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What is the Sacral Chakra? Activate, Balance, and Heal
Ready to learn all about the sacral chakra? Then this post is for you! If you missed my post on the root chakra, you can read more about the body’s first energy center here. And for even more information on chakras, including what a chakra is and an overview on the seven main chakras, check out A Beginner’s Guide to Understanding and Unblocking Your Chakras.
Also, be sure to scroll to the bottom of this page for some awesome freebies! You’ll receive 35 free printable affirmations and 30 journal prompts to open and heal the sacral chakra. Don’t miss these powerful healing tools!
Discover More About Chakras
Discover more about chakras using the links below, plus get journal prompts and affirmations for each of your body’s main energy centers! And for deeper insight into chakras as well as guidance on profound chakra healing, check out my Ultimate Chakra Healing Bundle, which includes a Chakra Healing eBook, Chakra Healing Workbook, and 8-Week Chakra Healing Guide. You can also discover more in my online shop.
What is the Sacral Chakra?
Located below your navel in your lower abdomen, the sacral chakra is your energy center for creativity, passion, joy, and pleasure. When we experience blockages to this energy center, we often become withdrawn, tense, insecure, and needy.
And unfortunately, blockages to the sacral chakra aren’t uncommon, especially if you live in a culture that prioritizes work, efficiency, and practicality over creativity, fun, and play.
Even as someone who has always embraced creativity, I’ve experienced blockages to my sacral chakra for months at a time. A few years ago, I remember having the thought that I didn’t daydream anymore. It was an unexpected and stunning realization, and I couldn’t quite pinpoint when and how it happened. I just knew that I no longer lost myself in my imagination like I used to, and at the time, I wasn’ t sure if I ever would again.
Back then, I didn’t understand that my body had powerful energy centers or that, when balanced, energy flowed freely throughout my body. But in hindsight, I can clearly see how my sacral chakra had been blocked from this energy flow.
I had “grown up,” and as a result, I traded in my inner child for responsible adulthood – something I thought I was supposed to do now that I was out of school, paying bills, and supporting myself.
But since then, I’ve discovered one of the greatest lessons of my life (something that I actually knew inherently as a child but had lost sight of in the confusion of becoming an adult):
Play is not irresponsible. Creativity is not impractical. Fun is not frivolous.
In fact, it is irresponsible not to prioritize these behaviors and pastimes in my everyday life.
Why Balancing the Sacral Chakra is Important
Joy is your birthright.
Is that hard to say?
I know it used to be for me. It was hard for me to believe that anything good was my birthright. And to think that I deserved good stuff? Absolutely not. It felt all kinds of wrong.
But these aren’t the kind of thoughts we have when we act out of a place of love.
These are the kinds of thoughts we have when we’ve been conditioned to believe our worth is tied to our achievements.
Because the truth is, you do deserve joy. And pleasure. And you deserve to feel good in your skin. And to love yourself fully, without conditions.
And if that still doesn’t cut it for you, a balanced sacral chakra is associated with being more open, honest, forgiving, and compassionate.
If you live in a western culture that prioritizes work over play, hustle over relaxation, and being a responsible adult over embracing your inner child, then learning to recognize the signs of an imbalanced sacral chakra – and how to heal this energy center – is pivotal for embracing lifelong happiness.
(Note that I’m definitely not saying work and being a responsible adult are bad things! It’s all about balance!)
In this post, we’re going to cover all things related to the sacral chakra: signs of balance and imbalance, affirmations, journal prompts, how to heal an imbalanced sacral chakra, and various associated attributes.
Sacral Chakra Attributes
- Sanskrit Name: Svadhishthana (Sva = “self”; shthana = “place”)
- Location: Lower abdomen (below your navel)
- Color: Orange
- Body Parts: Womb, Kidney, Bladder, Lower Back, Reproductive Organs
- Symbol: Six-petaled lotus with a moon crescent in the center
- Element: Water
- Mantra: VAM
- Gemstones: Orange Calcite, Jasper, Carnelian, Red Tiger’s Eye, Coral, Fire Opal
- Essential Oils: Orange, Tangerine, Cinnamon, Bergamot, Neroli, Cypress
Signs of a Balanced Sacral Chakra
The sacral chakra is the energy center for creativity, joy, sexuality, and sensuality. While the root chakra is associated with safety and stability, the sacral chakra is associated with seeking pleasure. While these seem unrelated from one another, this is one of the many examples of how the chakras aren’t just seven separate energy centers; rather, they’re one complete system in which energy flows freely (when balanced) among all energy centers.
You see, when our root chakra is balanced, we feel safe, secure, stable, and centered. Feeling safe in our body and in our physical place in life is one of our most basic needs. But as you can imagine, if the root chakra was blocked, it’s likely that the sacral chakra would become imbalanced as well. When we don’t have a steady foundation, we may overcompensate by becoming more controlling, manipulative, and fearful, and it would be difficult to engage in creativity, play, and joy.
Below are some of the signs and characteristics of having a balanced sacral chakra:
- Creative
- Joyful
- Playful
- Prosperous
- Sexual
- Sensual
- Passionate
- Energetic
- Compassionate
- Forgiving
- Open
- Honest
- High self-esteem
Signs of an Imbalanced Sacral Chakra
When the sacral chakra is balanced, we feel joyful, creative, open, passionate, and honest. But when our energy is blocked from flowing freely through this energy center, our joy and passion shrinks. We become withdrawn, tense, and insecure.
