What are the 7 Chakras?

Ancient spiritualists believe there's more to the human body than the physical and psychological components. 

Their search for solutions to certain health, behavior, and spiritual problems found some answers in the Chakra system.

Understanding the Chakra System

The chakra system refers to an energetic system that channels energy across several body parts to stabilize their functionalities.

In Sanskrit, Chakra means Cycle and Wheel. The chakra concept refers to 7 chakras strategically lined along the spine - from the head down to the spine base.

These ‘energy points’ are described as spinning disks that should be left ‘open’ and ‘aligned’ as they interact with (and optimize the functions of) some major organs and nerves that influence our physical, spiritual and emotional wellbeing.

Although the body contains about 114 different chakras, the 7 most talked-about are those placed along your spine. 

The seven main energy points are distinguished by their name, number, color, location, and health contributions.

For example, the throat chakra is numbered 4th, green-colored, and located around the neck region. It’s believed to be responsible for compassion and love.

Reading on, you’ll discover [in more detail] the different chakras, their meanings, and characteristics. 

The guide then takes you through different practical exercises to help unclog the seven chakras and usher you into total physical, mental, and spiritual bliss.

But before we explore these inner healing forces, let’s throwback to how this interesting ancient concept started

The History of Chakras

Records trace the chakra system’s history to far back between 1500 and 1000 BC. Chakra was found in Veda's sacred spiritual writings.

But till lately, when the increasing yoga recognition and the general New Age philosophies popularised the chakra system globally, the concept had remained alien to the western world.

Despite the recent increasing awareness, only a notable few know well enough about the Chakras. If you seek to know more about how the chakra system works and how to keep the different chakras open, this beginner’s guide to the 7 main chakras is an interesting read. 

What are the 7 Main Chakras?

As mentioned, although there are over a hundred Chakras, this article focuses on the most recognized seven chakras.

First - Root Chakra (Muladhara)

The Root Chakra sits on your spine's base - around the tailbone. This red chakra represents stability, physical identity, and grounding.

When the root chakra is blocked, typical physical reactions include constipation, arthritis, and colon or bladder issues. It could also cause emotional problems [particularly] from feeling inadequate about your basic everyday needs and general finances.

When open and well-aligned, we feel secure and generally stable, both emotionally and physically.

Second - Sacral Chakra (Svadhisthana)

Located between your belly button and the pubic bone, the Sacral Chakra represents pleasure, sexuality, and creativity.

Issues with this orange-colored Chakra may account for common issues, including lower backache, urinary tract infection, impotence, and related sexuality concerns.

Away from the physical results, a misaligned Sacral Chakra triggers emotional effects related to self-worth, particularly sexuality, pleasure, and creativity.

Third - Solar Plexus Chakra (Manipura)

The Solar Plexus Chakra, represented by yellow, is located at the upper abdomen around the stomach. This Chakra is a hub of confidence and self-esteem.

When the third chakra gets blocked, the results are ulcers, eating disorders, heartburn, indigestion, and other common digestive issues.

Solar Plexus Chakra is commonly referred to as the strength behind our personal power, boosting self-confidence and self-esteem.

Fourth - Heart Chakra (Anahata)

The fourth chakra is found at the middle of your chest, spotted above the heart. For yoga experts, this area is commonly referred to as the "Heart Center."

Green-colored, the heart chakra represents compassion and love.

A blocked heart chakra may manifest through heart problems, weight issues, and asthmatic attacks. 

An issue with the heart chakra can also be expressed in people's behavior.

It's believed that persons with a blocked Heart Chakra prioritize other people’s interests over theirs. Positioned at the center of other chakras, this PowerPoint connects the upper and lower chakras - a circumstance used to explain the Heart Chakras' role in love and our connection to others.

Misalignment or blockage of this chakra can trigger the feeling of insecurity and loneliness.

Fifth - The Throat Chakra (Vishuddha)

Found in the throat region, expectedly, the blue-colored throat chakra is linked to our verbal communication. It connects to everything around the throat axis, including your mouth, gums, and teeth. 

So, if you’re experiencing problems in these mentioned areas, perhaps that’s a dysfunctional throat chakra.

Such misalignment and blockage may cause gossiping, illogical reasoning, and difficulty with being blunt.

When in the right flow, this chakra promotes compassionate talking and listening. Besides, you'll feel a good sense of self-confidence during communication - you’re conscious and deliberate with words.

Sixth - Third-eye chakra (Ajna)

As the name suggests, this chakra mounts on the forehead, in-between your eyes. 

Also referred to as the Brow Chakra, the third-eye chakra is symbolized by the indigo color and represents imagination and intuition.

Seated on the head, an issue with this chakra may cause sight and concentration issues, hearing impairment, and headache.

Are you having problems listening to facts or have lost touch with your gut feelings? Perhaps you’re reacting to a blocked brow chakra.  

