is not as sharp as normal.
In a nutshell, the chakras are the holistic link between mind, body and spirit, and by spending time to make sure they are aligned, you will feel balanced physically and mentally. I think of chakra clearing and cleansing as ‘Spring Cleaning for the Soul.’ It helps to declutter emotionally, leaving more room to focus on the things that matter to you. In future articles, we’ll go into more detail on the chakras, but if you want to read more now, this article is easy to follow, and very informative.
