What are Chakras?
Chakras are believed to be the energy centers within the human body that are associated with various aspects of physical, mental, and spiritual well-being. The word ‘Chakra’ is Sanskrit for ‘wheel’ or ‘disc’, which reflects the idea of these centers as spinning wheels of energy. The concept comes from ancient Indian spiritual traditions, particularly within Hinduism and later adopted in other belief systems like Buddhism and various new age practices. While Chakras exist , the important question is – what are the different Chakras and how to unblock Chakras. We will look at all the different aspects of how to unblock Chakras here.
The Chakras have a critical significance in spirituality. It is believed that they are the focal energy centers through which the universe interacts with us. The energies that we attract in our lives are majorly driven by the state of these focal points. Unbalanced Chakras can be both under-active or overactive and hence can decide our state of being. As a simple example, the root Chakra that is responsible for our sense of security and stability, can result in various forms of fears, trauma, sluggishness, feeling of being inadequate when it is blocked. When the same Chakra is overactive, it can result in heightened aggression, greed, violence, overconfidence etc.
Types of Chakras
The number of Chakras can vary depending on the specific tradition or system of thought. As per Hinduism, there are 114 Chakras in our body. Out of these, 2 are outside the physical body. From the remaining 112 Chakras, only 108 can be worked upon and 4 flourish as a consequence of rest 108 Chakras.The 112 Chakras arrange themselves in 7 dimensions.
The most referenced system includes seven main Chakras, which are aligned along the spine. These are:
- Root Chakra (Muladhara): Located at the base of the spine.
- Sacral Chakra (Svadhisthana): Located in the lower abdomen.
- Solar Plexus Chakra (Manipura): Located in the upper abdomen.
- Heart Chakra (Anahata): Located in the center of the chest.
- Throat Chakra (Vishuddha): Located in the throat.
- Third Eye Chakra (Ajna): Located in the forehead, between the eyes.
- Crown Chakra (Sahasrara): Located at the top of the head.
In addition to these seven, some traditions may recognize additional Chakras, bringing the total to more than seven. The concept of Chakras is primarily a part of spiritual and metaphysical practices, and interpretations may vary among different cultures and belief systems.
Shop Chakra books here: https://amzn.to/3uCZZdg
How to Unblock Chakras?
Let’s discuss each of the seven main Chakras and the methods of balancing them.
1. Root Chakra/ First Chakra (Muladhara Chakra)
Location: Base of the spine
Basic Issues: Survival, vitality, stability, security
Color: Red
If balanced you feel secure, grounded, humility, stable, energetic, optimal weight, healthy eating, proper elimination.
If unbalanced you feel insecure, fear, anxiety, unstable, low self-esteem, over/ under weight, constipation
Affirmations for balancing root Chakra:
“I am safe and secure, not matter where I am.”
“In this moment, I am stable, relaxed and grounded.”
“I am secure and happy in my home.”
“Mother earth will always find means to keep me safe.”
“I have an abundant life and a healthy body.”
“The universe is always functioning in my support and will always provide for me.”
“I am always moving towards the magnificent version of life.”
“I feel my root Chakra opening, and I feel myself stabilizing.”
Foods for balancing root Chakra:
Protein rich foods: Protein gives you physical strength and helps to boost emotional health. Few of the protein rich sources are green peas, tofu, almonds, spinach, beans etc.
Root vegetables: Potatoes, garlic, beets etc are all grounding foods as they grow in the soil. Their roots in mother nature signifies their capability of balancing root Chakra.
Red color foods: Red bell peppers, strawberries, apples, cherries, tomatoes etc. are also good foods to balance root Chakra because of their association with red color.
2. Sacral Chakra/ Second Chakra (Svadhisthana Chakra)
Location: Between naval and genitals
Basic Issues: pleasure, sexuality, reproduction, creativity
Color: Orange
If balanced you feel creativity, healthy sex life, sexuality, joy, pleasure, fertility.
If unbalanced you feel guilty, sexual issues, infertility, shyness, allergy, eating disorder.
Affirmations for balancing sacral Chakra:
“I deserve all my needs to meet and experience pleasure.”
“Whatever I offer to the world is enough.”