It’s also possible for this energy center to become overactive. When this happens, we’re more prone to becoming controlling, manipulative, and aggressive.
Here are some of the signs associated with an imbalanced sacral chakra:
- Withdrawn
- Tense
- Insecure
- Needy
- Codependent
- Irritable
- Controlling
- Manipulative
- Overdramatic
- Aggressive
- Materialistic
- Fearful
- Judgmental
- Prone to addictive behavior
- Lack of creativity
- Fear of pleasure
Physical Signs of an Imbalanced Sacral Chakra
An imbalance in our energy centers affects not only our emotional and mental health but our physical health as well. As the sacral chakra is associated with our reproductive organs, the common physical ailments are correlated to these organs. Other affected body parts include those in neighboring areas of the body, such as the lower back.
These are some of the physical ailments you may experience with an imbalanced sacral chakra:
- Constipation
- Urinary problems
- Lower back pain
- Kidney issues
- Yeast infections
Sacral Chakra Affirmations
Affirmations are a powerful tool in your total self-care routine. When reciting affirmations to balance your sacral chakra, remember to embrace your joy and creativity. Have fun with it!
For example, take the affirmation, “I embrace life with vigor and passion.” You don’t have to recite this statement with the pep of a high school cheerleader, but the affirmation itself won’t help you if you recite it with tension, monotony, or lack of enthusiasm. So whether you’re saying it silently or aloud, make sure to really feel the words in your being. In this example, you want to actually feel vigorous and passionate.
Affirmations
- I am open to the flow of creativity.
- I am creative, passionate, and inspired.
- My emotions flow freely in a balanced and healthy way.
- I live a creative, vibrant, passionate life.
- I deeply respect and honor my sacred body.
- I honor my own divine sensuality.
- I am a sensual and passionate being.
- I am cultivating a beautiful life free of stress, worries, or fear.
- I deserve absolute and unconditional bliss.
- I make space in my life for play.
- I radiate passion and prosperity.
- I embrace life with vigor and passion.
- Limitless joy is my birthright.
- I embrace intimacy with others.
- I honor my desires.
For more powerful sacral chakra affirmations, be sure to check out my post, 35 Sacral Chakra Affirmations to Live a Passionate, Fun, Creative Life. And be sure to scroll to the bottom of this page to get your free printable affirmations and journal prompts!
Sacral Chakra Journal Prompts
Journaling is a powerful method for healing your body’s energy centers. There are no hard-and-fast rules for when to journal or how long you should spend journaling. Just allow yourself time to consciously consider the journal prompts. Don’t try to give the “right” answers to questions. And also, don’t feel like you need to stick with the prompts. If you start out writing about all the opportunities in your life for play, and this drifts off into a memory about making sandcastles when you were a child, let it! Embrace your inner child and see where your imagination takes you.
Journal Prompts
- What can I do in my daily life to add more opportunities for play?
- How do I express my creativity? What are my favorite creative activities? How can I make space for more creative outlets in my life? Have fun with this. Make a list of all the possible creative practices you can think of, no matter how far out there they sound, and see what resonates.
- Write a love letter to your sacred body. Express appreciation, respect, and reverence in your words.
- Envision a day as your highest and most authentic self. Write about a day as your highest self, emphasizing your joy, creativity, passion, and vigor. Be sure to write in the present tense!
- What types of situations and experiences make me feel tense, insecure, and withdrawn? What can I do to help myself in these situations? Are there any frequent experiences like this in my daily life that I can change?
For more powerful sacral chakra journal prompts, check out my post, 30 Journal Prompts to Open and Heal Your Sacral Chakra. And be sure to scroll to the bottom of this page to get your free printable affirmations and journal prompts!
Activating and Healing the Sacral Chakra
Below are 11 powerful practices for sacral chakra healing. For deeper insight into how to open, balance, and heal the sacral chakra, check out my post, Sacral Chakra Healing: Open & Balance the Sacral Chakra.
Color Therapy
Immerse yourself in all things orange! This could mean eating orange foods, such as mangoes, cantaloupe, and oranges; wearing orange clothing; surrounding yourself with orange items; painting with the color orange; and lighting orange candles, among other things. If you don’t generally have a lot of orange around, see if you can pick up a few small items to have around for moments when you feel an imbalance in this energy center.
Swimming
The sacral chakra’s element is water, so a fun and relaxed day at the pool, lake, or beach is a perfect way to restore balance to this energy center. If you’re not big on swimming, relaxing near a body of water will still get you these same benefits.
Take a Bath
If you’re not able to go to any pools or lakes, create a relaxing water environment right at home. Draw a warm bath, turn off the lights, and maybe even light an orange-cinnamon scented candle.
And if baths aren’t your thing, take a nice, warm shower. You can even close your eyes for a few minutes and do a mini-meditation, visualizing a bright orange light below your navel.
Create!
