The chakra system is an excellent map that bridges the psyche with the body to identify your emotional issues, behavioural patterns and your emotional health and wellbeing. Working with your chakras will definitely accelerate your psychospiritual growth and emotional healing.
What is a Chakra?
A chakra is an energy centre within the human body and electromagnetic field. Chakra is a Sanskrit word for wheel or disk. A chakra is a wheel-like spinning vortex that takes in bio-energy (also known as universal energy, prana (chi or ki) processes it and spins it out. It is estimated there are well over 300 chakras in the body which are located near the endocrine glands, organs, and body joints. To keep things simple we will discuss the seven major chakras which correspond to the body's endocrine system.
Each of the chakras acts as a gateway to the various levels of consciousness, psychospiritual issues and life lessons associated with each centre. The lower three chakras pertain to human issues and involve the formation of our ego's physical, emotional, and cognitive natures. They are the seedbed of our emotional patterns. The upper three chakras involve the development of our spiritual nature and the Higher Self. It is at the middle chakra, located at the heart, where human nature meets with spiritual nature and transformation takes place.
The Base Chakra is located at the base of the spine. At this chakra, we are preoccupied with meeting our needs of safety and survival. Emotional issues that result in blocks in this chakra are fear of abandonment, fear of being alone, and scarcity consciousness. We don't trust others, ourselves, or the universe. Also evident is the need to control ourselves and others because we feel insecure, powerless, and are afraid of spontaneity and change. Those stuck in this chakra want others to take care of them, or they care take others in order to feel needed. Often they may not know what their needs are and are unable to get them met. Food addictions can occur in this chakra. When our first chakra issues are resolved we take care of ourselves and get our needs met.
The Sacral Chakra is located at the genitals and is our emotional and sexual chakra. When we are stuck in this chakra we will repress our emotions and be disconnected from feelings. The polarity is to act them out too intensely and appear overly sensitive, hyper, or needy. We may be out of touch with our sexuality or become addicted to sex and relationships. We can become crisis junkies addicted to melodrama and passion. Chemical co-dependency on drugs and alcohol can be rooted in this chakra. We may also experience problems with intimacy and fear rejection by our sexual partner.
The Solar Plexus Chakra is located in the middle abdomen. This is the personal power centre where our identity is formed. Those blocked in this chakra often feel powerless, victimized, or have low self-esteem. It is hard for them to stand up to others and they give their power away. They are unable to set healthy boundaries with others (saying no) and often over extend themselves. They become people pleasers and constantly seek outside approval. Repressed anger can be held in this chakra because boundaries are constantly being violated. Addictions for this chakra are workaholism and the obsession to constantly achieve.
The Heart Chakra is the meeting place of our ego and spiritual nature. Self-love and loving others are key issues of this chakra. When we are blocked in this centre we may feel we are unworthy of love or that we are just not good enough. Shame, the need to be perfect, and many of the wounds of the inner child reside within this chakra. The giving and receiving of love may be imbalanced, and we may not be able to receive the love and support of others. We must also grieve our unresolved losses from this chakra. It is mainly from this chakra that we can transform and heal our emotional patterns and wounded inner child.
The Throat Chakra governs creativity, communication, and self-expression of the full potential of our being. If we are blocked in this chakra we may not be able to express our feelings and beliefs. It is difficult to speak up for ourselves and to ask to get our needs met. When we are balanced, we are able to express the totality of our beingness and essence. We also know when to speak our truth and when not to.
The Brow Chakra is located at a point between and slightly above the eyebrows. The gifts of this chakra are intuition, imagination, and clarity of higher purpose. Psychospiritual existing at this chakra are the use of intellect and rationalization for emotional denial. We may also avoid self-examination and remain unaware, or resist learning from our life experiences.
The Crown Chakra is located at the top of the head. It is through this chakra we connect to our Higher Self and Higher Power. This chakra directs our spiritual development and our ability to see the larger patterns at work within our life. Issues for this chakra include a lack of faith and trust in our Higher Power.
Tools to Balance
There are many ways we can awaken, clear, and balance our chakras. Meditation, yoga, talk therapy and energy work are good tools. Energy work such as Reiki, crystal therapy and sound healing combined with dialoguing with the chakras themselves facilitated by an experienced therapist is a great way to do this.
It is through the chakras that you can experientially connect to your Higher Self, embody it, and live more fully from your True Self.