Seven Major Chakras
The entire universe is made of energy and our body is no exception. Chakra is a Sanskrit word that literally means wheel. It starts from the base of the spine all the way to the top of the neck where all the major six chakras are located along the shushumna in the subtle body with the “seventh chakra Sahasrara” at the top of the head.
In a healthy, balanced person, the seven major chakras provide the right balance of energy to every part of the body, mind and spirit. If one of our chakras spins too quickly or moves slowly, our health will suffer. We can use this information to connect physical, emotional, mental and spiritual imbalances with the chakras that empower them. By learning about the seven chakras we can become more in tune with the natural cycles of our body and live a loving, healthy and harmonious life.
Chakras and its meaning: There are seven major chakras in every human being whether they believe or not. We will try to understand the location, purpose of each chakra, symptoms we might experience when they are balanced or not. We will also try to find ways to heal and empower each chakra.
First Chakra: Muladhara Chakra
Ruling planet : Earth
Issues : Survival and Security
Seed Sound : Lam (lahm)
Location : Base of the spine or perineum
Colour : Colour of the mother earth i.e. Brown.
Mula means root and dhara means support.
Purpose: So this chakra is to do with grounding of all our energies with mother earth. Secondly, into financial & emotional security.
When 1st Chakra is balanced: We will feel accomplished, at peace, safe & secured.
When 1st chakra is overactive: It's very common to have an overactive chakra as it is used frequently. It will cause anxiety and jitteriness because fear is based on the need to survive. We can even shout for survival even when there is no direct threat but indirect threat e.g. Like the business is very bad in the market despite we personally doing satisfactorily.
Overactive health issues: Digestive problems, lower back pain, hip pain, ovarian cysts in ladies and prostate in men.
How to balance our 1st chakra: Balancing is very important as it cares of our survival and this chakra gives the energy to do that. Calm this chakra by focusing on praying and meditation. Volunteering, expressing kindness and compassion can help to guide the extra energy from muladhara (Root) chakra into other energy centres of the body especially to Anahata (Heart Chakra) .
Underactive 1st chakra: Have the survival needs being taken care by our spouse or family business due to which this chakra becomes under active. We may experience daydreaming, trouble concentrating or simply feeling like flying in the air (Air headed).
Health issues: Not much or any.
How to energise our 1st chakra: By walking on the garden by doing a walk in the bare feet, gardening, swimming or even touching/hugging trees or leaves of the plants.
Second Chakra: Swadhisthana
Ruling planet : Water
Issues : Creativity
Seed Sound : Vam
Location : Pubic area.
Colour : Orange
Swadhisthana means “the place of the self”. It's more about our identity as a human and brings in the creative energy to enrich our life with pleasure like sex and intimacy. Another aspect of this chakra which is not discussed much is the occult abilities as some can access the Vishuddha (Throat) Chakra and draw information through that chakra with the Ego-Mind-Personality.
Balanced 2nd chakra: When it's balanced, we will enjoy the pleasurable things of life without overdoing it. Sex, good food and creative activities will be inspiring and enjoyable. A sense of wellness and abundance from them.
When this 2nd chakra is overactive: When we become addict to any of our creative choices then we lose the perspective from enjoyment and we end up not enjoying our actions.
Health issues when 2nd chakra is overactive: Obesity, hormone imbalances and restlessness.
How to balance 2nd chakra: Shift the extra energy from pleasure into our heart chakra. Just ask ourself before doing any action – is it good for me – is it healthy and enjoyable to me and what are the benefits of the action I am going to take.
Underactive 2nd chakra: When focus is on daily routine work then we do not enjoy the fruits of our own labour. This leads to be the Swadhisthana chakra becoming underactive.
Symptons: Depression, Impotence, decreased sex drive and lack of passion and creativity.
How to energise 2nd chakra: Enjoy life, make love to our partner and enjoy with self and what the universe offers us.
