Michele’s Guide to Chakras

Michele’s Guide to Chakras

A vintage article for you and one of my favourites! I cannot tell you how powerful I find Chakra clearing. So, give it a go!

The Chakras are energy wheels. They spin and vibrate in different areas of our body. When these wheels are tuned and clear we are energised and in harmony. Often these energy centres become blocked or stuck leaving a feeling of being out of sorts or disempowered. So, start from the root chakra and work your way up. I would take a chakra a day or even a week to fully process.

Crown Chakra

Your connection to the higher realms. Your higher self. Connection to angels and beings of light. The crown chakra is essential for your well-being. It can be likened to a giant umbilical cord coming through the top of your head and attaching to God, spirit, whatever your symbol. The crown chakra feeds us the love and protection of the universe.

The crown gives us a connection to the whole. If the crown is not functioning well, it can lead to a sense of isolation or abandonment. You may feel unaware of your life path or reason for being here. Knowing and understanding flow through this centre. Your life force, your spirit force.

Meditation and contemplation benefit the crown chakra and connect you to source. The people we perceive to be bad or evil; or have generally cut off from the crown chakra. Living in ego or being disconnected from this chakra can make you unaware of cause and effect and lose your humanity.

Sitting in silence in the wilds of nature, you can tangibly feel your connection to the whole. You are the mountains, tree and brooks, you are divine!

Questions to ask yourself

1. Do I trust the universe my higher power?

2. How can I open my connection to the whole?

3. What colour is my crown chakra?

4. What are my spiritual beliefs?

5. What does my higher power feel and look like?

Affirmation

‘I am connected to the divine, I am the divine, my life is giving me exactly what I need’.

Colour – white (all colours) violet.

Crystals – clear quartz, amethyst and lapis lazuli.

Third Eye

 

The sixth Chakra is located in the centre of your forehead. It is the gateway to your intuition and clairvoyance. This chakra is also home to your subconscious and the core of your dreaming.

If you close your eyes and visualise, the images seem to manifest from this place. This intense mysterious chakra reveals the hidden in you. In addition, it perceives the hidden in others.

This is the chakra that unravels the mysteries of life. The wise woman within sees from here.

If you run your finger gently over your forehead you will actually feel an indentation. Asensitive spot where your third eye centre is. As we approach these powerful times of awakening our intuition appears to be unfolding and opening up to us. Evolving very quickly to the next way of being. This chakra is crucial to work with at this time but make sure you are firmly grounded!

If this chakra is blocked or not working correctly you may experience problems with your eyes. Likewise, migraines, or issues of trust with people.

Questions to ask yourself

1. How open is my third eye?
2. Do I trust my intuition?
3. What hidden things can I see right now?

Affirmation

‘I am an all seeing wise (wo)man. My depth and wisdom are honoured by those around me’.

Colour – Indigo

Crystals – Amethyst to open and explore. Fluorite for deep expansion (be careful with this stone as it is very powerful and can induce premonitions!). Rose Quartz to soothe, Lapis Lazuli to nourish.

Throat Chakra

The fifth chakra is located at the throat and is the centre of truth and self expression. So, if this chakra is open, you walk your talk and you are your truth. Many people have a blocked throat chakra and fear the consequences of speaking their truth; saying exactly how they feel, expressing vulnerability or strength.

This is a place of communication and when released will lead you to be able to flow and fully be yourself. Communicating of course involves listening and interacting with others.but also within that remaining true to yourself. Remarkable things can happen when you come from your truth.

If this chakra is blocked it can lead to neck and throat problems, thyroid problems also sore throat or the common cold. Throat problems can also mean blocked tears as these problems go hand in hand.

Sounds and chanting are excellent ways to clear the throat chakra and are also equivalent to meditation. Chanting is potent magic ( if you are a Buddhist for example you are more than familiar with the power of chanting).

The healing power of the voice has been known and honoured in many ancient societies. Contemporary society encourages us to hide and repress our emotions, particularly grief and rage. Releasing and expressing your emotions can lead to instant transformation but is done ideally when you are standing in your power an your other chakras are balanced.

Questions to ask yourself

1. How open or closed is my throat chakra?
2. Do I speak my truth? If not, why not?
3. What is my worst fear about speaking my truth?
4. What would I say right now if I was speaking my truth?
5. Do I communicate to those close to me?
6. Do I speak the truth to myself?
7. When did this chakra become blocked?
8. Am I ready to embrace my truth?

Affirmation

‘ I speak my truth and the universe listens. I am my truth!’

Colour – Blue

Crystals – Blue lace agate to stimulate and balance, Sodalite to ground and balance.

Heart Chakra

The home of unconditional love and your connection to the whole. Your empathy for other people and your ability to love yourself and others. Here is where all truth lays. The knowledge of your past and future lives, and an abundance of love.

The love available in the heart chakra is our very essence. The essential us. Learning to live with an open and flowing heart chakra allows you to feel safe at peace. To feel loved by the universe. What you feel and give out from here will be rewarded ten fold.

Don’t confuse this with addictive or co-dependant love. Universal love is the pure layer of gold within your centre, waiting to be mined by you! The heart chakra can be accessed very easily. You just have to want to surrender to the love. Your heart chakra links you to an ocean of universal, divine love. Always there for you, to replenish yourself and others.

The heart is a meeting place of the upper and lower chakras. It brings all the energies together uniting our earthly nature with out higher self.

Loving without letting the ego interfere. Uniting with the whole and recognising our connection to everything. The heart is a gateway to the soul and to spirit. Unlimited magic abounds inside your heart centre.

