Crown Chakra or Sahasrara: Thousand Petaled Lotus
The crown chakra is the 7th chakra, situated at the top of the “chakra ladder” starting from the base of the spine with Muladhara, that grounds us with the Earth and progresses upward to the crown of the head, which connects us with the divine source of creation.
In step-ladder pattern, the lower chakras store and direct psychological and mental tendencies towards the sixth or Ajna chakra, which eventually opens up at the crown chakra.
The Crown Chakra, also known as Sahasrara in Sanskrit, means “thousand-petaled” blooming at the top of the head. It symbolically depicted as a lotus flower viz the energy center within our body responsible for thought, awareness, wisdom, and our connection to the divine also referred to Shunnya, Niralambapuri.
The central theme of the seventh chakra is tied to the greatest level of consciousness within the reach of a person.
A healthy crown chakra brings the feeling of deep inner peace and harmony, which transcends all dualism. It can lead to the experience of eternal happiness and can establish contact with the reality that is beyond rational thinking.
Sahasrara depicts the focus of control and activity of fundamental consciousness of a being, according to the extent it is aroused and energized.
Characteristics of Crown Chakra
Crown chakra is the meeting point between finite (ego) and infinite (soul), and where death and eternal life meet.
Sahasrara chakra manifests the following characteristics when lies in a balanced state,
1) “Be — don’t try to become” which means giving up Illusion of Possession.
The materialistic illusion that one possesses puts one under pressure as you fear to lose them. What you own today is transient and may belong to somebody else tomorrow. So, detach yourself from the bondage.
2) “It’s not about you”, so Don’t take things personally
You can control your behavior but not that of others as it’s a product of their upbringing, experiences, and thinking. Hence, if they hurt you learn not to take it too personally.
3) Release Illusion of Dependency
Drop the idea of becoming someone, because you are already a masterpiece. You cannot be improved. You have only to come to it, to know it, to realize it. External stimulus can bring us joy as well as pain, but the Experience of Soul gives you true happiness.
4) Drop your Discontentment
“Truth is not something outside to be discovered, it is something inside to be realized.”
Release this discontentment to find that you always attract with an attitude of contentment.
5) Have Faith in yourself
Believe in yourself. You are braver than you think, more talented than you know, and capable of more than you imagine. Your only limitations are those you set upon yourself.
6) Trust Yourself, your instincts
Trust yourself because, in your Self, the Almighty resides. So, remove dependency from all external sources and through patience, faith, fearlessness and do your karma.
Crown Chakra in Detail
Let’s explore the crown chakra with some basic information about it.
1. Location of 7th viz Crown Chakra
If you know the place of Ajna Chakra, It can help you in knowing the location of the crown chakra.
- Place your wrist at the Ajna chakra, in between the eyebrows.
- Extend fingers upwards towards the center of the head.
- The place where the finger reaches on the head is called crown of the head.
7th chakra is located several inches above the crown of the head. It symbolizes like a crown, radiating energy upwards. The crown chakra, also known as the thousand-petal lotus of light, references the light of enlightenment.
Anatomically, The Crown chakra is associated with the pituitary & pineal glands and linked with the hypothalamus in the brain, which regulates hormone secretion in the body. Sahasrara position made it closely associated with the brain and the whole nervous system.
In Sahasrara, Ida and Pingala channels, which already have met at Ajna chakra, connects with the Sushumna channel. When both Nadi channels are fully open and all chakras are balanced, the energy flowing from the Muladhara chakra to the Sahasrara connects us to our highest self.
2. Crown Chakra Color Significance
Violet is the color of the crown chakra. Violet color represents our connection with the energy of heaven that promotes the feelings of being connected with all. The energy frequency of this color brings mind thoughts and feelings to spirituality, oneness, and meditation.