The sacral chakra is the energy center of creativity, so one of the best ways to heal this energy center is to create! Paint, draw, write, cook, bake, or choose your activity of choice to express your divine creativity. Try not to follow an outline, template, or recipe. Simply allow your inner creative to flow freely! This can be especially helpful if you’ve noticed your life has revolved around work, deadlines, and other stressors of daily life.
Journaling
Find a quiet place where you can focus on writing, and set the intention to balance your sacral chakra before you begin. If you want, you can use any of the prompts above. You could also incorporate affirmations into your journaling by writing down powerful sacral chakra affirmations in your writing.
Dancing
Some of the signs of an imbalanced sacral chakra are feeling tense, withdrawn, insecure, and fearful. Dancing is a beautiful way to release tension and embrace flow. Find somewhere you feel comfortable, put on some music that makes you feel good, and let yourself flow without judgment. Light some candles or use some essential oils if possible. You can make this an even more powerful practice by immersing yourself in the color orange while dancing.
Yoga
Each chakra has associated yoga poses to help heal imbalanced energy. For an imbalanced sacral chakra, choose hip-opening positions.
Here are just some of the poses for healing the sacral chakra that you can incorporate into your yoga practice:
- Pigeon
- Butterly
- Cobra
- Frog
- Goddess squat
Here’s a great video from Allie – The Yoga Junkie on cleansing your sacral chakra.
Meditation
A powerful practice to heal your sacral chakra is to visualize a bright orange light just below your belly button. See the light growing brighter as you inhale and bigger as you exhale. You might think of this light like a beautiful orange sun.
Here are some root chakra guided meditations using the free Insight Timer app:
- Sacred Sacral Chakra Balancing by Loula Love
- Sacral Chakra Meditation by Sarah Da Silva
- 2nd Chakra Svadhisthana Sacral Meditation by Amelia Lina Sawyer
Affirmations
Affirmations are a great tool to help heal any of your energy centers because they can be recited (either silently or out loud) almost anywhere. To make the most of affirmations, see if you can combine it with another practice. For healing the sacral chakra, you might repeat them while you’re in the shower or bath. You could also incorporate them in your journaling or recite them as you hold your crystals.
Gemstones
Some of the gemstones associated with the sacral chakra are orange calcite, jasper, carnelian, red tiger’s eye, coral, fire opal, moonstone, amber, and orange amethyst. You can hold these crystals during meditation, carry them in your pocket during the day, or keep them nearby on your desk as you work.
Here’s a few more posts to help you get started with using crystals and gemstones to heal the chakras:
Essential Oils
To open and activate the sacral chakra, you can use the essential oil(s) of choice in your diffuser, add them to your bath, or apply to your skin below the navel. (If applying to your skin, please make sure to use high-quality oils and always follow directions for dilution. Also note all other safety instructions, such as amount of time you should wait before going out in the sun. I am not a qualified aromatherapy practitioner, so if you have any questions about safety, please make sure to refer your questions to a professional. Always err on the side of caution.)
Here are some of the best essential oils for healing the sacral chakra:
- Orange
- Jasmine
- Rose
- Geranium
- Clove
- Nutmeg
- Cinnamon
For more information on how to use essential oils to heal the chakras, check out my post, A Guide to Essential Oils for Chakra Healing.
As always, with all the practices listed above, make sure to be intentional with your thoughts and actions. Whether you’re reciting affirmations, going swimming, using essential oils, or utilizing any of the other practices on this list, set the powerful intention to balance and heal the sacral chakra, and let that intention guide you as you move forward.
For more more chakra resources, plus uplifting affirmations and self-love encouragement, be sure to follow me on Pinterest and Instagram!
Are you ready for your freebies? Enter your name and email address below for your free printables! (Note that it may take an hour or two for the email to come through.) Plus, receive a weekly newsletter with resources, affirmations, and new blog post updates straight to your inbox. (Don’t worry, I hate spam, too! I only send one email a week, never share your personal info, and you can unsubscribe anytime.)
Zanna Keithley is an author, poet, and social media content creator who writes short prose dedicated to inspiring readers to follow their dreams, trust their intuition, and create beautiful and fulfilling lives. You can find her original writing on Instagram @zannakeithley.
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What is the Root Chakra? Activate, Balance, and Heal
This post is dedicated to all things root chakra, your body’s first energy center. This is the first of a seven-part series on the seven main chakras. For more information on chakras, including what a chakra is and an overview on the seven chakras, check out A Beginner’s Guide to Understanding and Unblocking Your Chakras.
Also, be sure to scroll to the bottom of this page for some awesome freebies! You’ll receive 35 free printable affirmations and 30 journal prompts to open and heal the root chakra. Don’t miss these powerful healing tools!
Discover More About Chakras
Discover more about chakras using the links below, plus get journal prompts and affirmations for each of your body’s main energy centers! And for deeper insight into chakras as well as guidance on profound chakra healing, check out my Ultimate Chakra Healing Bundle, which includes a Chakra Healing eBook, Chakra Healing Workbook, and 8-Week Chakra Healing Guide. You can also discover more in my online shop.
What is the Root Chakra?
To begin a series on chakras, it’s fitting to start with the root chakra for many reasons.
For one, it’s often called the “1st” chakra. Located at the base of your spine, the root chakra is the lowest energy center on your body. When you hear someone refer to 1st chakra, 2nd chakra, 3rd chakra, etc., this means they’re usually starting with this lowest energy center and working upwards.
