As we have mentioned before, we are big believers in listening to your body and using what it tells you to help guide your personal wellness journey.

While listening to your body is a skill that can be developed, so is knowing what to do to take care of what it tells you needs repairing. That is where I personally have found significant space in my personal wellness journey.  And what has helped me out quite a bit in this piece of the journey has been honoring my (what are known as) “chakras”.  

What are chakras?

I conceptualize the seven main chakras as the connection between the mind, the body and the spirit.

From my understanding, each of the areas on and within the body holds a special, significant energy for a person that influences their being in the world. Each chakra has a frequency, color association, affirmation or mantra, and a specific location in the physical body. Every chakra also has an association or concern regarding certain aspects of human life – including experiences and developments on the journey of self-transcendence.

Why are chakras important?

The health of each of the chakras can influence the way the individual’s body, mind, and spirit feel. They influence the way the person may choose to interact with world and may also play a role in the individual’s physical, psychological or spiritual abilities.

I believe understanding the chakras can be a useful way of conceptualizing your body as the whole system it is – mind, body, and soul. In understanding the whole system, you may have a better understanding of what is going on and what you need to heal and thrive.

There are many ways to connect to each of the seven chakras. Below is a simple outline of the ways I’ve found each chakra to be the most accessible and useful.

• Location: This is where that energy is primarily in the physical body.
• Color: I frequently use color in my meditative practices.  If I start to notice a specific color color to me, I then try to tap into this chakra more throughout the day.
• Concerns and Associations: If you are struggling with these areas of your life, you might consider tapping into this chakra.
• Body Connections: The areas of the physical body that are further associated to the chakra’s well being.
• How to Connect to it:
  • Yoga Pose: Specific yoga poses do wonders in harboring energy in particular areas of your body. 
  • Foods: Consider your use of these foods.  Are you using too much or too little of something that your body needs? Are you eating foods that love your body back? If you have a craving, this could be a chakra calling out! 
  • Additional Connections: Other various ways to connect to and honor the specific chakra.

The Seven Chakras

(starting from the bottom of the body and working upwards)

Root

Location: Base of the Spine

Color: Red

Concerns & Associations:

• Needs for basic survival
• Sense of security and safety
• Physical needs
• Connection to our “roots”, or the “tribe”

Body Connections:

• Skeletal system
• Legs
• Rectum

How to Connect to it:

• Yoga Pose: Bridge Pose and Mountain Pose
• Foods: Proteins and Meats
• Connection to the Physical Earth: Potting or planting, walking around in the grass barefoot

Sacral

Location: Lower Abdomen (below the navel)

Color: Orange

Concerns & Associations:

• Creativity
• Sexuality
• Intimate relationships
• Relationships with finances
• Ability to feel through the senses (such as pleasure)

Body Connections:

• Sexual organs
• Bladder
• Large intestine
• Lower back
• Pelvis and hip area

How to Connect to it:

• Yoga Pose: Pelvic Rock Exercise or Reclined Butterfly Pose
• Food: Liquids
• Connection to the Body: Tune into yourself to notice what your senses say, what do you smell? Hear? Do you have any tastes that stand out in your mouth?

Solar (Plexus)

Location: Above the Navel

Color: Yellow

Concerns & Associations:

• Personal power
• Self will and manifestation
• Transformation for the Self
• Self confidence and Self esteem

Body Connections:

• Stomach
• Pancreas
• Adrenals
• Upper intestines
• Liver
• Gallbladder
• Center of the spine

How to Connect to it:

• Yoga Pose: Child’s Pose and Corpse Pose
• Food: Carbohydrates
• Connect to Your Personal Power: Write or say items about yourself that make you feel wonderful about who you are in the world. Celebrate them, feel them, integrate them, become them.

Heart

Location: Center of the chest

Color: Green

Concerns & Associations:

• Compassion toward self and others
• Forgiveness for self and others
• Acceptance for the self and others
• Unconditional love for the self and others

Body Connections:

• Heart
• Circulatory system
• Glands
• Lungs
• Diaphragm
• Shoulders
• Arms
• Hands

How to Connect to it:

• Yoga Pose: Locust Pose
• Food: Vegetables
• Connect Through the Power of Love: Activate this chakra by engaging in an act of love.  Watch a movie or show that has a powerful message of love to you, play with your animals, send your mom a sweet text. Connect to the power of love in any way that you can and in whatever way feels right to you.

Throat

Location: Center of the throat

Color: Blue

Concerns & Associations:

• Will power
• Creative & artistic expression
• Communication
• Ability to listen to the self and others
• Expression of self
• Connection to one’s inner voice

Body Connections:

• Throat
• Thyroid
• Esophagus
• Rachea
• Mouth
• Jaw
• Teeth
• Neck
• Vertebrate

How to Connect to it:

• Yoga Pose: Legs-Up-the-Wall Pose
• Foods: Fruits
• Connect Through Creative Expression: Consider adopting the creative use of speech, writing, or art.  Write in a journal, use your voice to speak freely about something that is of importance to you, or partake in an artistic venture.

3rd Eye

Location: Above and Between the Brows in the Center of the Forehead

Color: Indigo

Concerns & Associations:

• Connection to the higher Self
• One’s intuition
• Power of mind
• Seeing beyond “what the eyes see”

Body Connections:

• Brain
• Neurological system
• Eyes
• Ears
• Nose

How to Connect to it:

• Yoga Pose: Seated Meditation. This is the primary way to focus on and connect to a higher power of Self.

Crown

Location: Top of the Head

Color: Violet, Gold and White

Concerns & Associations:

• Enlightenment
• Achievement
• Connection to that which is greater than our Self
• Self realization, actualization, fulfillment

Body Connections:

• Nervous system
• Muscular system
• Skin

How to Connect to it:  

• Yoga pose: Alternate Nostril Breathing to allow your mind to clear of any thoughts cluttering your way to enlightenment.

Time to Dive In

Where is your body or mind telling you to focus your attention or energy?  Use this as a resource to tap into your chakras and becoming even more connected in mind, body, and spirit.

Stay up to date on our journey throughout the year over on Instagram!