CHAKRAS

Chakras are energy centers within the body. The word chakra means “wheel” or “disk.” Chakras have a loving responsibility of taking in, incorporating and emanating energy to keep us functioning at optimal levels. Think of the chakras as spinning vortices of energy. Everything is composed of energy and information. Every object emanates from movement and vibration. The seven main chakras align along the spine, starting at the base of the spine and moving up to the crown of the head.

Energy is everything.  I am a huge believer in the mind/body connection.  I also believe in the soul/spirit.  My intention is to utilize research from kinesiology, physiology, exercise, nutrition, wellness, metaphysics, and psychoanalysis/mental health counseling; and intertwine them all through personalized readings, assessments, and wellness plans tailored to an individual or groups. This is to help an individual find the root cause of their pain/suffering.  Our body speaks our mind, and we are what we think about all day. Our mind manifests physically into our bodies, and into the Universe.  Our energy is vibrating at the frequency we exude. 

The “yogis” speak about this in Chakras.  The Chakras in balance, blocked, or overactive are signs from the energy systems in our body, manifesting the energy we are believing in, our perception.

Illness is real, accidents happen, and medicine can help.  Albeit the mind and emotions play a vital role in our state of health. Understanding the mind body relationship will help us all understand ourselves more deeply and help us claim a greater role in our own well-being.  By understanding what wellness, happiness, contentment, balance, homeostasis, pain-free, etc. whatever nirvana is for you, let’s find how we can maintain it.

Chakras are like a check engine light on in our car, but on our machine (aka. our body).  The chakra is a way the energetic realm is notifying us that our mind, body, and/or spirit may be undeveloped, blocked, developed, balanced, and/or overactive.  An unbalanced energy can manifest in our mind, body, spirit, and even affect the energy we put out into the universe and affect the energy we receive back from the universe.   Observe yourself, your reactions, and your mind/body.  As you do this, you will begin to see how closely all the different parts of your being, both physical and psycho/emotional, are interwoven.

Exercise, Yoga, Pilates, etc.; movement in general assists the energetic shift into balance through the mind body connection.  Mentally observing our thoughts and intentions.  Physically shifting the energy into alignment through movement and meditation. 

Join an exercise class via zoom or in person to balance and align thyself.
Here is a general description of each Chakra.

MULADHARA, ROOT, I AM.

Color: red

Element: earth

* instinct, security, survival, grounding

Blocked: fearful, anxious, unsure, financial instability, ungrounded, rigidity, inability to trust, aggression, pessimism.

Overactive: greedy, lust for power, aggressive, materialistic, cynical.

Balanced: safe, secure, centered, grounded, happy to be alive.

The Body: base of spine, legs, bones, feet, rectum, immune (cells created in flat bones, coxal bone in hip), medulla/cortex.

Muladhara is associated with the earth element and directly linked to your ability to dig in and feel firmly rooted in your life. This energy center is associated with your root issues, such as your sense of security, satisfying your basic needs, familial relationships, and how at home you feel in your body and on this planet.  When out of alignment, the muladhara can be associated with weight gain (or loss), depression, anxiety, constipation, pelvic pain, and incontinence. When the root chakra is out of alignment, you may find yourself busily bouncing from one thing to the next in a rush without appropriate attention or intention. This can lead to exhaustion, anxiety, and stress. On the flipside its imbalance can result in a feeling of lethargy, being stuck, feeling unable to act, and manifest intention.  This Chakra is related to all forms of creativity and manifestation.  Where there is no ground or the soil is weak, then creation cannot flourish.  When you are well rooted and firmly established in your place of being, then the flower within is free to blossom.

Reflection:

-        Have you been experiencing a loss of security or loss of a sense of belonging?

-       Do you feel “unrooted” or “ungrounded”?

-       Do you feel stuck or unable to move forward?

-       Do you have a deeply held, unresolved family issue?

-       Can you find a deeper place of security and trust within yourself and your place in the universe?

SWADHISTHANA, SACRAL, I FEEL.

