The 7 Chakras And Their Meaning For Beginners
You’ve probably heard of chakras before. Maybe you’ve heard the word in a yoga class? Or perhaps on a TV show? You might have even seen the chakra chart before. But what exactly are the 7 chakras? Well, in this article, we’ll look at the 7 chakras and their meaning, all at a beginner’s pace. So, keep reading to discover more!
What are chakras?
So, before we dive in, what exactly is a chakra? Well, chakra means ‘wheel’ in Sanskrit. These ‘wheels’ or chakras are energy centers found throughout the astral body. Your astral body is the spiritual counterpart to your physical body. It can’t be seen or touched, which is why we can’t see our chakras.
There are thought to be 114 chakras in our bodies. However, when we talk about chakras, we’re only really referring to the main seven. These are located along the spine from the base of our heads to our tailbone.
These seven chakras radiate a different color and energy. Each one corresponds with a different part of the physical body and has an effect on our emotional, physical, spiritual, and psychological wellbeing.
Chakras should stay “open” and aligned as blockages can cause problems in their specific area. We’ll talk more about how to open your chakras a little further down.
The history of chakras
Chakras originate from India, and date back as far as between 1500 and 500 BC, according to scholars. They are spoken about in the Vedas, a large body of ancient texts about spiritual knowledge. However, chakras existed much longer before they were ever written down. Before being mentioned in the Vedas, chakras were passed down the generations using word-of-mouth.
The 7 chakras and their meaning
As mentioned earlier, there are seven main chakras, starting from your tailbone to the crown of your head. Each has a different color, meaning, element, and location.
Root Chakra (Muladhara Chakra)
When blocked, this chakra can lead to physical problems such as:
- constipation;
- colon or bladder issues;
- and arthritis.
As well as emotional problems like feeling:
- insecure;
- unstable;
- fearful;
- frustrated;
- and lacking ambition.
However, when this chakra is open, you feel more:
- confident;
- strong;
- energetic;
- and stable.
Sacral Chakra (Svadhishthana Chakra)
When blocked, this chakra can lead to physical problems such as:
- urinary tract infections (UTIs);
- lower back pain;
- and sexual impotence.
As well as emotional problems like:
- irritability;
- lack of energy;
- lack of creativity;
- obsessive sexual thoughts;
- and low self-esteem, especially sexually.
However, when this chakra is open, you feel more:
- happy;
- positive;
- satisfied;
- and compassionate.
Solar Plexus Chakra (Manipura Chakra)
When blocked, this chakra can lead to physical problems such as:
- digestive issues;
- stomach ulcers;
- liver problem;
- indigestion;
- diabetes;
- and eating disorders.
As well as emotional problems like:
- depression;
- low-self esteem;
- anger;
- and perfectionism.
However, when this chakra is open, you feel more:
- confident;
- energetic;
- focused;
- and productive.
Heart Chakra (Anahata Chakra)
The heart chakra connects our lower and upper chakras. When blocked, this chakra can lead to physical problems such as:
- heart problems;
- asthma;
- and weight issues.
As well as emotional problems like feeling:
- lonely;
- insecure;
- jealous;
- untrusting;
- anxiety;
- fearful;
- and moody.
However, when this chakra is open, you feel more:
- positive;
- friendly;
- caring;
- motivated;
- and able to connect with others easily.
Throat Chakra (Vishuddha Chakra)
When blocked, this chakra can lead to physical problems with your:
- throat;
- mouth;
- teeth;
- and gums.
As well as emotional problems like feeling:
- timid or shy;
- weak;
- and unable to express yourself.
Likewise, when blocked, this chakra can lead to problems with how you communicate, such as:
- dominating conversations;
- gossiping;
- and speaking without thinking.
However, when this chakra is open, you will:
- speak and listen with compassion;
- communicate constructively;
- feel more confident when speaking;
- and feel a greater sense of satisfaction.
Third Eye Chakra (Ajna Chakra)
When blocked, this chakra can lead to physical problems such as:
- headaches;
- sight problems;
- and hearing problems.
As well as emotional problems like feeling:
- non-assertive;
- afraid;
- and pessimistic.
Or in contrast:
- egocentric;
- thinking you know everything;
- and not in touch with reality.
However, when this chakra is open, you feel more:
- happy;
- vibrant;
- and in touch with your intuition and yourself.
Crown Chakra (Sahastrara Chakra)
The crown chakra affects all your other chakras. When blocked, this chakra can cause problems for your brain, nervous system, and other parts of your body related to chakras.
Other problems include:
- feeling frustrated;
- feeling melancholy;
- or being closed-minded and stubborn.
However, when this chakra is open, you feel more enlightened. An open crown chakra will also help open and align your other chakras.
What causes a blockage?
According to scholars, energy flows through our bodies, passing through the seven chakras. A blocked chakra means something in that area is restricting energy flow. The most common causes of this are stress, anxiety, and negative feelings, which cause tightness within our body’s tissue. This makes it more difficult for energy to flow through. You may find that some of your chakras get blocked more than others. For example, you might be more prone to a blocked throat chakra.
How can you unblock your chakras?
If you think that one of your chakras is blocked, never fear! There’s plenty you can do to unblock your chakras and realign them. You can try:
- Yoga: there are different yoga poses to help unblock each of your chakras.
- Breathing practices: to help encourage the flow of energy throughout your body.
- Mediation: to bring clarity and peace to your mind and alleviate stress or anxiety.
- Mantras: these short repetitions are a form of sound therapy that can restore energy.
- Essential oils: burning certain essential oils such as sandalwood can unblock your chakras from the comfort of your home.
- Nutrition: eating a good diet has numerous benefits, including realigning your chakras. Each chakra has different foods that help it stay open.
- Spending time in nature: walk barefoot in the grace or spend some time in the sun to reconnect with nature and absorb its energy.
- EFT tapping: emotional freedom technique (EFT) is similar to acupuncture and focuses on energy hot spots in your body. Using their fingertips to apply pressure, a practitioner can restore your body’s energy.
- Reiki: is a type of energy healing originating in Japan. Similar to EFT tapping, a practitioner will use their hands to remove energy blockages in your body.
Discover more…
Learning about chakras can help you become more in tune with yourself, physically, emotionally, and spiritually. If you’d like to discover more about chakras, consider speaking with a certified energy healer or certified yoga teacher. In the meantime, you can check out our Spirituality library catalog for more information on everything spiritual. Deepen your understanding of yourself with Begninng.com!