“It is absolutely healthy and safe to express my sexual self in fun and creative ways.”
“I attract healthy relationships and people are always there for me.”
“Every day, I experience the joy and satisfaction and make the best of life.”
“I embrace change and believe in my power of creation.”
“I love my body and feel comfortable in it.”
Foods for balancing sacral Chakra:
Seeds: Chakra experts will recommend you to eat any kind of seeds if you want to work on sacral Chakra. Good ones include pumpkin, sunflower, poppy, and hemp.
Oranges: Due to its color, orange resonates with the sacral Chakra and can help with its balancing. Apart from oranges, any fleshy fruits are believed to be good for sacral Chakra. Few good examples are papaya, mangoes, peaches etc.
Coconuts: Bursting with healthy oils and fats, coconuts are not just good for cardiovascular health but also known for keeping the energy levels high. They are known to balance sacral Chakra specially for people struggling with lack of inspiration.
Teas: Clear liquids like green tea, fruit tea etc are also excellent options for healing sacral Chakra
3. Solar Plexus Chakra/ Third Chakra (Manipura Chakra)
Location: Between solar plexus and naval
Basic Issues: strength, power, and self-esteem.
Color: Yellow
If balanced you feel active, energy, strength, confidence, strong will and mental balance.
If unbalanced you feel lack of energy, weakness, allergy, low self-esteem, worthlessness, digestion, and liver problems.
Affirmations for balancing solar plexus Chakra:
“I feel confident, happy and peaceful.”
“I feel great about myself every day and carry high self-esteem.”
“I surrender to the higher energies and know that not everything can be controlled by me.”
“I am motivated, powerful, ambitious, capable and ready to fulfil my purpose”.
“I feel motivated to pursue my purpose.”
“I release the negative experiences from the past and don’t keep them blocked within my body.”
“I know I am worthy, good and capable.”
“I forgive myself for past mistakes, and I learn from them.”
“Not everything can be controlled by me, I only need to worry about my response to situations.”
Foods for balancing solar plexus Chakra:
Yellow color foods: Yellow bell peppers, corn, mangoes resonate with the solar plexus Chakra because of their color.
Complex carbohydrates: Given that solar plexus Chakra plays a big role in providing you with the energy you need to pursue your goals, it is important to consume foods that provide a sustainable and steady amount of energy. Good examples include brown rice, whole grain cereals and brown bread.
Chamomile tea: It may not be strictly a food but is known to work miracles on solar plexus Chakra. It is also good for an upset stomach.
4. Heart Chakra/ Fourth Chakra (Anahata Chakra)
Location: Center of the chest
Basic Issues: love, compassion and acceptance
Color: Green
If balanced you feel loving, empathetic, open-hearted, serenity, trustfulness, tolerance and emotionally balanced.
If unbalanced you feel loneliness, jealous, cold-hearted, demanding, critical, heart and lung problems, asthma.
Affirmations for balancing heart Chakra:
“I consciously choose joy, love and compassion.”
“I love myself unconditionally and offer the same love to others.”
“All my wounds from the past have healed and my heart is free from them.”
“I forgive myself, others and extend the heart to a regret free life.”
“Every day, I fulfil my heart’s desire.”
“I am open to love and receive more of it every day.”
“I give love freely, and it brings me joy.”
“My heart Chakra is open, and I am well.”
“I create supportive, loving relationships that are good for me.”
Foods for balancing heart Chakra:
Warm soups: Soups are known to replenish the emotional stores and recover from difficult experiences. Whenever feeling low on a feeling of love, you can always rely on hot, hearty, and rich soups to heal heart Chakra and rejuvenate yourself.
Foods rich in vitamin C: Fruits such as oranges, lemon, strawberries that are rich in vitamin C can help with balancing of heart Chakra
Green foods: Anything that is green is linked to heart Chakra. This means you can bet on limes, green bell peppers, spinach, green grapes, and green apples to heal your heart Chakra.
5. Throat Chakra/ Fifth Chakra (Vishuddha Chakra)
Location: Throat
Basic Issues: Self expression and compassion
Color: Blue
If balanced you feel truthful, good communication, strong self-expression, peaceful.
