What Are the 7 Chakras and How Can You Unblock Them?

What Are the 7 Chakras and How Can You Unblock Them?

If you’ve ever delved into a yoga or meditation class, undergone an energy healing session like reiki, or even just perused online videos on those subjects, you’ve probably encountered chatter about chakras and their role in managing your body’s energy flow.

You might have also gleaned that it’s crucial to maintain open, unobstructed chakras. But what exactly are chakras, and how do they influence your physical and emotional health?

In this piece, we’ll delve deeper into your primary chakras, exploring their significance and how they impact your overall well-being. Additionally, we’ll discuss strategies to keep them “open” to foster physical, mental, and emotional health.

So, what are chakras?

In the language of Sanskrit, “chakra” translates to “disk” or “wheel,” denoting the energy centres within your body. These spinning wheels of energy align with specific nerve clusters and major organs.

For optimal functioning, your chakras require balance and openness. Blockages can lead to physical or emotional manifestations associated with a particular chakra.

There are seven principal chakras along your spine, extending from the root/base to the crown of your head. However, some hold that the body houses at least 114 chakras.

Let’s delve into these main seven chakras

Root Chakra

Located at the base of your spine, the root chakra, or Muladhara, provides a foundation for life, fostering feelings of stability and resilience against challenges. It anchors your sense of security and steadiness.

Sacral Chakra

Situated just below your navel, the sacral chakra, or Svadhisthana, governs your sexual and creative energies. It also influences your emotional connections, both with yourself and others.

Solar Plexus Chakra

Residing in the stomach region, the solar plexus chakra, or Manipura, governs confidence, self-esteem, and the sense of control over your life.

Heart Chakra

Positioned near your heart at the centre of your chest, the heart chakra, or Anahata, revolves around love and compassion.

Throat Chakra

Located in the throat area, the throat chakra, or Vishuddha, pertains to verbal communication.

Third Eye Chakra

Situated between your eyes, the third eye chakra, or Ajna, governs intuition and imagination.

Crown Chakra: Found at the top of your head, the crown chakra, or Sahasrara, embodies your spiritual connection with yourself, others, and the universe, influencing your life’s purpose.

What happens when a chakra is blocked or unbalanced?

According to Diane Malaspina, PhD, a specialist in yoga medicine therapy, chakras are better understood as being out of balance rather than outright blocked.

“When a chakra’s energy is depleted, or in excess,” she elucidates, “it can manifest differently, leading to varied outcomes.”

For instance, an underactive root chakra may result in feelings of depression and insecurity, while an overactive one might induce recklessness or possessiveness.

Can a blocked chakra impact your health?

In general, imbalances in chakras can affect nearby body parts, including organs, bones, joints, and tissues. On a psychological level, such imbalances may provoke emotional disturbances like increased anger, sadness, or fear.

Certified yoga teacher and master reiki healer Guadalupe Terrones stresses that prolonged imbalances could culminate in physical ailments, musculoskeletal issues, and mental health disorders such as depression or anxiety.

How can you unblock a chakra?

To foster balance, Malaspina recommends aligning your physical body through:

  • Yoga postures
  • Breathing techniques to stimulate energy flow
  • Meditation for mental clarity

Each chakra corresponds to specific yoga poses, aiding in fine-tuning its energy. Here are some poses tailored to each of the seven chakras:

Root Chakra

Poses like Tree Pose or balancing postures such as Mountain or Warrior strengthen your connection to your body’s foundation.

Sacral Chakra

Practices like Bridge Pose or deep hip openers like Pigeon or Lizard Pose fortify the sacral chakra, enhancing creativity and sensuality.

Solar Plexus Chakra

Core strengthening poses like Boat or Triangle stimulate your inner fire, fostering balance in this chakra.

Heart Chakra

Heart-opening poses like Camel or Wheel promote deeper connections with others, enhancing your ability to love and be compassionate.

Throat Chakra

Poses such as Plow or Fish help open up the throat chakra, facilitating clear communication.

Third Eye Chakra

Poses that integrate your upper and lower body aid the third eye chakra, enhancing intuition and imagination.

Crown Chakra

Savasana, or Corpse Pose, strengthens the crown chakra by reconnecting you with your higher self and spiritual essence.

In summary, chakras serve as energy centres within your body, affecting both physical and emotional well-being. Maintaining their balance and openness through yoga, breathing exercises, and meditation can help foster holistic health and vitality.

Ieva Kubiliute
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Ieva Kubiliute is a psychologist and a sex and relationships advisor and a freelance writer. She's also a consultant to several health and wellness brands. While Ieva specialises in covering wellness topics ranging from fitness and nutrition, to mental wellbeing, sex and relationships and health conditions, she has written across a diverse range of lifestyle topics, including beauty and travel. Career highlights so far include: luxury spa-hopping in Spain and joining an £18k-a-year London gym. Someone’s got to do it! When she’s not typing away at her desk—or interviewing experts and case studies, Ieva winds down with yoga, a good movie and great skincare (affordable of course, there’s little she doesn’t know about budget beauty). Things that bring her endless joy: digital detoxes, oat milk lattes and long country walks (and sometimes jogs).

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