You may have heard of chakras in your yoga class or during a meditation. Hearing them in passing is one thing but, do you really know what they are?
Chakras are energy centers in the human body that play an important role in our physical, emotional, and spiritual health. There are 114 chakras in the human body. Seven are considered to be the main chakras. These are located along the spine, each associated with specific organs, emotions, and colors.
The word "chakra" comes from the Sanskrit language, meaning "wheel" or "disc". This refers to the spinning energy centers that are located along the spine. Each chakra governs specific areas of the body and mind. When all chakras are balanced and functioning properly, our energy flows freely and we experience optimal health. When they are out of balance we may experience the opposite.
The Seven Chakras
Root Chakra (Muladhara): Located at the base of the spine, this chakra is associated with grounding, stability, and basic survival needs. It represents our foundation, our sense of safety, and our connection to the earth. This chakra is associated with the color red. When out of balance we may feel anxious and overwhelmed.
Sacral Chakra (Svadhisthana): Located just below the belly button, this chakra governs our emotions, creativity, and sexuality. The Sacral is associated with the color orange. When out of balance we may lack sexual desire and could struggle finding solutions to problems.
Solar Plexus Chakra (Manipura): Located in the upper abdomen, this chakra is associated with personal power, self-esteem, and confidence. Yellow is aligned with this chakra. When our Solar Plexus is off balance we may experience trouble making decisions or taking decisive action.
Heart Chakra (Anahata): Located in the center of the chest, this chakra is associated with love, compassion, and connection. It is associated with the color green. When we are unbalanced in our Heart chakra we may find ourselves closed off emotionally from those around us and have trouble identifying our emotional needs.
Throat Chakra (Vishuddha): Located in the throat, this chakra is associated with communication, self-expression, and truth. The throat chakra is aligned with the color blue. When out of balance we may experience difficulty expressing ourselves or setting boundaries.
Third Eye Chakra (Ajna): Located in the forehead, this chakra is associated with intuition, clarity, and spiritual insight. This chakra is associated with indigo or dark blue. When out of balance we may suffer chronic headaches, memory lapses and confusion.
Crown Chakra (Sahasrara): Located at the top of the head, this chakra is associated with spiritual connection, consciousness, and higher states of awareness. The crown is connected with violet or white. When our Crown is out of balance we may experience a sense of loneliness and lack of purpose.
The chakra system has been studied extensively in traditional Indian and Chinese medicine for thousands of years. However, the scientific study of chakras is a relatively recent development. While there is still much debate and controversy surrounding the existence and nature of chakras, there have been some scientific studies that have explored the energetic chakra system. One study published in the Journal of Alternative and Complementary Medicine in 2004 used electrodermal activity (EDA) to measure changes in energy flow at the chakra points. EDA measures the electrical conductance of the skin, which is thought to be a reflection of changes in emotional state. The researchers found that there were significant changes in EDA at the chakra points in response to different emotional states, suggesting that there may be a physiological basis for the chakra system.
Because our chakras influence our mind, emotional and physical bodies as well, other studies have looked at how they may affect our brainwave activity. The International Journal of Yoga published in 2012 a study using electroencephalography (EEG) to measure changes in brainwave activity during meditation on the chakras. The researchers found that there were significant changes in brainwave activity in response to meditation on different chakras, suggesting that there may be a neurological basis for the chakra system.
While these studies and others like them are certainly intriguing, it is important to note that the scientific study of chakras is still in its early stages. There is much debate and controversy surrounding the existence and nature of chakras, and more research is needed to fully understand the role that they may play in the body. Nonetheless, these studies suggest that there may be a physiological basis for the chakra system, and that it may be worth exploring further through scientific research.
How to Balance Your Chakras
Once you know what chakras are and how they affect us you can identify when you’re out of balance and take action to come back to center. Here are some simple ways to balance your chakras:
Meditation: Meditation can help you to connect with your energy and focus on each chakra individually.
Yoga: Yoga poses that focus on specific chakras can help to open and balance those energy centers.
Affirmations: Affirmations are positive statements that can help to shift your energy and promote healing.
Energy work: Techniques such as Reiki, Breathwork, acupuncture, or sound therapy can help to balance your chakras and promote overall health.
By working with the chakras, we can cultivate a deeper understanding of ourselves and our place in the world. When we are in tune with our chakras, we experience a greater sense of flow in our daily life.
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