Beginner's Guide to the 7 Chakras

Chakra (cakra in Sanskrit) means “wheel” and refers to energy points in your body. They are thought to be spinning disks of energy that should stay “open” and aligned, as they correspond to bundles of nerves, major organs, and areas of our energetic body that affect our emotional and physical well-being. Each of these seven main chakras has a corresponding number, name, color, specific area of the spine from the sacrum to the crown of the head, and health focus.

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Are Chakras Real?

Both energy and the power of mindfulness have been studied and explained by science. 

As Albert Einstein said “Everything is energy and that’s all there is to it. Match the frequency of the reality you want, and you cannot help but get that reality. It can be no other way. This is not philosophy. This is physics.”

Chakra work for physical, emotional, and spiritual healing has been utilized by many cultures for centuries. According to the book Chakra Healing, by Margarita Alcantara, “many physical symptoms are expressions of what hasn’t been addressed in the energy body.” 

If you’ve ever experienced a stress-induced headache, emotional heartache, or nervous upset stomach, you’ll understand how intertwined energy and our physical bodies really are. 

Root Chakra

Located at the base of the spine in the tailbone area.  Color:  Red.  Meaning: Physical identity, stability, grounding.  

A blocked root chakra can manifest as physical issues like arthritis, constipation, and bladder or colon problems, or emotionally through feeling insecure about finances or our basic needs and well-being. When it’s in alignment and open, we will feel grounded and secure, both physically and emotionally.

Sacral Chakra

Located just above the belly button, just above the pubic bone.  Color:  Orange.  Meaning:  Sexuality, pleasure, creativity. Issues with this chakra can be seen via problems with the associated organs, like urinary tract infections, lower back pain, and impotency. Emotionally, this chakra is connected to our feelings of self-worth, and even more specifically, our self-worth around pleasure, sexuality, and creativity. 

Solar Plexus Chakra

Located in the upper abdomen, stomach area.  Color:  Yellow.  Meaning:  Blockages in the third chakra are often experienced through digestive issues like ulcers, heartburn, eating disorders, and indigestion. It’s the chakra of our personal power. This means it’s related to our self-esteem and self-confidence.

Heart Chakra

Located in the center of the chest, just above the heart.  Color: Green.  Meaning: Love, Compassion.  

Blocks in our heart chakra can manifest in our physical health through heart problems, asthma, and weight issues. But blocks are often seen even more clearly through people’s actions.

People with heart chakra blocks often put others first, to their own detriment. It’s the middle of the seven chakras, so it bridges the gap between our upper and lower chakras, and it also represents our ability to love and connect to others. When out of alignment, it can make us feel lonely, insecure, and isolated.

Throat Chakra

Located in the throat,  Color:  Blue.  Meaning:  Communication.  

This chakra is connected to our ability to communicate verbally. Voice and throat problems as well as any problems with everything surrounding that area, such as the teeth, gums, and mouth, can indicate a blockage. Blocks or misalignment can also be seen through dominating conversations, gossiping, speaking without thinking, and having trouble speaking your mind. When in alignment, you will speak and listen with compassion and feel confident when you speak because you know you are being true to yourself with your words.

Third Eye Chakra

Located between the eyes, on the forehead.  Color:  Indigo.  Meaning: Intuition, Imagination.   

Since this chakra is physically located on the head, blockages can manifest as headaches, issues with sight or concentration, and hearing problems. People who have trouble listening to reality (who seem to “know it all”) or who are not in touch with their intuition may also have a block. When open and in alignment, it’s thought that people will follow their intuition and be able to see the big picture.

Crown Chakra

Located at the very top of the head.  Color:  Violet or White.  Meaning:  Awareness, intelligience.

The crown chakra is linked to every other chakra (and therefore every organ in this system), and so it affects not just all of those organs, but also our brain and nervous system. It is considered the chakra of enlightenment and represents our connection to our life’s purpose and spirituality. Those with a blocked crown chakra may seem narrow-minded, skeptical, or stubborn. When this chakra is open, it is thought to help keep all the other chakras open and to bring the person bliss and enlightenment.