An Introduction to the Chakras

By John Culbertson

Within the metaphysical world we have a term that is called chakra. This is a term which was borrowed from the eastern part of the world (mainly India, but also parts of Asia). This word, which is Sanskrit, means spinning wheel. Thus, a chakra is a spinning wheel of energy located within the human body.

Each chakra is responsible for various human functions. These energy centers direct the energies of life and channel them into different areas. When a chakra becomes dirty or blocked, those energies have a harder time working. Ultimately, this will lead to disease and illness.

Likewise, when we experience certain problems in our life, they do affect certain chakras and can have the result of blocking or closing them.

This article takes a brief look at the seven main chakras that most people within the new age and metaphysical world need to be familiar with.

ROOT CENTER

The root center is located at the base of the spine with the entrance point for the energy being the vagina for a woman and the perineum for a man. Its color, in the physical world, is red. It is associated with the survival instinct. The fight or flight reflex is connected to this center as is our sexual desires when they are pure passion and animalistic in nature.

The root center helps to ground our energy into the physical world and is primarily responsible for us being alive. A closed root center can, and often times does, equate to death here in the physical world.

When we have emotional issues in our lives that deal with our need to survive, this center  is likely blocked.

A blocked root center can cause problems to the prostate and uterus, kidneys, bladder, and bowels. Also the lower backbone and nerves can be affected.

Any type of physical exercise will help to clear and keep this center open and functioning. Additionally, dancing, yoga, massages, camping, gardening, and Tai Chi also help to clear and keep this center open and functioning.

An exercise for opening this center involves taking a martial arts horse stance and doing pelvic thrusts.

SACRAL CENTER

The sacral center is located about 2 inches below the belly button. Its physical world color is orange. It is associated with sex and sexuality from a loving perspective. It deals with creativity and gut level intuition. It also has to do with the pleasure principal, our general well being, and our abundance in our life. It sometimes is associated with communication, but this would be from a pleasure perspective as opposed to a persuasive/information oriented perspective.

Negative emotional reactions to any problems in life can cause this center to become blocked. This can result in illness connected to sexual organs and lower back as well as the pancreas, liver, and spleen.

Martial Arts, meditation, and sex with a loving partner can all help to clear, open, and keep this center functioning. Additionally painting, socializing, writing, and playing music/singing will help to clear, open, and keep it functioning.

An exercise for opening this center involves taking a martial arts horse stance and rotating your hips in a circle or doing belly dance figure eights.

SOLAR PLEXUS CENTER

The solar plexus center is located at the base of the sternum. Its physical world color is yellow. It deals with our mind, especially as it functions here in the physical world. Anything intellectual is connected to the solar plexus center as is most forms of communication from a mental perspective.

This center also deals with our self-esteem, self-worth, confidence, and personal power. Whenever we are submissive to others or even circumstances in our life, this center weakens. Likewise, not loving yourself or not being proud of the self can have the same effect.

This center and the heart center are usually so closely linked that they are considered tied together. When a person operates from the solar plexus level though, they tend to take things very personally.

Besides what has already been mentioned, emotional disappointment in love and interpersonal relationships can cause this center to become blocked. When blocked, illness can develop in the heart, stomach, liver, upper digestive tract, and lungs.

Anything intellectual in nature will help to clear, open, and keep this center functioning.

An exercise for opening this center involves jumping as high as you can.

HEART CENTER

The heart center is located in the center of the chest and the physical world color associated with it is green. This center allows a person to have the ability to be unconditionally caring and loving. This is not solar plexus, sacral, or root center love which many times are possessive in nature, rather it is a higher form of love where both the good and bad are equally embraced and accepted and is with total positive regard. It also allows a person to receive love in all forms and to feel joy, kinship, and peace.

This center usually becomes blocked when there is an overflow from a blocked solar plexus center. Any type of hate related emotions can also cause blockages to this center. Illness and injury related to a blocked heart center can develop in the heart, lungs, upper spine, and shoulders.

Playing with children or pets, being in the presence of beauty, and laughing will all help to clear, open, and keep this center functioning.

The psychic ability connected to this center is clairsentience, which means clear feeling.

An exercise for opening this center involves back bends.

THROAT CENTER

The throat center is located at the root of the tongue and has a physical world color of blue. It is the seat of our will and deals with our will power, manifestation ability, self-discipline, and control. An open throat center allows a person to have fortitude and to work through problems that would stop others. This center is also called the truth center, because in order to function properly we must be living our truth, in whatever form and belief that may be.

The center is most likely to become blocked when we hold back the things we really need to say and express or when we over express ourselves in a melodramatic way. A blocked throat center can cause illness or injury to the ears, throat, mouth, neck, and thyroids.

Chanting, drumming, journaling, saying no when we don't want to do something, expressing our needs openly and honestly, and discharging anger in an appropriate manner all help to clear, open, and keep this center functioning properly. Additionally, speaking in front of crowds and sharing problems with trusted friends will also serve to help to clear, open, and keep this center functioning properly.

The psychic ability connected to this center is clairaudience, which means clear hearing. It is our psychic ability to hear auditory voices from guides, angels, spirit teachers, and deceased loved ones.

An exercise for opening this center would be to rotate the neck in a circle from left to right and then switching and going from right to left. Do this multiple times with the mouth open.

THIRD EYE/BROW CENTER

The third eye, also called the brow center, is located above the bridge of the nose and in between the two eye brows. The physical world color that we associate with this center is indigo. When open and operating with an opened crown center, we usually gain the ability of clairvoyance, which means clear seeing. This psychic ability is the one most people have heard of and it represents the pictures that a person sees with their third eye, not their physical eyes.

This center also is connected to wisdom, intuition, and imagination. This center, when balanced, makes use of the whole brain as opposed to one side or the other.

This center usually only becomes blocked when a person misuse their psychic abilities, especially clairvoyance, to pry where they aren't suppose to. It can also become blocked when we try to manipulate others. A blocked third eye can result in illness and injury to head and eyes.

Visualizing the release of negativity in your life along with relaxing and having "child-like" fun can help to clear, open, and keep this center functioning. Additionally, reading spiritual based books, praying, meditation, and being thankful can also help to clear, open, and keep this center functioning.

An exercise for opening this center would be to rotate your eyes from left to right and then switching and going from right to left. Do this multiple times, but without causing eye strain.

CROWN CENTER

(C) 2008

Listen to a  Chakra "Meditation" by John.

About the Author:
John Culbertson is a new age teacher, speaker and lecturer. He teaches and speaks on psychic development (a six-month course), psychic protection, numerology, astrology, angels, tarot and almost anything else relative to the new age field. He is available for private psychic channeled, reiki, and spiritual coaching sessions through his web site http://www.mysticjohnculbertson.com