An open and well-aligned third-eye chakra may help people flow with their intuition and see-through little details.

Seventh - Crown Chakra (Sahasrara)

This white/violet chakra is located at the top of your head and thought to power intelligence and awareness.

This chakra, also called the 7th chakra, is thought to connect to all other chakras and, by implication, across all the body organs, including the nervous system and brain.

The crown chakra is believed to influence human enlightenment and connect us to spirituality and life purpose.

A misaligned or blocked crown chakra may result in narrow-mindedness, stubbornness, and skepticism.

When open, this chakra promotes the alignment of other chakras, bringing you overall enlightenment and bliss. 

Being the energy spots of your body, the chakras all play great roles in keeping the human being in a healthy state. However, a blocked chakra may cause the opposite. 

What does it mean when a chakra blocks or misaligns?

A chakra can experience energy depletion or, on the other end, excessive energy flow. Either way, affected people experience different levels of dysfunctionality with one or more imbalanced chakras.

Deficient energy in a chakra results in low performance of associated body functionaries.

An overactive chakra, on the other hand, can trigger several hyper effects, which may cause both psychological and physical consequences.

For instance, if the first chakra (the root chakra) - which is associated with survival, security, and life's foundation - delivers low energy, it may lead to a feeling of insecurity, anxiety, depression, and stress. 

If, conversely, the energy goes overboard, this can result in boldness without restraints. 

How do blocked chakras influence one's health? 

Generally, the area of the body where a misaligned chakra sits may fall out of balance and cause low energy delivery. Commonly affected parts include surrounding bones, joints, organs, and tissues. 

Mentally, an imbalanced chakra may trigger emotional irregularities, including fear, sadness, anger, and indecisiveness.

Hence, you should give good attention to both the physical and psychological sensations as they have close complementary links, and one may inform and deliver supportive energy to the other. 

Also, note that excessive mental or/and physical stress may block or misalign one or more of your chakras. Here are some signs you're suffering from too much stress. 

Besides, other personal habits, including poor posture, physical alignment, unhealthy eating, and another unhealthy everyday lifestyle, can trigger chakra imbalance. 

Such misalignment, when prolonged, may cause physical illnesses and diseases, muscles and skeletal concerns, and psychological concerns such as anxiety and depression.

Can multiple chakras get blocked? 

Yes. 

When a chakra misaligns or blocks, the resultant effect rubs off on the surrounding chakras. While there are a few cases where individual chakras get clogged, such misalignment is common in clusters.

For instance, if your pattern says hurtful words that mess up your self-esteem, such can negatively affect your Solar Plexus Chakra. 

The same effect may further fuel a feeling of betrayal, make you feel less loved and appreciated, and, consequently, block your Heart Chakra. 

Theme emotional concern has automatically blocked two chakras from the narrative and could reach out to even more. 

Based on our different human experiences, the effect of a blocked chakra may be shared across other closely related chakras.

The good news - just as some experiences can clog your chakras, there are ways to unclog a blocked chakra and free up your energy points.

How to Unblock Chakras

Not only are there several ways to keep your chakra system working fine, but the instructions are also pretty straightforward and straightforward to carry out. 

Chakra meditations, affirmations, chakra stones, and behavioral adjustments are typical ways to open your chakras and get them flowing with the proper force. 

Remember that to reopen your chakras and restore the energy flow may not happen in a snap. So, it's okay to still feel some imbalance at your initial attempt(s). 

Let's go all over some ways to free up the individual energy centers. 

Unblocking the Root Chakra

Blocked root chakra comes with feeling unsafe and ungrounded. It manifests as anxiety, fear, and a general feeling of insufficiency.

For a solution, meditation comes in handy. 

Get a quiet, solitary place to sit or lay. In your meditation, visualize an imaginary red ball of energy around your cervical area. Now, imagine the energy ball spinning clockwise. With the picture in your head, repeat [under your breath] positive affirmations like "I'm grounded; I'm safe.”

Sustain this exercise for about 10 minutes.

Optional, but important, you could hold either Black Onyx, Hematite, or Smoky Quartz stones during this practice.

Plus, behavioral changes like eating hearty diets, engaging in physical body experiences, connecting with nature, and adequate rest may also boost the result.

Unclogging the Sacral Chakra

A blocked sacral chakra leaves you feeling less creative, low sex drive, and other hormonal, sexual, and urinary concerns.

Imagine a radiant orange energy ball around the pelvic region far away from the noise and all forms of disturbances. Visualize the ball spinning clockwise. 

Sustaining the imagination, repeat affirmations like "I enjoy life's pleasure" ``my entire being flows with creativity and inspiration.”

Sustain this for 10 minutes. 

You can also burn incense such as spearmint, chamomile, clary sage, rose, or ylang-ylang for a faster effect.

