The Seven Chakras: Meaning and Symbols
The entire universe is made of energy, and your body is no exception.
Long before modern technology and science, ancient cultures knew that all living beings carried a life force within them. They called these energy centers that move within us the 7 Chakras.
What are the 7 Chakras?
The term Chakra is found primarily in Hindu and Buddhist religions.
Chakra is an ancient Sanskrit word that literally translates as wheel.
This is because the life force, or prana, that moves within you is constantly rotating. This rotating energy has seven centers distributed throughout the body, starting at the base of the spine and continuing to the top of the head.
In a healthy and balanced person, the 7 Chakras provide exactly the right amount of energy to every part of their body, mind, and soul.
However, if one of your chakras is too open and spins too fast, or if it is too closed and moves too slowly, your health will suffer.
By understanding the seven chakras, you can become more attuned to your body's natural energy cycles. You can use this information to connect physical, emotional, and spiritual imbalances to the chakras that drive them. With this knowledge, you can begin to balance your chakras and live a healthy and harmonious life.
Now let's talk about the role each chakra plays in your life. We'll discuss the location and purpose of each chakra, as well as the symptoms you may experience when they are balanced or imbalanced. Of course, we'll conclude each explanation with how to heal, empower, or tame each one.
THE 1ST CHAKRA - ROOT CHAKRA - MULADHARA
The official name of this chakra, Muladhara, comes from the words Mula, which means root, and Dhara, which means support.
Therefore, the role of this chakra is to connect all your energy with the Earth, the so-called base.
When you think about your root chakra, think about your daily survival here on Earth. The role of this energy center is to provide you with everything you need to survive. For us in our modern age, this generally means financial and emotional security.
Location: This chakra is located at the base of the spine, near the coccyx. It extends upwards to below the navel.
The Sense of Balance: When your first chakra is balanced, you will feel a sense of accomplishment and peace when you think about things like money, security, and housing. You will feel connected to your human experience.
When is this chakra overactive? Our root chakra is widely used, so having an overactive chakra is very common.
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WHEN IS YOUR FIRST OVERACTIVE CHAKRA?
An overactive root chakra will cause problems such as anxiety and nervousness. This happens because fear is based on the need to survive. That is the role of fear—to keep us alive.
Thus, an overactive root chakra will send survival signals, even when there is no real threat, leading to anxiety. Physically, you may experience symptoms such as digestive problems, lower back pain, hip pain, ovarian cysts in women, or prostate problems in men.
BALANCE YOUR FIRST CHAKRA
In concrete terms, it's important that you first attend to your survival needs. This chakra gives you the energy to do so, so use this energy to the best of your ability.
Next, calm this chakra by focusing on your connection to your mind. Take time each day to nurture your soul through prayer, meditation, or connecting with spiritual guides.
Volunteering and acts of kindness and compassion can also guide overactive energy away from your root chakra and towards other energy centers in your body.
WHEN IS YOUR FIRST CHAKRA TOO INACTIVE?
If your survival needs have generally been met, this chakra may not have been very active throughout your life.
If this is the case, you may often have difficulty dreaming, concentrating, or simply feel like you're "daydreaming." People might say you look like you're "head in the air."
These questions may not seem important, but it is important that they are balanced and connected.
ENERGIZE YOUR FIRST CHAKRA
If you find yourself disconnected from material existence, your first chakra may need to be invigorated.
You can do this by reconnecting with the earth by being in nature. Gardening, swimming, or even playing in the leaves can strengthen the root chakra.
Fortunately, it's not difficult to "unblock" your chakras; stones are a good way to do it.
The stones associated with the 1st chakra are: Red Jasper, Obsidian, Bull's Eye, Ruby Garnet, Hematite, ...
THE 2nd CHAKRA - SACRED CHAKRA - SVADHISHTHANA
The second chakra is the sacred chakra or Svadhishthana, which translates as "the place of the self." This chakra is about your identity as a human being and what you do with it.
This chakra gives you the creative energy to enjoy life.
Your sacred chakra is the home of the creative energy of the life force that helps you enjoy your life here on Earth.
It is the energy that motivates you to enjoy the fruits of your labor, including participation in pleasurable activities such as sex.
Location: The sacred chakra is located just below the navel and extends to its center.
The feeling of balance: When your 2nd chakra is balanced, you will enjoy the pleasures of life, without exaggeration.
Sex, good food, and creative activities will be inspiring and enjoyable, and you will get a sense of well-being and abundance from them.
WHEN IS YOUR SECOND CHAKRA HYPERACTIVE?
The sacral chakra is often overactive when we deal with things like addiction and greed. Pleasure is a good thing, and you should never feel guilty for enjoying the good things life has to offer.