Color: orange

Element: water

* fluidity, pleasure, sense of self

Blocked: low libido, fear of intimacy, no creativity, isolated.

Overactive: over-emotional, fixated on sex, hedonistic, manipulative.

Balanced: passion, creative, healthy libido, optimistic, open.

The Body: reproductive, large & small intestine, kidney, lower lymphatic, bladder, lower lumbar, ovaries, testes.

This chakra corresponds with your reproductive and sexual organs, and represents fluidity, creativity, and fertility. You can take a literal interpretation of this or associate this chakra with whether you feel deserving of a pleasurable, abundant, creative life. When it is out of balance, you can feel emotionally unstable, guilty, or hard on yourself. When Swadhisthana is in balance, you feel creative, positive, and receptive to change—like the ocean and its tides, you are in the flow. The second chakra is located at the lower belly and inner pelvis. The swadhisthana chakra is associated with water. This energy center offers direct access to flow, flexibility, and fun.  In working with this chakra, you will address your relationship with both others and yourself. Personally, you will discover you have unlimited creative power; you will learn how to cultivate a healthy relationship to pleasure; and you’ll gain insight into your default reactions and deepest emotions. With others, you will learn how to express yourself more skillfully and how to begin setting healthy boundaries.  When the sacral chakra is out of alignment, you may experience chronic low back pain, ovarian cysts and other reproductive issues, urinary tract infections, impotence, pain during intercourse, complications with the bladder and kidneys, and other pelvic–lower abdominal issues.  Mentally, blocked sacral energy can be associated with addiction, repressed emotions, and lack of creative energy.  When the sacral chakra is in healthy alignment, you will be able to source energy for creativity, movement, procreation, desire, pleasure, and relationships.  It also relates to the lower belly, the core of your inner strength and emotional ground. If the potential of the second chakra is undeveloped, it will give rise to excess exhaustion, low appetite, low sexual desire, feelings of helplessness, or an inability to cope.  When it is open and developed it will give rise to feeling balanced and at ease with yourself and your sexuality, and able to function in the material world.

Reflection:

-       Are you ignoring unresolved issues to do with your sexuality?

-       Are you ruled by your desires and cravings?

-       Are you being sexually used or abused?

-       Are you fearful of survival, whether financial or physical?

-       Can you find that place of balance within yourself, a place that is not ruled by cravings or fear?

MANIPURA, SOLAR PLEXUS, I DO.

Color: yellow

Element: fire

* will, purpose, strength

Blocked: low self-esteem, feeling powerless, inferiority complex.

Overactive: power hungry, domineering, perfectionist, critical.

Balanced: confident, feel in control, personal power, drive, good self-image.

The Body: stomach, liver, spleen, gallbladder, lower thoracic, adrenal, pancreas.

When the solar plexus chakra is in balance, a person exudes confidence (without being arrogant), feels self-motivated, and has a sense of purpose. When out of balance, someone may suffer from low self-esteem, have trouble making decisions, and have control issues.

Imbalances of the solar plexus can also manifest in the physical body such as fatigue, overeating, excessive weight around the stomach, and digestive system disorders such as IBS, ulcers, hypoglycemia, and diabetes.  Practicing yoga postures with mindful breathing helps release tension in the solar plexus, physically, mentally, and emotionally.  The solar plexus functions as the center of energy associated with ego or your self-identity. It is the seed of your personal power, self-belief, and self-worth. On top of that, it is the foundation of your self-reliance.  You trust your inner guidance without questioning and follow your intuition without hesitation.  And what is more important, is that you do not need anyone’s approval or validation when it comes to your decisions, small or big.

On a larger scale, you unapologetically and courageously pursue your goals and aspirations in life.  The solar plexus chakra empowers you to follow and not be distracted from your true path.

