Chakras 101: What They Are and How to Heal Them

The world is made up of energy. Your body, that table next to you, the ground you’re walking on, they’re not actually solid. They’re made up of energy and empty space that your eyes and mind interpret as solid. When you think about your body in those terms, it makes sense to take care of the flows of energy in your body. One way to do that is through chakra healing, which uses different techniques to bring your body into alignment. 

 

Chakra is a Sanskrit word that means wheel or disk. In practical terms, this refers to wheels of energy that exist in different parts of your body.  The chakras start at the base of the spine and finish just above your head. Each of them is a swirling wheel of energy. When this energy is healthy and moving freely, you will enjoy good mental, physical, and emotional health. But when this energy wheel is damaged or blocked, you will experience emotional, physical, and mental problems. 

 

Each chakra corresponds to nerve centres and major organs in the body. They’re also associated with spiritual, psychological, and emotional states. When one of your chakras becomes blocked, stagnant, or closed, the energy flows in your body are restricted. This will cause negative energy to back up, become stagnant, and eventually you’ll experience problems in the areas that chakra controls. 

Chakras can also become overactive and have too much energy running through them, causing problems. That’s why chakra healing focuses on healing and balancing unhealthy chakras so your energy can move freely once more. To do this, you will need an acute awareness of the energy flows in your body or the help of someone who understands chakra healing. 

There are specific strategies you can use to heal ‘problem chakras’, as well as more general ideas that will encourage your chakras to balance. Some strategies that improve general chakra health include: 

· Yoga, which undoes blockages and encourages healthy energy flows. 

· Healing sounds such as Chakra Sound Healing Frequencies or Isochronic Chakra Tones. 

· Using the energy of Chakra stones, which have vibrations that will affect certain chakras or multiple chakras. 

· Meditate to encourage calm and build your self-awareness. 

 

Each chakra is different, associated with a different part of the body and different spiritual and emotional states. So, it makes sense that chakra healing will be different depending on which chakra is blocked or unhealthy.

Chakras must be in balance to be healthy. Too much energy is just as unhealthy as too little or blocked energy.  That’s why two people who have issues with the same chakra may experience completely opposite symptoms depending on whether that chakra is blocked and sluggish or overactive. 

Here’s a guide to the chakras in your body and what to do when they’re unhealthy: 

 

This is the first chakra, sometimes known as the Root chakra, and it influences the bladder, colon, and first three vertebrae at the base of your spine. This chakra is associated with security and stability. If you consistently feel safe and secure, then this chakra is probably open and flowing well. When this chakra is unbalanced, it can cause symptoms such as: 

· Constipation

· Cramps

· Restlessness

· Unhealthy weight gain

· Fatigue

· Insecurity

· Fear

· Over dependence on others

· A feeling that you’re ungrounded

· Materialism or greed 

 

To help heal this chakra and get the energy flowing correctly, try: 

· Spending more time in nature.

· Eating more healthy red foods like berries, apples, tomatoes, and beets. 

· Getting a massage that focuses on the legs, gluteal muscles, and feet. 

· Wearing or decorating with red accents. 

· Using essential oils like Frankincense, Angelica, St John’s Wort, and Patchouli. 

 

The Second or Sacral chakra is your body’s centre for creativity and sexuality. It’s located above the pubic bone but below the navel. When this chakra is blocked, it will affect your emotions, sexual desire, and your creativity. You may experience: 

· Lower back pain

· Kidney pain or infections

· Impotence

· Infertility

· Excessive emotional volatility

· Numbness

· Poor self-esteem and self-worth

 

To improve the flow of energy in this chakra: 

· Spend more time in and around water. 

· Eat foods like oranges, melons, mangoes, and carrots. 

· Wear or decorate with orange. 

· Massage around the hips to encourage the hip flexors to release. 

· Use essential oils like Neroli, Clove, Juniper, Orange, or Rosemary in burners or massage. 

 

This chakra covers the area from the navel to the breastbone and is also known as the Navel or Solar Plexus Chakra. It’s associated with your own personal power, intelligence, and willpower. When it’s unbalanced you may experience: 

· Gas

· Nausea 

· Digestive problems

· Asthma or other respiratory problems

· Liver or kidney infections

· Ulcers

· Aggression or anger

· Perfectionism

· Passivity

· Indecisiveness

· Timidity

· Lack of self-control

 

Here’s how to balance this chakra: 

· Eat more yellow foods like bananas, pineapple, corn, ginger, and turmeric. 

