I use chakras a lot in my work. I find that they’re very informative and that working with them is a very valuable experience. You’ve probably seen me mention them before.
Who Discovered the Chakras?
We have learned about chakras from the Upanishads of old – ancient texts that were written before the Common Era – that’s before year 1! These documents provided the spiritual basis for Hinduism and are largely integrated into Buddhism and Jainism as well, though those came later. That’s right – pre-Buddha! So that’s some long-lived wisdom that we can draw from!
What Are Chakras, Then?
Chakras are the 7 energy centers through with our nadis (energy channel) travels in our body. A healthy body has it’s primary nadis along the spinal column with another nadis on either side of it weaving in and out of the chakras. In a healthy individual, the chakras are regulating the energy flow properly so that the energy neither stagnates or overwhelms. Unfortunately, that’s not the majority of us.
Each chakra controls a different type of energy and when they’re opened correctly, they allow us to access parts of our consciousness. When a chakra becomes blocked, we find that we have difficulties with that specific area of our life, which can generally be cleared by focusing on this chakra instead of seeking external solution.
For instance, the Root chakra, located at the base of the tail bone, is our access point of survival and thriving. If you’re experiencing money issues or fatigue issues, this is likely caused by a block in this chakra. The issue is not that you need to see external solutions, such as a coach or counselor, but instead that you need to unblock this chakra, which will allow the energy to move through you and your life properly again. That’s just one example and certainly not definitive!
Let’s Talk About Each Specific Chakra
As I said before, there are seven different chakras located along your spinal column. Check out this illustration to see where the chakras are located.
The chakras are divided into their separate domains. The bottom four chakras relate to the physical world. The are the root, sacral, solar plexus, and heart chakras. The top three chakras relate more to your spiritual realtiy; the throat, third eye, and crown chakras.
The chakras are typically navigated and worked with from the bottom up. This is the ideal way for energy to flow through your body – and it is somewhat relatable to our hierarchy of needs. For example, if you are having Root Chakra issues, meaning issues with survival, you’re not going to be too concerned with your ability to speak your truth (Throat Chakra).
Without further ado, the chakras are:
- Root Chakra = Relating to the physical plane (survival, money, sexuality, fitness, nutrition, passion, joy, pleasure)
- Sacral Chakra = Relating to the power of creation (fertility, expression, understanding one’s passions, psychological aspects of sexuality)
- Solar Plexus Chakra = Relating to your power and confidence (self esteem, talents, skills, education, life purpose, destiny)
- Hearth Chakra = Relating to love (family, friends, relationships, romance, self love, appreciation, gratitude, cooperation, compassion)
- Throat Chakra = Relating to self expression (speaking up, implementing creativity, creating plans, strategizing, controlling your path)
- Third Eye Chakra = Relating to intuition (listening to your inner wisdom, connecting with your psychic abilities, perception, observation, processing of indirect information)
- Crown Chakra = Relating to the divine (channeling spirit, accessing universal knowledge, connecting to your dieties, connecting with your ancestors)