However, if you find yourself enjoying things that are not nourishing for your soul or healthy for you, then your sacral chakra is probably out of balance.
Symptoms include addiction, obesity, hormonal imbalances, and agitation.
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BALANCE YOUR 2ND CHAKRA
To balance your 2nd chakra, it is helpful to draw energy away from pleasure and towards your heart.
You can do this by asking yourself a simple question before every action you take. Ask yourself the following question: "Is what I'm about to do good for me? Is it healthy and nourishing? What are the benefits of the action I'm about to take?"
Taking the time to evaluate whether your actions are healthy is a great way to draw energy from this chakra.
WHEN IS YOUR 2ND CHAKRA TOO INACTIVE?
If you've spent a lot of time focusing on very practical things without enjoying the fruits of your labor, your sacral chakra may be underactive. Symptoms include depression, impotence, decreased libido, and a lack of passion and creativity.
INCREASE YOUR 2ND CHAKRA
Boosting your second chakra is fun. Simply put: enjoy life! Create a work of art. Eat a delicious, healthy snack. Make love with your partner.
Take time for yourselves and enjoy the amazing gifts that the Earth has to offer.
The stones associated with the 2nd chakra are: Amber, Tiger's Eye, Carnelian, Sunstone,...
THE 3RD CHAKRA - THE SOLAR PLEXUS CHAKRA - MANIPULATED
The third chakra is the solar plexus or Manipura, which translates as "shining pearl." It is in this chakra that self-confidence, identity, and personal power originate.
Have you ever been in a situation that you knew wasn't right for you?
You may have been in a situation that you knew would work itself out. Where did you feel these signals in your body? Most people say they feel these kinds of cues in their gut.
In reality, it is the seat of their personal power, their solar plexus, and they can physically feel this confidence and wisdom in its location.
Location: The solar plexus begins in the center of the navel and extends to the sternum or where the two sets of ribs are connected to the center of the chest.
The Sense of Balance: When your third chakra is balanced, you will feel a sense of wisdom, decisiveness, and personal power.
Many call this chakra the warrior chakra, because the sensation obtained from it is comparable to that of a wise warrior going into battle.
She has the confidence to win and the wisdom to know the personal truth she is fighting for.
WHEN IS YOUR THIRD CHAKRA HYPERACTIVE?
The solar plexus chakra becomes overactive when the power we have over our own lives extends into the lives of others. When this chakra is over-energized, you may quickly experience anger, a need for control, greed, and a lack of compassion or empathy.
You may have digestive problems or even imbalances in your internal organs such as the appendix, pancreas, liver, and kidneys.
BALANCE YOUR 3RD CHAKRA
To balance your third chakra, practice opening your heart with love and compassion. Meditate on sending love and kindness from your heart to everyone around you. Refocus your power and see yourself as a beacon of love.
WHEN IS YOUR 3RD CHAKRA TOO INACTIVE?
When our personal strength is taken from us by another person or by extenuating circumstances, we may experience a lack of energy in our third chakra. When this happens, you may feel indecisive, insecure, shy, and needy.
INCREASE YOUR 3RD CHAKRA
To stimulate your solar plexus, think about the things you know you're good at. Everyone has talents and abilities.
Make a list of yours. Feel the confidence in these talents flutter in your stomach. Reinforce this feeling by creating your own personal affirmations.
The stones associated with the 3rd chakra are: Citrine, Yellow Jade, Suffering, Pyrite,...
THE 4TH CHAKRA - HEART CHAKRA - ANAHATA
The 4th chakra is the Heart chakra or Anahata, which translates as "unharmed." It is in this chakra that your love, compassion, and kindness are strengthened.
This chakra is not difficult to understand.
We all associate our hearts with love, and that's exactly what the 4th chakra is. This includes love for others and love for oneself, so this chakra is also associated with health and healing.
Location: The center of the Heart Chakra is located just above your heart and radiates to your sternum and throat.
The feeling of balance: When your fourth chakra is balanced, you are able to feel love for yourself and others. Even when difficult things happen, you can always see the compassion and kindness of others.
WHEN IS THE 4TH CHAKRA HYPERACTIVE?
When the heart chakra becomes overactive, we lose our personal boundaries and begin to make unhealthy decisions, all in the name of love.
It's important to treat yourself with the same compassion and kindness you give to others, but when the heart chakra is overactive, you may find yourself putting the needs of others before your own.
Symptoms include a rapid heart rate, palpitations, heartburn, and problems with interpersonal relationships.