But even deeper than that, the root chakra is your foundation. You can think of this like a foundation of a house, holding the house up and keeping it safe and secure. You might also compare it to the roots of a tree, keeping the tree steady, stable, and supported.
Without this strong foundation keeping these structures upright, any strong gust of wind could knock it down at any moment.
This is the same for us.
Why Balancing the Root Chakra is Important
We may not think of ourselves as having foundations because we are constantly moving.
However, even though we’re on the move, most of the time, we have one or more body parts, most often our feet, connected to the ground. This is our physical foundation.
Beyond our physical foundation, we have a foundation of basic needs we need to survive. You might think of Maslow’s Hierarchy of Needs here. At our most basic level, before anything else, we have physiological and safety needs, such as food, water, warmth, rest, security, and safety.
So without a solid foundation to support us, it would be difficult, likely even impossible, to fully meet our other needs such as intimate relationships and creativity.
This is why it makes sense to start with the root chakra. Because without a balanced root chakra, it would be nearly impossible to find balance in our other energy centers. Likely, some would become overstimulated while others would become understimulated.
It’s important to remember that even though these seven main chakras are all separate energy centers, they act as one complete system. When one is out of balance, it’s likely this will affect one or more of the others.
In this post, we’re going to cover all things related to the root chakra: signs of balance and imbalance, affirmations, journal prompts, how to heal an imbalanced root chakra, and various associated attributes.
Root Chakra Attributes
- Sanskrit Name: Muladhara (Mula: “root”; Adhara: “support” or “base”)
- Location: Base of spine
- Color: Red
- Body Parts: Legs, tailbone, kidneys, prostate, bladder, colon
- Symbol: Lotus with four petals
- Element: Earth
- Mantra: LAM
- Gemstones: Obsidian, Hematite, Bloodstone, Red Jasper, Black Tourmaline, Garnet, Onyx, Smoky Quartz
- Essential Oils: Cedarwood, rosemary, sandalwood, basil, and patchouli. (Earthy scents.)
Signs of a Balanced Root Chakra
A balanced root chakra is associated with feelings of steadiness, security, safety, and ease. Again, you can think of yourself as a tree with your roots firmly holding your place in the ground. The wind may come, but it will not bend or break your solid foundation.
We also associate a balanced root chakra with how our mind and spirit feel inside our body. Generally speaking, there’s a sense of safety in one own’s body. You can move with ease and feel secure just as you are.
Here’s a list of signs and feelings attributed to a balanced root chakra:
- Secure
- Grounded
- Centered
- Stable
- Feelings of safety and security
- Feelings of being at ease in one’s own body
- Strong
- Supported
- Peaceful
- Rooted in the present moment
- All basic needs are being met
- Firm in your place in life
Signs of an Imbalanced Root Chakra
As we associate a balanced root chakra with feelings of safety, stability, and ease in our bodies, an imbalanced root chakra results in feelings of instability, restlessness, and fear. This can manifest in many ways. For instance, when the COVID-19 pandemic started, one of the main news headlines was how people were hoarding items such as toilet paper. While this seemed unreasonable and greedy, believe it or not, it actually makes sense.
You see, the pandemic shattered a lot of people’s safe and stable foundations. Because of this, many overcompensated by trying to gain back a feeling of stability. Hoarding and greed are two ways we overcompensate when our foundations are shattered. So by hoarding extra toilet paper and food items, this was an attempt by many to restabilize their shaky foundations.
Here’s a list of signs and attributes of an imbalanced root chakra:
- Insecure
- Anxious
- Excessively negative
- Depressed
- Scattered
- Disconnected
- Restless
- Fearful
- Unmotivated
- Apathetic
- Cynical
- Greedy
- Lazy
- Indecisive
Physical Signs of an Imbalanced Root Chakra
An imbalanced root chakra doesn’t just affect our emotions; it affects our physical body as well. As this energy center is located at the base of the spine, an imbalance of energy most often affects the body parts and organs in the surrounding areas.
I just want to note that I often see “eating disorders” listed under the physical symptoms, and I listed it below, but as many of us know, an eating disorder is much, much more than a physical thing. This also involves our mental and emotional health. When our foundations aren’t stable, food is often used as a means for taking back control. Undereating and restricting food is often a way for one to exercise control over their lives, especially when it feels like the external world is completely out of control. Overeating can also be a result of an unsteady foundation, especially overeating comfort foods, as one looks for an easy way to bring themselves comfort in the midst of uncertainty.
But no two stories are ever the same, and I don’t want to oversimplify something as complex as an eating disorder. Here is more information about eating disorders from the National Eating Disorders Association.
These are some of the physical ailments you may experience with an imbalanced root chakra:
- Constipation
- Digestive Issues
- Eating Disorders
- Lower Body Pain
- Sciatica
- Anemia
- Numbness
Root Chakra Affirmations
I absolutely love affirmations and try to incorporate them into as many areas of my life as possible. And luckily, it’s really pretty easy. Affirmations can be used pretty much anytime: when you first wake up, while you’re in the shower, as you’re commuting to work, while you’re waiting in line at the grocery store, or before you go to bed at night.