Positive aspects of violet color frequency:
- An appreciation for all life
- Self-sacrificing
- Idealism
- An ability to see the right path for the benefit of the higher self
Negative aspects of violet color frequency:
- No concern for others happiness & well-being
- Feelings of superiority & egoism
- Lack of contact with reality viz being materialistic
3. Symbol of Crown Chakra
The symbol of thousand petal crown chakra embraces an attitude of gratitude, tuned into the highest form of consciousness and the divine. Its symbol depicted as a lotus flower with a thousand leaves, which represents infinity.
The symbol of the Crown chakra is composed of:
- A circle: It represents the full moon, a symbolization of openness, an awakening of the conscious mind.
- Thousand Petals: It symbolizes the development of a person’s consciousness. Represent the connection to the divine. Our unity with prosperity and eternity of the integral connections.
4. The Energy Frequency & Seed Mantra
The energy of this chakra allows experiencing mystical oneness with everyone and everything in nature. Violet is the color of spirituality with the shortest wavelength and the highest vibration of the colors of the visible spectrum of light.
- Seed sound: Ah
- Frequency: 480 Hz
- Seed mantra: OM (To be hummed silently)
5. Element Associated with Crown Chakra
Element: Light
- On a Physical aspect (anatomically), crown chakra relates to the cerebral cortex, the skull, and the brain.
- On the Mental aspect, people with balanced violet color frequency are open-minded, curious, and deep thinkers.
- Emotionally, crown chakra manifests deep grief and sadness, suffering within the joy of living with an acceptance of the journey of life.
- On a spiritual level, it indicates a person to give without the need for acknowledgment.
Balanced Crown Chakra
When this Chakra is in a balanced state, one has a sense of connection to the world that brings unlimited energy, and a sense of peace, love, wholeness, and gratitude.
Balanced Feeling: Connected, Knowledge, Guided, Spirituality.
Karmic Lesson: Eliminate earthly attachments, and ego, so that you know you are being led by something higher than yourself for a divine purpose.
When this chakra is in balance, we feel connected to our Higher selves. It makes us aware that we are spiritual beings having a human experience. We recognize that divine intelligence has some control over our lives, and the hand we are dealt at birth. We can surrender to circumstances that are out of our control, while simultaneously making the best of them.
Imbalanced Crown Chakra Symptoms & Its Causes
Reasons for Crown Chakra Imbalances and Blockages
- A Spiritual Awakening
- Limited Beliefs
- Being Abused or Persecuted For One’s Spiritual Beliefs/Feeling
Common symptoms include,
- Apathy
- Lack of care and compassion towards others
- Excessive egotism
- Insomnia
- Nightmares
- Boredom with life
- Narrow-mindedness
- Existential depression
- Spiritual disconnection
- Rigid and limiting self-identity
- Greed and materialism
- Lack of purpose and direction
- Mental confusion
1. Overactive Crown Chakra
Common symptoms include;
- When Sahasrara Chakra is overactive one has trouble with grounding itself and making it difficult for others to take one seriously.
- One may possess a “God Complex” and consider himself better than others around.
- One usually intellectualize things too much and is addicted to spirituality while ignoring your bodily needs.
- One may feel disconnected from the physical world and have problems relating to people.
- One has negative beliefs about money.
2. Underactive Crown Chakra
Common symptoms include;
- When Sahasrara Chakra is under-active one feels a lack of purpose in life and that everything is meaningless.
- One assumes unloved and blames circumstances.
- One lack of balance in life and face difficulties in coordinating with life.
- One finds it difficult to grasp new ideas, lack the desire to explore inner self, and have an excessive fear of death.
How to Get Your Crown Chakra Balanced?
The Crown chakra is a doorway that leads into other dimensions, but one has to focus on them to the exclusion of everything else. ~ Frederick Lenz
As the goal of yoga practices is samadhi or the superconscious union of the ego with the divine self, the crown chakra is the point at which the soul dissolves ego-consciousness, clearing, opening, and harmonizing our bodies and energy fields.
Following practices can help to make it in a balanced state.
