A Guide to The Seven Chakras

A simplified illustration of the chakras.

Are you familiar with your chakras? Well, we all have them! The word “chakra” in Sanskrit means “wheel”, so it is common to think of each chakra as a wheel of light often corresponding to the color of that chakra. Think of them as “spinning discs of energy”! There are over a hundred chakra points throughout our body, some corresponding to organs & nerves. In fact, acupuncture is based off of the energy flow throughout the body - the needles penetrate specific points to promote healing to that organ/area of the body. But the seven main chakras that are most commonly talked about differ in the sense that these points correspond to our emotional and physical well being. Each of the seven chakras have specific names, colors, and emotional or physical attributes. So let’s get into each individual chakra!

Starting with the base chakra:

The Root Chakra

Location - base of spine, tailbone, pelvic region.

Color - red

Foods - beets, red apples, pomegranates

Crystals - red jasper, moss agate, hematite

Herbs - ashwaganda, cinnamon, ginger, garlic

Meaning - grounding, stability, identity, a sense of “being rooted”

Attributes - with an unbalanced or blocked/closed root chakra, you may feel unstable in your life. You may feel emotionally insecure about finances or basic needs of life. Physically it can show through bladder or colon problems. With a balanced root chakra you will feel grounded, rooted & secure!

The Sacral Chakra

Location - just below the belly button

Color - orange

Foods - seeds, nuts, oranges, carrots, fish, eggs

Crystals - carnelian, tigers eye, citrine

Herbs - sage, marshmallow root, dandelion root

Meaning - sensuality & sexuality, creativity, pleasure

Attributes - with an unbalanced sacral chakra, you may experience feelings of insecurity & self doubt. You may have a low sex drive. It may show up as low back pain, impotency or even UTI’s. But upon bringing balance to this point, you will begin to feel energized & confident! You’ll be in tune with your sexuality and feel creative & empowered!

The Solar Plexus

Location - above the bellybutton, in the stomach area

Color - yellow

Foods - bananas, lemons,  mangoes, yellow pepper, whole grains

Crystals - citrine, pyrite, amber

Herbs - turmeric, basil, all spice

Meaning - confidence, self-connection

Attributes - with an unbalanced solar plexus, you may feel a sense of insecurity as well. You may not feel in tune with yourself at all! This can show up through digestive issues. When this chakra is balanced, you will feel a strong sense of personal power & motivation!

The Heart Chakra

Location - center of the chest, actually just above the actual heart

Color - green

Foods - spinach, lettuce, broccoli, kiwi, pears, avocado, green grapes

Crystals - rose quartz, green aventurine, malachite

Herbs - cilantro, dill, oregano, St. John’s wort, hawthorn, Angelica root

Meaning - emotions, love, compassion

Attributes - with an unbalanced heart chakra you may lack self love, or have a hard time opening up to others emotionally. You may feel lonely & isolated. Although this chakra can show up through physical issues like asthma or even heart problems and weight issues, it is often physically shown through people’s actions. Lacking self respect & putting one’s self on “the back burner”. But with a balanced heart chakra you will find yourself filled with love & compassion. You will begin to have more self respect & love for yourself!

The Throat Chakra

Location - simply put - the throat!

Color - blue

Foods - blueberry, soothing liquids, foods that fall from a tree

Crystals - blue lace agate, blue kyanite, blue calcite

Herbs - peppermint, chamomile, anise, eucalyptus

Meaning - communication

Attributes - with an unbalanced throat chakra, you may speak without thinking. It can show up as oversharing & gossiping, or even dominating conversations - not giving others the chance to speak! It can also physically show up as any issues with the throat, teeth, & gums! With alignment of this chakra, you can speak freely, openly, & confidently!

The Third Eye Chakra

Location - right between the eyes in the center of the forehead

Color - indigo

Foods - plums, dark chocolate, blackberries, purple grapes, cabbage, foods high in omega 3

Crystals - amethyst, labradorite, moonstone

Herbs - anise, chia seeds, dandelion root, aloe

Meaning - vision, intuition, imagination

Attributes - with an unbalanced third eye, you may not feel in tune with your intuition. You may have trouble concentrating and focusing. Physically it can show up as headaches or even hearing problems. With a balanced third eye chakra, you will be able to trust your intuition & see things clearly. You will feel more focused. You may even be able to see the bigger picture & understand things better!

The Crown Chakra

Location - the top of the head

Color - a violet color or sometimes white

Foods - fasting & detoxing! Water! This chakra point is best enhanced through sunlight, hydration, & clearing out toxins!

Crystals - clear quarts, selenite, fluorite

Herbs - valerian root, catnip, sage, chamomile

Meaning - intelligence, awareness, spiritual connection, your higher self, enlightenment

Attributes - with an unbalanced crown chakra, one may seem skeptical, narrow minded, stubborn, & maybe even a bit opinionated. The crown chakra is of the higher self & connected to all the chakras of the body, so it affects our brain & nervous system. When this chakra is aligned & balanced, you can achieve a sense of higher understanding. You may feel more connected to your higher self & your spirit guides.

"I am balanced, I am aligned, and I am one."

It’s important to mention this is a very brief introduction to the chakra system, as this belief system dates back to 1500 to 1000 BC! I personally believe you could study this for years & years! Especially if you dive into all the information with the points corresponding to all the organs, the nervous system & the brain! It’s also important to consider that sometimes a chakra point can be “over active” so the attributes can be at an all time high! Although that may sound like a good thing, that’s not always necessarily the case.

Lastly, I’d like to share a few great ways to get in tune with these chakras & a bit of information on how to balance & understand them:

• The best way to get in tune is through meditation. A self-guided meditation through each chakra, focusing on each colored disc flowing in a positive clockwise rotation. Saying positive affirmations to each point is another key thing to do. Always use terms like “i am” instead of “i will be”. For example, when balancing the root chakra say something like “i am grounded & stable” to promote that energy!

  
  

• You can also use things like specific herbs, foods, crystals, & oils! At The Pride we have a lovely line of spiritual oils in which you can anoint that chakra point when working on it! At The Pride we also carry majority (if not all) of the crystals mentioned! We do carry majority of the herbs mentioned as well, although we sell our herbs for spiritual use & to be burned as incense or brewed to add to a bath - NOT for consumption! It is so lovely to drink these herbs as a tea for the chakras if possible! When working with crystals to promote balance or enhance the chakra, you can wear as jewelry or place that crystal on the chakra point while meditating! With anything in the spiritual realm, all of these actions should be done with positive intention!

So that sums up a very brief introduction to the chakra points! I hope this helps on your journey to self connection and enlightenment, after all that is what the chakras are all about!!