To make the most of root chakra affirmations, first set the intention to balance your root chakra, and be intentional with your words. One of my favorite ways to use affirmations is to incorporate them into journaling, or even by keeping a journal solely for affirmations. The key here is to always use the present tense and to feel the positive emotions associated with the words as you repeat or write them down.
And for more grounding root chakra affirmations, check out my post, 35 Root Chakra Affirmations to Remain Strong, Steady, and Grounded. And be sure to scroll to the bottom of this page to get your free printable affirmations and journal prompts!
Affirmations
- I am safe and secure.
- I am rooted in this present moment.
- I am grounded.
- I am exactly where I’m meant to be.
- It is right to be exactly as I am.
- It is right to be exactly where I am.
- I have everything I need.
- I feel safe in my body.
- My body takes care of me.
- I inhale trust and exhale fear.
- I am always supported and protected.
- I feel peaceful, grounded, and secure.
Root Chakra Journal Prompts
Journaling is one of my favorite self-care practices, and it’s a great method for healing chakras and realigning your energy. I like to journal for thirty minutes first thing after I wake up so I can set my intentions for the day and start the day off with some positivity. However, everyone’s journaling practice is different and personal to them. Choose the time that works best for you, and allot as much or as little time as you can allow, even if it’s just ten minutes.
And for more powerful journal prompts, check out 30 Journal Prompts to Open and Heal the Root Chakra. Don’t forget to scroll to the bottom of this page to get your free printable affirmations and journal prompts!
Journal Prompts
- What in my external world helps me to feel safe? What about in my internal world?
- What does it mean to me to be grounded? How can I cultivate the feeling of being grounded in my life?
- In the middle of a busy and hectic day, what can I do to help myself to feel centered?
- Reflect on this statement: “I am exactly where I am meant to be.”
- Describe yourself as though you are a tree, with roots that keep you secure to the ground no matter how the wind blows.
- Are there any situations, places, or common experiences in my life that don’t make me feel rooted, secure, safe, and/or grounded? What can I do to help myself in these moments (or change the situation)?
- Visualize your highest self walking through a beautiful, open field with your bare feet touching the ground. Describe this experience, including how it makes you feel.
- Write a compassionate love letter to your body. Use affirmations to affirm that you feel safe, supported, and at ease in your body.
Activating & Healing the Root Chakra
Below are 8 powerful practices for root chakra healing. For deeper insight into how to open, balance, and heal the root chakra, check out my post, Root Chakra Healing: Open & Balane the Root Chakra.
Color Therapy
When you feel like one of your chakras is imbalanced, color therapy is one of the most common and prominent ways to bring that energy center back into balance. Color therapy is immersing yourself in the color associated with that chakra. For the root chakra, this means immersing yourself in all things red. Eat red food. Wear red clothes. Light red candles. (If they’re earth-scented, that’s even better.) If possible, surround yourself with as many red items in your immediate environment as possible. You could even have some painting materials on hand for these moments. Let your inner creative come out and paint an image entirely in the color red.
Journaling
Affirmations journaling is especially powerful in these moments. Affirm to yourself that you are safe and secure and exactly where you are meant to be. You can also use any of the journaling prompts above. I also like to visualize that I’m my highest and most authentic self and write as my highest self. For the root chakra specifically, you can write as your highest and most centered self living your safest, most grounded life. Describe the feelings of being secure in your body as well as feeling secure in the present moment.
Walk Barefoot in the Dirt
The root chakra is associated with the earth, so this is the perfect time to immerse yourself in nature and let your bare feet touch the ground. Of course, this may be more difficult for some depending on where you live. If possible, try to find a place to immerse yourself in nature for a bit. Our nature is truly our foundation, so this allows us to (no pun intended) get back to our roots.
Yoga
Each chakra has associated yoga poses to help heal imbalanced energy. For an imbalanced root chakra, choose poses that allow you to feel balanced and safe. Some poses might include Mountain Pose, Downward Dog, Tree Pose, Lunge Pose, and Warrior II.
Here’s a great video from Yoga With Adriene specifically dedicated to the root chakra.
Meditation
For an unguided root chakra meditation, visualize a glowing red light at the base of your spine. See that light get brighter as you inhale and bigger as you exhale. You might also visualize a red lotus flower at the base of your spine.
Here are some root chakra guided meditations using the free Insight Timer app:
- Root Chakra Love by Hannah Devries
- Root Chakra Therapy by Cory Cochiolo
- Root Chakra Meditation by Sarah Da Silva
Affirmations
I mentioned this one in the journaling section, but if you’re unable to sit down and write, repeating affirmations either silently or aloud is a powerful practice. You can do this while you’re getting ready for the day, showering, commuting to work – anytime, really. You could also combine this with other practices on the list, such as taking a walk in nature.
Gemstones
Use crystals associated with the root chakra to activate this energy center. A powerful way to receive the healing power of the crystal is to hold it during meditation. You can also carry crystals around with you during the day. A few examples of gemstones associated with the root chakra are obsidian, hematite, onyx, bloodstone, red jasper, black tourmaline, and garnet.
Here’s a few more posts to help you get started with using crystals and gemstones to heal the chakras:
Essential Oils
Use earth-scented essential oils, such as cedarwood, rosemary, sandalwood, basil, and patchouli.
