Chakras for Beginners [Main Chakras Explained]
Last Updated: February 1, 2023
Chakras have gained popularity in recent times. You might have heard the word in your yoga class, or maybe from a Reiki practitioner. While everyone seems to know about chakras, you’re not alone if you’ve just started researching what exactly they are.
This article will provide all the information needed about chakras for beginners. By the time you’re done reading, you will feel more confident and informed about this topic for sure.
What Are Chakras?
Chakras are the main energy centers, or the ‘wheel’, of the body. They are aligned with major internal organs and nerves, and are situated along the spine. It is believed that they should stay ‘open’ and aligned; you might have also heard about their importance in anime! Their alignment can lead to a better emotional and mental well-being.
DID YOU KNOW? The popular chakras system was derived from a text that dates back to 1577! That makes us wonder how people knew so much about the human body back then. |
How Many Chakras Are There?
There are seven main chakras in the body. Each chakra is located at a specific point on the spine, and they have individual chakra colors. We will discuss each of these, starting at the bottom of your spine moving towards the head.
1) Root chakra (Muladhara)
2) Sacral chakra (Swadhisthana)
3) Solar plexus chakra (Manipura)
4) Heart chakra (Anahata)
5) Throat chakra (Vishuddha)
6) Third eye chakra (Ajna)
7) Crown chakra (Sahasrara)
Now let us take a detailed look at each:
Root Chakra (Muladhara)
The Root is also referred to as one of the base chakras. It represents the foundation of our body and is responsible for a well-balanced and grounded life.
Location | The base of the spine in the pelvic area |
What does it control? | Stability, security, basic needs of food, shelter, and water. Also controls emotional stability |
Color | Red |
Element | Earth |
Stone | Red Jasper, Onyx, and Hematite |
Yoga pose | Wide-legged forward fold, standing forward fold, tree pose, mountain pose, and more |
Mantra | Chant LAM to activate |
Affirmation | I am safe and secure |
Consequences of a Blocked Root Chakra
A blocked root chakra can cause various physical and psychological ailments; it can lead to constipation, arthritis, and bladder problems. Emotionally, it can make you feel insecure about basic needs or finances.
How to Unblock Your Root Chakra
It is important that you learn how to unblock chakras, starting with the root chakra. Certain yoga poses like a wide-legged forward fold or the tree pose can help. Since this chakra is associated with the earth, spending time in nature can also unblock it. Visit the nearest park, do yoga, and meditate with affirmations.
Sacral Chakra (Swadhisthana)
The second chakra is the sacral. It is responsible for our creativity, feelings, pleasures, and connections to other individuals.
Location | Lower abdomen |
What does it control? | Pleasures, desires, creativity, joy, emotions, instincts like the taste, smell, touch, and overall energy |
Color | Orange |
Element | Water |
Stone | Unakite, Carnelian, Sunstone, Snowflake obsidian |
Yoga pose | Goddess pose, reverse warrior pose, seated forward bend, pigeon pose |
Mantra | Chant LAM to activate |
Affirmation | I am living a pleasurable life |
Consequences of a Blocked Sacral Chakra
To fully understand chakras for beginners, it is important to know the consequences of a blocked chakra. A blocked sacral chakra can lead to physical ailments such as lower back pain, low energy, and impotency. Emotionally, it can make the person irritable, manipulative, and disconnected from other people.
How to Unblock Your Sacral Chakra
As the sacral chakra is associated with creativity, spend time doing your creative hobbies. It may be dancing, singing, cooking, or anything that makes you creative! You can also eat foods like nuts, mango, or orange citrus fruits. Lastly, certain yoga poses can also help.
Solar Plexus Chakra (Manipura)
The next on our list of 7 chakras is the solar plexus chakra. It is associated with self-esteem, personal will, and confidence; it is located in the center of the body.
Location | Upper abdomen, stomach area near the belly button |
What does it control? | Self-respect, productivity, passion, competitive drive, confidence |
Color | Yellow |
Element | Fire |
Stone | Citrine, Yellow Jasper, Yellow topaz, Pyrite |
Yoga pose | Bow pose, prayer pose, plank pose |
Mantra | Chant RAM |
Affirmation | I can do everything that I desire |
Consequences of a Blocked Solar Plexus Chakra
A blocked solar plexus chakra can lead to low self-esteem and less productivity; you may start feeling a lack of confidence. Physical ailments include problems with indigestion, your gallbladder, gas, and the liver.
