Teaching & practicing yoga as much as I do & embarking on my own personal & spiritual quest, it was inevitable I would eventually spend more time & energy investigating the chakras. I regularly practice & teach a chakra cleanse & wholeheartedly believe in the importance of each chakra not just energetically but also for our physical, mental & emotional wellbeing.
But what exactly is a chakra?
Chakra is Sanskrit for wheel or circle. The chakras represent spinning spheres of bio-energetic activity along the spinal column associated with major nerve centres. They are not physical organs themselves but they are associated with nerve centres & physical organs. Chakras collect & transmit energy for physical, mental & spiritual use & promote harmony within your inner & outer world.
They may be dormant or underdeveloped, spinning backwards or blocked (early life trauma & abuse can cause resistance & blocks in certain chakras). Blockages in chakras mean that energy, life force is not flowing smoothly, whereas weaknesses are inviting an infusion of energy. By healing the chakras, we can increase energy levels, reduce anxiety & depression, promote inner peace & harmony, improve sleep, concentration, memory & clarity. Once your life force (prana in yoga speak) is flowing freely, you will be in optimum physical, mental, emotional & spiritual health.
There are 7 chakras & each one represents something subtly different.
The root chakra is at the base of the spine & is responsible for that sense of grounding, connection, trust & belonging. It is symbolised by a lotus flower with 4 petals & an earthy red colour. This chakra is impacted by our earliest experiences & memories & is all about stability.
The sacral chakra is below the belly button around the sex organs & is the centre for emotional & creative energy. It is symbolised by the colour orange & a lotus flower with 6 petals. This chakra is all about flow & letting go, characterised by water. If this chakra is blocked we may experience a sense of anhedonia, the medical term for a lack of joy.
The solar plexus chakra is the centre for confidence, self-esteem, determination & courage. Our fire element if you will, it is associated with the colour yellow, a lotus flower with 10 petals & is all about our ability to make our dreams our reality.
The heart chakra is the most sacred of the energy centres, linking the lower survival chakras & the higher chakras. It is the centre for love, compassion, kindness, acceptance, understanding & forgiveness for all – necessities not luxuries. Associated with the colour green, a lotus flower with 12 petals & the element of air, representing the concept that just like air is all around us, so too is unconditional love.
The throat chakra is all about speaking our truth & tapping into our authentic voice with truth & clarity. It connects our basic needs of the lower chakras with our higher spiritual wisdom. If it is blocked it may manifest as a sore throat or a frog in the throat, an in ability to express or a tendency to over express. It is symbolised by a light blue colour & a lotus flower with 16 petals.
The 3rd eye chakra governs our perception & ability to see things clearly not clouded by the stories we tell ourselves. It is believed to be where the right & left optic nerve cross, literally our 3rd eye & is all about trusting our inner wisdom & intuition. Associated with a dark blue colour & a lotus flower with just 2 petals.
The crown chakra is at or above the crown of our head (depending on what you believe). Some interpret it to be centred where the pituitary & pineal glands reside. It is represented by a lotus flower with a thousand petals, the colour violet or white light, symbolising universal consciousness, spirituality & enlightenment, governing our identity & higher purpose.
Noticing the opposite of what each chakra represents can be indicative of a block or imbalance in this energy centre. Yoga poses (asanas), meditation & breath work can help to cleanse & shift imbalances & blockages to create a sense of balanced alignment & harmony, life flows with grace & ease, it is joyful & easy.
If you would like to find out more about cleansing & balancing your chakras check out Alex’s FB group: https://www.facebook.com/groups/mindfulnessyoga4selfcare
Or on Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/alexbannard/
Incorporate short yoga sequences & meditations as part of your self-care toolkit with guided practices on Alex’s YouTube Channel: https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCQlKZJ7MeyYc6lqkv6seISw
For more info check out www.alexbannard.com
Alex is based on the edge of the stunning Cotswolds & has been sharing her love for all things yoga & mindfulness for almost a decade, not just in the UK but also around the world. Having used her training & knowledge to navigate her own menopausal journey & create a life in which she is thriving, Alex is devoted in supporting other’s in this life changing transition.