The Solar Plexus chakra is the seed of your personal power.  It is important to distinguish that personal power does not imply power over others. It implies self-mastery – the ability to master your thoughts and emotions, overcome any fear, and take appropriate action in any situation with courage and determination. To summarize, the solar plexus chakra is linked to the following psychological and behavioral functions: expression of will, core values and virtues, intellectual abilities, personal power, ability to realize ideas and plans, ability to master your instincts, thoughts, and emotions, self-determination and self-reliance, strong boundaries, dedication on your path, self-trust and inner guidance, at higher levels, it conveys wisdom.  The process of becoming an individual is one of finding your own inner power.  This is not a power over others but is your personal authority and emotional strength.  An open third chakra enables you to have a healthy, positive, and confident sense of yourself without needing to exert control over others.

Reflection:

-       Are you over critical, dominating, or controlling of others?

-       Are you fearful of authority, or do you not trust anyone?

-       Are you struggling with issues of self-esteem?

-       Can you connect to an inner place of personal power that you do not have to impose on anyone else?

ANHATA, HEART, I LOVE.

Color: green

Element: air

* love, compassion, balance, acceptance

Blocked: lack of empathy, bitter, hateful, trust issues, intolerant.

Overactive: jealous, codependent, self-sacrificing, give too much.

Balanced: peaceful, loving, compassionate, tolerant, warm, open.

The Body: heart, circulatory, lungs/ribs, diaphragm, breasts, mid back, chest muscles, shoulders & arms, thymus.

The heart chakra is vibrant green and located in the chest, over your heart. It is related to unconditional love, compassion, and well-being. It is the center of your being and connects the lower three chakras to the upper three.  When your heart chakra is out of balance, you feel lonely and isolated. You might have dysfunctional relationships (jealousy, criticizing, fear of rejection), and/or co-dependence and clinginess. Lung problems, heart problems, and upper back problems point to this chakra being blocked. Your heart chakra is your fourth energy center, and is the bridge that unites the mind, body and spirit. When this chakra is open, you are able to easily give and receive love, forgive and be compassionate towards yourself and others. If it is blocked, it can cause your chakras to be out of alignment affecting your ability to easily have those experiences.

An undeveloped heart chakra is seen in a closed or cold heart, unable to warm to others or truly care about yourself.  Everything is sensual and sexual, or rational, logical, and intellectual, but the inner-heart feeling is missing.  There is a lack of depth and warmth.  You may have feelings of being unlovable, a fear of loving, or a holding onto past pain with a lack of forgiveness, creating untold misery.  There may be bitterness, jealousy, or deep sorrow.  Instead of love there is aggression and guilt, hard-heartedness, prejudice, or bitterness.

An open-heart chakra is an infinite source of love and compassion- the more the heart opens, the more love fills your being.  This is about awakening to a real love for yourself that enables true forgiveness, and about developing a genuine and profound loving-kindness and compassion for all beings.

Reflection:

-       Do you have emotional issues that are keeping your heart closed and affecting your ability to love?

-       Do you dislike yourself?

-       Are you holding onto past hurt and feeling unable to forgive and let go?

-       Can you enter a deeper level of acceptance and forgiveness for both yourself and for others, so that your heart can open and heal?

VISHUDDHA, THROAT, I SPEAK.

Color: blue

Element: ether

* communication, creativity, resonance

Blocked: cannot express self or speak out, misunderstood, secretive, not a good listener.

Overactive: opinionated, loud, critical, gossipy, yell or talk over others, harsh words.

Balanced: confident expression, clear communicator, creative, diplomatic.

The Body: mouth, teeth, gums, pharynx, trachea, esophagus, neck, cervical spine, thyroid, parathyroid.

The fifth chakra is associated with the throat and mouth, and with expression and assimilation.  The throat is both the entrance to your whole being, through which you take nourishment, and the exit point for your thoughts and feelings.  A throat chakra that is underdeveloped will restrict the flow of energy, hindering your ability to receive nourishment or to express yourself.  You will likely express negative emotions, lie, cheat, or insult.  It may feel as if you have no voice, that you are not being heard, or perhaps you are fearful of speaking up for yourself.  This is seen in all throat, mouth, and teeth problems, also neck, jaw, and thyroid problems.

