chakra balancing
Aligning The Anahata Chakra
Anahata chakra, also known as the heart chakra or heart center, is the fourth of seven primary chakras in the body. The Sanskrit word anahata means ‘unstruck’ or ‘unbeaten.’ It is the subtle sound produced ‘without touching two parts.’
The anahata chakra is located in the center of the chest, near the heart, and is associated with empathy, love, compassion, and forgiveness. It also governs our heart, lungs, thymus gland, and circulatory system and plays an important role in our immune system, emotions, and relationships.
It is symbolized by a twelve-petaled lotus flower with an intersection of two triangles representing the mystical union of the male and female, the metaphysical and physical. The anahata chakra serves as the bridge between the lower three physical chakras and the higher spiritual chakras, connecting the earthly and divine energies within us.
When the anahata chakra is open, aligned, and balanced, we feel a sense of connection with ourselves, others, and the world around us. We are also able to let go of negative emotions such as anger, resentment, and fear to rather give and receive love, foster compassion and empathy, and extend forgiveness towards ourselves and others. When the heart chakra is in balance, we experience a profound sense of love, tolerance, harmony, and emotional well-being.
On the other hand, when this chakra is blocked or underactive, we may have difficulty in expressing love and compassion. We are also more likely to be unkind and intolerant and experience negative emotions such as anger, resentment, fear, and even hatred.
Aligning The Manipura Chakra
Manipura chakra, also known as the solar plexus chakra or the navel chakra, is the third of seven primary chakras in the body. The Sanskrit word manipura means ‘gleaming jewel’ or ‘radiant gem.’
The solar plexus chakra is located in the area of the upper abdomen, above the navel, and is associated with personal power and identity, self-confidence, sense of purpose, individual will, and personal transformation. It also governs our digestive system and metabolism.
When the manipura chakra is open, aligned, and balanced, we are able to assert and believe in ourselves, make choices and decisions with conviction, and take responsibility.
On the other hand, when this chakra is blocked or underactive, we may experience a lack of self-confidence, uncertainty, indecisiveness, and feelings of powerlessness.
In contrast, when the manipura chakra is overactive, we may become temperamental, aggressive, arrogant, domineering, controlling, and even manic.
An open, aligned, and balanced solar plexus chakra offers the following benefits:
Increased confidence and self-esteem. A balanced manipura chakra instills a deep sense of self-confidence, helping us to assert our opinions, make decisions, and act with conviction. It enhances our self-belief and allows us to overcome obstacles with resilience.
Crown Chakra Meditation For Mental Health
These days, many people face mental health challenges. In a world where so many demands are placed upon our time and energy, there never seems to be enough time for relaxation and proper self-care. One way to improve one’s mental health and gain greater clarity is to regularly do some energy work focusing on the crown chakra.
The chakras are a system of energy centers that regulate our physical health, mental acuity, and emotional well-being. Chakra (cakra in ancient Sanskrit) means ‘wheel’ and it is essentially a ‘spinning disk’ or vortex of energy. The chakras represent the flow of life force or pranic energy through the mind-body.
There are seven primary or major chakras in the subtle or light body, spanning from the base of the spine up to the crown of the head. Each chakra has its own frequency, symbolism, color, and function. For optimal health and well-being, the chakras should be kept activated, open, balanced and aligned.
The seventh chakra at the crown of the head, also known as sahasrara padma, is the highest of the primary chakras. It is depicted as a 1000-petal lotus flower and represented by the color violet. This chakra is the energy center of our spiritual connection to the divine, from which all the other chakras emanate. The crown chakra is where we connect to God, Goddess, Source, Spirit, the Divine. It is also my experience that it is at the crown where we engage with our guardian angels and spirit guides.
Aligning The Svadhisthana Chakra
Svadhisthana chakra, also known as the sacral chakra, is the second of seven primary chakras in the body. The Sanskrit word svadhisthana means ‘where your being is established.’ Swa means ‘self’ and adhishthana means ‘established.’
The sacral chakra is located in the area of the lower abdomen and is associated with creativity, passion, and sensuality. It governs the reproductive organs, kidneys, and bladder.
When the svadhisthana chakra is open, aligned, and balanced, we experience a deep sense of creativity, emotional balance, and vitality. We feel a strong sense of pleasure and contentment in our physical experiences.
