What are Chakras?

If you haven’t heard of chakras, they can be described as our energy organs. We have our physical organs like our heart and lungs, but we also have energetic organs. Even though they’re usually not shown on a poster in the doctor's office, they still deserve a check up! Whenever we’re having an off day, but nothing is really to blame, it could just be blocked energy in our chakras.

When you imagine your chakras, you can picture a rainbow of energy going up your spine. Starting at your sit bones, what touches the ground when you sit cross-legged on the floor, you can imagine bright red energy. This is your root chakra, this helps you feel grounded and in touch with the Earth energy. You are exactly where you are supposed to be. You grow where you are planted. This energy can be balanced by imagining your feet planted into the ground like a tree, you are connected to the Earth. If it feels better for you, you can also imagine a waterfall going from your feet down to the center of the Earth. Play around with this and see what feels good for you.

Next, is your sacral chakra. You can imagine a big bright orange ball of energy right below your belly button. This is your sexuality, creativity, and personal pleasures. This is taking control of what you want in life. You can balance this energy by allowing yourself to enjoy your pleasures. Dance to your favorite song, or try a couple of hip-opening yoga poses. Practice these mantras: I am worthy of love. I am deserving of all of life’s blessings. I am grateful for this body as it is now. I am free to express my creativity in all areas of life. I am attracting like-minded people who love and support me.

Your big ray of golden sunshine is right in the middle of your belly as your solar plexus chakra. This is your personal power, your unique sparkle you add to the world.

A healthy solar plexus chakra allows you to be free of shame, to take charge of your personal power, and have a healthy relationship with yourself. You can balance this chakra by letting everything out. Sing your favorite song at the top of your lungs! Go for a hike and do a power pose when you reach your destination! Laugh! You can also practice these mantras: I am powerful. I am light-hearted. I deserve to be all that I can be. My needs are as important as others’. I am healing. I am vibrant. I am confident and secure. I give myself permission to be happy. Loving others is easy when I love and accept myself. I embody love. I am positive. I am forgiving of myself and others. I am filled with happiness.

As we move up the spine we get to the heart chakra next, where we practice compassion, forgiveness, love, self-acceptance, and joy. This chakra is filled with green light, as we remember we are one and the same with each other and nature.Ways to give this chakra love is to look at yourself in the mirror and say “I love you” every time. Send a thank-you note to a loved one. Practice compassion with yourself and others. Call someone you love and let them know how much they mean to you. Mantras to remember: I am feeling all my feelings. I am peaceful and balanced. I am creating loving, supportive relationships. I am strong and I am loved. I am forgiving of myself and others. I am enough. I am free to love and be loved. I am self-love.

Then we move up to the throat chakra, we are filled with bright blue energy. The throat chakra allows us to speak up for ourselves, letting others know what we need, and expressing our creativity. Mantras to repeat: I am openly expressing myself. I am always saying the right things in the right way. I am vocalizing my feelings. I am safe expressing my inner emotions. I am comfortable with everything that comes out of my mouth.

Finally, we make it up to the top, with two highly intuitive chakras. Our third eye chakra is placed right in the middle of our forehead, to allow us to view the world above our two eyes. This chakra is bright purple energy that allows us to see from everyone’s point of view, to show empathy to others, and witness the world, not with judgment but acceptance. To allow all that is, to just be. This chakra also allows us to envision a greater future ahead. Mantras: I am alive in the now. I am confident. I am free of family beliefs that limit my truth. I am highly motivated. I have unlimited possibilities. I see my life’s purpose and live it more fully each day.

As we move into the crown chakra, we receive guidance from the divine energy of the universe. Bathe yourself in this beautiful magenta energy and allow every moment to be a lesson. Surrender to the universe and allow every decision to be divinely guided by your guardian angels. This is your openness to something much bigger than yourself. Each person, animal, plant, and energy is connected. Each day we gain a bigger perspective on the world as we move closer to understanding that we are all energetically connected. We all share a home on this Earth.

Now that you have a little understanding of the chakras, you can practice being aware of how they feel. You can use the mantras or grounding tools any time you feel like you need them. I wanted you to better understand the chakras so you can use the energetic rose to not only shield yourself from unwanted energies but also cleanse any imbalances you may have. So, start by getting comfortable. You can lay down, or sit cross-legged, and start to bring your awareness to your breath. Breathe in for a count of five, hold for a count of five, then exhale for a count of five. Do this for a few breathes until you feel completely relaxed.Now imagine your root chakra at your sit bones, and imagine a big bright red energy. Start with imagining the energy coming from your root chakra, and allow that color to fill your entire body. If you are laying down, bring an energetic rose a foot above you to point down at your chakra. If you are sitting up, bring the rose out in front of you, pointing towards that chakra. Allow all blocked energy to flow into the rose. You can spin the rose as if it is a vortex allowing all negative energy to release from your root chakra. Remember your mantras, and release any stuck energy in this chakra. Once you are done, allow the rose to float away. Repeat this for all seven chakras. Starting at your root, then moving up to your crown chakra. Once you are finished, return to your breath by taking the same deep breath in with a count of five, hold for five, then release for five. See how you feel. Do this whenever you feel you are off-balance, need a cleanse, or just want a meditative release.