You must have often heard about the 7 chakras present in our bodies and wondered what are they that the yogic practitioners tend to stress upon. In this blog, you will get know about these 7 chakras, how to use them and its benefits. In short this is a handy guide for beginner in chakras.

As per a Comparative study in
International Journal of Physical Education and Sports Sciences,
“Practice of chakra meditation for 4 and 8 weeks is sufficient to
bring out significant improvement in brow chakra which make you
feel energized with renewed strength and confidence”

What is Chakra ?

Chakra means wheel in Sanskrit. Chakras are energy centers in your body which constitute the prana or life force moving inside you. So to the question of what are seven chakras is that these are 7 spinning energy wheels.

It starts from the base of the spine and continues until the head along the spinal column. Each chakra processes energy for a specific function, and balancing the chakras is the key to establish harmony between mind, body and spirit.

Seven chakras of Human Body

Our body has 7 chakras, four of which lie in the upper body that control our intellectual properties, and three in the lower body that supervise our instinctual properties. . Before you read about what are seven chakras in detail, know the names of all the seven chakras.

Human Energy Chakra System

Root Chakra

When you want to know what are seven chakras, you need to start from the base of the spine and go upwards. First is the root chakra located at the bottom of the spine.

7 Chakras Guide

Muladhara Chakra

Mula means root and Dhara mean support. This chakra is concerned with your survival on planet Earth. Root chakra provides a sense of security and financial stability in life.

If your root chakra is open but overactive, your survival instincts manifest in the form of materialism, aggressive behavior, greed and unhealthy relationship with other people.

ScentMantraColorElement
VetiverLamRedEarth

Blocked or under active root chakra is also detrimental to your overall well-being. This is because when the root chakra is stuck or not processing energy in a balanced manner, you experience fear, anxiety and uncertainty about your future. Also, you may suffer from concentration problems.

Balancing your Root chakra results in feeling of safety and security. You feel connected to your material existence and remain grounded in reality.

Physical ailments such as digestive problems, back issues, leg pain and eating problems may arise due to issues in the root chakra.

Sacral Chakra

Sacral Chakra or Svadhishana is located just below the navel in the lower abdomen.

7 Chakras - Guide

Sacral chakra

This chakra is related to creative energy, sexuality and relating to others. It enables you to enjoy the pleasures of life.

Chakra is responsible for optimistic outlook on life and provides overall well-being. Overactive sacral chakra results in addiction to pleasures such as sex and good food. You give to emotional outbursts due to excessive emotions.

ScentMantraColorElement
TagerineVamOrangeWater

Under-active or blocked sacral chakra prevents you from enjoying the pleasures of life and you are left solely with labors. There are a lot of negative consequences such as low sex drive, fear of getting intimate, depression, lack of creative ideas and unhealthy relationships with other people.

Balanced sacral chakra allows you to indulge in creative activities, enjoy good food and other pleasurable activities.

A plethora of physical issues can be attributed to problems arising in the sacral chakra. This includes impotence, infertility, obesity, urinary disorders, irregular menstrual cycles and sexual problems.

Solar Plexus Chakra

Solar Plexus Chakra or Manipura is located in the centre of the stomach area. Your wisdom and decisiveness stem from the solar plexus chakra.

Your wisdom and decisiveness stem from the solar plexus chakra. High self-esteem and the wisdom to make correct decisions are other benefits of a balanced solar plexus chakra.

7 Chakras - Guide

Manipura Chakra

This chakra provides you with the power to be self-confident and take control of all the decisions in your life.

Overactive solar plexus chakra increases the feeling of self-worth very much. This is so much that you become self-centred and irascible. The urge to control the lives of other people manifests in the form of dominating and power-hungry nature. You find it very difficult to have sympathy and compassion for other people.

ScentMantraColorElement
LemonRamYellowFire

Inactive or blocked solar plexus chakra is also detrimental for you because you suffer from inferiority complex and very low self-esteem. Lack of confidence makes you hesitant to make decisions. You also find it difficult to stomach criticisms.

Balanced solar plexus chakra makes you confident about your abilities. It makes you feel that you are in total control of your life.

Problems relating to solar plexus chakra cause many health issues such as diabetes, stomach ulcers, hypertension and diseases that are afflicting kidneys, pancreas and liver.

Heart Chakra

Heart Chakra or Anahata is located over the heart and is at the center of the chest. The level of tolerance and patience is the core of this chakra.

7 Chakras - Guide

Anahata Chakra

This chakra is all about your ability to love, form relationships and have compassion for others.

Overactive heart chakra makes you too generous. Your tendency to help others often comes at the cost of your interests. You also make wrong decisions influenced by love.

