CHAKRA RECOGNITION
22 Apr 2021 HYN Himalayan Yoga Academy
CHAKRA RECOGNITION
In Sanskrit, the word “chakra” means “disk” or “wheel” or spiral and refers to the energy centers in our body. These wheels or disks of spinning energy each correspond to certain nerve bundles, major organs and glands. To function at their best and the regulation of energy in the body our chakras need to stay open, or balanced. If they get blocked, we may experience physical or emotional symptoms related to a particular chakra.
There are 114 different chakras in the body and 112 chakras are physical. There are 7 main chakras that run along our spine. They start at the root, or base, of our spine and extend to the crown of your head. The chakras most often referred to are the seven main ones that we’ll explore in more detail below.
Major seven chakras
The energy center system refers to the energy centers we have in our bodies. There are seven major chakras, each in a specific location along your spine. Locating and analyzing the chakras can help in healing old emotional and physical wounds. Here is a look at the location of the 7 energy center in our body and their functions:
1. Mooladhaara (Root) chakra
The root center, or Mooladhaara, is located at the base of your spine, exactly in perineum junction. It provides us with a base or foundation for life and it helps you feel grounded and able to withstand challenges. It gives the sense of “I am”. Your root chakra is responsible for your sense of security and stability.
Its beej mantra is ‘Lam”. Colour of the chakra: Red.
Element: Earth
Body functions: Legs, feet, bones, large intestine and adrenal glands
Represents: Stability, grounding, foundation, family, your connection to the earth, survival, financial and physical security
Excessive: Heavy, sluggish, stagnant
Deficient: Ungrounded, ‘head in the clouds’, fearful, anxious
2. Swadhisthana (Sacral) chakra
The sacral center, or Swadhisthana, is located just below our belly button, exactly in the root of genitals. This chakra is responsible for our sexual and creative energy. It’s also linked to how you relate to your emotions as well as the emotions of others. It gives the sense of “I feel”. This chakra is associated with the lymphatic system and is responsible for expressing emotions. It also helps us to get in touch with your sexual desires.
The beej mantra is ‘Vam’. Colour of the chakra: Orange
Element: Water
Body functions: Kidneys, bladder, circulatory system, reproductive organs and glands
Represents: Emotions, desire, pleasure, sexuality, procreation and creativity
Excessive: Addicted to pleasure, restless, indulgent, overly emotional
Deficient: Depressed, impotent, joyless, rigid, numb
3. Manipura (Solar plexus) Chakra
The solar plexus center, or Manipura, is located in your stomach area. It’s responsible for confidence and self-esteem, as well as helping you feel in control of your life. It gives the sense of “I can do”. This chakra is also responsible for the ‘gut feeling’. For the uninitiated, gut feeling is getting a cue about something which isn’t right for us.
The beej mantra is “Ram’. Colour of the chakra: Yellow
Element: Fire
Body functions: Digestive system, muscles, pancreas and adrenals
Represents: Power, transformation, self-will
Excessive: Quick to anger, aggressive, dominating, controlling, lack of compassion
Deficient: Indecisive, insecure, timid, needy, passive, poor self-esteem
4. Anaahata (Heart) Chakra
The heart center, or Anahata, is located near our heart, in the center of your chest. It comes as no surprise that the heart chakra is all about our ability to love and show compassion. It gives the sense of “I love). This energy center is responsible for emotional healing and sound mental health.
The beej mantra is ‘Yam’. Colour : Green,
Element: Air
Body functions: Lungs, heart, arms, hands, and thymus gland
Represents: Love, relationships, joy, peace, forgiveness, trust
Excessive: Loss of personal boundaries, needy, co-dependent, narcissistic
Deficient: Closed, shy, lonely, isolated
5. Vishuddhi (Throat) Chakra
The throat center, or Vishuddhi, is located in our throat. This chakra has to do with our ability to communicate verbally. It is symbolically relates the knowledge. It gives the sense of ‘I express”. This chakra is associated with voicing your expressions and being creative. The throat chakra is located right above the heart and is responsible for expressing the truth and sharing your opinion with others.
The beej mantra is ‘Ham’. Colour of the chakra: Blue
Element: Ether
Body functions: Neck, shoulders, arms, hands, thyroid and parathyroid glands
Represents: Communication, voice, self-expression, judgement
Excessive: Overuse of voice, loud, inability to listen
Deficient: Shy, quiet, scared to speak up, unable to express emotions
6. Ajna (Third eye) Chakra
The third eye , or Ajna, is located between our eyes. We can thank this chakra for a strong gut instinct. That’s because the third eye is responsible for intuition. It’s also linked to imagination and intuition. It gives the sense of ‘I see’. The sixth chakra is the third eye energy center, which loosely translates to “beyond wisdom”. This center is responsible for garnering information about ourself and beyond the materialistic world. It is located in between eyebrows–the third eye.
The beej mantra is OM. Colour : Indigo
Element: Light
Body functions: Visual perception, pituitary gland, neurological function
Represents: Intuitive wisdom, discriminating, decision-making
Excessive: Delusional, paranoid, difficulty concentrating
Deficient: Poor memory, denial
7. Sahasrara (Crown) Chakra
The crown , or Sahasrara, is located at the top of our head. Your Sahasrara represents our spiritual connection to ourself, others, and the universe. It also plays a role in our life’s purpose. It gives the sense of ‘I realize’. The seventh center is known to be responsible for the direct connection with the almighty and the conscious energy. This center is located on the top of your head and is associated with the Buddhist concept of achieving nirvana–which is simply not possible for humans. Trying to balance this chakra will help you gain insight into ourself and balance your other chakras.
It is not possible to completely balance this chakra for a human.
The beej mantra is ‘AUM’.
Colour : Violet
Element: Consciousness
Body functions: Cerebral cortex, central nervous system and primarily the pineal and pituitary gland
Represents: Connection to source, ultimate truth, awareness
Excessive: Overly intellectual, spiritual addiction, dissociation from body
Deficient: Disconnection, depression, spiritual cynicism