Muladhara translated from Sanskrit into English is root. You will find the energy of this chakra dominated in the coccyx, base of spine, feet, and legs. When one is meditating on this chakra, one should think of the color red and vibrational sound of LAM and all the elements encompassing the qualities of Earth. The issues that can arise have to do with survival, fear, stability, and self-sufficiency. When one is balanced in this chakra, they will be loyal, patient, determined, tolerant, steadfast, dependable, and secure. The earth provides our souls with an abundance of nourishment and protection; feel the vibration of the earth below and know that she is protecting you and keeping you safe. When possible walk barefoot on the earth (grass, dirt, sand, etc.), it is the best way to start grounding yourself and balancing this chakra. Don’t forget to send your gratitude to the Earth below for providing us with this abundance and protection. When one is excessive in this chakra, they can become fearful (especially for their safety and security), hoard, dogmatic, inflexible, and/or stubborn. When one is deficient in this chakra, they can experience homelessness, anorexia, restlessness, accident-prone, and/or lack discipline.
Chakra 2- Swadisthan
Feel the sweetness of life, the second chakra helps you do just that. The issues surrounding this chakra have to do with your sexuality and emotions. The second chakra is located around your sacrum, pelvis, genitals, lower back, and hips. The color of this chakra is orange, with the vibrational tone of VAM and the element of water. The demon emotion that takes you out of balance in this chakra is guilt. When one is balanced, one feels graceful, creative, resourceful, sensitive and adaptable. When one has an excess of this chakra they tend to be hysterical, have poor boundaries, have sexual addictions and have obsessive attachments. When one has a deficiency in this chakra, they tend to be emotionally numb, frigid/impotent, have a fear of pleasure, inability to make decisions or stick by them, wishy-washy.
Chakra 3- Manipur
Manipur means power. This chakra is located in the solar plexus, navel, abdomen and digestive system. The emotions involved in the 3rd chakra have to do with your personal power, self-esteem, energy, and will. The color of this energy field is yellow, with the vibrational tone of Ram with the element of fire (agni). The demon emotion of this chakra is shame. When one is balanced in this chakra, they feel vital, enthusiastic, have high self-esteem, feel powerful, awake, passionate with strong leadership skills. When one has an excess of this chakra, they tend to be dominating, blaming, severe, controlling, scattered, constantly active. When one has a deficiency in this chakra, they tend to be weak-willed, low self-esteem, sluggish, passive, easily victimized.
Chakra 4- Anahat
Anahat, meaning not struck, this chakra is located at the heart center, chest, lungs, circulatory systems & arms. Whatever happens in life, your heart should remain un-struck. This is very difficult if one is stuck in lower drives, as everything will emotionally affect this person. No one likes being around that kind of person. We don’t know what the future will hold, but thankfully we always count on love as the only constant we have in our lives, and that’s what gives me a smile in the mornings. The issue this chakra seeks to resolve for us are love and relationship. So I continue to work on this chakra quite frequently in an effort to send love to the Universe, it’s inhabitants, and most importantly my Higher Self. The vibrational tone of this chakra is Yam, color green and element of air. Grief is the demon of this chakra, as one can physically feel the pain in the heart when experiencing grief. When one is balanced in this chakra, they feel devotion, forgiveness, unconditional love, harmony, compassion and selflessness. When one is in excess of this chakra they feel possessive, envious, jealous, greedy, proud, petty and judgmental. When one is deficient in this chakra, they feel shy, lonely, isolated & bitter.
Chakra 5- Visudha
This chakra resides around the throat center, neck, ears and mouth. This chakra deals with communication and truth. The element of this chakra is ether and color of blue with the vibrational tone of Ham. Lies are the demon of this chakra. When one is balanced in this chakra, they are expansive, calm, peaceful, communicative and resonant. When one has an excess of this chakra, they have pent up energy, talk excessively, the inability of listening & overextended in many ways. When one is deficient in this chakra they have a fear of speaking, poor rhythm, restlessness, and boredom. Practice asanas focused on Jalandhara Bandha (chin lock) along with incorporating a Ujjayi Breathe.