This chakra is also related to addictive behavior.  When you repress your feelings or ignore deeper issues of pain, you need a way to keep them down.  Addictions, such as over-eating, drug abuse, or alcoholism, easily serve this purpose.

When the throat chakra is blocked or otherwise imbalanced, energy flow is hindered and can lead to physical symptoms affecting the head, mouth, throat, and neck. It is not uncommon to experience neck pain, headaches, hoarseness, and sore throat when the flow of energy through the throat chakra is disrupted. Some common physical symptoms of blockage include chronic sore throat, frequent headaches, dental issues, mouth ulcers, hoarseness, thyroid problems, laryngitis, Temporomandibular disorders of the jaw (TMJ), neck pain. The Throat chakra is associated with the following psychological and behavioral characteristics: expression, in particular ability to express your truth, to speak out, communication, whether it is verbal or non-verbal, external or internal, connection with the etheric realm, the more subtle realms of spirit and intuitive abilities, propensity to create, projecting ideas and blueprints into reality, realizing your vocation, purpose, good sense of timing. Speaking your truth.

The throat chakra forms a bridge between the head and the body, the mind and the heart.  When it is open, it energetically opens your whole being, enabling clear communication, and a flowing of energy between your mind and your heart.  Then there is a balance of wisdom and compassion, of thought and feeling, of giving and receiving.  When this chakra is open you can transform negative to positive, poison to nectar, thereby healing the inner wounds.

In Indian mythology the swan with its graceful long neck represents the throat chakra.  According to the tradition, the swan can discriminate between milk and water, between truth and ignorance.

Reflection:

-       Are you fearful of speaking up and making your needs known?

-       Is the reality you are swallowing causing you emotional pain or difficulty?

-       Are you repressing deeper issues of pain through addictive or deceptive behavior?

-       Can you connect your mind with your heart and body, so that a true healing can occur?

ANJA, THIRD EYE, BROW, I SEE.

Color: indigo

Element: light

* perception, intuition, imagination

Blocked: poor judgement, lacks focus, poor imagination, can’t see beyond physical.

Overactive: nightmares, delusions, hallucinations, obsessive, see too many spirits.

Balanced: Imaginative, intuitive, clear thoughts and vision, sees beyond physical.

The Body: limbic brain/ nervous system, ears, nose, eyes, thalamus, brain stem, pituitary, hypothalamus.

The sixth chakra located in between and just above eye level, connects to our cosmic insight.  When off balance there may be moodiness, daydreaming and distrust.  When in balance, we feel open and focused, a deep spiritual connection, strong morality and can easily determine between truth and illusion.  The ajna chakra is associated with light. As you work with ajna, you may want to see the third eye as access to a cosmic vision, illuminating everything as it is without the filter of your past, your expectations, or your judgment.  This energy center is associated with higher knowledge, the subtler aspects of sight, and intuition. The ajna chakra resides over the eyes and visual perception. We live in a visual culture and being able to see clearly with correct perception yourself and the world will help you manifest your best life.

This chakra is the eye of wisdom that looks from within and sees the truth.  It is associated with the mind and the development of higher consciousness, and with the development of perception, intuition, and insight.  Where the ego was predominant in the solar plexus, here the ego is dissolving as consciousness expands beyond the individual itself.  This is the eye that sees through limitations of human existence to the transcendent wisdom of the awakened mind.  Insight is the key here.

A closed third eye chakra is seen in a lack of self-awareness or any sense of higher consciousness.  There may be a fear of the inner self or anything introspective or spiritual, leading to nervous behavior, paranoia, or distorted images of reality.  This results in fixed, closed, or prejudiced thinking patterns and attitudes, and a resistance to new or different ideas, especially spiritual ones.  Negative, critical, or prejudiced attitudes are felt in every part of the body, so this chakra affects the nerves, the senses, and the immune system, as well as brain disorders, senility, headaches, eyesight, and hearing.

The balance of head and heart is essential for complete awakening.  The wisdom of the mind gives direction to the compassion of the heart, just as compassion gives depth to the clarity of insight.  One without the other is incomplete- insight without feeling, or compassion without discrimination.