1. Stop blaming destiny- Awaken the greatness within
When one not achieve success in undertakings, he finds it convenient to blame other people, situations and even God that stop the unconditional flow of divine blessings. Stop believing your thoughts that create suffering.
Instead of blaming, one should focus on support and encouragement one got from the whole Universe is being whomever you are now, alive and experiencing. As “It’s easy to blame others for your situation. It’s much more productive to search your past and find what caused your faults.
2. Live in an attitude of Gratitude as we know, “A rich life comes from giving.”
Through His Divine Grace we can breathe, smell, taste, hear and experience all that we do. Every single moment of our life is a Bhiksha from His Kindness. So, pay your gratitude to existence for this divine gift of life, and all the support systems that keep you nurtured and taken care of, right from the birth that your parents gave you, their unconditional love and care and so on.
3. Hum or chant the sound “OM” & Meditate
Meditation is the tie between the crown chakra and spirituality. Silence comes with meditation is best for crown chakra activation because it does not distract one from spiritual practice. The sound of Om and deep, tonal sounds can also be healing music for Sahasrara. So commit yourself to your spiritual practice, with always open to guidance.
4. Wear violet!!
Wearing and surrounding yourself with the color violet is a wonderfully simple way to stimulate your crown chakra.
Yoga Poses to Balance The Crown Chakra
Knowing what asana is and then practicing these energetic expressions helps us to direct energy from one part to other parts in the gross and subtle body both.
Practicing following yoga poses redirects energy to the crown chakra or distribute energy among other organs (if lies in excessive amount) to get head region energy balanced.
- The Corpse pose (Shavasana): It calms and balances the crown chakra & challenges to be connected with the ground, to be still in the present moment.
- Rabbit Pose (Shashankasana): it feeds the nervous system with fresh blood and oxygen and aids in digestion and metabolism.
- Lotus or Half Lotus pose (Ardha Padmasana): Sitting crown chakra yoga poses are the gateway to higher consciousness. helps to connect with the wisdom and inner knowing.
- Half headstand/Dolphin pose (Ardha Sirsasana): It increases the straightness of the spine, toning and stretching the back, nape, and legs.
- The Headstand (Salamba Sirhasana): It nourishes the crown chakra by drawing blood to the head which carries prana (energy) to the 7th spiritual center.
Crown Chakra Stones
Use crystals as energetic ways that will help to balance crown chakra energy. Try meditating or carrying crystals such as;
- Selenite
- Danburite
- Charoite
- Labradorite
- Amethyst
- Nuummite
Third Eye Chakra or Ajna: The Command Centre
Well quoted by Carl Jung
Your vision will become clear only when you can look into your own heart. Who looks outside, dreams; who looks inside, awakes.
Third eye Chakra, the 6th in 7 major chakras, is the gate that opens up to the space of higher consciousness and is also the main organ through which the spiritual energy can be awakened and regulated. It provides perception beyond the ordinary sight.
Meaning of Ajna Chakra is actually the “Command” or “Perceiving” Centre, where we transcend duality – the duality of a personal “I” separate from the rest of the world, of a personality that exists independently from everything else.
The third eye chakra located on the forehead, between the eyebrows. It is the center of intuition and foresight.
Characteristic of Third Eye Chakra
1. Foundation of Wisdom
The third eye chakra will work on building your inner knowledge, inspiration, and your true purpose of life.
2. The Third Eye Chakra is Intuitive
This chakra focuses on developing your intuition, in strengthening your psychic knowing. Furthermore, It interacts with the rational mind in order to deepen intuitive insight to see beyond the veil of illusion.
3. Ajna chakra Means to Open Up
The third eye chakra is associated with vision and intuition. When vision and intuition opened up, subtle energy movements and their perception become clearer.
4. Trust Your Own Instinct
This chakra has a strong connection to your insight and wisdom. It motivates your creativity and inspiration.