BALANCE YOUR 4TH CHAKRA
Balancing your fourth chakra means taking the love you've given to others and focusing some of it on yourself. You can do this by doing one thing each day that feels right for you:
- Take a relaxing bath
- Treat yourself to a massage
- Meditate on sending compassion to yourself
WHEN IS YOUR 4TH CHAKRA TOO INACTIVE?
Many people have an underactive fourth chakra. Life can send us many headaches as a way to teach us lessons about ourselves and the world around us. But it can be difficult not to take these lessons personally.
When your heart chakra is inactive, you'll find it difficult to be truly close to someone. It's like building a wall around your heart and not letting anyone in.
Physically, you may feel disconnected from your body and suffer from circulation problems.
ENERGIZE YOUR 4TH CHAKRA
Stimulating the heart chakra can be a lot of work.
Many of us have worked hard to build our walls and defenses, and it's not always easy to tear them down. It starts with loving yourself.
Show yourself appreciation and give yourself the love you want others to give you. Then, spread this compassion to those around you.
The stones associated with the 4th chakra are: Green Aventurine, Emerald, Rose Quartz, Rhodochrosite, Unakite,...
THE 5TH CHAKRA - THROAT CHAKRA - VISHUDDHA
The 5th chakra is the throat chakra or Vishuddha which translates as "very pure".
This chakra gives voice to your personal truths. Where did your voice come from? What gives you the energy to speak?
On a physical level, of course, the answer is the throat, but on an energetic level, this energy actually comes from your 5th chakra. This chakra allows you to speak your truth clearly.
Resting just above the heart, the throat chakra is connected with the compassion and love you have for yourself and others.
Location: The throat chakra center is located right between your collarbones, and it radiates to the center of your heart and the center of your eyes.
The Sense of Balance: When your throat chakra is balanced, you will be able to speak clearly with love, kindness, and truth.
You will know exactly which words are appropriate for each situation. Speaking with a balanced throat chakra will uplift and inspire those around you.
WHEN IS YOUR 5TH CHAKRA HYPERACTIVE?
Our 5th chakra becomes hyperactive when we have spent a lot of time trying to make our voice heard.
If you have often felt ignored or invalidated when speaking, you may have tried to overcome this by giving yourself a louder voice.
Those with overactive throat chakras often interrupt others, are frequently told they have a loud voice, or that they "like to hear themselves talk." Physically, you may suffer from sore throats, frequent infections, cavities, or mouth ulcers.
BALANCE YOUR 5TH CHAKRA
Balancing your 5th chakra is as easy as thinking before you speak.
Trust in Buddha, before saying anything, ask yourself:
"Is that true? Is that necessary? Is this madness?"
WHEN IS YOUR 5TH CHAKRA TOO INACTIVE?
Sometimes we have been so ignored and invalidated that we react in the opposite way - we stifle our voices and never speak our truth.
If you have an underactive throat chakra, you have probably been described as shy or quiet. You may be unable to express your emotions or have difficulty finding words when trying to tell the truth.
Physical symptoms often include digestive problems, as the energy diverted from the throat chakra often ends up being "swallowed" or sent to the third chakra.
INCREASE YOUR 5TH CHAKRA
Tell your truth!
Even if there is no one to listen to you, practice expressing your emotions and truths when you are alone.
It's very common to think that we should only speak when someone else is there to listen, but if you're trying to energize your third chakra, it doesn't matter if it's received by an ear other than your own.
The stones associated with the 5th chakra are: Aquamarine, Blue Chalcedony, Celestite, Turquoise, Sodalite,....
THE 6TH CHAKRA - THE THIRD EYE CHAKRA - AJNA
The sixth chakra is the Ajna Chakra, the Third Eye, which translates as "beyond wisdom." This chakra opens your mind to information beyond the material world and the five senses.
Extra-sensory perception, intuition, or psychic energy, it all comes from the third eye.
There is actually a small, pinecone-shaped gland in your brain that absorbs light. This gland, the pineal gland, helps you feel awake during the day and asleep at night.
Long before brain imaging, ancient cultures knew of the existence of this Third Eye, and they also realized that it receives information from sources other than the five senses.
Location: The center of the third eye is between the eyebrows. It radiates to the mouth and the top of the head.
The Sense of Balance: A balanced third eye is a beautiful thing, and that is really what you are trying to achieve when you set out on the path to spiritual development.
When your third eye chakra is balanced, you will also feel in harmony with the physical and material worlds. You will receive psychic information as often as you receive information from your five physical senses, but it will not overwhelm you.
WHEN IS THE SIXTH CHAKRA HYPERACTIVE?
It is highly unlikely that your sixth chakra is hyperactive.
Most of us are very attentive to our physical reality and have difficulty receiving information outside of it.
