Down To Earth Yoga Studio

Guest Post by Lore Earley

Part 1 of this 2-part series talked about the philosophy (and science) behind chakras, as well as a peek into what each chakra represents.  Click here to read part 1 if you missed it.

Today I will delve further into the specific of HOW to make changes using chakra balancing.  Think of it as a step-by-step guide, a tool, to help you reflect on and make changes to areas of your life that aren’t going well.  Maybe it’s past regrets, difficulty forgiving self, an ongoing physical health issue that you are so sick of trying to manage, a turbulent relationship, or a combo of all the above.

I can’t emphasize enough that healing begins from the inside out.  No external entity is going to solve your problems, and healing takes a great deal of self-reflection and action on your part to make a change.  Chakra work can help guide you by creating a roadmap, a starting point.  Because face it, sometimes we are just so overwhelmed with our crap, that even just taking the first step is a challenge.

Part 1 of this series gave you some reflection questions to get you focused and thinking about where you may need some tweaking.  Did you do your homework?  Of course you did!  (But if you didn’t, you can go back and do it now.  I won’t tell anyone.

Let’s get started:

1.  Root chakra (base of your spine, legs, blood, bones)  – We are all about feeling grounded, safe, and supported here.  It is our survival instinct, our ability to feel at home in our body, our connection to our immediate family.  Think the basics:  food, shelter, money.  Some physical health issues that are associated are eating disorders, allergies, auto-immune disorders, and rectal cancer.

Tweaking tips for the root chakra:

• Got unfinished business with a family member?  Write a letter to them, mail it to yourself (not them unless you know the letter will do more good than harm), read it, and burn it.
• Get “grounded”, plant a garden, go for a hike, walk barefoot in the grass.
• Eat root veggies and add some more animal protein to your diet.  Then thank the animals, plants, and people who grow/farm for supporting you.

2.  Sacral chakra (navel region, reproductive organs, kidney, bladder, lower back) – The second chakra is all about sex and creativity, personal ethics and morals, and interacting consciously with others that are outside of our family unit.  Some physical health issues that are associated are lower back pain, diseases of reproductive organs, bladder cancer, infertility problems, and kidney disease.

Tweaking tips for the sacral chakra:

• Think about your relationship to power, sex, and money.  Are you a bit over-controlling?  Or do you feel guilty, shameful?  Find the balance.
• Create a vision board of what you want.
• Prepare a meal and share it with your community.
• Really connect with the flavors and textures in your food.  Make eating a sensual experience.

3.  Solar plexus (digestion, liver, gallbladder, pancreas, adrenals) – This is all about our self-worth, confidence, self-care, and how we see ourselves in relation to others.  Are you afraid of failing?  This is a typical third chakra weakness.  Some of the physical health issues that are related to the solar plexus are anemia, ulcers, Diabetes, digestive problems, and liver disease.

Tweaking tips for the third chakra:

• Mindfully eat.  Chew your food well.
• Pamper yourself, take a long bath, or create a soothing before bed ritual.
• Prepare a meal and share it with your community.
• Meditate on trusting yourself and appreciating who you are.

4.  Heart chakra (lungs, heart, circulatory system) – Here we are all about the love, love without condition, forgiveness, compassion, acceptance of people who are different from us.  An underactive heart chakra can manifest as feeling unloved, racism, and seeking love externally rather than fostering self-love.  Some illnesses associated with the heart chakra are heart disease, respiratory problems, breast cancer, and upper back pain.

Tweaking tips for the heart chakra:

• Lead through example.
• Eat more bitter greens (kale, arugula, watercress, bok choy).
• Keep a gratitude journal.

5.  Throat chakra (thyroid, mouth, shoulders, neck) – Here we reflect on our ability to let go to material attachments, or things that no longer serve us.  This chakra connects us to our spirit, and represents our ability to communicate effectively with others, our true voice.  Some of the physical health issues that are related to the throat chakra are thyroid problems, chronic sore throat, esophageal cancer, and shoulder and neck pain.

Tweaking tips for the throat chakra:

• Sing, engage in drama (the performance kind, not the energy-sucking workplace kind), write.
• Meditate while focusing on your breath.
• Express what you stand for to others.