5. Focuses on The Fact, Death is Nothing To Fear
Maintaining your awareness of your third eye chakra requires focus and an ability to relax into a new way of seeing.
When you focus your mind and your consciousness, you can see beyond the illusions and the distractions that are in front of you.
Third Eye Chakra in Detail
To know your third chakra in detail, you must be aware of the following points.
1. Location of Third Eye Chakra
The location of Ajna chakra is between the eyebrows, slightly above at the bridge of your nose. Exactly, it can be assumed at the point where our inner eyebrows would meet if extended.
It can also be described as being located behind the eyes in the middle of the head. Note that, secondary chakras run along the midline of the forehead, but the third eye chakra is typically located lower.
Anatomically, the Ajna chakra is positioned in the pituitary gland, directly behind the center of the forehead.
The Third eye chakra is associated with the pineal gland in charge of regulating biorhythms, including sleep and wake time.
Pineal gland located in the brain, that is a center of attention because of its relationship with the perception and effect of light and mystical states of consciousness. It’s positioned close to the optical nerves, and as such, sensitive to visual stimulations and changes in lighting.
2. Color Significance of Third Eye Chakra
The third eye chakra is represented with the color indigo. Although, the aura energy radiated from this chakra can also be seen as translucent purple or bluish-white. When observing this color,
- It brings clarity to the sense organs – your seeing, hearing, and feeling.
- Indigo color also connected to your sixth sense, which has the same place as your third eye has.
- Acts as a bridge between heaven and earth, and helps to make a transition towards life or towards death.
- Indigo is the energy of symbolic thinking.
- It allows transforming the energies of lower chakras into higher spiritual vibrations.
3. What Third Eye Chakra Symbol Signifies
The Third Eye Chakra Symbol is a two petaled purple lotus with a downward pointing triangle inside of it. Inside the triangle is the symbol of OM.
- The two petaled lotus: These two petals represent the last remaining duality viz that the Self and God
- Round Circle: It symbolizes the void within the lotus petals.
- Within the circle, an inverted triangle representing Shakti, and above it a Shivalingam
- The OM symbol: It represents the ultimate reality, consciousness and the soul (Atman).
4. Third Eye Chakra Energy Frequency and Seed Mantra
Frequency of Ajna chakra helps in awakening intuition and returning to the spiritual order, thus helps in healing of headaches & migraines.
The energy of this chakra also deals with issues related to eyes, nose, and throat (ENT) as it directly linked to the pituitary gland and energetically to the pineal gland.
Seed mantra: OM
Sound: A Note/Aum (Om)
Frequency of 426.7Hz
5. Associated Element of Third Eye Chakra
Associated element: Light
The way Sixth Chakra sees is that of pure seeing, or witnessing, and is transcendent in nature. However, it is also the seat of conscience; it does not only see, but it also perceives the meaning of what is seen in the light of the soul.
Anatomically, this chakra relates to the brain, forehead, brow, the pituitary gland, the pineal gland, eyes, nose, and the carotid nerve plexus.
Third eye chakra is the center of confluence where the three nadis – ida, pingala and sushumna – merge into one stream of consciousness and flow up to the crown Chakra. Transformation of individual consciousness is brought about by the merging of the three great nadis (energy channels).
Also, the seat of the “inner Guru (teacher)”, which is the source of inner guidance, and the “eye of intuition”, through which one enters the astral and psychic dimension of consciousness, and receives revelation and insight.
Psychological and behavioral characteristics related to this chakra are;
- Vision
- Intuition
- Perception of subtle dimensions and movements of energy
- Psychic abilities
- Access to mystical states as in hallucinations
- Connection to wisdom
- Motivates inspiration and creativity
Balanced Third Eye Chakra
Balanced third eye chakra has a strong sense of intuition and perception beyond ordinary sight, connected to a different way of seeing and perceiving the things.