Also, consider specific yoga positions such as goddess, squat, and happy baby, holding citrine and orange calcite crystals.

Then, connecting with water is a thoughtful addition. Where possible, go for a swim, or simply sit by a body of flowing water and allow your imaginations to go with the flow -- not against it.

Other creative engagements such as painting, drawing, playing an instrument, mindful eating, and tantric sex are behavioral changes to consider too.

Unblocking the Solar Plexus Chakra

A blocked solar plexus chakra comes with frustration, insecurity, lack of self will, low self-esteem, and lack of confidence. Nausea and stomach tightness are other potential results. 

As with unblocking other chakras, meditation in a quiet, distraction-free space helps unblock the third chakra. 

In isolation, imagine a smooth clockwise-spinning bright yellow energy ball in your stomach region.

Under your breath, repeat these affirmations "I'm strong and capable. I know my worth". 

Do this for 10 minutes. If you have them, consider holding a tiger's eye and sunstone crystals. 

To enhance the results, consider making behavioral changes like learning to say no to requests, consciously defining boundaries, regular exercise, intentionally building self-esteem, and exploring your potential. 

Unblocking the Heart Chakra

Heartbreak, grief, hurt, disconnection, loneliness, lack of compassion, heaviness, heartburn, stooped posture, and chest pain are common symptoms your blocked heart chakra causes.

Meditating in a quiet and isolated space, visualize a bright green ball of energy spinning clockwise around the heart. 

Sustain this for 10 minutes, repeating affirmations like "I'm loving and loved," “my heart is open to love."

In this realm, you may get better results holding an Aventurine and Rose Quartz. 

Needed behavioral changes may include expressing random acts of kindness, self-compassion, and gratitude. Intimacy, cuddling, expressing love, and gift-giving are other helpful corrective behaviors to adopt.

Unblocking the Throat Chakra

Inability or difficulty to express oneself, untruthfulness, and fear of being blunt are common signs of a deficient throat chakra. Physical manifestations could come in the form of neck stiffness and sore throat.

As usual, meditation in a quiet secluded place is your first requirement to unclog your throat chakra. While away from the noises and clutters, visualize a light blue clockwise-spinning energy ball around the neck terrain.

While at it, make these confessions:

“I can easily set clear boundaries”, “my communication is clear and confident,” “my speaking and listening are balanced.”

Stay at it for about 10 minutes, holding Sodalite and Aquamarine stones, if available. 

As a backup, you may need to adopt certain behavioral strategies like speaking the truth, seeking unique channels to express yourself, and being loud about your needs. 

Unblocking the Third-eye Chakra

A blocked third-eye chakra manifests as stubbornness, limited mindset, and disconnect from the spiritual realm.

Meditation [again] is your first step to unclogging the third-eye chakra. Stay alone - no noises or any form of disturbances - and visualize a bright indigo ball of energy spinning in a clockwise direction between your eyebrows.

Experience this moment for 10 minutes, holding your Lolite, Fluorite, and Amethyst stones, as available. 

While at it, repeat these healing confessions:

“I trust what my mind says,” “I’m conscious of who I am.”

Beneficial behavioral changes include being mindful, regular meditation, and connecting to your 'inner voice.’

Unblocking the Crown Chakra

For a blocked crown chakra, you lose the connection with spirituality and all religious/theological subjects entirely -- literally, you suffer the “human condition.”

Meditation works as well for the crown chakra. Find a quiet, solitary place. Sit and visualize a violet/white ball of energy, spinning clockwise direction on the crown of your head.

Hold a crystal ( specifically, Moonstone, Amethyst, or Clear Quartz) and make these affirmations:

"I connect to all forces and life in the universe," "I'm a divine being,"

In addition, some important behavioral changes allow this chakra to flow swiftly. This includes regular meditation, mindfulness, awareness of and connection to life's forces. Also, you may engage in lucid dreaming, traveling, and star-gazing.

Takeaway 

As open chakras allow proper flow of energy throughout the body- harmonizing the body, mind, and spirit -- blocked chakras cause disconnect of these components and  cause problems to associated functionaries. 

Although they number over a hundred, the seven chakras above are considered the major in the chakra system. They may be fairly referred to as the body's energy warehouse.

Hopefully, the guide above helped explained the 7 chakras and their differences and individual contributions to your physical and psychological well-being.

While too much energy in your chakras can cause problems, too low energy from these power centers can be troublesome too. Your best bet is to keep the flow decent and consistent - to achieve this, the practical guide above is your best bet. 

In addition to these practices, you may consider natural mood influencers like aromatherapeutic essential oils for improved focus and general mood uplift. These oils do not only help you stay focus on your meditations; they are, in themselves, commonly referred to as ‘natural healers.’

For more natural remedies to body and mind wellbeing, check out our guides and informational resources on essential oils and other helpful resources.