It is also necessary to distinguish between the mental energy that can lock you into the intellectual levels, and truly spiritual energy that opens you to the brilliance within.  Through the third eye chakra you have the ability to penetrate the nature of reality and discover the truth within yourself.  This is not an intellectual pursuit.

Reflection:

-       Are you fearful of others, or closed to the way others think and feel?

-       Do you tend to hide behind your intellect?

-       Do your belief systems limit your openness and acceptance?

-       Can you open your mind to different ways of thinking and to deeper parts of your own being?

SAHASRARA, CROWN, I KNOW.

Color: white, violet

Element: thought

* wisdom, knowledge, spiritual connection

Blocked: depression, learning difficulties, weak faith, anger at divine, brain fog.

Overactive: dogmatic, judgmental, spiritual addiction, ungrounded.

Balanced: strong faith, universal love, intelligent, aware, wise, understanding.

The Body:  upper brain, frontal cortex, cellular anatomy, skeletal, muscular, skin, pineal.

The seventh chakra, called sahasrara, is located at the crown of the head. “Sahasrara” means thousand-petaled and represents a thousand-petaled lotus flower.  This energy center is associated with the element of thought, connection to spirit, universal consciousness, enlightenment, wisdom, unity and self-knowledge.  Working with this chakra indicates an interest in a higher purpose and an elevated way of being. You are ready to let go of misunderstandings about who you are and why you are here.  Complications that come from this chakra can be confusion, imbalance, a lack of connection to the manifest world, unfocused, hyper spiritualization (aka too much meditation not enough laundry) and an inability to function practically.  Working toward enlightenment is a worthy endeavor for anyone. This is the gateway to super-consciousness where it is no longer possible to experience yourself as separate from anything or anyone.  If balanced you feel spiritual, blessed, unity, wisdom, open minded, peaceful, connected to the universe, strong nervous system. If unbalanced you feel mental disorders, fear, materialistic, memory and learning problems, apathy, broken, spiritual crisis.

The seventh chakra is located at the top of the head and is seen as the ultimate human experience, where the individual self dissolves into cosmic consciousness.  Personal desires are purified, and all activity becomes selfless.  This is not so much the end of the journey as the beginning of the real journey with emergence of the true human. 

When this chakra is not awakened, it is reflected in a strong ego and a resistance to spiritual growth, which can lead to depression/sadness, for life seems to have no meaning.  Faith is lacking, whether in an external God, guru, or the divinity within.  Without faith there is emptiness, a vacuum or spiritual void.

The energy associated with this chakra is that of surrender: the full surrendering of the ego of the individual self to the divine self that is limitless and all-embracing.  It is associated with the whole physical body, and this chakra affects every aspect of your being, and with all psycho/emotional issues that are connected to a loss of purpose, meaning, or direction.

Reflection:

-       Are you depressed or has life lost real meaning for you?

-       Do you feel an inner emptiness or loss of direction and purpose?

-       Can you enter into a deeper place of surrendering your self-importance?

-       Can you find a place of divinity within you?

From all the above, we can observe and get a clearer picture of our mind and body.  Find the words to describe how it feels and see if those words describe something about you.  You may be able to see clearly what your symptoms are saying, or intuitively guess their meaning, accepting the truth of them is not easy.  Afterall, a symptom often expresses an issue that we have been ignoring, denying, or repressing, so acceptance means accepting this unwanted part of ourselves.  Sometimes it seems easier to just keep everything the same, even if you lose your health in the process.  Illness, accidents, pain, etc., gives us a chance to look at our behavior and the patterns of our life, and what our feelings are and what we want to do about them.  Recognizing the meaning of our symptom is the beginning of the journey, the first step to understanding ourselves more deeply.  Next, comes the commitment to releasing the old and opening the new.  You must really want to get well.  The body is trying to regain wholeness, to heal, but it will be hindered if, beneath it all, we are holding on to the illness for more subtle motives, unconscious motives.  Making a commitment to our own healing gives us the courage to change.