So, while your eyes see the material world, balanced Ajna chakra helps you look into deeper realms: intuition, clairvoyance, imagination, creativity, and visualization. A person with a strong Ajna Chakra has greater intuition, a strong sense of identity, and the ability to self-reflect.
Balanced Ajna chakra has following characteristics with an affirmation, “I align my consciousness with the source of all life”;
- Helps to experience visions of things with prophetic and intuitive dreams
- One becomes sensitive to subtle energies and vibrations of people & things
- Wisdom is easily accessible
- Makes conscious level rise above the emotions with a broader understanding that life and situations have a deeper meaning
- Makes the soul open to receiving messages from eternity
- One becomes motivated, inspiring and creative
See also: Everything You Should Know About Your Balanced Heart Chakra
Imbalanced Third Eye Chakra & Its Causes
The unbalanced sixth Chakra can appear as either too conceptual, analytical and rigid, or too mentally feeble and fluid.
Some of the symptoms are:
- Having fear of believing others
- Confusion
- Negative beliefs
- Irresponsibility
- Headaches & Migraines
- Learning disabilities
- Close-mindedness
- Mental rigidity
- Cut off from emotions
- Eyes, Ears problems
- Nose and sinuses
- Nausea
What Causes Imbalance of Third Eye Chakra?
The unbalanced sixth Chakra can appear as either too conceptual, analytical and rigid, or too mentally feeble and fluid.
Stress, illness, emotional disturbances, or conflict all together cause an imbalance in the chakra system. Since all of the seven chakras are interconnected, hence when one chakra experience imbalance, it affects all the others.
An imbalanced third eye chakra can lead to two extremes; Either being so consumed with the negatives in the reality that one feels depressed or feeling disillusioned and lost in fantasies.
Main causes of imbalanced Third eye chakra in a nutshell are:
- Lack of faith in your purpose
- Feeling pointless
- Indecisiveness
- Finding your work or life insignificant
Imbalance in a chakra can be seen in terms of its under-activity or overactivity.
1. Underactive Third Eye Chakra
When Prana in the third chakra revolves at a slower pace, it’s under-activity of third eye chakra. If the third-eye chakra is underactive or closed,
- It makes difficult to understand spiritual connections
- Makes it difficult to get connected to see how things spiritually relate
- One is not able to make a balance with the body and its commands.
- One feels confused and disconnected & rely too much on own beliefs and not open to new energy.
- One feels stuck and not able to look beyond the problems.
- Not able to clarify situations in a deeper way due to lack of vision of clarity.
2. Overactive Third Eye Chakra
In case higher spinning of Prana in this chakra, it becomes overactive. If the third-eye chakra is overactive,
- One tends to be over-intellectual in thinking
- Becomes judgmental, over-logical, and unsympathetic
- May create circumstances in mind that aren’t happening
- One misinterprets spiritual information for logic and ‘what makes sense’
- May fantasize too much leading to anxiety and stress.
How to Get Your ‘Command Station’ Balanced?
First and foremost, to heal Ajna Chakra one often needs to deal with it indirectly; that is, by taking care of the lower Chakras psychological issues. When worries, anxieties, feelings, emotions in terms of mind fluctuations stop projecting themselves onto the sixth Chakra, one’s mind already becomes much more lucid.
- Visualize the third-eye chakra symbol in the center of the eyebrow in the meditation process. starting from the most basic ones, such as concentration techniques.
- Learning to disassociate from thought, and realizing that one’s mind can be inherently free from identification with disturbing thoughts.
- Wear or carry third-eye chakra crystal that best fit your balancing needs during meditation or everyday use.
1. Asanas for balancing third-eye chakra
- Uttanasana or Standing Forward Bend: This pose allows the flow of blood towards third eye chakra location and helps to balance it.
- Janu Sirsasana or Head-to-Knee Pose: This pose makes chakra highly stimulated by the forward bending movement & helps in increasing flow of the blood to the face, relaxing and activating the third eye.
