Chakras

4 Part Series

Have you ever wondered why you might often be feeling low, feeling a lack of energy, unwell or frozen with pain? Is it possible that there could be a block in one or several of your chakras?

When I first heard about chakras and its vital role in one’s life, I was simply amazed at how if chakras are not aligned can cause havoc in our daily lives.

The word chakra is derived from a Sanskrit word which simply means a "wheel". Personally, I relate to chakras as the "Rainbow of Life", as every chakra has a colour and energy representing it.

Let us get into the nitty-gritty details about what is a chakra? What does each chakra govern? and what is likely to happen if it gets imbalanced.

Chakras are energy points. When chakras are balanced it can bring about good health, stability, and tranquillity.

Although there are over hundreds of chakras that we inhibit but often the focus is on the main seven chakras namely, root chakra (Muladhara - Red), the sacral chakra (Svadhisthana - Orange), the solar plexus chakra (Manipura - Yellow), the heart chakra (Anahata - Green), the throat chakra (Vishuddha - Turquoise), the third eye chakra (Ajna - Indigo) and the crown chakra (Sahasrara - Purple).

As I embarked on a journey to learn about healing, I stumbled upon techniques which enlightened me to think more than the usual way. Balancing chakras not only takes effort but is essential for the mental, physical, emotional, and spiritual harmony. By taking a closer look at each chakra let us see how disharmony could manifest itself if the chakra is blocked, know-how to unblock it, using crystals, essential oils and food can be used to bring a balance to the chakras.

 

Photo by Kiran Kaur

Image by Peter Lomas

 

This month let's get acquainted to the Root Chakra - Muladhara

The Root Chakra - Muladhara

This is also known as the base chakra. It is located at the base of the spine.  It is responsible for the feeling of security. I believe if one is constantly under fear or insecure it becomes exceedingly difficult to stay in harmony with yourself, this brings about confusion and uncertainty of not being able to take even simple decisions.

When Blocked:

Ask yourself the following questions -

• Do I often feel anxious?
• Am I constantly feeling insecure?
• Are there times that I suddenly feel overwhelmed?
• Is it difficult for me to take decisions?

Do a quick body scan and notice if there is any physical pain in your feet, knees, or lower back area.  These could be early signs of rheumatoid or arthritis or even chronic lower back problems. It is advisable to seek medical advice.

 

How To Unblock:

• Connect with nature. I usually enjoy morning and evening walks. It brings a lot of peace and this gives me a boost on the productivity of my day.
• Walk barefoot on the grass. This is something I do at least once a week. I strongly recommend trying this exercise, the connection of your feet brings about grounding.
• Have you ever hugged a tree or sat underneath a tree with your back against the trunk? Have you often heard that "nature heals"? I am a tree hugger, at first, I used to be self-conscious about looking weird, but I have learnt to embrace my weirdness.
• Try to get as much sunlight as you can.
• Wear anything red, a scarf, a dress, a tie, experiment with the colour.
• Visualise a stream of red light at the base of your spine going towards your feet and connecting to the core of earth. This brings a feeling of being grounded and secure right to the core. Then visualise the beautiful colourful the trees, flowers, green grass, birds chirping and a stream of water running by the escarpment, a feeling of bliss and when you are ready to come back, thank the energy. I often practice this technique.

My curiosity grew and I discovered that besides the techniques used one can also access tools such as crystals and essential oils to assist in the balancing of the chakras. The crystals and essential oils that assist to balance the root chakra.

 

Crystals to align the Root Chakra

Some of the crystals below aid in protecting and grounding, dispelling negative energy and helps with a feeling of being spaced out. The crystal can be worn as beautiful ornaments or can be carried in the purse or pocket. My personal favourite is the smoky quartz crystal.  I use it when I meditate.  It makes me feel calm and composed.

• Smoky Quartz
• Black Tourmaline
• Bloodstone
• Garnet
• Red Jasper
• Hematite

Essential Oils to align the Root Chakra

Most of the below essential oils are mildly scented which bring about a sense of calm. It can be used when one feels anxious or nervous. Spray on the inner side of the wrist or add a few drops of your favourite essential oil into a diffuser and take delight of it. I usually add a few drops of Sandalwood into my diffuser and enjoy a relaxed meditation.

• Sandalwood
• Ylang-Ylang
• Frankincense
• Cedar Wood
• Cypress

Foods that aid in balancing the Root Chakra

As the root chakra is associated to the colour red, eating foods with red colouring are advisable, such as red bell peppers, cherries, strawberries, tomatoes, pomegranate, watermelon, root vegetables such as Beetroot, Radish, ginger, and potatoes.

Below is a recipe that can be enjoyed as a delicious healthy snack at any given time of the day.

 

Recipe: Beet, Pepper & Potato Salad

Ingredients:

1 Red Bell Pepper (Diced)

1  Large Boiled Potato (Diced)

1 Small Beetroot (Grated)

Salt to taste

A few drops of Lemon

Method:

Mix it all up.

Serve either warm or cold.

 

Join me next month where I shall be sharing my knowledge with you about the sacral chakra (svadhisthana) and the solar plexus chakra (manipura).

by Disha Sharma

May 2021