Chakra 6- Ajna
The Ajna chakra ( AKA 3r Eye Chakra) surrounds the brow, eyes, & base of the skull. The element of this chakra is super-ether and color of indigo with a vibrational tone of Aum. The demon of this chakra are illusions. When one is balanced in this chakra they exhibit psychic abilities, are imaginative, enlightened, and radiant. When one has an excess of this chakra they have difficulty concentrating, with scattered thoughts, are delusional, have nightmares and headaches. When one is deficient in this chakra they have poor memory, poor vision, and an inability to see patterns. Start meditating during sunrise and sunset outside while chanting Aum (the primordial vibration of the universe). Use an even-counted measured breathing technique during your meditation practice. Start practicing by inhaling for a count of six through the nostrils, holding your breath for six counts, exhale for a count of a six through the nostrils and lastly empty all the air from your lungs and hold the exhale drawing your navel towards your spine for a count of six. Repeat this cycle for about 5-10 mins, gradually increasing your counts when it is safe to do so. This is one of many types of pranayama, which is the regulation of breathing through certain types of techniques and exercises. One can begin to control their mind through the conscious regulation of breathing.
Chakra 7- Sahasrara (thousandfold 1000 petaled lotus)
The 1000 petaled lotus symbolizes the infinite nature of this chakra, connecting us with the Divine, The Infinite, All-Knowing, God, or whatever you may call your Higher Power. This chakra surrounds the top of the head and cerebral cortex. A lot of practices only include the practice of 6 chakras, but I truly believe this is the most important chakra and I am ever so grateful this wisdom was shared with me by my teachers.
During this COVID-19 pandemic, I am hearing wise Yoga teachers say that people are in need of balancing their first chakras, as this is the chakra that deals with survival, stability, and self-sufficiency. Once one is grounded and secure in their first chakra (toilet paper is a temporary fix), the 7th chakra will really help during these unprecedented times, as it is the power of Divine Love that is going to help us heal our Earth and ourselves right now. Clinging onto the only constant we have in our earthly lives, and that is Divine Love.
When one is meditating on this chakra, they should envision the color violet, in complete silence around them, either in meditation or a form of breathing technique (e.g. Nadi Shodnam). The demon of this chakra is attachment. When I was a little girl, I envisioned the way my life would turn out as an adult, planning every single aspect you would expect a little girl to do within her fantasies. As I grew older, I had formed attachments to these expectations that my culture, family and my environment had placed on me and that which were the foundations of my childhood fantasies. The Universe showed me through my experiences that these foundations I had created for myself were taking me further away from my Truth and came to a realization that it’s best to not have a plan in life. I had to let down a lot of people through the non-attachment process, but I could no longer live in the non-truth. I had to escape and re-create my life. I wasn’t looking for material gain through the process, I had detached from most possessions that were not of importance or no longer served me, I was finally starting to feel the happiness that comes from having absolute personal freedom. When one is balanced in this chakra they are free, formless, in samadhi, blissful, wise, conscious & transcendent. Through the years I have attracted more material bindings, but each with a purpose served. Through this current COVID-19 pandemic, it has come to my awareness that I want to practice wanting even fewer material bindings and attract more of what is Real to continue to free me and bring me closer than ever to Love. Love serves the purpose of a Higher good, without it we cannot survive. When one has an excess of this chakra they are overly intellectual, have spiritual addictions, are confused, and/or disassociated from the body. The Masts in India are a prime example of having an excessive 7th chakra, completely dissociated with their bodies and in union with the Divine. When one is deficient in this chakra they have limiting beliefs, materialistic, spiritual skepticism, learning difficulties & apathy.
Besides meditation and breathing exercises to balance this chakra, one can practice Inverted asanas (postures). I evaluate each of my students prior to a private chakra Yoga session, and through the evaluation process, I may recommend that we work on chakras 1, 3, 5 and 7 or any other combination of all 7 magical chakras!
Namaste,
Yogini Marjan