Everything on this earth is made up of energy, and the human body is no exception, which is why energy healing is gaining in popularity as a means of improving overall health. A buzz word you’ve probably heard a time or two is “chakras.”

What Are Chakras?

Chakras refer to the 7 main energy centers in the physical body, which begin at the crown of the head and run down the length of the spine. The term chakras is actually an ancient Sanskrit word that means “wheels or disks.”

The idea is that chakra energy flows and moves through the body like a wheel, and in order for us to maintain optimal health, that energy needs to remain open and fluid.

When one of our chakras become blocked, however, the energy flow is disrupted, which leads to imbalance in the body. Physical and emotional symptoms can manifest based on which chakra is disrupted.

If you’ve felt a little off lately and your gut is telling you that’s something’s not right, you just might have a blocked chakra!

Here’s everything you need to know about each of the 7 chakras, how to tell if they are blocked, and how to unblock them.

What Are the 7 Chakras?

1. Root Chakra – Located at the base of the spine, the root chakra is part of our foundation and is centered around our need to feel grounded and safe.

2. Sacral Chakra – The sacral chakra is located about 2 inches below the belly button. It relates to our creativity, well-being, and sexuality.

3. Solar Plexus Chakra – Located in the upper part of the abdomen, the solar plexus chakra relates to our ability to have control and to feel confident.

4. Heart Chakra – The heart chakra is located exactly where you’d expect, just above the heart. It’s related directly to our ability to love.

5. Throat Chakra – Located in the throat, the throat chakra is related to our ability to communicate and express ourselves.

6. Third Eye Chakra – If you’ve ever taken a yoga class, you’ve heard the expression, “thumb to third eye.” The third eye chakra is located on the forehead, right between the eyes. It represents our ability to focus and make decisions.

7. Crown Chakra – The crown chakra is located at the very top of the head, and it represents our ability to experience spiritual connection.

How to Tell if Your Chakras Are Blocked

If you’re feeling, anxious, sluggish, stressed, emotional, stuck, have difficulty focusing or concentrating, or have trouble sleeping at night, a blocked chakra could be the culprit.

Here’s a quick guide to help you identify symptoms of each of the 7 blocked chakras.

Root Chakra:

You may feel stressed, sluggish, feel as though you are not good enough, feel negative about your body, or have financial problems if you have a blocked root chakra.

Sacral Chakra:

A blocked sacral chakra may be marked by a pattern of having toxic relationships, difficulty with sexual intimacy, feelings of hurt, and a poor self-image.

Solar Plexus Chakra:

With a blocked social plexus chakra, you may feel like you have no personal power, struggle with anxiety, or have low self-esteem.

Heart Chakra:

Trouble giving or receiving love, a fear of commitment, heart disease, asthma, and allergies can indicate a blocked heart chakra.

Throat Chakra:

You may feel uncomfortable speaking up or telling people how you feel, or you may have a sore throat with a blocked throat chakra.

Third Eye Chakra:

If you feel lost, disconnected, or have trouble making decisions, a blocked third eye chakra may be the problem.

Crown Chakra:

A blocked crown chakra is marked by loneliness, feelings of unworthiness, a sense of disconnect, or headaches.

How to Unblock Your Chakras

Once you figure out which of your 7 chakras is affected, here are some steps that you can take to clear your blocked chakras and get your energy flowing again.

Yoga Poses:

You can do yoga poses to unblock your chakras, and they can be performed individually, or even in a flow to reap the benefits of each pose. Yogarsutra recommends 7 specific yoga poses to align with each of the 7 chakras:

• Warrior Pose
• Goddess Pose
• Bridge Pose
• Fish Pose
• Camel Pose
• Tree Pose
• Meditation

Chakra Meditation:

With chakra meditation, you focus on the energy flowing throughout your body. You begin by paying attention to your breath, then you take note of where you are holding tension in your body and release it.

You then bring attention back to your breath and visualize the air flowing through your lungs. The next step is visualizing your heartbeat and energy flow and how they flow through the body together.

Chakra meditation ends by focusing on each individual chakra and visualizing energy flowing directly to it.

Tapping:

Tapping is another technique that you can use to unblock your chakras. It’s exactly what it sounds like – tapping on certain parts of the body to release energy.

For each chakra, you simply tap lightly with your fingers at the location of the chakra you’re targeting.

Diet:

To balance your chakras with food, you’ll want to follow the Aryuvedic diet practice of eating all of the colors of the rainbow.

• Red foods for energy – tomatoes, strawberries, raspberries, beets
• Orange foods for confidence – mangoes, carrots, pumpkins, yams
• Yellow foods for joy – bananas, corn on the cob, pineapple
• Green foods for rejuvenation – leafy greens, spinach, kale, broccoli
• Blue foods for calming – blueberries and blackberries
• Purple foods for peace – purple carrots, eggplant, grapes
• White foods for strength – garlic, mushrooms, ginger, coconut, onion

Energy Healing:

If you don’t want to try and unblock your chakras yourself, you can always book an appointment with an energy healer. Practices like Reiki and acupuncture can help with restoring energy flow and balance in the body. Essential oils may also be used as a tool to unblock chakras.

In Conclusion:

You know your body better than anyone, and sometimes there’s more going on beneath the surface than meets the eye. Being aware of your chakras and knowing how to unblock them is a great way to tune into your spiritual self and recognize when a shift needs to be made. When your energy is open and flowing freely, you’ll feel more calm, centered, balanced, and ready to face whatever challenges life throws at you.

Do you think you have a blocked chakra? Leave us a comment and let us know!