Each person is different – as women, we understand this best – and everyone requires healing in different ways. Learn how to understand Chakras and how they can support your health.
Some people need ample aerobic exercise to feel at their best, while others require the quiet, soothing sensations of a warm bath to feel healthy and whole.
Just like every person has different requirements for health, every physical and emotional center of the body needs specific care and attention to create holistic balance. These centers are called chakras, and for many people, understanding the intricacies of our chakras’ needs is the key to being truly healthy and happy.
What Are Chakras?
Disciples of meditation know that it is important to maintain awareness of the subtle flow of energy throughout the body, but many may not understand that there are seven centers of energy that require concentrated attention to maintain. These centers are called chakras, and they are located at various points on the midline of the body.
Root chakra. At the base of the tailbone, the root chakra represents one’s foundation, especially in relation to survival skills like obtaining shelter and food.
Sacral chakra. Below the navel and toward the spine, this chakra signifies one’s willingness to accept others, as well as one’s sense of pleasure and sexuality.
Solar plexus chakra. Near the upper abdomen and below the ribcage, this chakra embodies one’s self-confidence, self-worth, self-control, and self-esteem.
Heart chakra. In the center of one’s chest, the heart chakra controls our ability to love and feel joy and peace.
Throat chakra. By opening the throat chakra, one heightens the ability to communicate and express truths.
Third-eye chakra. Also called the brow chakra, this center of energy exists between the eyes and denotes one’s ability to conceptualize and concentrate.
Crown chakra. At the very top of the skull, the crown chakra connects one to greater spirituality and amplifies bliss.
What Happens When Chakras Are Unbalanced or Blocked?
During some point in one’s life, any and all of the seven chakras can become restricted and cause problems, from physical dysfunction to psychological anguish.
Illnesses, such as asthma, and negative attitudes, such as anger or depression, are often triggered by a chakra imbalance; even more serious maladies, like heart disease and cancer, can be the result of improper energy flow through the body, according to Eastern medicine.
The most commonly blocked chakras are the heart, throat, and third-eye chakras, which can cause all sorts of mental and physical issues. For example, those with blocked heart chakras find it more difficult to show compassion or develop love, which can lead to unhealthy social lives. Conversely, an unbalanced throat chakra may cultivate chemical dependency or encourage lies and mistrust.
Many experts believe the third-eye chakra is the least utilized by most people, but it may be one of the most important chakras to maintaining health. A blocked third-eye chakra prevents one from understanding one’s place in the world, which can cause extreme depression.
How Can I Right My Chakras?
The first step to holistic healing through chakras is concentrating on feeling the wheels of energy turning in one’s body. During meditation, those looking for true health should focus on each chakra individually to discern whether or not it is functioning. With determined effort and reflection, one may be able to open one’s chakras with this method alone.
However, more commonly, chakras are activated through good works outside of meditation. In general, one must improve each chakra separately, but there are some practices that can strengthen the energy system overall, like yoga. Still, more obvious effects are achieved by targeting specific chakras. For example, the heart chakra is especially stimulated by vigorous exercise of the upper body, like push-ups or swimming, while the throat chakra is activated through singing and screaming.
Additionally, various diets emphasize the health of different chakras: Unsurprisingly, the root chakra requires root vegetables for proper function, and the crown chakra works best after a fast from earthly delights like food. If exclusive diets are too complicated, Buddha Teas produces chakra teas specifically formulated to open each chakra.
There are various causes of unbalanced or blocked chakras; virtually any problem one experiences in life, from work challenges to home troubles, can disrupt the flow of energy through the body. Thus, the first step in maintaining healthy chakras after clearing a blockage is to diminish the impacts of stress as much as possible. By finding balance in one’s life, one can find balance more easily in one’s body energies, which will undoubtedly lead to a happy, healthy, holistic lifestyle.
Identity Magazine is all about empowering women to get all A’s in the game of life — Accept. Appreciate. Achieve.TM Every contributor and expert answer the Identity 5 questions in keeping with our theme. As a team, we hope to inspire and motivate ourselves and inspire you to get all A’s.
What have you accepted within your life, physically and/or mentally? What are you still working on accepting?
My main acceptance in life would be that “change” itself is a constant and regardless of opinion it is inevitable. Making peace with ones self and accepting the things we CANNOT change is key to living a full and happy life. Within those experiences we grow as people and learn.
What have you learn to appreciate about yourself and/or within your life, physically and mentally? What are you still working on to appreciate?
I have learned to appreciate all of my imperfections as it makes me who I am as a person and in reality “perfection” is all up for interpretation. In return I have taught myself to replace the old methods in dealing with situations and problems with ones that will deliver or elicit positive responses and solutions.
What is one of your most rewarding achievements in life? What makes YOU most proud? What goals and dreams do you still have?
I believe my core values or the personal rules I have set in place for myself and chose to live by have brought nothing but reward to my life as it has created my known presence to be one of value and those things remind me daily of my standards set if ever I were to steer off course.
We all have imperfections, so we think. The truth–we are all perfectly imperfect. What are your not-so-perfect ways? What imperfections and quirks create who you are–your Identity?
Over analyzing every situation would definitely be a not-so-perfect quirk about myself, leading my mind to wander with thoughts of what-if’s, that usually are just that, “what-if’s”. Along with spontaneity and positivity it creates my not-so-perfect, but awesome self!! 
“I Love My…” is an outlet for you to express and appreciate all the positive traits that make you…well… YOU! Sharing what you love about yourself will make you smile, feel empowered, and uplift your spirit and soul. (we assure you!)
Identity challenges you to complete the phrase “I Love My…?
I love my positive outlook on life and the huge heart I carry with me daily filled with nothing but compassion for others and a willingness to always be learning something new.