How to Unblock Your Solar Plexus Chakra
Learning various yoga poses can help with how to unblock chakras. For the solar plexus chakra, bow pose and prayer pose are effective. You can also use aromatherapy or light Manipura essence. These can not only unblock your chakra but also make your home smell good! Many people also attend psychic readings in order to awaken the emotions this chakra is responsible for.
Heart Chakra (Anahata)
This is the chakra of love, relationships, friendships, compassion, emotional healing, and forgiveness. It is the center chakra where the physical and spiritual body combine into one.
Location | Center of the chest |
What does it control? | Love, inner peace, affection, humility |
Color | Green (Surprising, right?) |
Element | Air |
Stone | Rose quartz, Emerald, Green Aventurine, Rhodonite |
Yoga pose | Camel pose, sphinx pose, cobra pose, dancer’s pose |
Mantra | Chant YAM |
Affirmation | I am worthy of love |
Consequences From a Blocked Throat Chakra
The heart chakra is one of the easiest chakras for beginners to understand. Its blockage can lead to aggression, anger, and jealousy. On a physical level, it can affect your lungs, heart, and blood circulation. High or low blood pressure is also a result of heart chakra blockages.
How to Unblock Your Heart Chakra
Meditation, yoga, and staying active can help unblock the heart chakra. You should also pay close attention to your posture. There’s a reason doctors encourage you to sit with a straight back! You can also write positive affirmations every day to remind yourself that you are loved.
Key Takeaways
Chakras are the main energy centers of the body. Chakra points are located along the spine. They affect various parts of the body, as well as affect our emotional well-being. |
The root chakra, located at the bottom of your spine, is the grounding chakra. Its blockage can lead to constipation and insecurity. |
The sacral chakra deals with creativity, and its blockage can affect the mood. |
The solar plexus chakra controls productivity and self-esteem. Its blockage can cause digestive problems. |
The heart chakra is the 4th out of the 7 chakras and affects our heart and cardiovascular system. |
Throat Chakra (Vishuddha)
As its name suggests, the throat chakra is responsible for how we communicate. If you feel like you can say anything without fear of judgment, your throat chakra is open.
Location | Throat |
What does it control? | Intuition, communication, calmness, truth, serenity |
Color | Light blue |
Element | Ether |
Stone | Angelite, Blue lace agate, Blue apatite, Aquamarine |
Yoga pose | Fish pose, cat-cow, plow pose, shoulder stand |
Mantra | Chant HAM |
Affirmation | I speak my truth |
Consequences From a Blocked Throat Chakra
Are chakras real? Yes: if you haven’t noticed the pattern yet, blockage of this one can also lead to emotional and psychical ailments. It can lead to difficulty in communication, making you less attentive. Physically, it can lead to a sore throat, neck and shoulder pain, increased allergies, or thyroid issues.
How to Unblock Your Throat Chakra
The easiest way to unblock your throat chakra is to include the color blue in your life; this is your sign to shop for something blue! You can try integrating yoga poses and neck stretches into your daily routine, and using crystals for manifestation works too.
Third Eye Chakra (Ajna)
This is one of the most famous chakra energy points. In Hinduism, the third eye is associated with Lord Shiva. It serves as a link between the outer world and your inner world.
Location | In-between the eyebrows on the forehead |
What does it control? | Knowledge, intellect, intuition, imagination, wisdom |
Color | Purple |
Element | Light |
Stone | Amethyst, Ametrine, Lepidolite |
Yoga pose | Child’s pose, wide-legged forward fold, alternate nostril breathing |
Mantra | Chant OM |
Affirmation | I am connected to my higher power |
Consequences of a Blocked Third Eye Chakra
Chakra balancing involves learning the consequences of a blocked chakra. A blocked third eye chakra will hamper your learning abilities. It can also make you feel more introverted and judgemental towards others. Physically, it can lead to any disease linked with the pituitary gland.