Third Chakra – Manipurak
Ruling planet : Fire
Issues : Personal power or Doer
Seed Sound : Ram
Location : Around the navel.
Colour : Yellow
Manipurak mean lustrous gem. It’s the place where 72,000 nadis meet and move out into the body. This chakra is where our self-confidence, identity and personal power are born. We will feel confident and wisdom in its location.
When things don’t go right we say it’s a gut feeling. Meaning to say that our Manipurak chakra area is giving us the feel.
When 3rd chakra is balanced: We will feel a sense of wisdom, decisiveness and personal power. We have the confidence to win and wisdom to take right decision. Many call this chakra as warrior chakra. Some martial arts practice taking blows on their navel area to balance this chakra and to make it stronger.
When this 3rd chakra is overactive: When this chakra becomes overactive when the power we have over our lives moves into the lives of others.
How to balance our 3rd chakra: Practice opening up our heart with love and compassion. Meditate on sending love and kindness from our heart to all those around us. Refocus the power we have and see ourself as a beacon of love.
When the 3rd Chakra is underactive: When our personal power is taken away from us either by another person or through circumstances, we may be left with a lack of energy in our 3rd chakra. We will feel indecisive, insecure, timid and needy.
How to energise our 3rd chakra: Do the things which we love to do and enjoy. Everyone has talents and abilities.
4th Chakra – Anahata
Ruling principle : Air
Seed Sound : Yam
Location : Centre of chest towards the left.
Colour : Green
This chakra is where our love, compassion and kindness are empowered. We all associate our heart with love and it includes love for self and then love for others.
When the 4th Chakra is balanced: We are able to feel love everywhere as we are love. Even in diffycult situations we will still express compassion and kindness.
When this 4th Chakra is overactive: We lose our personal boundaries and start to make unhealthy choices in the name of love. We put the needs of others over our self.
Health issues: Fast health rate, palpitations, heartburn and interpersonal relationships issues.
How to balance the 4th chakra: We need to refocus our love from others to self. When the self becomes loving then we become balanced. Take a long bath and pamper ourself, appreciate ourself, take a massage and meditate on sending compassion to ourself.
When this 4th Chakra is underactive: When life becomes a heartbreak then life teaches us lessons for us to learn to become loving and lovable. Its not easy but possible with persistence. We will feel diffycult to become close to anybody as we ourself build a wall around our heart and not let anyone in.
How to energise our 4th chakra: Show appreciation & respect for our self and give our self love & respect that we want others to give us. Then spread compassion for others.
Fifth Chakra – Vishuddha
Ruling planet : Space or Ether or akasha
Issues : Will, clarity and spiritual authority
Seed Sound : Hum
Location : Throat.
Colour : Blue
It is said that the first that came out in this universe was the Sound. This chakra give voice to our personal truth with clarity. This chakra is connected to the compassion and love we have for ourself and others as it is resting above the Anahata Chakra.
When this 5th Chakra is balanced:
· It is an expression of our personal truths.
· It also is an expression of our will.
· Speaking on a subject and making it to the point is directly tied to this chakra.
· Person speaks with love, kindness, will, clarity and wisdom.
· Enlightens and inspire those around us.
· Psychic gifts are also connected to this chakra like Edgar Cayce used to get information from the Akash Tatwa in his unconscious state.
· We spend a lot of time trying to make our voice heard by speaking loudly.
· We will often interrupt others who are speaking and speak our selves.
Physical symptoms of this overactive 5th chakra:
· We suffer from throat pain.
· Frequent infections.
· Cavities or mouth ulcers.
How to balance the overactive 5th chakra:
· Think before we speak.
· Pause and think whether it is necessary to speak, is it kind for all to hear.
When this 5th Chakra is underactive:
· We become shy and quiet.
· Unable to express our emotions or struggling for words.
Physical symptoms of this underactive 5th chakra:
· Digestive issues because we tend to swallow the food.
How to energise our 5th Chakra:
· Speak our truth.
