Chapter 1
What are Chakras?
Originating in India, the word ‘chakra’ is a Sanskrit word that means ‘wheel’ or ‘disc’. The chakras are the major vortices of energy which act as the junction points between mind and matter. These energy vortexes are the channels through which energy flows and are “entry gates” of the aura (our personal energy field that surrounds us.) Within the physical body resides a spiritual body that contains these chakras.
Each Chakra is associated with particular parts of the body and particular functions within the body controlled by that endocrine gland associated with that Chakra.
There are seven main chakras located along the central line of the body, from the base of the spine to the top of the head. There are twenty one-minor charkas throughout the body. All your feelings, perceptions and states of awareness are associated with a Chakra. If the Chakra is blocked, under stress or over or under energized, the stress or tension is detected by the nerves of the plexus associated with the Chakra. The functioning of the chakras reflects decisions we make concerning how we choose to respond to conditions in our life.
In this course, we will focus on healing the Main Seven Chakras which are:
1. Base or Root Chakra (last bone in spinal cord *coccyx*)
2. Sacral Chakra (ovaries/prostate)
3. Solar Plexus Chakra (navel area)
4. Heart Chakra (heart area)
5. Throat Chakra (throat and neck area)
6. Brow or Third Eye Chakra (pineal gland or third eye)
7. Crown Chakra (Top of head)
Chapter 2
Chakras are constantly rotating and vibrating. The activities in the chakras influence our body shape, glandular processes, chronic physical ailments, thoughts, perceptions, behavior and even characteristics and the belief system to some extent. When one or more of the chakras are blocked, the energy does not flow harmoniously, or if they are too open, it will result an energy imbalance.
Signs that your chakras need to be balanced or are blocked:
Sit silently and closely observe yourself and be aware of yourself.
If you are out of balance, you will feel awful, depressed, or that something is not right. It can start with an empty feeling, sometimes it starts in the heart or the stomach and if the “emptiness” is not addressed, the “emptiness” spreads throughout the body. Low immunity, falling ill frequently, headaches, anxiety are all signs of the chakras not being in balance.
They are getting blocked with negative energies. The blockage is an accumulation of all suppressed feelings, fears and anxiety developed by trauma etc. To start balancing the chakras, it is important to be aware of your life style and asking yourself questions like, Are you living a balanced life? Do you get stressed at every small mishap? Are you over-scheduled? Do you take time to breathe? What do you do you do for yourself? Do you feel overwhelmed?
Here is an overview of what health issues are related to each Chakra:
Root Chakra
A healthy root chakra connects you with vitality to your family of origin, your immediate society and to the global community. Issues of survival such as emotional dysfunction, stress, anxiety, and restlessness are prominent if your root chakra is blocked.
Health related issues: Joint pain, lower backache, elimination problems, obesity, constipation, anorexia, and poor immune system function.
Sacral Chakra
The second from the bottom of the seven chakras is about our relationships, creativity, sexuality, control and money. This chakra needs to be energized if you face problems in your relationships and feel insecure about them and if you have a problem expressing your creativity. Blockage in the second chakra brings jealousy, betrayal, control and power plays.
Health Related Issues: Uterine or bladder problems, sexual difficulties, impotence, lack of flexibility, sciatica, lower back pain, and problems with large intestines.
Solar Plexus Chakra
This chakra connects us with the energy to take action and is the seat of self-esteem and expressing our personal power. Our relationship to the world around us, and our beliefs about our place within it come from the third of the seven chakras.
Blockages in this chakra arise from fears concerning our own identity or losing our identity, feeling the need to excessively control others or ourselves, inability to take responsibility of one’s actions, criticism and judgment, poor decision-making ability, fear of failure, or feeling neglected. Blocks in this chakra or an under energized chakra may cause fear of rejection, over sensitivity to criticism, the need to exert power over others, hot temper, judgmental attitudes, feelings of lack of recognition, aloofness, fear of change, low energy, confusion over which direction to go, and low self-esteem.
Health Related Issues: nervousness, low energy, muscle cramps, stomach problems, liver disorders, diabetes.
HEART CHAKRA
The heart chakra is the integration point for the seven chakras of the body, because it holds the sacred spark of the divine and the intuition of the Mother. When the heart chakra is open, we are able to forgive, emotionally balanced and have a healthy immune system. A blocked heart chakra carries resentment and anger from denied feeling and emotions, as well as guilt and the person carries the weight of a memory for a long time, consciously or not. An energized and healthy Heart Chakra has a sense of security and gives the ability to love others and ourselves and readily forgive ourselves and others. When the heart chakra is blocked or over energized, we tend to take decisions emotionally from our heart and not the mind.
Health related issues: High blood pressure, breathing difficulties, circulation problems, shortness of breath, chest pains, disorders of the heart, tension between the shoulders, tension headaches.
