The chakra system has become more and more prominent talking point in health and wellbeing conversations, but what is it? Below is an overview of the seven main chakra and why they are important in the work that I do.
What is a chakra?
Chakra, or "cakra" in Sanskrit, means "wheel" and refers to points of energy in the body. They are often described as disks that spin and should stay aligned and open, as they correspond to nerves, organs and parts of our energetic body - all of which affect our physical and emotional health and wellbeing.
Their locations are outlined here:
Root chakra - Muladhara
Location: At the base of the spine at the perineum (between the anus and genitals)
Colour: Red
Element: Earth
Attributed to: Survival, self-sufficiency, stability, ambition
Body functions: Legs, feet, large intestine, adrenal glands, bones
Balanced root chakra symptoms: Feeling of stability, grounding/connection to the earth, connection, physical security
Blocked root chakra symptoms: Fearful/anxious, ungrounded
Overactive root chakra symptoms: Sluggish, stagnant, heavy
Sacral chakra - Svadhishthana
Location: Lower abdomen (approx. four fingers below the navel)
Colour: Orange
Element: Water
Attributed to: Sexuality, creativity and self-worth
Body functions: Reproductive organs, glands, kidneys, bladder, circulatory system
Balanced sacral chakra symptoms: Feelings of vibrance, creativity, satisfaction, intuitive
Blocked sacral chakra symptoms: Irritable, depressed, lack of creativity, obsessive sexual thoughts, rigid, numb
Overactive sacral chakra symptoms: Indulgent, restless, pleasure-seeking, emotional
Solar Plexus chakra - Manipura
Location: Upper abdomen (between navel and bottom of rib cage)
Colour: Yellow
Element: Fire
Attributed to: Anger, ego, power
Body functions: Digestive system, pancreas, adrenals and muscles
Balanced solar plexus chakra symptoms: Confident, focused, productive
Blocked solar plexus chakra symptoms: Insecure, indecisive, poor self-esteem, passive
Overactive solar plexus chakra symptoms: Quick to anger/aggressive, lack of compassion, controlling/dominating
Heart chakra - Anahata
Location: Heart/chest
Colour: Green
Element: Air
Attributed to: Love, compassion, attachment, forgiveness, trust
Body functions: Heart, lungs, arms, hands, thymus gland
Balanced heart chakra symptoms: Compassionate, optimistic, motivated, caring
Blocked heart chakra symptoms: Anxiety, lack of trust, moodiness, fear, closed, isolated
Overactive heart chakra symptoms: Lack of personal boundaries, co-dependent, narcissistic, needy
Throat chakra - Vishuddha
Location: Base of throat
Colour: Blue
Element: Space/Ether
Attributed to: Expression, inspiration, communication
Body functions: Neck, shoulders, thyroid/parathyroid glands
Balanced throat chakra symptoms: Self-expression, constructive communication, enables creativity
Blocked throat chakra symptoms: Unable to express emotions or speak up, quiet, weakness, shy
Overactive throat chakra symptoms: Overuse of voice, inability to listen, loud
Third Eye chakra - Ajna
Location: Between the eyebrows
Colour: Indigo
Element: Light
Attributed to: Intuition, intelligence, self-knowledge, decision-making
Body functions: Pituitary gland, neurological function, visual perception
Balanced third eye chakra symptoms: Spiritual/emotional harmony, trust intuition, clarity
Blocked third eye chakra symptoms: Denial, poor memory, headaches, self-limiting beliefs, mood disorders
Overactive third eye charka symptoms: Difficulty concentrating, paranoid, delusional
Crown chakra - Sahasrara
Location: Top of the head
Colour: Violet/white
Element: Consciousness
Attributed to: Spirituality, enlightenment, connection to source
Body functions: Cerebral cortex, central nervous system, pituitary gland
Balanced crown chakra symptoms: Spiritual understanding, inner peace, connected to one's life purpose
Blocked crown chakra symptoms: Destructive feelings, disconnection, close minded
Overactive crown chakra symptoms: Dissociation from body, overly intellectual, caught in addiction.
As you can see, the chakra are closely linked to our physical, emotional and spiritual health and wellbeing. This is why they have become incredibly important in my work as a Reiki practitioner and other areas of my work. My practice involves working with a whole person as much as possible, which is something that I will expand on in another post.