- Makarasana or Dolphin pose: Dolphine pose creates a sense of balance by increasing circulation to the face and brain.
- Balasana or Child’s pose: in this pose, when we touch the eyebrow centre on the floor, it offers to ground all negativity from our soul.
2. Using Stones
Using stones of a particular chakra add up the healing process of chakra. For third eye chakra, you can use the following stones in your practice.
- Amethyst
- Chevron Amethyst
- Lapis Lazuli, Sodalite
- Herkimer Diamond
- Purple Fluorite
- Moonstone
Diet & Lifestyle Tips To Harmonize Ajna Chakra
- Sitting in sunlight and detoxifying the body to boost the pineal gland and balance the third-eye chakra.
- Use of aromatherapy with essential oils that correspond to the third-eye chakra.
- Listen to third-eye chakra sound frequencies to cleanse and balance third eye chakra.
- Blue-Green Algae, Purple-red foods like eggplant, purple kale, purple grapes, raisins, and plums.
- Eat foods that are rich in omega-3 fatty acids such as fish and nuts.
- Eat vegetables and fruits rich in antioxidants such as blueberries.
Conclusion
Ajna Chakra is not just the center of thinking but also is the center of attention. It makes us free to choose what has to be given attention and thus helping to achieve physical health.
Knowing Ajna Chakra is a guide to understand your physical and mental existence. It heals the physical & mental ailments and brings the body back to normal health because the Third Eye is the seat of intuition and will-power.
Throat Chakra (Vishuddha): Everything You Should Know About It
The throat chakra is titled as the fifth chakra when counting in ascending order from the base of the spine to the crown of the head. The throat chakra is home to creativity with sound as it is located at the base of the subtle body’s throat. Its purpose is to express truth coming from the soul and is the center of communication and speech, and it also regulates hearing and listening.
With the art of expression, one can share their words, feelings, emotions, and creativity with others & thus, the world seems a beautiful place. Isn’t it?
Characteristics of Throat Chakra
1) Honor your right to speak
This feature is classic to throat chakra as, “each word acts as your bond”, Every time you give your word, you’re putting your honor on the line. This implies that others can place their trust in you because you value integrity and would never let them down.
2) Honor your unique power of existence
Each being is born with unique talents & has a unique life purpose. This marks it necessary to clearly analyze true desires and not be influenced and enchanted by others.
Self-esteem is the negative or positive attitude that individuals have of themselves and balanced throat chakra helps totally accept our uniqueness and express it.
3) The 5 T’s of Communication
The 5 T’s of communication are;
- Throat chakra- Balanced
- Timing
- Tone
- Technique
- Truth
These rules of communication are to prepare the ground to have a total impact of our words in a positive way.
Throat chakra helps to release all fears of speaking and fears of listening thus finally, being completely present at the moment with wisdom and throat to speak.
4) Respect your words, they are the bond with your Vissudha chakra
If you have given a promise to someone no matter who the person is, or how small the promise is, you must honor your commitment. It displays the capacity to make decisions knowing that no matter what decisions you make, you can keep your word to yourself or to another person.
5) Will Power and Power of Choice
The choices you make reveal your intentions, hence one must develop strong willpower by making choices in alignment with your life purpose, which draws on both the desires of the heart and the wisdom of the mind.
Throat Chakra in Detail
To understand the throat chakra in detail, we need to acknowledge and know more about the following aspects:
1. Location
Anatomical Location: Located at the center of the neck at the level of the throat above the collarbone
This chakra acts as the passage of the energy between the lower parts of the body and the head, and is mainly driven by the principle of expression and communication.
Corresponding to the laryngeal nerve 1, this chakra is associated with both hearing and listening & is the purification point of the body and the center of wisdom, willpower, truth.
The Throat chakra is associated with the pharyngeal and brachial plexus and is connected to the body organs mouth, jaws, tongue, pharynx, and palate. It’s is also linked to the shoulders and the neck.
