Chakra Basics

What is “Chakra” ?

The short answer is they are energy centers. Here is Wikipedia’s definition:  A chakra is an energy center in the human body as taught in Indian yoga and some related cultures. Chakras are also believed in by some New Age adherents. Chakra means ‘wheel’ in Sanskrit.

Since a chakra is a part of the body connected with a life energy you want to keep them unblocked or clogged. There are seven major chakras in the body and each one has associated colors, functions and locations in the body. Current science does not recognize, detect or measure chakras.
What happens when our Chakras are blocked or not “spinning” as they should be?

This is not considered to be a good thing. It is believed that if your Chakras are clogged, depending on which Chakra is affected, your health, well-being, ability to attract good into your life and emotional states can be affected negatively. Overall, it is desirable to have clear chakras that are able to spin energetically.
How do we clear blocked Chakras?

First, you need to know where they are, and what they affect so there is a chart below. Meditation, focused intent, and working with crystals are effective ways to clear your Chakras. Each chakra has a color associated with it. There are crystals that are typically associated with certain Chakras by virtue of their natural color and / or metaphysical properties. If you think of Chakras as a battery that can be recharged, or a wheel that can be blocked from spinning freely, then I think it is easier to visualize that you can recharge and free those energies. The mind is a powerful thing!
One method for clearing your Chakras is meditation / relaxation:

• Learn the locations of the 7 Major chakras.
• Find a quiet place to relax.
  Picture that you are looking down at yourself and can see the 7 areas where the Chakras are located.
• Starting at the Crown, picture each Chakra, one at a time, spinning clockwise. I will picture them moving slowly at first, and as the blockage is released, they move faster until they are spinning nicely. My goal is to see them spin freely, with a cleansing white light, and to “see” the blockages moving away, out of the Chakra so it is left clear.
• I like rituals. Setting up a routine, meaning a certain space, or time, or visual or other sensory cues helps me to achieve things. I have a sacred space, and I like the scent of candles, candlelight and my crystals around me. These sensory cues make it easier for me to reach a state of mind where I can calm my mind and focus on my intention. For Chakra clearing, low lights, a quiet house when no one needs me, the scents I associate with relaxation all create an environment that helps to more quickly and easily reach a state of mind where I can focus on the intention at hand.

The Seven Major Chakras