THROAT CHAKRA
This chakra is about making choices, willpower and the right to speak and be heard. The fifth chakra is linked directly to our personal integrity and a sense of honor. As a communication center, it not only allows you to express who you are and what you stand for but it is through this chakra that we manifest what we want in life. A healthy throat chakra makes your voice clear and it resonates with truth. Our words are a creative expression of our feelings within and a healthy energized chakra helps one to voice their opinion and beliefs or carry them out as actions appropriately.
Blocks in this chakra make it difficult to communicate because we feel suppressed by unexpressed emotions and feelings. Integrity plays a huge part in the proper functioning of the throat chakra. Since it’s between the head and the heart it works to maintain integrity between what we think and what we feel.
Health related issues: fever, ear infections, weariness, thyroid problems, disorders in the throat, ears, voice, neck, cervical spine, esophagus problems.
THIRD EYE
Our intuition and our ability to see with a vision comes from this chakra. It’s the center of divine wisdom, the spiritual eye that seeks to see and know the truth in all things beyond materialism and worldly affairs- seeing both inner and outer worlds. The energy of this chakra allows us to experience clear thought as well as gifts of spiritual contemplation and self reflection. From the sixth of the seven chakras, we can look at the world from all aspects of self and get connected to the higher self. Our intuition becomes our guide.
A healthy third eye gives us the guidance to lead a spiritual life with clarity and concentration on the path of humility and we are able ‘see’ situations as they really are. Many healers and energy workers have an energized third eye and are even able to foresee some future events. Blocks in this chakra can cause one to become delusional, unimaginative, constant worrying and poor concentration. Decision making is hindered as well.
Health related issues: headaches, eye problems, pituitary and pineal glands, neurological problems.
CROWN CHAKRA
This chakra is located at the top of the head and is our direct connection to the divine. Guidance comes directly to us from the divine and is received through this chakra.
The life force or chi is believed to penetrate into our energy system through the crown, and moves down through the other energy centers to the root chakra. When unblocked and energized, this chakra enables one to be open to receiving the universal energy around us which is important in balancing the rest of the chakras and removing the toxins from our body. Blocks in this chakra cause confusion, depression, senility, fear of success and lack of inspiration. The flow of spiritual energy is blocked in both directions. When this happens, an unending spiritual quest and over intellectualizing occurs, as well as a dissociation with the body.
Health related issues: Migraines, brain tumors, coma, amnesia, nervous system and muscular system disorders, mental issues, and skin disorders.
Chapter 3
What causes the blockages in the seven chakras?
The causes could be memories buried deep within the subconscious mind from childhood trauma, abuse, a learned restrictive belief system, emotional injuries that haven’t been forgiven or just lack of attention can cause a chakra to shut down. Tension builds up at one of the chakras from repeated denial, guilt, repression and unfelt emotions. Anger over unresolved issues, stress due to unfortunate events caused by fate and the feeling of being bound and not free to act as one likes are all signs of the negative energy being stored in the chakras Eventually, everything is affected from posture, metabolism, breathing, and emotional state. Disease in the body is caused by chronically repeated blocks in the pranic energy or life force.
These seven chakras hold all the good and bad thoughts, deeds, and actions you’ve committed in all of your souls lifetimes here on earth. It’s the repression of emotions that causes pain, suffering, and disease.
Being aware of your feelings, then accepting your past and present feelings…feeling them deeply and forgiving yourself and others are the keys to healing your soul and body.
There’s a struggle going on within all of us. Sometimes our mind tells us how worthy or unworthy we are and sets limits for every perception and action. Our intuitive side tries to keeps us safe, and senses things the mind doesn’t. The problem comes when they don’t work together in harmony and balance as they are supposed to.
Our beliefs are imprints caused by conditioning that happened in the past. The challenge is to realize the imprints that are running our life through our subconscious mind. Many a times, we are not even aware that these imprints have a hold on our decisions and feelings. Imprints are usually past events that were traumatic and unresolved issues within us. It might be one event like the separation or death of a loved one Or small events like following the decisions of others or being at the receiving end of emotional neglect.
Only by truly accepting and feeling denied emotions can these imprints be healed so their affects no longer control us. Our natural instinct is to suppress them, because we don’t want to feel the pain or deal with the emotions associated with the pain. Accept these feelings by observing them without judging them, find some love in them and your higher consciousness will help heal them.
It’s through the healing power of forgiveness that we release these imprints so we don’t have to re-live them over and over again, whenever something new triggers them.
Just let go and ….forgive!
The emotions that have been suppressed or unfelt stay with us and accumulate, not leaving room for anything new to come in. it is only natural that an unhealthy belief will create a weakness in the energy field of the relevant chakra.
When this weakness persists in the chakra, the weakness will eventually manifest in the physical body, also in the relevant area of the body. The physical manifestation may come in the form of an illness or disease and it indicates a weakness in the relevant chakra which in turn will bring your attention to that particular aspect of your being in order to be healed.
The lower three chakras, the Root, Sacral and Solar Plexus chakras are ruled by the Mother and our intuition. They keep us grounded to the earth. The upper three, our spirit side, connect us to the divine and the Crown, Third Eye and Throat chakras governed by divine “inspiration.” All chakras are important and need to be balanced. We need all seven chakras to be energized and in balance.