· When we are alone, practice to express our emotions and truths when alone.
· We can chant “Om Hum Hanumate Namaha, Om Hum Hanumate Vijayam.
Sixth Chakra – Ajna
Ruling Principle : Mind
Seed Sound : Om
Colour : Indigo
Location : Between the eyebrows
This Ajna or Third Eye chakra translates to “beyond wisdom”. It receives information from sources outside of our five senses. This chakra opens up our mind to a 360 degree vision as described in the book “Autobiography of a Yogi written by Paramahansa Yogananda”. It is here the Ego-Mind-Personality ends its relationship with Ganesha-Ganpathi whose job is finished. Now its taken over by Subramanya who now takes the translucent and divine Ego-Mind-Personality through the centres of the head.
When this 6th Chakra is balanced:
· We will feel equally in tune with material and physical world.
· Our “Will” is an important function.
· The ability to visualize, imagine and conceptualize emerge from this chakra.
· Rational problem solving and intuition (to know something without analytic reasoning).
· Extra-sensory ability such is discernment (ability to sense energy fields), precognition, clairvoyance, clairaudience and clairsentience.
When this 6th chakra is overactive:
· It is unlikely that this chakra is overactive.
· When we are engrossed in psychic activities like Tarot card readings, astrology and paranormal activities.
Physical symptoms of this overactive 6th chakra:
· Our ability to express intent, emerge with mental clarity and solve problems with hindsight will not be there.
· We get disconnected from living a human experience.
How to balance the overactive 6th chakra:
· Remind our self that we are creature of planet earth.
· Connect with mother earth by going to the beach and feeling the sand.
· Walk in the garden daily to ground our self.
When this 6th Chakra is underactive:
· Majority ppl have an underactive Ajna Chakra.
· We will feel invalidated.
Physical symptoms of this underactive 6th chakra:
· We may feel headaches or have problems with allergies and our sinuses.
How to energise our 6th Chakra:
· We need to do daily meditation regularly.
· Focus on signals outside our body.
· Listen to our spirit and recognize how that feels.
Seventh Chakra – Crown – Sahasrara
Ruling Principle : Pure Consciousness
Seed Sound : Om
Colour : Violet/Golden/Purple or Multicoloured
Location : Top of the head.
It’s a thousand petalled lotus. Pure consciousness.
When this 7th Chakra is balanced:
· It regulates pressure within the personal body space with the help of 1st chakra and minor chakras.
· Sense of completion or satisfaction.
· We have conquered suffering and death.
· When this chakra becomes active then we will be able to function with conscious awareness on the higher dimensions which are above personal body space. It is only after Kundalini chakra has been raised.
When this 7th chakra is overactive:
· It is not possible to have an overactive 7th Chakra.
· We can’t exists in the material world and be overcome with consciousness energy.
Physical symptoms of this overactive 7th chakra:
· One’s ability to express intent, emerge with mental clarity and solve problems with hindsight will be not there.
· We will get disconnected from living a human experience.
How to balance the overactive 7th chakra:
· Since no one has overactive 7th chakra, the need to balance does not arise.
When this 7th Chakra is underactive:
· It means we are human.
Physical symptoms of this underactive 7th chakra:
· Full chakra alignment is not existing for which we will feel a gap.
How to energise our 7th Chakra:
· We need to do daily meditation regularly to energise other 6 chakra without which we cannot energise our 7th Chakra.
How do you open your 7 chakras:
1. Meditation: Meditation is perhaps the most powerful tool that helps to open the chakra. Chakra meditation is calming and can also help us to open the chakras.
2. Using Mudras and Mantras: Mudras are specific hand positions that helps to energise the chakras. This is the reason mudras are an addition during meditation.
Mantras are sound or word that we can chant loudly or in our mind.
Chanting the beech mantra can help in opening the chakras.
3. Chakra stones: Crystals are a powerful tool for opening chakras.