An out of balance heart chakra can lead to a sense of isolation or depression, asthma, heart disease or high or low blood pressure.

Colour – Pink or green

Crystals – rose quartz to open up or heal, green adventurine for balancing.

Questions to ask yourself

1. What does love mean to me?

2. Have I ever experienced universal love? If so, what inspired it?

3. How much do I love myself?

4. How have I loved and been loved?

5. How open is my heart?

6. What kind of loving do I need in my life right now?

Affirmation

‘I am a vessel of unconditional love and showered with love every moment’.

Solar Plexus

The third Chakra is situated beneath the heart and above the belly. The solar plexus is our connection to our sense of self and personal power; the ego if you like. It is also the place where many people feel fear; and the very fear of being ourselves.

Our zest for life as well as our vitality originate from this chakra. It is like an electricity generator.

Our ego can find a comfortable place to live here. So, it is essential to keep this chakra clear and balanced so that megalomania doesn’t set it!

On the other hand, when this chakra is too closed down, lethargy and despondence or depression can set in (diabetes is said to be a physical manifestation of a dodgy solar plexus). The solar plexus should be a place of sun and fire. Visualise the sun shining in your power source and glow with the warmth or your unique vital spark.

The key to keeping this centre in balance is being comfortable and happy in your own power. Not being fearful of being powerful as well as not feeding yourself on power for powers sake.

It is a delicate balance that will bring you the great reward of feeling vital, energised and confident about who you are in the world.

Question to ask yourself

1. What is my personal power?
2. Am I comfortable with my power?
3. Am I in my power?
4. How open in my solar plexus?
5. Do I have buried fear and if so am I ready to let it go?
6. How is my vitality at the moment?
7. What am I holding in my solar plexus?

Affirmation

‘ I am a vital, powerful being, glowing with confidence.’

Colour – Yellow

Crystals – Citrine to energise and balance, tigers eye to activate and stimulate.

The Sacral Chakra

 

The second chakra can be found around the womb/stomach area and related to sexuality and creativity. Here lies your power and your passion, your gut feelings about who you are and the ability to desire.

I often visualise a Goddess within living in this chakra as sensuality and abundance flow through here.

This chakra is particularly relevant to women as it represents the seat of our power and our womanhood.

Desire and emotions stem from this powerful place, as well as creative thought. You give birth not only to life here but to ideas and inspiration.

To keep this chakra flowing it is essential to reclaim your sexuality for yourself, your sexual vibration is about you not about another. It is based on your own vibration, not what is dictated by society or a lover. This is your power source.

We can repress our sexuality or place bundles of guilt in this sacred place.Knowing you are a sexual being and diving into this energy space is your divine right.

Let the sacral chakra speak to you and you will open up a wealth of deep wisdom and self acceptance.

Intuitive and git feelings can manifest here – knowing whats right or wrong for you. Tuning into this chakra is like meeting a wise and guiding force that will often have the answers.

Questions to ask yourself

1. Am I in touch with my sexuality?
2. Am I comfortable being a sexual being?
3. How open is this chakra?
4. What do I want to create in my life right now?
5. What does my Goddess/God within look like?
6. How can I express my sexual and creative energy more?

Affirmation

My sexuality and creativity is abundant and balanced. I am surrounded by all the loving sexual energy I desire.

Colour – Orange

Crystals – Carnelian for energising agate for balancing, rose quartz for calming as well as chrysicolla or amaozonite which are good for all sorts of gynaecological problems and grounding your feminine power.

The Root Chakra

The first Chakra is located beneath the coccyx and around the genital area. This Chakra is our initial survival energy. The primordial fight or flight mechanism that is preoccupied with the basic needs such as food, water, and security. And not getting eaten or killed.

This Chakra firmly roots us in the physical world. And if functioning correctly, will allow you to feel grounded and safe, believing the earth can fulfil all your basic needs.

In Prehistoric times and the dawning of civilisation, this energy was essential for survival. Life was far more dangerous and traumatic. If you were starving you couldn’t nip down the local chip shop or grab a quick Ramen from Wagamama. Hunting and gathering fruits in the wild was your sole means of existence. And this was a hairy business as you were a lovely snack from some larger beasts.

In contemporary society we need this energy to keep us connected to the earth and to kick in if we are ever in trouble or danger. The root chakra can be out of balance for many reasons. For instance, if you did not feel safe in childhood. If you were ever abused or had a negative sexual experience. The root chakra can get blocked if you suffered extreme poverty or violence or had a fright such as a car accident.

Symptoms of out of balance root chakra

Symptoms of an out of balance root chakra include: Panic attacks, lack of sexual boundaries, sciatica, a feeling of not belonging, compulsive behaviour, addictions, weight problems, aggressiveness and constipation.

The root chakra is your foundation in and life. When this energy is clear we have the basis to achieve anything we desire because our roots are strong!

A lot of people on a spiritual path want to open up their upper Chakras and turn themselves into space cadets.  True spirituality flows through the root up to the crown again, forming an eternal circle connecting to the earth and the higher spheres.

Questions to ask yourself

1. Do I feel safe in the world?
2. Am I grounded?
3. What primal feelings have I experienced?
4. Am I comfortable with raw energy?
5. What does my warrior self look like?

Affirmation

‘I am completely safe in the world and loved by the Universe. My roots are strong.’

The colour of the root chakra is vivid blood red. When healing and tuning the root chakra, this is the colour to visualise.

Crystals – Garnet to energise – Agate to stabilise – Smoky quartz or snowflake obsidian to ground.