The word “chakra” is taken from a Sanskrit word meaning “wheel” but a better translation would be a “spinning wheel”. If you are able to see chakras, you would see them as a spinning wheel of energy – spinning inward from the front of the body towards the centre point of the chakra and then spinning outward from the same point from your back.
Where are the Chakras Located?
The chakras start at the base of the spine and go up through the head on the kunilini which is located almost directly on the spinal column. The kunilini is shaped like a staff. There are seven major chakras and approximately a hundred smaller chakras, with the smaller chakras often used during acupuncture to attune the flow of Chi. The smaller chakras are influenced by action and physicality while the major chakras deal with emotions and spirituality. The major chakras are very influential to your health, as an unbalance in the chakra itself which is emotionally or spiritually caused can manifest into a physical condition.
Chakra Vibrations
Each chakra has its own frequency of vibration, symbol, colour and sound that it is attuned to. Many things can affect the vibration of the chakra including voices, drums, music, chants, mantras, the energy from colours, and gemstones. All colours and sounds are actually vibrations, and using the colours and sound of the chakras helps them to become properly aligned and balanced. Each chakra needs to be able to independently function at the correct frequency, and each needs to be balanced, clear, energised, and properly spinning.
The Seven Chakras
The seven major chakras in the body are:
- Root – this chakra is located at the base of the spine or between the legs and it is the chakra used to ground ourselves. It relates to our sense of body, the lower digestive organs, and some of the sexual organs. Emotionally, this chakra relates to how we connect with the values of the family.
- Sacral – this chakra lies just above the root chakra and it is the centre for all things sexual and creative. It corresponds to the womb and the aspect of the spirit that is drawn to creating things, whatever things they may be. This chakra is thought to have an orange colour and it is where we connect to friendships and significant others.
- Solar Plexus – this is the chakra of the stomach, pancreas, liver, and the upper portion of the small intestine and other digestive organs. It is where we digest and break down life experiences. This chakra is often a yellow colour and it is where we hold and process our relationship with ourselves and it is where we make our inner decisions about life. It is also related to the immune system.
- Heart – this chakra is located in the centre of the body, to the right of the physical heart. It is often coloured rose or a vibrant green. This chakra holds all of our emotions, especially the powerful ones such as the things we love and hate. The heart chakra is open or constricted depending on a person’s approach to life and to what loves and losses they have experienced. The heart chakra is where the physical and spiritual bodies are integrated.
- Throat – this chakra is intimately connected with the thyroid gland and it is emotionally and energetically tied with the voice, communication, and the spoken and written word. The throat is where the body and the head meet, and the throat chakra is an important and unpredictable energy centre. This chakra is often coloured blue.
- Third eye – this chakra is located on the forehead, directly over the pineal gland. It relates to vision and other forms of insight such as spiritual intuition and power. It is often indigo coloured.
- Crown – the crown chakra is located on the top of the head and it is the energy centre that links a person with the higher power, divinity, and the universe. When meditating or receiving vibrational healing, this chakra may be opened. The colour of this chakra is usually violet or seen as a pure white light.
