... because these bad boys are more important than you might think. So what's it all about?
As the world becomes more spiritual we're more likely to hear people talk of the need to "Open our Chakras" or "Chakra Healing" but what exactly is a chakra?
Well, after dedicating hours of searching down rabbit holes on the internet and confusing myself with the science of it all - physics and chemistry were never my thing so they lost me at molecules - I discovered the most accessible explanation courtesy of Jimmy Petruzzi of Kings College London KCL · Institute of Psychiatry, Psychology & Neuroscience, MSc in Psychology and Neuroscience of mental health. Jimmy is also a radio broadcaster and musician so I'm imaging he keeps pretty busy! Here's hoping he'll be happy for me to share some extracts:
Chakras are key energy points in the body that are situated at major junctions of arteries, veins, and nerves. Flowing within our bodies is the energy that drives and maintains our life functions. Many ancient cultures believe that there are seven major points of intersection for the flow of this energy in the human body, located along the spine at key branches of the human nervous system. These points ascend upward from the tail bone to the top of the skull. They are called chakras.
In traditional Indian medicine, each chakra in the spinal column is believed to influence or govern the bodily functions near its region of the spine.
The lower chakras govern the more primal, physical aspects of human existence, while the upper chakras are associated with one’s spiritual growth and evolution of consciousness.
Chakra balancing refers to a number of different techniques used to clear or release stagnant or excessive energy in the individual chakras, so that the body’s entire energy system flows smoothly.
When all seven chakras are functioning well and in balance, we are healthy in body, mind, and spirit.
Many popular Asian healing modalities such as acupuncture, acupressure, shiatsu, tai chi, and Qi gong focus on balancing the flow through the energetic meridians that are an integral part of the chakra system.
There are seven different chakras that represent different areas of the body and can dysfunction in various ways. Feelings, thoughts, traumas, illnesses, medical conditions, and emotional disturbances can lodge in the chakras and impede healthy energy flow.
Further investigation of the 7 key chakras helped me to relate each to our emotions, feelings and physical lives.
1. The Crown Chakra - Colour Violet
This chakra is aligned with our spirituality and when blocked leaves us feeling ungrounded, depressed and out of alignment with ourselves - disatified with life.
2. The Third Eye located on our forehead - Colour Purple
This chakra is our intuition and when blocked means we are unable to tap into our inner feelings.
3. Throat Chakra - Colour Blue
When blocked we are unable to express ourselves, to speak our truth leaving us in denial.
4. Heart Chakra - Colour Green
Fills us with gratitude, peace and love. When blocked we can feel lacking in empathy.
5. Solar Plexus Chakra - Colour Yellow
This chakra is about balance. It controls our self esteem and when blocked leaves us feeling helpless.
6. Sacral Chakra - Colour Orange
Joy, pleasure, sensuality and nurturing. If blocked we become manipulative and over emotional.
7. Root Chakra - Colour Red
The physical manifestation of the Crown Chakra relating to our material world. When overactive we become greedy and our security becomes threatened.
These descriptions make perfect sense to me. It reinforces the idea that our spiritual and physical world are so aligned and one can positively or negatively impact the other. Keeping these energy 'wheels' turning is critical and there are so many wonderful ways to do this through mindful movement, meditation, acupuncture amongst others.
Take your own Chakra Energy Journey at Zest Yoga Studio with Rachel Hope from Soul Sisters.
Combine it with an introduction to crystal healing and Qi Gong for the full effect.
Hosted by Jackie Kane Richards of Be Well.
Sunday April 24th 2022