Heal these chakras for an optimal well being
To heal the effect……release the cause. Your body will rejuvenate itself. But, you have to release that energy that is stuck with love, conviction and humility.
“A compassionate state of mind brings inner peace, and therefore a healthier body.” Tenzin Gyatso, 14th Dalai Lama
Chapter 4
Cleansing the Seven Chakras
A mantra (originally in Hinduism and Buddhism) is described as a word or sound repeated to aid concentration in meditation. Repeated and regular chanting of a mantra serves as an instrument for self transformation and focus leading to the connection to the higher self. Each Chakra has a color and gems/stones associated with it. Wearing these stones or meditating with them or visualizing that you are breathing in the respective colors has proven to be beneficial in cleansing the Chakras.
Root Chakra: The cleansing mantra chanted for the Base or Root Chakra, that keeps us grounded and linked to the earth is LAM. Sit with your feet or hips planted firmly on the floor; stand with your feet shoulder-width apart; or walk with your feet firmly on the ground to chant this mantra. Chanting this mantra will cleanse impurities that can collect in the root chakra and makes the individual feel more secure and prosperous and eliminates the fears associated with survival of security, prosperity and belonging – and clearing any blocked energy that is being prevented from moving through to the other six main energy centers.
Sacral Chakra:The cleansing mantra for the Sacral Chakra, which is associated with pleasure and creativity is VAM. Opening this chakra will open you up to others, become more expressive and open minded. Chant “VAM” is you have poor self-image and want to have more self confidence, find it hard to open up in relationship and need to strengthen your relationships.
Solar Plexus Chakra: Chanting “RAM” will increase your ability to stand up for yourself, control negative impulses, and exercise greater self-control. This opens your Solar Plexus Chakra, the seat of your personal power. Your self-esteem will increase as you chant “RAM” and you will become more confident and self-assured – and your anxiety and pains will subside.
Heart Chakra:The heart chakra is associated with the vibrational sound of “YAM” – the cleansing mantra for your Heart Chakra. You give and receive love through the energy center that is your heart chakra. If you’re not feeling loved, are not compassionate or experience relationship difficulties, you could use some “YAM” to heal both the physical heart and the spiritual (emotional) heart center and open yourself up to unconditional love and compassion. A few great poses to aid you in “opening your heart” are camel pose, eagle pose, and a back-bending practice. The heart chakra is represented by the color green. Eat more dark green leafy vegetables and drink green tea.
Throat Chakra: The fifth chakra is your center of communication. ¬ Thoughts, words and even non-¬verbal communication can originate in the throat chakra. This is your physical and spiritual voice, your means of communicating who you are and what you need and want from yourself and the universe. The throat chakra governs your ability to express yourself – if it is blocked, you will find yourself frequently frustrated as you cannot voice your needs and desires (closing yourself off to opportunities and having your needs met). The vibrations from “RAM” will open your throat chakra so that your communication energy can flow strongly. Envision a turquoise orb spinning at your throat
Third Eye:The sound AUM opens your Third Eye Chakra. This is the center of your forehead and is directly in line with the center of your brain. Focus your internal gaze at an indigo orb spinning in the space between your eyebrows — your Third Eye. Inhale. Recite this mantra with each exhalation and feel the energy start to shift. The more balanced and open this center is – the greater power of intuition and insight you will have. The third eye chakra (or brow chakra) is the seat of intuition and life purpose. Chanting “AUM” will break loose the constraints that you have imposed upon yourself by not allowing yourself to listen to your inner wisdom and using that wisdom to chart the best course for a life of purpose and passion.
OM or AH : The mantras for your Crown Chakra, the connection to the divine. A closed crown chakra brings about feelings of insignificance and pointlessness, leading to a disconnect from spirit and an overly strong attachment to possessions, relationships and the physical world. Envision a violet orb spinning above the top of your head . As you repeat this mantra, imagine how it might look to truly speak and act from a place of divine connection. The Crown Chakra works with the pituitary gland in the brain. The pituitary gland controls several key bodily functions such as growth, blood pressure, water balance, and thyroid function. Just as the pituitary gland has a direct effect on essential bodily functions, the 7th chakra has a direct effect on all previous chakras before it.
Meditating with respective stones and symbols of each chakra also aids in healing and increasing the vibrations of each Chakra.
Other ways to help clear chakras and promote healing of the mind and body
Yoga: Yoga means “union” or “discipline.”It’s the working together of the mind, body and soul in order to liberate the True Self. Yoga is particularly effective in releasing these energies.
Through movement and stretches the energy is pushed through the energy centers away from its point of concentration. Often a negative issue will come to mind as this blockage is broken up. It serves to let you know what caused the blockage in the first place so you can mentally let it go.
Acupuncture, Pranic Healing, Reiki: These healing forms again serve to move the energy in their own ways. If the issue is not resolved from the source, then the problem will return. The relief can be permanent or temporary depending one’s willingness to forgive and release the cause of the problem.