On the other hand, when the svadhisthana chakra is blocked or underactive, we may experience a sense of emotional numbness, depression, or anxiety. We may have difficulty connecting with our creative instincts and deriving pleasure from our physical experiences. This chakra is especially blocked by excessive fear.
In contrast, when the svadhisthana chakra is overactive, we may become overly attached to our physical desires, such as sex, food, or mind-altering substances, which can lead to addiction and disconnection from our emotional self.
An open, aligned, and balanced sacral chakra offers the following benefits:
The Angel That Saved Me
I love to go hiking, often alone. Over the years I have had a few scary moments. One time, it was an encounter with a rattlesnake, another when lighting struck a mountain ridge very close to me. Fortunately, I have not had any incidents with bears or mountain lions!
However, I did have one very frightening experience involving another person. I was walking back down in a quiet, wooded area, about one hour away from the trail’s end, when a man came walking up towards me. We exchanged brief greetings, as he passed by me, and I continued down the path.
But then he stopped, turned around, and followed me.
“I think I’ll hike back down with you,” he said, once he caught up with me. The tone of his voice sent a shiver down my spine.
“Thank you, but I am actually needing a little alone time today,” I replied politely and just kept walking. But he ignored what I said and kept walking next to me, speaking in a manic way.
My intuition prompted me to keep walking and just let him talk. My gut instinct was telling me that if we were to stop, the situation might escalate! Meanwhile, I could feel my energy shifting to my lower chakras (fear, fight, flight) and had to work very hard to stay centered in my upper chakras (intuition).
The stranger became increasingly excited with our ‘conversation’ and it was apparent that he was mentally unstable. He began talking about “loving first times,” while I sensed the danger increasing. My intuition was now in high gear and I started praying silently in my mind. “Please help, please. If ever I needed a guardian angel, then it is right now.”
Aligning The Muladhara Chakra
The muladhara chakra, or root chakra, is the first of the seven primary chakras or subtle energy centers in the human body. This chakra is located at the base of the spine at the perineum and is represented by the color red. It is the foundation of the chakra system. The Sanskrit word muladhara means ‘support,’ ‘root,’ or ‘base.’
The root chakra ensures our sense of security, stability, and belonging. It is also responsible for us feeling grounded and connected to self and others. It is essentially our energetic connection to the Earth.
When the muladhara chakra is open, aligned, and balanced, we feel a deep sense of security and stability. Our body feels physically energized and strong, capable of handling whatever physical challenges and obstacles may come our way.
However, when this chakra is underactive or blocked, we become dissociated from our physical body and feel disconnected from the material world. This can manifest as feelings of uncertainty, anxiety, fear. We become uneasy, restless, and unsettled in mind and body.
In contrast, when the muladhara chakra is overactive, we may become overly attached to our physical appearance and identity, extremely materialistic, and obsessed with accumulating wealth, property, and material possessions.
The muladhara chakra is incredibly important for maintaining physical, emotional, and mental health and well-being. An open, aligned, and balanced root chakra offers the following benefits:
The Fire Season Of Love And Joy
In Traditional Chinese Medicine (TCM), there are Five Elements, namely Wood, Fire, Earth, Metal, and Water. These elements are each associated with the seasons, certain emotional states, and specific organs in the physical body. I am personally fascinated with how accurate these correlations can be.
In the summer season, for example, the element of fire rules. The four organs associated with the fire element is the heart, small intestines, pericardium (or heart protector) and San Jiao, or the ‘triple energizer,’ which is the hollow space inside the trunk of the body.
In TCM, the solid organs each has its counterpart in a ‘hollow organ (Fu).’ The heart, for example, is a solid organ, and the small intestine its hollow counterpart. San Jiao is a body cavity that is able to influence the functioning of other organs and our overall health through the free movement of Qi, the fundamental life force energy.
The fire element represents expansion of energy expanding with heightened activity and excitement. It is further associated with love, joy, harmony, but also disharmony. In extreme cases, too much fiery excitement can cause insomnia, restlessness, and even manic behavior.
A good example of how the joy of the fire season manifests in our everyday life is the fact that summer is the peaktime of the year for weddings. This time of the year our hearts are most open, seeking to be filled with joy. We seem to radiate more light and love in the summer, just like the warm sunshine.
