Intro to Chakras: The Seven Energy Centers
(*Note: This article is not intended to replace the advice of a medical professional.)
If you own crystals, it is likely that you may have heard that crystals can help balance our chakras. You don’t know what chakras are? No need to worry, we got you! In this article, we will dive in and explain briefly what the term ‘chakra’ means, what chakras are and what signs to look for in a balanced and unbalanced chakra.
What Does ‘Chakra’ Mean & What are They?
In Sanskrit, the term ‘Chakra’ translates to ‘disk’ or ‘wheel’ but it references an energy center in your body. Sanskrit is an ancient language that is primarily used in Hinduism. This sacred language has been used as a philosophical language in spiritual practices such as Buddhism and Jainism.
There are seven major chakras that lie within your body, from the base of your spine to the top of your head. Chakras are energy centers that connect and support your physical body and your energy body. Getting in touch with our chakras connects us with our essence much more profoundly, to where we can create a real relationship with ourselves and heal our mind, body, and soul.
The Root Chakra (Muladhara)
The root chakra, or Muladhara in Sanskrit, is located at the base of your spine and extends throughout your entire lower body. This energy center is symbolized as a lotus with four petals and it is linked to the color red and the element of earth. The root chakra is your foundation for life and basic needs in life, which consists of relationships with friends and family, and feeling grounded within your body and the world around you. A balanced root chakra gives feelings of security, stability, energy, and ambition. An unbalanced chakra can cause feelings of depression, frustration, anxiety, fear, exhaustion, and distraction.
The Sacral Plexus Chakra (Svadhishthana)
The Sacral Plexus, or Svadhishthana in Sanskrit, is located below the navel and is associated with the element of water and the color orange. It is represented as a lotus with six petals. This chakra is about sensuality, sexuality, creativity, passion, and emotions. The primary function of this chakra is about overall enjoyment in your life, which consists of pleasure, harmony, freedom of expression, creative power, and fun. When this chakra is unbalanced, you may possibly experience symptoms or feelings like lust, excessive emotional attachment, aggressiveness, codependency, lack of creativity, difficulty expressing emotions and needs, pain during intercourse, pelvic or abdominal issues, and a low libido. When your sacral chakra is balanced, intimate and meaningful relationships can be created with less resistance, creative ideas and downloads are easily cultivated from your higher self, and you are able to enjoy and experience life at its fullest.
The Solar Plexus Chakra (Manipura)
The Solar Plexus Chakra, or Manipura in Sanskrit, is located in the abdomen above the belly button and extends up to the sternum. The solar plexus represents a ten petalled lotus. In the center of the solar plexus chakra symbol there is a red triangle of fire (Tejas) which is its element. Tejas in Sanskrit translates to ‘sharp’ or ‘sharpness’ and is a symbol that represents power and strength. The possible signs of a balanced solar plexus are confidence, motivation, purposefulness, reliability, and decisiveness. An imbalance in this energy center could be low self-esteem, aggressiveness, anger, ego, depression, and feelings of not being in control. An unbalance can also be manifested in a physical aspect through digestive issues, diabetes, liver problems, and excessive weight gain.
The Heart Chakra (Anahata)
The Heart Chakra, or Anahata in Sanskrit, is located in the chest. Anahata means ‘unstruck’ or ‘unhurt’ in Sanskrit. The Anahata chakra symbol is a green lotus with 12 petals. This chakra connects the lower chakras (that connect us to the earth), and the upper chakras (that connect us to the divine and spiritual). It is associated with the color green and the element of air. It is good to think of love as the element, since it is all around us just like air. When the heart chakra is open and flowing, love, compassion, acceptance, and forgiveness come easier. We are able to see the beauty around us and feel connected to the world. This chakra promotes self love in all aspects, therefore allowing us to give and receive love in every form. An unbalance in the heart chakra could be feelings of loneliness, fear of intimacy, jealousy, codependency, and unworthiness. Isolation and holding grudges are also signs of an unbalanced heart chakra.
The Throat Chakra (Vishuddha)
The Throat Chakra, or Vishuddha in Sanskrit, is located in the throat, as well as the tongue, lips, cheeks, jaw, and ears. Its symbol is an inverted triangle signifying spiritual growth. The elements associated are sound or space, and the color blue. The throat chakra is all about your forms of expression, communication, and creativeness. With a balanced throat chakra, your ability to express yourself with clarity is heightened, and you are able to confidently communicate your opinions, choices, speak your truth through your inner voice and be your authentic self. An unbalanced throat chakra consists of fear of speaking your truth, anxiety about speaking or communicating, and difficulty expressing thoughts. Physical symptoms may be a sore or raspy throat, ear infections, and thyroid issues.
The Third Eye (Ajna)
The Third Eye Chakra, or Ajna in Sanskrit, is located between the eyebrows and is known as the seat of intuition. Ajna translates to ‘perceive’, ‘command’, and ‘beyond wisdom’ in Sanskrit. It is associated with the color indigo and the element of light, although some argue that it is not associated with any element but with “everythingness”. Its symbol is represented by an indigo blue lotus with a downward triangle. The third eye is the highest chakra in the body and allows us to determine our reality and our beliefs about the world. It is the center of wisdom, conscience, and higher consciousness. This is known as your sixth sense and your intuition. An opened third eye is self awareness, higher wisdom, visualization, clarity, imagination, and creative dreaming. You may feel that you want answers or begin to question everything around you. Signs of an unbalanced third eye chakra are lack of confidence in your path, feeling “absence” of intuition, only living through the psychological mind, and being stuck daydreaming instead more than being present.
The Crown Chakra (Sahasrara)
The Crown Chakra, also known as Sahasrara in Sanskrit, is located above the crown. Sahasrara means “the bridge to the cosmos” in Sanskrit. It is represented with the symbol of a circle with a thousand petals and is associated with the color violet and the element of thought and silence. This chakra is the most spiritual of all your chakras, as it represents enlightenment, wisdom, consciousness, and connection to higher guidance. This chakra governs your interactions and connections with the universe, your connection to your higher self or essence, and your connection to the divine. This chakra is all about your spiritual life and beyond. You will feel a sense of unity and universal connection. Unbalance of this chakra consists of difficulty meditating, not feeling connected, spiritual disinterest, boredom, not feeling connected to one’s wisdom, and feelings of wanting to isolate.
The journey to the self can be a chaotic journey, and everyone’s is different. Be gentle with yourself and give yourself love every step of the way. You are unconditional love. You got this <3
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