That said, if you have an overactive third eye, you probably spend most of your time absorbed in psychic activities such as tarot card reading, astrology, and paranormal experiences.
When your third eye chakra is overactive, these activities become overwhelming and prevent you from having a human experience.
BALANCE YOUR 6TH CHAKRA
If you feel overwhelmed by psychic information, take the time to remember that you are a creature of the Earth.
Go to the beach and smell the sand on your toes. Dig in the soil of your garden. Connect your body to the Earth and repeat: "I am a human being. I am a human being."
WHEN IS THE 6TH CHAKRA TOO INACTIVE?
Most people have an underactive 6th chakra.
We live in a world that often invalidates intuitive development.
For this reason, we close our third eye and ignore our own psychological experiences. By doing so, we may feel disconnected from spiritual experiences. Physically, you may experience headaches, allergies, or sinus problems.
ENERGIZE YOUR 6TH CHAKRA
You will need training to energize your third eye. You will need to dedicate some time to quiet, solitary meditation. At first, get used to the sensation of focusing on signals outside your physical body.
Listen to your mind and acknowledge how it feels. By practicing this, you will find it easier and easier to connect with the energy of your Third Eye.
The stones associated with the 6th chakra are: Amethyst, Lapis Lazuli, Blue Sapphire, Sodalite, Fluorite,...
THE 7TH CHAKRA - THE CROWN CHAKRA - SAHASRARA
The seventh chakra is the crown or Sahasrara, which translates as "thousand petals". This chakra is the pure energy of consciousness.
The crown chakra is one of these energies that is difficult to explain. It can be compared to magnetism.
When you hold a piece of metal to a magnet, you can feel the energy and tension, but you can't see it. The energy of consciousness is everywhere and in everything. It connects us to the entire universe.
Our own personal consciousness is located in the 7th chakra, but it is actually more like the seed of a universal energy than something personal or individual.
Location: The crown chakra center is at the top of the head. It radiates between your eyes and then extends infinitely upward and outward, connecting you with the energy of the rest of the universe.
The Sense of Balance: Achieving a balanced crown chakra is the goal of any spiritual warrior, and it's not easy to do. You can think of it as the Buddhist concept of nirvana.
Once you have achieved it, you are no longer truly human; you have transcended suffering and death.
Of course, it is the pursuit of this balance that brings us happiness, health, and wisdom. Trying to balance your seventh chakra will align and balance your other chakras.
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WHEN IS THIS CHAKRA HYPERACTIVE?
It is not possible to have an overactive crown chakra.
Because it is the seat of universal energy, it is innate and infinite. In other words, you cannot exist in the material world and be defeated by the energy of consciousness.
BALANCE YOUR 7TH CHAKRA
Since no one has an overactive crown chakra, there is no need to calm its energy.
WHEN IS THIS CHAKRA TOO INACTIVE?
An underactive 7th chakra means you are human.
It's exactly like being human. Some people may be closer to achieving this, while others may be much further away. In any case, practicing spiritual development and balancing your other chakras will bring you closer to experiencing energetic awareness in your crown chakra.
INCREASE YOUR 7TH CHAKRA
Instead of trying to open and activate your crown chakra, focus on balancing the other 6 chakras.
Meditate and connect with your mind and balance these activities by living and enjoying your human experience.
It's like trying to win an Olympic gold medal. You're not just trying to win the medal; you're training your body and mind first. The only way to achieve such an ambitious goal is to focus first on the small, achievable objectives.
The stones associated with the 6th chakra are: Amethyst, Rock Crystal, Milky Quartz, Moonstone,....
HOW TO OPEN YOUR 7 CHAKRAS?
As we've already mentioned, chakras can sometimes become blocked, and this can cause many problems in your daily life. So, to regain your health, there are some things you can do to open your chakras.
MEDITATION
Meditation is perhaps the most powerful tool for opening the chakras and more. It not only opens the chakras, but also calms you and improves your overall quality of life.
However, chakra meditation is a process, and if you really want to do it well, it may take time.
THE USE OF MUDRAS AND MANTRAS
Mudras are specific hand positions that can help open the chakras. They are a perfect complement to meditation, so don't hesitate to try them.
As for mantras, they are sounds that can be chanted, once again, during meditation.
Each chakra has its own mudras and mantras, so you can experiment with them and see how you feel.
CHAKRA STONES
Crystals are a powerful tool for opening chakras. When we interact with them, our energy and theirs combine, affecting our mental and physical health.
Therefore, by using these crystals, we can promote the movement of energy and open our chakras.
But remember this, don't just try to open your crown chakra; focus on maintaining and balancing all the other energies in your body.
