Chakras 101: What Is A Charka And How

Can You Use It? | Urban Monk

Urban Monk Nutrition Team

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Today, the word “chakra” gets thrown around in Western society more frequently
than ever. But many people still don’t understand what a chakra actually is. For
instance, your yoga teacher might tell you that blocked chakras can make you ill, but
what are you supposed to do with that information?

Well, here’s a “Chakras 101” lesson that’ll answer that very question. Let’s break it
down.

What are Chakras?

In traditional Indian religions, chakras are said to be the regions in the body where
energy is stored. “Chakra” comes from the ancient sanskrit word for “wheel” or
“disk.” 1 So, you can think of Chakras as “wheels” of “life energy”, also known as
“prana.” 2

Now, there are seven main chakras, all of which are aligned along your spine, from
the top of your head all the way down to your tailbone. And these energy wheels need
to stay unblocked so they can spin freely and stay in balance with one another. Indians
believe this is a vital part of maintaining optimum health and vitality.3

So Why Are Chakras Important?

Traditionally, chakras were used as a complementary medicine system (much like
acupuncture or osteopathy) to both diagnose and treat illnesses. This idea continues to
be used in the East today and is even gaining popularity in the West.

The seven chakras — ranging in color from red to violet — correspond with the main
nerve centers of the body and major organs in each region. It is said that blocked
energy within the chakras can be caused by illness within these organs, or even that
blocked energy can cause illness in these organs. It’s a two-way street. Likewise,
stress and emotional issues can cause a blockage within a chakra as well. For example,
stifled emotional feelings may create issues around the throat chakra.4

What Are The Different Types of Chakras?

The seven main chakras encompass the entire length of the spine. These can be
broken down into specific regions and colors:5

Physical Chakras

1. Root – Red

The foundation stone of chakras, the root chakra is associated with helping you stay
grounded. It represents security and basic needs, and is responsible for your first three
vertebrae, the bladder, and the colon. A cleared root chakra can help bring upon
feelings of safety and fearlessness.

2. Sacral – Orange

The sacral chakra, covers the area located between your pubic bone and naval. It
represents creativity and sexuality, and enables you to experience pleasure and
abundance.

3. Solar Plexus – Yellow

From the navel up to the breastbone, the solar plexus chakra is seen as a center for
personal power and confidence. A blockage in this chakra can lead to negative
feelings regarding your self-worth and self-esteem.

The Bridge Chakra

4. Heart – Green
As the “bridge,” the heart chakra brings the chakras of your physical body together
with those of your mind and spirit. The heart chakra is deeply linked to love and
connection. Located around the center of the chest, just above your heart, this chakra
represents love, joy, and peace.

Spirit Chakras

5. Throat – Blue

The throat chakra is all about your ability to communicate and, most importantly,
speak your higher truth. It encompasses the neck, thyroid, jaw, mouth, and tongue. A
clear throat chakra can help you openly express your feelings and your truth.

6. Third Eye – Indigo

Your third eye is the invisible, all-knowing “eye” that sits between your eyebrows. It
is your sixth sense, your intuition…That little feeling you get when something isn’t
right. Clearing your third eye chakra may allow you to become more intuitive and
more imaginative, with even more wisdom to make sound decisions.

7. Crown – Violet

The highest chakra, the crown, aligns with your complete sense of deeply connected
spirituality. It’s located on the crown of your head and is known as the “thousand
petal lotus.” This chakra represents enlightenment and spiritual connection to the
divine. A blocked crown chakra can bring up emotional issues related to inner and
outer beauty.
How To Use Chakras
Healing your chakras may be the difference between health and illness – both
physically and mentally.

It’s often easy to know which of your chakras may be out of balance. Perhaps you’ve
been battling a sore throat (your throat chakra), or maybe you’ve been feeling a great
lack of confidence in your life (your solar plexus chakra)?

What you want to aim for is clearing, opening, and balancing these chakras.

To treat your chakras, you can pay a visit to a chakra specialist – an energy healer.
But you can also learn to take care of your chakras on your own.

One way you can do this is through a basic chakra meditation.

Chakra-Cleansing Meditation
1. Sit in a comfortable position. Breathe deeply. Focus on the breath without forcing it.
If your mind wanders, simply bring it back to your breath.

2. Visualize your breath nourishing your body as you breathe in, and removing toxins
as you breathe out. Be aware that this breath is your life force, infusing you with
energy.

3. Focus your attention on each chakra for at least one minute. Visualize a wheel of
light spinning in a clockwise direction. See the bright, vibrant color of that particular
chakra – i.e. red for the root chakra. Breathe in the red light, and breathe out the red
light.

4. Continue step 3 for each chakra and its own unique color.

5. Finally, visualize all of the chakras working together in harmony, creating one
bright, strong light around you.

6. Open your eyes and relax for a short while afterward. If you can, incorporate this
practice into your schedule – even just 15 minutes a day can be super beneficial.
Does It Work?
For some people, the use of chakras may sound a bit strange. But remember,
chakra-cleansing is steeped in thousands of years of ancient tradition — both spiritual
and medicinal.

If you’re familiar with the idea of feng shui, you can easily think of chakra work as
feng shui for your body and mind. Cleansing your chakras can help free up mental
clutter and energy blocks, encouraging good energy — and good things — to flow
into your life.

Chakras offer one of the best (and most specific) ways for you to get in touch with
your body and mind. Many of us speed through life never paying attention to our
bodies, let alone our organs or emotional systems.
Both meditation and chakra work are considered to be a part of integrative medicine –
which aims to heal by embracing all facets of the body-mind connection — including
the intuitive and spiritual.6

Scientists already agree that meditation offers many health benefits such as lowering
cortisol levels, helping you sleep, lowering blood pressure, and even keeping your
brain younger.7-10 Chakra work is undoubtedly not far behind in scientific research.
After all, as science has proven– everything is made up of energy.

For more health wisdom from Eastern philosophies and the Urban Monk, keep
reading here:

5 Ways Meditation Can Make You Happier (and improve your health!)
Here’s Why You Should Try Tai Chi (benefits)