· Wear and decorate with yellow. 

· Sit outside in the sun or beside a fire. 

· Massage the stomach area. 

· Burn or get a massage with Lemon, Marjoram, Peppermint, or Rosemary oils. 

 

The fourth or heart chakra is extremely important. It’s in the middle of all of the chakras and unites the lower chakras of matter with the upper chakras of spirit. This chakra acts as a bridge between your body, mind, emotions, and spirit and it’s the source of your sense of love and connection. When this chakra is overactive or under active, you may experience the following problems: 

· Clinginess 

· Lack of a sense of self

· Lack of boundaries

· Emotional coldness

· Loneliness 

· Unwillingness to open up to others

· Heart problems

· Poor circulation

· Circulatory problems like high blood pressure 

· Asthma or other respiratory issues

· Breast cancer

· Stiff joints 

 

To open and rebalance this chakra: 

· Do regular breathing exercises. 

· Get out in nature and breathe the fresh air.

· Eat more green foods like broccoli, avocado, kale, or spinach. 

· Wear or decorate with green.

· Get a massage that focuses on the upper back, shoulder joint, and pectoral muscles. 

· Use Melissa, Rose, Basil or Rosewood scents in your home. 

 

This is the fifth chakra, sometimes called the throat chakra because this is where it’s located. It includes the neck, jaw, mouth, tongue, thyroid, and parathyroid. This chakra is associated with speaking and in particular the ability to speak your highest truth. When it becomes unbalanced you may experience: 

· Sore throat, hoarseness, or laryngitis

· Soreness in the neck or shoulders

· Dental issues

· Thyroid issues

· Earaches or infections

· Unwillingness to listen to others

· Over talkativeness, particularly critical talk. 

· The tendency to verbally abuse others or condescend to them 

· Introversion

· Shyness

· Inability to express your needs 

· Difficulty speaking the truth 

 

You can help to rebalance this chakra by: 

· Sitting out in open space more often. 

· Eating blue foods like kelp, dragon fruit, currants, and blueberries. 

· Using blue tones in your home decorations or outfits. 

· Getting a massage that focuses on the back and front of the neck as well as the base of the head. 

· Using scents like Sage, Lemongrass, and Blue Chamomile. 

 

Located between the eyebrows, this chakra is also known as the third eye chakra and it’s the centre of your intuition. Opening this chakra will help you tap into your own deeper wisdom and make better decisions in every aspect of your life. When this chakra is blocked or overactive, you may experience: 

· Hallucinations

· Difficulty focusing

· Poor judgement

· A sense of unreality

· Rigid thinking

· Over reliance on authority 

· Disconnection from the inner self 

· Anxiety and fear of the future 

· Headaches

· Vision problems

· Insomnia or other sleep disorders

· Nightmares

· Seizures

 

Here’s how to help rebalance this chakra: 

· Sit in the sun and let the light pour over you. 

· Eat more foods that are indigo coloured like grapes, blackberries, and purple kale. 

· Wear or decorate with indigo colours. 

· Ask for a massage technique known as ‘brow stripping’ that focuses on the jaw, temples, and nasal sinuses. 

· Use Clary Sage, Spruce, Lavender, or Elemi essential oils. 

 

This is the seventh chakra and it’s located at the crown of the head. Known also as the ‘thousand petal lotus’, this is the chakra of enlightenment and spiritual connection. It allows you to connect to others, to your higher self, and to the divine. When this chakra is blocked it can cause: 

· Difficulties with emotional control 

· Over focus on spirituality regardless of other needs 

· Lack of goals or direction 

· A closed, rigid mindset 

· Dizziness

· Confusion

· Nerve pain

· Mental disorders such as schizophrenia

· Mental fog

· Neurological disorders

 

Here’s how to realign this chakra so you can tap into your deeper self: 

· Spend time exploring your connection to a higher power by chanting, meditating, or praying. 

· Nourish your spiritual self with self-reflection and development. 

· Wear violet clothes and decorate with this colour. 

· Have a scalp massage. 

· Use Myrrh, Sandalwood, or Geranium scents around your home. 

 

If you have a blockage in your energy, it can be difficult to identify which chakra is causing the issues. That’s why you need the help of an energy healer who understands energy flow and can examine your body’s energy levels. So, if you want specialised help and assistance to overcome your energy barriers, make a booking for an energy healing session today.