How to Unblock Your Third Eye Chakra
Meditation and chanting OM are the two most effective ways to unblock third eye chakras. You can also try candle gazing, or incorporating gratitude in your life. Lastly, healthy eating can also help you unblock this chakra.
Crown Chakra (Sahasrara)
The crown chakra is the topmost in the chakra system. It is the center of spiritual energy in your body. Very few people are able to open it! Its purpose is to help us connect with the universe.
Location | Top of your head |
What does it control? | Spiritual connection, the connection between the body and higher self |
Color | Violet |
Element | Cosmos |
Stone | Amethyst, Selenite, White agate |
Yoga pose | Headstand, half lotus pose, tree pose |
Mantra | So-HAM |
Affirmation | I honor the divine within me |
Consequences of Blocked Crown Chakras
Learning about the consequences of a blocked chakra is essential to understanding chakras. A blocked crown chakra can make you feel disconnected; it can also be accompanied by depression and an unwillingness to learn new things.
How to Unblock Your Crown Chakra
Aromatherapy and positive affirmations can unblock the crown chakra. You can also burn a Sahasrara incense, as well as try yoga and meditation.
DID YOU KNOW? These are just a few of the many chakras. Ancient texts reveal that there are more than 28 chakras present in the human body! |
How to Get Your Chakras Balanced
There are several common ways in which you can unblock and balance your chakras. Here are a few of them.
Meditate
The most common way for balancing and opening chakras is meditation. Doing so helps you open all the chakras and connect with yourself. Many tarot readers also meditate with their tarot decks to not only align their chakras but also align themselves with their decks.
Repeat Daily Affirmations
Your words have more power than you think. Daily affirmations unblock your chakras and can fill you with feelings of gratitude. These spoken words can improve your life, making you feel more confident and in tune with your body.
Chakra Mantras
Every chakra has a specific phrase. Repeating them can activate the intended area in mind, helping with chakra cleansing. Mantras can center your mind and help you focus; many also use them as a form of meditation.
Practice Yoga
Several poses in yoga affect a particular chakra. You don’t need to visit an exclusive yoga center for this. Chakra yoga is easily available on YouTube, and you can do them in the comfort of your home.
Change Your Diet
Your diet not only affects your bodily system but also affects your chakra. A healthy and balanced diet will help you in the process of chakra unblocking. But you can indulge in a brownie now and then!
Try Chakra Healing Reiki
Originating in Japan, reiki healing techniques can help you get your chakras in order. Reiki is practiced by a professional who will help you with opening and healing your chakra.
Try Emotional Freedom Techniques
EFTs originated in China; it involves tapping into the chakras, or energy points, to release accumulated tension and provide balance to the body. It is done under the guidance of a professional, and can also improve emotional processing.
Astrology
Last but not least, you can visit an astrologer for help. You can also study astrology yourself to learn more about your chakras. Besides these, many seek the help of oracle cards to align chakras.
Are Chakras Real?
People who practice regular yoga or meditation have experienced the benefits of open chakras. As mentioned, they are the energy sources of the body and nourishing them certainly leads to a happy, well-balanced life. Regardless of them being ‘real’, mindful living, healthy eating habits, and loving yourself will certainly help you in living a happy life.
There is no harm in actually practicing these positive habits even if you don’t believe in chakras!
DID YOU KNOW? Per Vedic astrology, chakras and astrology signs like planets or their positions are closely interlinked with each other. Due to this, many people also take the help of astrologers to align their chakras. |
Conclusion
Our body has various energy points, also known as chakras. Different chakras are located in various locations along the spine. These are the root chakra, sacral chakra, solar plexus chakra, heart chakra, throat chakra, third eye chakra, and crown chakra. Their blockage can lead to both physical and emotional ailments; yoga, meditation, and positive affirmations can help you open these up.
FAQ
These are different energy centers located along the spine. They are the root chakra, sacral chakra, solar plexus chakra, heart chakra, throat chakra, third eye chakra, and crown chakra.
You should open the root chakra first. It is at the base of the spine and later moves upwards, opening other chakras as well.
To learn how to align chakras for beginners, you should start practicing meditation, along with chanting specific chakra mantras. You can also try yoga!