According to Buddhist and Hindu studies, our bodies are filled with pools of energy, upon which our cognitive qualities depend. To the uninitiated, our bodies contain seven chakras – four in the upper body and three in the lower body. While the chakras in the upper body influence our intellectual properties, those in the lower body deal with instinctual properties. The seven chakras are as follows. The Sahasrara chakra (the crown chakra) is right on top of the head and crowns our being. The Ajna chakra, popular as the third-eye chakra, is at the center of the forehead. The Visuddhi chakra, also known as the throat chakra, is at the throat. The Anahata chakra, also called the heart chakra, is where the heart is located (the center of our being). The solar plexus chakra or Manipura chakra lies at the abdomen, while the sacral chakra or Svadhisthana chakra comes below the abdomen. Finally, the Muladhara chakra, popularly called the root chakra, is at the base of our body in the meditating position. Kundalini yoga, also known as Laya yoga, channelizes our energy and is governed by Shaktism and Tantra. It involves activating or balancing the energy points (chakras) through meditation, pranayama, asanas, bandhas, mudras, kriyas and mantras. This “yoga of awareness,” as the practitioners popularly suggest, propagates our spiritual and creative potential. It is aimed to help human beings lead a virtuous life – by binding themselves with high values, speaking the truth, being compassionate and mindful of others’ needs, and possessing the ability to heal others. According to the teachings of Hinduism and Buddhism, these energy points play a key role in our well-being. However, some chakras may not be inactive or open while the others are extremely active. Keeping these chakras balanced is essential for being at peace with ourselves and the external world. If you are wondering how you can open these chakras, you have come to the right place for advice. In this article, we take you through the best ways to balance these energy points through Kundalini yoga. Let us get started!
How To Open Chakras
Here is all you need to know about the awareness and opening of the seven chakras:
Sahasrara Or Crown Chakra
Sanskrit: Sahasrara Location: Top Of The Head Scent: Jasmine Mantra: Silence After Om Color: Violet, White Element: Cosmic Energy Yoga Pose: The Lotus Pose Or The Corpse Pose Stands For: Detachment Of Ego, Enlightenment This chakra is responsible for the spirituality of our beings. It ensures that we become one with the universe and also increases our wisdom. Opening up this chakra ensures that you become open and aware of not just yourself, but also the world around you and your connection with it. You will notice all your prejudices melting away. But if this chakra is not active enough, you will not be open to spirituality, and you will find yourself having rigid thoughts. If the crown chakra is more active than usual, you will tend to be extremely spiritual, so much that you will forget your basic bodily needs like shelter, food, and water. You will tend to over analyze things.
How To Balance Or Awaken The Crown Chakra
Caution
This meditation must be done only after the root chakra is not only open but also strong. Therefore, you must deal with this chakra last. You need to have a strong foundation to awaken this chakra, which is made possible only by the opening of the root chakra.
Keeping The Crown Chakra Balanced Through The Corpse Pose Or Savasana
This asana, if it helps to balance out the crown chakra, can help you detach from your ego and lift your mood. The crown chakra helps you connect with the spiritual and also with all things beautiful. This chakra helps you understand yourself, and teaches you to accept the fact that you are a spiritual being that is only having a human experience. When you do the Savasana to channelize the energy in the crown chakra, it helps you attain a sense of spiritual attachment.
How To Do The Savasana
Precautions & Contraindications
This asana is absolutely safe and can be practiced by anyone and everyone. Unless your doctor has advised you not to lie on your back, you can practice this asana. If you are pregnant, it might be a good idea to rest your head and chest on a bolster for comfort.
Ajna Or Third Eye Chakra
Sanskrit: Ajna Location: Between Your Eyebrows Scent: Vanilla Mantra: Om Color: Indigo Element: Light Yoga Pose: The Easy Pose Stands For: Intuition, Decision Making, Where The Mind And Body Converge This chakra determines insight, and when it is open, you will not only have an amazing intuition, a sixth sense of sorts, but you will also tend to dream a lot. But if this chakra is not active enough, you will look up to other people to make decisions for you. You will be confused, and will entirely rely on beliefs, which can be misleading. If the third eye chakra is overactive, you will live in an imaginative world, and in extreme cases, you could daydream or even have hallucinationsi False perceptions of things or occasions involving your senses—sight, hearing, smell, touch, and taste. .
How To Balance Or Awaken The Third Eye Chakra
Keeping The Ajna Chakra Balanced Through The Easy Pose Or Sukhasana
This asana opens up your mind to new learnings when you practice it to balance out your Ajna chakra. It helps you strengthen your intuition and believe in your instincts. This chakra governs the functioning of the rest of the chakras. Hence, it is extremely essential to balance it out.
