Connecting Your Chakras
The chakra system originated in the Vedas, one of the oldest yogic texts, between 1500 and 500 BC. There are seven chakras that line your spine and they can be thought of as wheels of energy in the subtle body. The subtle body is your vibrational energy beyond your physical form. Although the chakras come from an ancient Indian tradition they are very helpful in understanding our bodies and minds in the modern day and they correlate with many systems still in use.
It is no coincidence that the chakras are aligned with some of the most sensitive areas of the physical body; the perineum, sexual organs, pit of the stomach, heart, throat, forehead and top of the skull. Starting at the base of your spine is your root chakra which correlates with the color red. Continuing up the spine from that root, each chakra correlates with a different color of the rainbow. It’s interesting to note that seven is the number of chakras in our bodies, the number of colors in a rainbow and the number of different notes in a scale. Each chakra has a seed sound that can be used in meditation to connect with the vibration of that energy center.
In yogic tradition it is said that there is a coiled serpent of divine cosmic energy called kundalini laying at the bottom of your spine, or your root chakra. When it is activated it travels up the spine, known as the sushumna channel, through all of the chakras. However we often develop blockages in one or some of the chakras which doesn’t allow this beautiful energy to flow freely. These blockages can be temporary or they can be more persistent and can become deep-rooted patterns. This is where sometimes we can begin to feel imbalances.
Every chakra is associated with a physical feeling and an emotional effect. For example, the root chakra is all about how secure and grounded you felt as a child (and continue to feel as an adult) and it can impact your sense of belonging. If these needs were not or aren’t currently being met you may feel needy, grasping for some sense of security. The chakra system is much like Maslow’s Hierarchy of Needs in that the lower, most basic survival needs must be met before moving upwards into feelings of healthy self-esteem, love, belonging and eventually self-actualization. The last chakra is located at the crown of your head as is connected to the spiritual realm, that connection with your highest self and through that, the divine.
We are all going to have blockages from time to time which is why yoga and meditation are incredibly helpful. In my workshop on February 8th I will give you some tools to access and unblock on your own. We will dive into each chakra, learning the corresponding seed sound, color, yoga poses and essential oils to activate it. My hope is that you leave feeling fully alive and empowered to use these tools on your path to get back to your highest self.