This is something I get asked about a lot as a yoga teacher, so I wanted to write a super introductory level beginners guide to chakras and the system.
In yoga, we work with an energy system and chakras are the seven centres of that system. We are made up of thousands of energy channels (known as nadis) and the main places that these channels meet in the body are known as our chakras, aka an energy vortex. Running up the spine, from the pelvic area up to the crown of the head, our Chakras relate to parts of the body and our emotions.
Here is a run-down of the seven chakras and how they relate to feelings and emotions. Each chakra also has a colour attributed to it, which is a great thing to work with through a visualisation mediation.
A Beginners Guide To Chakras
MULADHARA – THE ROOT CHAKRA
Colour – Red
Location – Root of the Spine
Our root chakra is what connects us to Earth, keeping us grounded. It’s role is to give us the basics we need to survive, so when it’s balanced we feel secure in all aspects of life including financial and emotional situations. Spending time in nature is a really great way to balance your root chakra.
SVADISHTHANA – SACRAL CHAKRA
Colour – Orange
Location – Just below the belly button
The sacral chakra is our home of pleasurable activities, the creative life force that allows us to enjoy being. It’s a common mistake to assume that the sacral chakra just relates to sex and relationships and although it does, that’s not all it’s about. It’s more to do with doing the things that make YOU happy… which for a lot of us, that might be having sex with our loved one!
MANIPURA – SOLAR PLEXUS CHAKRA
Colour – Yellow
Location – Solar Plexus
We’re all about personal power up in the Manipura chakra. This is where we create our self-confidence, authenticity and identity. When we say “I just have a ‘gut’ feeling about this” in a situation, it all relates back to our solar plexus and knowing what feels right for us. When we are balanced in this chakra, we are connected to our own wisdom and personal truth… some even call it the warrior chakra, as it makes us feel powerful. Just be sure to use that power wisely and kindly.
ANAHATA – HEART CHAKRA
Colour – Green
Location – Heart
Rather obviously, the Anahata chakra is all about love. Feeling loved, knowing we are worthy of love and sending love our there into the world. Compassion and kindness towards yourself and others is key and when you’re balanced, you’ll be able to accept and receive love equally, even in tricky situations. It can be very easy to knock your heart chakra out of balance, as we tend to give a lot more love to others than we give to ourselves. A nice way to work on this is to do just one thing each day that is fully for you… it could be a relaxing bath, maybe some kind of treatment, like a massage, maybe an evening watching your favourite film or a loving meditation.
VISHUDDA – THROAT CHAKRA
Colour – Blue
Location – Throat
Vishudda is all about communication and doing it with love, kindness and honesty. Knowing which words to use in certain situations is a sign of a balanced throat chakra, but as with all of the chakras, it can easily be put out of balance. Something you can do to help this, is to always think before you speak. Take a moment to assess the situation and ask yourself if what you’re about to say is kind and necessary. Remember to always speak your truth!
ANJA – THIRD EYE CHAKRA
Colour – Indigo
Location – Between the eyebrows
Our third eye chakra is where we find our wisdom, our intuition and our psychic energy. A lot of us can easily be disconnected from our Anja chakra, as we tend to not pick up on spiritual experiences, closing our mind to energetic possibilities in this modern world. To get in tune with your
SAHASRARA – CROWN CHAKRA
Colour – Violet/White
Location –Crown of the head
Your crown chakra is the places where everything comes together in unity, connecting both your inner world with the entire universe around you – it’s like a universal energy, where everything is one. To have a balanced crown chakra is also described as reaching enlightenment, not some many of us in the modern world can say we have accomplished. That doesn’t make you any less of a yogi though. To energize the crown chakra, you need to work through the lower six chakras first and once they are aligned, you’ll be able to open up to this connection.
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So there you have it, my beginners guide to the chakras. If you’re keen on knowing more, then I recommend reading a book called Eastern Body, Western Mind. You can buy it here. I’ll also be filming a chakra meditation for you very soon, so I’ll add it to this blog post when it’s live on my YouTube channel.
Love, Cat x
