How Chakra’s influence your wellbeing

Our bodies are a magnificent network of intelligent and intricate spinning and weaving energy.  Our bodies can reveal to us a great deal of what is going on with them. This may be soreness in the calves, pain in the hips, feeling sick in the stomach, tense in the shoulders, or headaches. These are all physical signs, but there are also emotional signs, which can lead us to the 7 energy centres of our human body called the Chakra’s.

What are they?

Chakra’s are our power centre’s where energy comes in and energy goes out. They are our emotional store house where they collect and maintain all of our experiences. They are the link to everything, our whole network and our whole wellbeing.

There can internal factors and external factors that affect the chakra’s. The purpose of our Chakra’s is to receive, transmit and process all the information and experiences that comes into our being, and it is through our processing, that defines the state of our wellbeing. Learning to surrender and accept, what can be changed or to “lovingly” move on from issues can help keep a balance on the chakra’s but you don’t want to get stuck in limbo land. A place of being in limbo can be toxic on the body.

Blocked energy in the body can lead to illness and other ailments so it is important to know and understand the Chakra system and what each one represents. The aim is to learn how to keep a balance on each of the Chakra’s by learning the lessons they are trying to teach us through awareness.

Here is a brief rundown:

Base Chakra: 1^st Chakra

I AM

Represents our foundations. Our sense of belonging. How grounded do you feel? How safe do you feel? What are your beliefs? Have these beliefs been passed down to you? How do these beliefs sit with you?

Emotional issues: trauma, abandonment, desire for security, materialism.

• Associated with the colour red.
• Located at the base of the spine.

Exercises to nurture the Root chakra: walking bare foot, bridge pose, warrior 1 and 2 pose.

Sacral Chakra: 2^nd Chakra

I FEEL

Represents: Our ability to accept and connect with another. Healthy relationships and the balance of giving and receiving. Clear Boundaries with self and another.

Emotional issues: Trust, jealousy, anger, miscommunication, manipulation, sexuality. How connected and abundant do you feel in life and in relationships.

• Associated with the colour Orange
• Located in the lower abdomen about 2 inchs below the navel.

Exercises to nurture the Sacral chakra: goddess pose, pelvic rock, hip circles

Solar Plexus: 3^rd Chakra

I DO

Represents:  your personal power and your personality centre, the integration between feeling and being. Trusting your intuition and gut instincts.

Emotional issues: Self esteem, self worth, self care, self respect, self discipline. Your endurance to perform your will. How’s your inner calm and inner peace?

• Associated with the colour yellow
• Located just below the navel in the stomach area.

Exercises to nurture the Solar Plexus: Bow pose, pike and belly push

Heart Chakra: 4^th Chakra

I LOVE

Represents: Our emotional intelligence and ability to love. Processing our feelings and emotions freely. Surrender and acceptance. Unconditional love- love without fear. Feel it, express it, process it, release it.

Emotional issues: resentment, jealousy, betrayal, fear of being hurt, fear of losing love. Forgiveness is the key! How passionate and enthusiastic are you about life and love?

• Associated with the colour green
• Located at the centre of the chest

Exercises to nurture the Heart chakra: Camel, fish and cobra poses

Throat Chakra: 5^th Chakra

I SPEAK

Represents: How we express, communicate, commit and assert ourselves.

Emotional issues: Speaking our truth lovingly and clearly. Being congruent with our head and hearts. Fear of silence. Know how to listen to the “inner voice”.

• Associated with the colour blue
• Located at the throat between the collarbones

Exercises to nurture the Throat chakra: fish, shoulder stand and plough poses

Third Eye Chakra: 6^th Chakra

I SEE

Represents: Your perceptions, introspection and your knowing of being and seeing the bigger picture. In tune with your spiritual nature and intuition.

Emotional issues: the quality of your thoughts detect the quality of your life. Inner awareness. Looking in at ourselves and our behaviours. Self knowledge.

• Associated with the colour Indigo
• Located between the eyes

Exercises to nurture the Third Eye:  Child’s pose, easy pose and Meditation/ visualization.

Crown Chakra: 7^th Chakra

I UNDERSTAND

Represents: Our Spiritual connection and pure consciousness.

Emotional issues: depression, feeling unity and whole. Connection to your life purpose, joy and trust that Divine will bring you what you need to move forward.

• Associated with the colour Violet
• Located at the crown of the head

Exercises to nurture the Crown chakra: lotus pose, Meditation and savasana

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Now that you’ve had a brief rundown on the Chakra’s the aim is to live and breathe from the heart centre of each of these. There are many ways of nurturing and filling up the Chakra’s but if you need a place to start try yoga or doing a colour meditation each day using and focusing on each of the Chakra’s and their associated colours. Bring the use of aromatherapy into your routine, get outside and walk in nature and another fab way…. Get dancing, stomp it out, shake it out and flow it out. Whatever floats your boat. Just relax and go with the flow, your body will let you know how it wants to move.

When they are balanced you’ll feel empowered, in your power, and you’ll want to grab life by the lapels yelling here I am, let’s do this!

Rachel Holm ~ founder of Hanako Therapies