If unbalanced you feel shy, weak voice, fear of speaking, unable to listen, arrogance, lying, thyroid, throat problems.
Affirmations for balancing throat Chakra:
“I can speak my mind and vocalize my emotions in the best way possible.”
“My voice is heard and important for the world.”
“I honour my voice and let myself speak freely.”
“I am an empathetic listener and a clear communicator.”
“When I speak, my contributions are honest but balanced.”
“I can find the right words in all situations.”
Foods for balancing throat Chakra:
Simple spices: To soothe the throat, drink plenty of water. You can add simple herbs and spices like lemon grass, wheat grass, ginger, basic salt to heal the throat Chakra.
Blueberries: Given their blue hue, blueberries are the most potent fruit for throat Chakra.
Smoothies: Smoothies made of blueberries, blackberries, coconut, kelp, dragon fruits are good options to balance throat Chakra.
6. Third Eye Chakra/ Sixth Chakra (Ajna Chakra)
Location: Between brows
Basic Issues: Intuitions, vision, perception
Color: Indigo
If balanced you feel intuitive, guided, perceptive, clairvoyance, spiritual, mental strength, good vision.
If unbalanced you feel lack of intuition and imagination, confused, materially attached, lack of vision and eyes problems, migraines.
Affirmations for balancing Third Eye Chakra:
“I follow the lead of my inner voice.”
“I am able to make right decisions with ease.”
“I hear my intuitions and believe they will take me to the right path.”
“I am on my true path.”
“I live every day in accordance with my life’s purpose.”
“I am an intuitive person, and I know what is right for me.”
“It is safe and good to follow the guidance of my third eye.”
“My third eye is open and ready to see my purpose.”
Foods for balancing third eye Chakra:
Anything purple: Since purple is the color of third eye Chakra, any purple color food helps its balancing. Few of the good examples are egg plant, purple cabbage, blueberries, blackberries, red grapes.
Dark chocolate: If you are working on your third eye Chakra, feel free to eat dark chocolate. It’s a great source of magnesium, which distresses you. As a bonus, it promotes the release of serotonin which helps to keep you in a positive mood.
Omega-3: Foods that can help you to enhance cognitive functions like walnuts, almonds, chia seeds etc. are believed to balance third eye Chakra.
Shop for Chakras Crystals here: https://amzn.to/47HxKZN
7. Crown Chakra/ Seventh Chakra (Sahasrara Chakra)
Location: Top of the head
Basic Issues: knowing, connection to spirit and universe.
Color: violet, white
If balanced you feel spiritual, open minded, connected to the higher power, peaceful.
If unbalanced you feel materialistic, memory and learning problems, mental disorders, spiritual crisis, apathy.
Affirmations for balancing crown Chakra:
“I am constantly connected to the higher power.”
“I am attuned with the universe and its energy.”
“I know my true self, the spiritual element within me and live in accordance with it.”
“I am always open to divine guidance.”
“The world is beautiful, united and I am a part of it.”
“I emit love and light which attracts more love and light in my life.”
“I am at one with the world around me.”
“I am always confident, happy and sure of my worth.”
Shop for Chakras Necklace here: https://amzn.to/3TgIk5k
Foods for balancing crown Chakra:
Herbal teas: Herbal teas can reduce blockages in the crown Chakra. Chamomile tea, peppermint tea are good options when working on crown Chakra. Herbal teas have the additional advantage of promoting health in your digestive system.
Ginger: This spice is known for its various health benefits like anti-inflammatory properties, antioxidants, fights infections, relieves headaches etc. In addition to all the health benefits, it is also known for its cleansing properties and relates to spiritual clarity.
Violet foods: Passion fruit, eggplants and red grapes are few known foods that resonate with the main color of crown Chakra and help balance it.
In addition to affirmations and foods, various practices and techniques are employed to balance and align the Chakras, promoting overall well-being. These may include meditation, yoga, breathwork, crystal healing, and Reiki. By focusing on specific Chakras or the body’s energy system, individuals seek to remove blockages, enhance energy flow, and restore balance to their physical, emotional, and spiritual selves.
Related Reads:
5 Exercises to Improve your Mental Health
2 thoughts on “What are Chakras? How to Unblock Chakras”