6.  Third eye (between the eyebrows, pineal gland, eyes)– Ever get that “aha!” moment?  This chakra relates to wisdom, your intuition, and dreaming.  It is represented by light and our circadian rhythm.  Many emotional illnesses are manifested here:  obsessive compulsive behaviors, blocked thinking, always reliant on others for guidance, and poor self-awareness.

Tweaking tips for the sixth chakra:

• Tap in to your intuition.  Turn off the electronics and sit in silence.  Listen to your inner voice.  Practice this for 20 minutes every day.
• Eat seasonally and locally, and use fresh herbs and spices in cooking.
• Cut down on the caffeine and alcohol

7.  Crown chakra (top of the head, pituitary gland, cerebral cortex) – The seventh chakra is the farthest removed from the physical body and material items.  It is our spirituality, belief in a divine power, and from where we draw faith and hope.  Emotional illnesses of the crown chakra include feeling lost without a purpose in life, depression, schizophrenia, and suicidal thoughts.

Tweaking tips for the crown chakra:

• Take time to “cleanse” the mind.  Heck, you don’t think twice about cleaning your dirty clothes.  Push out the negative thoughts and breathe in positive ones.
• Practice your spirituality:  church, synagogue, meditation, praying, spells, whatever it is.
• Reflect on why you are grateful for life.

Guest Post by Lore Earley

The mention of “chakras” to some elicit visions of tree hugging hippies and yogis chanting “Om” to a rainbow of colors and flying unicorns.  However, most don’t realize that chakras are merely “energy centers” of the body, and we are indeed made up of energy.  You know this every time you electrocute yourself on a light switch or anything metal during cold, dry, winter months.  Sometimes I even shock the hell out of the husband over a good-night kiss.  He appreciates.

Western medicine tends to be very segmented and focuses on “body parts”.  When doctors in the U.S. speak “chakra”, they are referring to your reproductive organs, adrenal gland, pancreas, thymus, pineal gland, and pituitary gland.  Chiropractors speak chakra all the time by mentioning your spine and the nerves that connect to your organs.

In Chinese medicine, the healers speak of meridians and use acupuncture/acupressure to get the traffic flowing on your body’s energy highways.

In Ayurvedic practices, healers use the 7 chakras to make connections between your physical body and your emotional and spiritual health.

If you lined up images of your endocrine system, meridian pathways, and 7 chakras, they would all overlap.  Tit for tat, all these approaches can tell you a lot about your well-being and be an excellent guide for tweaking the areas of your life that need it.

The beauty of learning about the Chakras is that it can be an awesome supplemental, self-help tool to overcome physical, emotional, and spiritual sickness.  When I was struggling with major adrenal fatigue, and had such high anxiety at night that I couldn’t sleep, I used chakra balancing to reflect on the parts of me that were falling apart.  I then used them as a guide to make repairs.

Here’s a peek into what each Chakra represents:  

1.  Root chakra (base of your spine, legs, bones)  – this is your security, stability, and ability to of feeling at home in your body – Do you feel like you don’t fit in? 2.  Sacral chakra (navel region, reproductive organs, kidney, bladder, lower back) – relates to our relationships with others, our ethics and moral code, our creativity – Do you feel like you have lost your creative juices and are stuck in a rut?

3.  Solar plexus (digestion, liver, gallbladder, pancreas, adrenals) – this is our self-esteem, confidence, and how we view ourselves in relation to the world – Do you doubt yourself?

4.  Heart chakra (lungs, heart, circulatory system) – compassion and love for fellow human beings and for ourselves resides here – Do you feel unloved?

5.  Throat chakra (thyroid, mouth, shoulders, neck) – relates to the ability to communicate and share – Do you have problems communicating your needs to others?

6.  Third eye (between the eyebrows, pineal gland, eyes)– this is our innate ability to know our purpose, why we are here on earth – Do you doubt yourself and rely on others for guidance?

7.  Crown chakra (top of the head, pituitary gland, cerebral cortex) – this is our direct spiritual connection with divinity  – Do you feel misunderstood?

The first step in tweaking your health and happiness is to assess your functioning in each chakra.  Identify your physical aches and pains, and use the questions above to reflect on your emotions.  Make note of which chakras need your attention.

Part 2 of this article will delve further into the specific of HOW to make changes using chakra balancing.  Think of it as your step-by-step guide.  Stayed tuned for next week’s continuation!