How To Do The Sukhasana
Precautions And Contraindications
This asana is completely safe to practice unless you have had a recent or chronic hip or knee injury. In such cases, it is best to consult your doctor or your certified yoga teacher.
Visuddhi Or Throat Chakra
Sanskrit: Visuddhi Location: Throat Or Base Of Neck Scent: Lavender Mantra: Ham Color: Blue Element: Ether Yoga Pose: The Shoulder Stand Or The Bridge Pose Stands For: Self Expression This chakra deals with communication and self-expression. An open throat chakra helps you express yourself with ease. Your creative side will emerge and become a means of self-expression. If this chakra is not active, you will be shy, and you will speak less. If you find yourself lying too much, it could be an indicator of this chakra being blocked altogether. An overly active throat chakra will make you talk too much and listen less, which could turn off a whole lot of people.
How To Balance Or Awaken The Throat Chakra
Keeping The Throat Chakra Balanced Through The Supported Shoulderstand Or Salamba Sarvangasana
This asana will help you find your voice and help you express your views better if you practice it to balance out the throat chakra. You will become more outspoken.
How To Do The Sarvangasana
Precautions And Contraindications
Anahata Or Heart Chakra
Sanskrit: Anahata Location: Center Of The Chest Scent: Eucalyptus Mantra: Yam Color: Green Element: Air Yoga Pose: The Camel Pose Stands For: Love, Empathy This chakra brings about feelings of love, care, and endearment. When this chakra opens up, you will be warm, friendly, and compassionate, with a whole lot of amicable relationships in your kitty. If this chakra isn’t active enough, you will tend to be close, unfriendly, and cold. An overactive heart chakra could lead you to suffocate people with your love so much so that you tend to seem selfish.
How To Balance Or Awaken The Heart Chakra
Keeping The Heart Chakra Balanced Through The Camel Pose Or Ustrasana
This asana works wonders in making you loving, empathetic, and more joyful when you practice it to balance out your heart chakra. It will awaken the power of unconditional love, and make you more prone to accept and forgive.
How To Do The Ustrasana
Precautions And Contraindications
It is best to practice this asana under the supervision of a yoga instructor. If you have a back or neck injury, or if you are suffering from either low or high blood pressure, it is best you avoid this asana.
Manipura Chakra Or Solar Plexus
Sanskrit: Manipura Location: In Between The Solar Plexus And Base Of The Sternum Scent: Lemon Mantra: Ram Color: Yellow Element: Fire Yoga Pose: The Boat Pose Stands For: Power, Purpose, Self-Esteem This chakra is one of the most important chakras as it deals with confidence, especially when you are among other people. An open solar plexus gives you a feeling of dignity and a sense of control over things. However, if this chakra is not as active as it should be, you will tend to be indecisive and passive. An overactive solar plexus will make you aggressive and overbearing.
How To Balance Or Awaken The Solar Plexus
Keeping The Manipura Chakra Balanced Through The Navasana Or Boat Pose
When you practice this asana to balance out the Manipura chakra, it will effectively foster a personal change or enhance the power of self. You will get a great confidence boost and have an increased self-esteem.
How To Do The Navasana
Precautions And Contraindications
Svadhisthana Or Sacral Chakra
Sanskrit: Svadhisthana Location: Lower Abdomen Scent: Tangerinei A specific variety of citrus tree, comparable to oranges, whose fruit also goes by the same name. Mantra: Vam Color: Orange Element: Water Yoga Pose: The Goddess Pose Stands For: Emotional Stability, Flexibility, Creativity This chakra governs the sexual needs of the body. An open sacral chakra leads to freedom and smooth flow of sexual energy, without you being over-emotional about it. You will be comfortable to get into a relationship, and will be not open about it but also passionate while you are in it. An open Svadhisthana chakra will ensure you have no sexual dysfunctions. However, if this chakra is underactive, you tend to lose interest and are devoid of emotions. If your chakra is overactive, you will be emotional and sensitive all the time. You may also have a constant need for sexual activity.
How To Balance Or Awaken The Sacral Chakra
Keeping The Sacral Chakra Balanced Through The Goddess Pose Or Deviasana
Practicing this asana will generate not only creativity but also emotional stability. Since this chakra governs the sexual energies in the body, this asana also plays a part in enhancing fertility as it balances out the chakra.
How To Do The Deviasana
Precautions And Contraindications
It is best to avoid this asana if you recently had an injury in your back, shoulders, legs, or hips. Be mindful of how much your body can push at all times. It is best to consult your doctor if you have medical concerns, and only then practice yoga.