With any of the practices above, don’t forget to be intentional with your actions. For instance, if you light candles or use essential oils, do so with the intention to heal or activate your root chakra. Then, let these intentions be your guide as you take the next right step in balancing your energy centers.
For more information on how to use essential oils to heal the chakras, check out my post, A Guide to Essential Oils for Chakra Healing.
And there you have it: how to activate, balance, and heal the root chakra, plus journal prompts and affirmations to help you on your journey! Have any other questions about the root chakra? Leave a note in the comments below!
For more more chakra resources, plus uplifting affirmations and self-love encouragement, be sure to follow me on Pinterest and Instagram!
Are you ready for your freebies? Enter your name and email address below for your free printables! (Note that it may take an hour or two for the email to come through.) Plus, receive a weekly newsletter with resources, affirmations, and new blog post updates straight to your inbox. (Don’t worry, I hate spam, too! I only send one email a week, never share your personal info, and you can unsubscribe anytime.)
Zanna Keithley is an author, poet, and social media content creator who writes short prose dedicated to inspiring readers to follow their dreams, trust their intuition, and create beautiful and fulfilling lives. You can find her original writing on Instagram @zannakeithley.
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Chakras for Beginners: Unblock Your Chakras Today
Looking for a guide to understanding chakras for beginners? I’ve got you covered with all the essential details you need to know to start understanding, activating, balancing, and unblocking your body’s important energy centers today.
Discover More About Chakras
Chakras
If you’ve recently started a new meditation or yoga practice, you’ve likely heard the term chakras used by teachers, speakers, and guides. I still remember when I began listening to guided meditations and hearing terms like third eye chakra and crown chakra being used for the first time.
As a meditation beginner, I had a vague, fuzzy idea of what these words meant, but I wasn’t entirely sure on the specifics.
Depending on the teacher’s wording, I wasn’t always sure if my third eye chakra was between my eyes or higher up on my forehead, or if the crown chakra was actually on my head or above my head.
Each chakra has its own intricacies that you’ll want to understand, but before diving into the complexities of the individual chakras, it’s helpful to start with a solid foundation of the basics.
In this post, I provide you with a guide to understanding chakras for beginners. This guide contains a discussion of the seven main chakras and their roles as well as their colors, locations, and other significant details about each energy center.
I also provide you with affirmations related to each chakra, methods to balance and unblock your chakras, and links to some great meditations to help you activate your energy centers.
Chakras for Beginners: Overview
As I mentioned in the intro, there are seven main chakras. Each chakra has its name as well as its Sanskrit name, a specific location in the body, an associated color and symbol, and distinct roles and attributes. (Note that when I say they have specific locations in the body, a chakra is not a physical, tangible thing. Rather, it’s an energy center in the body. More on that in a minute!)
But this isn’t all. Going even deeper, you find that each chakra also has associated foods, gemstones, mantras, body parts, animals, and even essential oils.
But before we get into the details, let’s start with the most fundamental question: what exactly is a chakra?
The word chakra is a Sanskrit word meaning wheel or disk. So when we define what a chakra is, we often go back to this translation: a chakra is a wheel of energy in your body.
Think of it like a vortex of energy within you:
While chakras are often depicted in images as bright, colored light, we can’t actually see these energy centers in our body. Rather, we experience them through feelings and sensations. You might also call it an inner knowing or intuition.
Understanding Chakras: The Flow of Energy
Energy is meant to flow, and ideally, this energy (or prana) is always flowing within you. When our chakras are open, energy is flowing and we feel in alignment with our highest selves.
But when a chakra is blocked, the energy stagnates, and we become misaligned. Often, this manifests in physical, emotional, mental, and/or spiritual blockages. If one chakra is blocked, we may also overcompensate by causing another chakra to become overactive.
For instance, if your root chakra is blocked (your root chakra is associated with helping you feel grounded, steady, and stable), then your solar plexus chakra might become overactive (which could cause you to cling to perfectionistic tendencies and/or a desire for control).
There are seven main chakras that each have their own distinct roles, but it’s important to remember that they act as one whole system. It might help you to think of it like the physical organs inside your body. Even though each organ has a specific role and function, they all work together to keep you in optimum health and alignment. When one organ isn’t functioning correctly, this often negatively affects other parts of your body.
This is the same with chakras: when one chakra is blocked, this affects the energy flowing through our other chakra points.
The 7 Main Chakras & Their Roles
Below is a guide to the seven main chakras and their distinct roles and attributes. You’ll notice that I start with the root chakra and work up through the spine, ending at the crown chakra. If you hear someone refer to first chakra, second chakra, third chakra, and so on, they usually are referring to the root chakra as the first chakra, the sacral chakra as the second, continuing to move upward.
The details below will provide you with a helpful baseline to better understand each chakra as you discover where your energy centers are located and how they function.
Root Chakra
- Sanskrit Name: Muladhara
- Location: Base of the spine
- Color: Red
- Balanced Attributes: Grounded, safe, secure, stable, centered. Like the roots of a tree, this is your foundation. You’re firm in your place in life, and your basic needs are being met.