ScentMantraColorElement
EucalyptusYamGreenAir

Underactive or blocked heart chakra makes it difficult for you to trust others and fills you with hate. You also lack empathy and are detached from society.

When your heart chakra is balanced, you embrace love, inner peace and feel compassion for others.

Circulatory problems, heart diseases and lung problems can arise due to heart chakra issues.

Throat Chakra

Throat Chakra or Visuddha is located, as the name suggests, in the throat. This chakra controls your ability to communicate clearly and speak the truth.

7 Chakras - Guide

Visuddha Chakra

This chakra controls your ability to communicate clearly and speak the truth.

Overactive throat chakra makes your speech harsh. Besides, you speak over others and tend to criticize people.

ScentMantraColorElement
LavenderHamBlueSpace

Underactive or blocked throat chakra makes it difficult for you to express your opinions, and you become secretive. You are not able to speak the truth and tend to be misunderstood by others.

Balanced throat chakra enables you to speak clearly and truthfully. You can talk in a fair manner in a good voice.

Physical symptoms of poorly functioning throat chakra are sore throat, frequent infections, ear problems and weak immunity.

Third Eye Chakra

Third Eye Chakra or Ajna or Brow is located at the centre of the forehead. A rich imagination and creative thoughts are results of a well-balanced third eye chakra.

7 Chakras Guide

Ajna or Brow Chakra

This chakra is related to intuition and the ability to sense information beyond the material sphere.

Overactive third eye chakra causes hallucinations and nightmares. You become disconnected from the physical world and are obsessed with spirits, astrology, etc.

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VanillaOmIndigoLight

Passive or blocked third eye chakra results in poor concentration, lack of imagination and poor memory.

Balanced third eye chakra provides intuitive powers and makes you perceive things not visible in the material world.

Problems of third eye chakra cause poor vision, headache, sleep problems and eyestrain.

Crown Chakra

Crown Chakra or Sahaswara is located at the top of your head. Your sense of awareness and intelligence are controlled by this chakra.

7 Chakras Guide

Sahaswara Chakra

This chakra helps you in connecting with a higher consciousness or divinity.

The overactive crown chakra is not possible because this would mean that you can no longer inhabit the material world.

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Under-active or blocked crown chakra makes it challenging to experience spirituality. Learning difficulties and even depression can be attributed to the under-active or blocked crown chakra.

Balanced crown chakra enables you to connect with a higher power through meditation spiritually.

Crown chakra problems can lead to headaches, nerve problems and dizziness.

How To Open Chakra

Before learning how to open chakra, you need to aware of telltale signs and symptoms of blocked or unbalanced chakra. Check below for few of them:

  1. Difficulty sleeping
  2. Difficulty concentrating
  3. Chronic depression or anxiety
  4. Mood swings
  5. Trouble communicating
  6. Difficulty connecting with others
  7. Feeling “stuck” in Life

Opening or balance of chakra can be achieved via meditation and practice of Yoga.

Chakra meditation

Chakra meditation help you learn to open your chakras when your perform it with the respective mantra. When you are suffering from some physical or mental issues in your life, this will help. This is because blocked chakras mean blocked energy, which can lead to several health issues and mental distress.

Chakra meditation can lead to a higher level of consciousness. Positive thinking and affirmations are very much required to activate these chakras.

7 Chakras - Guide
Chakra Meditation

There should be balance between the chakras. Even if one of your chakras spins too fast or is too slow, you will suffer problems. Thus, you need to open your chakras and also ensure that they are balanced so that energy within you is well channelized. Chakra meditation also helps in balancing the energy flows through the chakras.

Align Chakra using Yoga Poses

  • Any posture which activates the muscles of the groin area is good to open Root Chakra.
open chakra - Yoga Tree Pose
Tree Pose
  • Yoga Pose which stimulates the area between anus and navel is useful for opening Sacral chakra.
Sacral Chakra -
Padhastasana Pose
  • Asanas which concentrate on core strengthen is useful for balancing Solar plexus chakra.
Boat Pose
Cobra Pose
  • Any neck stretching poses are good to activate the Throat chakra.
Shoulder stand Pose
  • Yoga asanas with inversion posture activates and nourishes the Third Eye chakra.
  • Any pose which nourishes the crown area is good for opening Crown chakra.

Balanced chakras heal all kinds of physical as well as mental ailments. This is also known as self-healing. Negative thoughts are cleansed from your mind, and you become more focused.

You will be able to connect better with the spiritual realm. Overall, understanding the chakras and practicing chakra meditation has a beneficial impact on your life.