Muladhara Or Root Chakra
Sanskrit: Muladhara Location: Base Of The Spine Scent: Vetiver Mantra: Lam Color: Red Element: Earth Yoga Pose: The Tree Pose Stands For: Being Secure And Grounded, Prosperous This chakra is all about being aware of your physical self and being comfortable in your skin so that you can go out and face the world, no matter the situation. An open root chakra will leave you feeling secure, sensible, and stable. You will learn to trust people, but not without reason. You will live in the present and stay connected to your physical being. An underactive root chakra will make you nervous and fearful, while an overactive root chakra will make you materialistic and greedy and unwilling to change.
How To Balance Or Awaken The Root Chakra
To balance the root chakra, you need to become aware of your body. Any physical activity, be it yoga, exercise, or even cleaning the house, will familiarize you with your body, and therefore, will strengthen the chakra. You can also ground yourself and meditate to be more aware of your body.
Keeping The Root Chakra Balanced Through The Tree Pose Or Vriksasana
This asana helps you feel secure, stable, and more alert. This chakra influences the ties with your family and your survival instincts. It also governs the sense of belonging and how guarded you are. Some of the earliest memories you create are stored in this chakra, and these memories also include whether the basic needs are met or not.
How To Do The Vrikshasana
Precautions And Contraindications
While practicing this asana, you must ensure that the sole of the lifted foot is placed preferably above or, in some cases, below the standing knee, but never beside it. Placing the foot beside the knee puts pressure on the knee as it does not flex parallel to the frontal plane. Those who suffer from high blood pressure should not raise their arms above the head for a long period of time. They can be held at the chest in the ‘anjali’ mudra. It is best that you avoid practicing this pose if you suffer from insomnia or a migrainei A throbbing headache that comes and goes, usually on one side of the head, and is frequently accompanied by nausea and blurred vision. . Yoga plays a crucial role in opening and balancing your chakras. Practicing the asanas in a proper sequence and balancing these energy wheels may benefit your mental and physical health in multiple ways. Keep reading to learn more.
Chakra Meditation Benefits
Helps align and balance the seven chakras, ensuring harmonious energy flow throughout the body. May promote emotional stability by clearing blockages in specific chakras. Supports physical healing by enhancing the body’s natural ability to recover and rejuvenate. Enhances mental clarity, focus, and concentration, aiding in better decision-making. Helps reduce stress and anxiety, calms the mind, and promotes relaxation. May help enhance your thought process, sense of empathy and understanding, fostering healthy relationships with oneself and others. May boost the immune system, leading to improved overall health and vitality. May help heighten your intuition and inner wisdom, guiding personal growth and self-discovery.
Steve B Howard, a novelist, atheist, and blogger, tried Kundalini Yoga and shared his experience. He writes, “I had the usual kriyas (involuntary body movements) and blissful sensations, but after the meditation, my eyesight became extremely sharp and clear. I felt like I had a new set of eyes. My eyesight has always been good, so it was strange for me to suddenly have this weird supervision (i).” What is your strongest chakra? Try the tips mentioned above in the article and enjoy the various benefits of Chakra opening. Anahata chakra is considered the strongest chakra. It is the fourth chakra located at the center of the chest. What is my weakest chakra? The first and the root chakras are believed to be the weakest chakras. However, your other chakras may also be imbalanced and get weaker. Are there any risks or potential negative effects of awakening the chakras, and how can one avoid or mitigate these risks? Kundalini yoga is an emotional and spiritual awakening. It lowers your body’s natural defenses and leaves it open for external spiritual attack. Some of its potential negative effects include deepening psychological conflict, overwhelming mood changes, increased sensitivity to others’ moods, confusion, fear of death, and identity crisis. What are some common misconceptions or myths about chakra awakening? Chakra awakening is not a physical force but a concentrated energy of awareness and attention. Chakras are not real places in the body but represent the cosmic nature of the elements in the atmosphere within one’s own deep awareness. How can crystals and gemstones be used to support chakra awakening? Crystals and gemstones possess healing properties and spiritual energies that connect us in a unique way with each chakra. What are some recommended stones for each energy center? Crown chakra: amethyst, quartz, and topaz; third-eye chakra: azurite, lapis lazuli, and tanzanite; throat chakra: aquamarine, amazonite, and blue calcite; heart chakra: rose quartz, jade, and malachite; solar plexus chakra: amber, yellow jasper, and gold tiger’s eye; sacral chakra: copper, topaz, and fluorite, and root chakra: red jasper, black obsidian, and hematite. Learn how to experience a deep sense of relaxation and balance with chakra awakening through this video. Unlock your full potential with the ancient Solfeggio scale and binaural beats. Feel the energy flow through your body!