- Imbalanced Attributes: Anxious, insecure, fearful, excessive negativity, depressed. Energies feel scattered and disorderly. Disconnected and restless.
- Mantra/Sound: LAM
- Gemstones: Onyx, smoky quartz, bloodstone, hematite, obsidian
- Affirmations: I am grounded, centered, and stable. I am rooted and secure. All is really well. I have everything I need. I feel safe in my body.
Sacral Chakra
- Sanskrit Name: Svadhishthana
- Location: Lower abdomen
- Color: Orange
- Balanced Attributes: Creative, joyful, prosperous, sexual, sensual, passionate, energetic.
- Imbalanced Attributes: Withdrawn, tense, insecure, needy, irritable, controlling, manipulative.
- Mantra/Sound: VAM
- Gemstones: Orange calcite, jasper, carnelian, red tiger’s eye
- Affirmations: I am open to the flow of creativity. I am creative, passionate, and inspired. My emotions flow freely in a balanced and healthy way. I live a creative, passionate, healthy life. I deeply respect and honor my sacred body, and I honor my own divine sensuality.
Solar Plexus Chakra
- Sanskrit Name: Manipura
- Location: Stomach/below the chest
- Color: Yellow
- Balanced Attributes: Confident, positive, high sense of self-respect and self-esteem, joyful. This is your source of personal power; you have drive, a positive self image, and feel aligned with your purpose.
- Imbalanced Attributes: Low self-esteem, lack of ambition, lack of purpose, fear of rejection, sensitive to criticism, low energy. If overactive, can also become manipulative, domineering, power-hungry.
- Mantra/Sound: RAM
- Gemstones: Citrine, topaz, yellow tiger’s eye
- Affirmations: I am powerful, strong, and confident. I can achieve anything I set my mind to. Today, I confidently welcome new experiences. I am competent, capable, and strong.
Heart Chakra
- Sanskrit Name: Anahata
- Location: Heart/center of chest
- Color: Green
- Balanced Attributes: Loving, peaceful, compassionate, unconditional love for yourself and others, generous, kind, empathetic.
- Imbalanced Attributes: Depressed, jealous, defensive, judgmental, spiteful. May excessively self-isolate from others. Fearful of intimacy.
- Mantra/Sound: YAM
- Gemstones: Rose quartz, jade, green calcite
- Affirmations: I am loved, loving, and lovable. I love myself unconditionally. My heart is open, loving, and pure. I give and receive love effortlessly and unconditionally. I love and accept myself just as I am.
Throat Chakra
- Sanskrit Name: Vishuddha
- Location: Throat/center of neck
- Color: Light blue
- Balanced Attributes: Able to express yourself verbally and speak your truth. Communicates clearly and effectively. Calm, honest, peaceful.
- Imbalanced Attributes: Shy, withdrawn, dishonest, critical, moody. If overactive, you may interrupt others or not allow others to speak.
- Mantra/Sound: HAM
- Gemstones: Blue lace agate, turquoise, sodalite, aquamarine
- Affirmations: I am able to calmly and effectively speak my truth. I live an honest, authentic, wholehearted life. My voice matters. I express myself clearly and openly. I find creative ways to communicate my self-expression.
Third Eye Chakra
- Sanskrit Name: Ajna
- Location: Center of forehead/between the eyebrows
- Color: Indigo
- Balanced Attributes: Intuitive and connected to your inner knowing. Imaginative, perceptive, openminded, insightful, mentally strong.
- Imbalanced Attributes: Lack of intuition, unimaginative, fearful, unable to focus, close-minded, holding onto limiting beliefs.
- Mantra/Sound: OM or SHAM
- Gemstones: Lapis lazuli, opal, sapphire
- Affirmations: I listen to my inner knowing in the face of uncertainty. I see and think clearly. My mind is strong, open, and clear. I trust my intuition to guide me to making good decisions.
Crown Chakra
- Sanskrit Name: Sahasrara
- Location: Top of the head
- Color: Violet (White is also often associated with this chakra.)
- Balanced Attributes: Spiritual, enlightened, connected to a higher power, connected to oneself. Divine peace and a sense of inner wisdom. Able to surrender to a power higher than oneself. Connected to your soul’s purpose.
- Imbalanced Attributes: Cynical, close-minded, disconnected from yourself, disconnected from a higher power. Lack of faith. Unable to connect with others.
- Mantra/Sound: OM (or silence)
- Gemstones: Selenite, clear quartz, amethyst, diamond.
- Affirmations: I am always divinely and lovingly guided. I release the need to control my life and surrender to a higher power. Today, I trust the path in front of me and allow myself to let go and surrender. I trust my intuition and listen to the wisdom of the universe.
Unblocking and Balancing Your Chakras
Now that you have an understanding of where each chakra is located and their distinct attributes, how exactly do you unblock a chakra?
As you may have guessed, there is no scientific answer here. We all have different methods of unblocking chakras, and what works for one person may not work as well for the other. But at the foundation of these practices, it’s most important to set an intention, lean into the process, commit, and believe.
Also remember that it’s very likely and totally normal to have more than one chakra blocked or unbalanced at a time. While each chakra has a separate location and role, they’re all intertwined and function as one complete system.
Consider this example: If your root chakra is blocked, you may be feeling unstable, insecure, restless, and possibly even unsafe. The root chakra is your very foundation, and without it being open, it would be nearly impossible to feel creative and joyful (sacral chakra) or confident and positive (solar plexus chakra).
Below is a list of several ways you can start balancing your chakras today.
Methods of Balancing Your Chakras
Yoga
There are specific yoga poses associated with each chakra, such as the mountain pose for the root chakra or child’s pose for the third eye. If you want to focus on balancing a specific chakra, you can center your practice on only those poses associated with that chakra. For a more balanced practice, incorporate poses that include all of the chakra points. If you’d like, you can also begin or end your practice repeating the mantra for one of the chakra points. (See the list of Chakras above for each one’s associated mantra/sound.)
Meditation
There are several ways meditation can help with unblocking chakras. You can use a visualization meditation to visualize the energy centers (in each chakra’s corresponding color) brightening, swirling, and glowing. You can also do a mantra meditation in which you repeat the mantras associated with each chakra to clear any blockages and imbalances. See the next section for some links to some powerful guided chakra meditations!
Chakra Affirmations Repeat Affirmations
You can use the affirmations I’ve written for each chakra above or come up with your own powerful affirmations. One of the best things about affirmations is that you can recite them anywhere. Repeat them in the shower, during your morning commute, or even standing in line in the grocery store. You can also combine affirmation practices with other methods on this list, such as meditation, journaling, and even dancing!
Essential Oils
Each chakra is associated with various essential oils that can help calm or stimulate that specific energy center. For instance, you might use cedarwood for your root chakra, lemon for the solar plexus, or peppermint for the throat. To use essential oils to help balance your chakras, apply a small amount of the oil to the chakra point. (While essential oils are generally safe, I would definitely recommend making sure you use a high-quality brand and following the guidelines of the manufacturer before applying anything to your skin. Depending on the type, some oils may require dilution. Definitely do your research and follow up with a health expert if you have any questions before applying.)
Colors
Solar plexus chakra feeling blocked? Wear yellow. Eat a banana. Paint with the color yellow. Make your own homemade lemonade. Find all the yellow items in your home and put them in your line of sight.
Journal
One of my favorite practices is to combine affirmations into my journaling. If you have 10 to 30 minutes to sit down for journaling, write down affirmations that focus on one, multiple, or all of your chakras. Another great practice is to visualize and describe your highest, truest, and most authentic self – the highest version of you when all of your chakras are aligned. The key here is to write in the present tense! Instead of writing, “I see myself as . . .” or “I will be . . .”, write, “I am . . .” Embody that version of your highest self and become that person as you write.
Dance
Dancing is a beautiful way to express yourself and enhance the flow of energy in your body. If you can, try to involve the body part related to any blocked chakras into your dance. For instance, if your heart chakra feels blocked, incorporate more chest movements into your dancing. You can also incorporate colors here as well! Remember to have fun, don’t take yourself too seriously, and surrender to the flow!
Immerse Yourself in Nature
Walk barefoot in the dirt (root chakra, associated with the earth; go swimming (sacral chakra, associated with water); have a (safe) bonfire (solar plexus chakra, associated with fire); take a cleansing walk as you focus on breathing in the fresh air (heart chakra, associated with air). If multiple chakras feel blocked, getting back to your foundations (nature and the earth) is one of the best ways to clear any blockages.
Food
Eat a food associated with the color of the chakra (i.e. a red apple, green spinach, orange carrot). Try to aim for something healthy, unprocessed, and nutrient-dense.
Crystals
You can use crystals associated with each chakra to activate that energy center. Some simple practices are to hold the crystal over the chakra point for three to five minutes, lay the crystal on the body for an extended amount of time, or to meditate with the crystal by either holding it or laying it on the body (if you’re laying down). If you want, you can even place all seven crystals on each chakra point at once while you’re laying down.
Express Your Creativity
Embrace ways to express your creativity, such as drawing, painting, dancing, singing, working with clay, writing poetry, or however you like to unleash your inner creative!
Chakra Meditations
The following meditations can all be found on the Insight Timer app (no affiliation). This is a free app that offers over 55,000 meditations and music tracks (all completely free). You can read more about why I choose this app as well as learn about different meditation practices for beginners here.
- Chakra Waterfall Meditation by Jessie Arielle Smith (6 minutes)
- Chakra Balancing by Kiran Chugani (8 minutes)
- Personal Transformation: Energy Centers Chakra Discovery by Dexter and Alessandrina (12 minutes)
- Guided Chakra Healing Meditation by Healing Haus (19 minutes)
- Sacral Chakra Therapy by Cory Cochiolo (19 minutes)
- Chakra Tune-Up by Gemma Clarke (21 minutes)
And that’s a a guide to chakras for beginners! Be sure to check the links at the top of this post to learn more about the individual chakras. Have any questions about chakras? Or have you discovered any practices that have helped you activate and balance your chakras? Leave a comment below to ask a question or share your experiences!
Chakras for Beginners: Unblock Your Chakras Today Zanna Keithley is an author, poet, and social media content creator who writes short prose dedicated to inspiring readers to follow their dreams, trust their intuition, and create beautiful and fulfilling lives. You can find her original writing on Instagram @zannakeithley.