Glands associated: Thyroid, which regulates the processing of energy in the body through temperature, growth, and in large parts, metabolism.
2. Color Coding of Throat Chakra
Color: Blue or turquoise
In our color spectrum, Blue is the first of the three primary colors, connecting us with the Divine and it is also the color associated with Heaven.
Blue energy is pure, soothing, healing & is also at the cooler end of the spectrum, allowing us to take time to be still.
On physical anatomical level blue relates to the throat, esophagus, thyroid gland, neck, cervical spine, mouth, teeth, and jaw.
3. Symbol of Awakening
The throat chakra is positioned between the head and heart, linking feeling and thought. The throat chakra symbol is often depicted as shades of radiant blue viz the color of wisdom, faith, purification, and trust depicted as a circle within a descending triangle.
- Number of Petals in Thorat Chakra symbol: 16 (Sixteen)
The lotus flower symbolizes the development of human consciousness. This chakra has 16 petals, each linked with one of the Sanskrit vowels, a mantra. - White Circle/Silver Crescent: The central chakra region is white, transparent, sky-blue in the color, symbolizing the cosmic sound i.e. nadam, which represents purity. It represents the full moon pointing towards our psychic powers.
- Downward-Pointing Triangle: It represents the akasamandala. The downward-pointing triangle of the throat chakra is symbolic of spiritual growth and is affiliated with the gathering of information, while the wide upward sides represent the knowledge leading to Enlightenment.
- White Elephant: Airavata (elephant) is the animal gesture of throat chakra. Airavata carries the sound mantra & Indra, the god of thunder as per Hindu mythology. The white elephant is symbolic of strength, prosperity, luck.
4. The Energy Frequency
The sacred frequency of throat chakra acts as vessels of a self-generating power of expressions and hence better communication.
Bijaakshara or seed mantra: HAM
Frequency: 384 Hz
5. Associated Element with Throat Chakra
The element associated with the Throat Chakra is Ether/Spirit/Life and Sound which represents the Level of Psychology/Mind and is associated with Transformation, Unification, Power, Time.
Through the throat, the sound is propagated into the air and its vibration can be felt not just in our ears, but also in our whole body.
The Throat chakra is associated with psychological and behavioral characteristics:
- Expression as an inability to express & to speak out.
- Communication skills.
- Connection with the etheric realm or soul.
- Realizing your purpose in life.
- Good sense of timing and connectivity.
Balanced Throat Chakra
When Throat chakra is in a balanced stage, one is able to express the thoughts & desires in connective relationship with the heart chakra and, mind.
The energy radiated from balanced vishuddha chakra springs upward from the sacral chakra through the solar plexus & continue its path enabling free expression of the values and needs expressed within the energy.
One learns to communicate his ideas, beliefs, and emotions and lives in harmony as:
- Openly able to express feelings and thoughts.
- Living in a creative way.
- Good sense of timing and communication skills.
- Imaginative & imperative speech.
- Trusting your inner guidance viz your inner self.
- Openly passing knowledge
Hence when your voice is rhythmic and resonant, clear with precise expression, it symbolizes your balanced stage of the fifth chakra, defining your ability to take decisions & hence to follow your dreams.
Imbalanced Throat Chakra
When the throat chakra is out of balance, the physical symptoms shown are sore throat, tight jaw, stiff neck, and frequent headache.
Spiritually one becomes habitual in lying, feeling of fear and doubt the intentions of others, or stammering or at a loss for words with balanced feelings of being isolated and misunderstood.
The blocked Throat Chakra affects the ability to communicate by creating confusion in mindset leading to timidity, a fear of speaking up, and sometimes manipulative behavior. Rather than speaking up fully from open-heart, one speaks half-truths and untruths to repress the inner dissatisfaction.
Creative impulses get suppressed by blockage of the fifth chakra as ideas do not move through to the lower chakras where they are made into reality, with other features like,
- Fear of speaking
- Difficulty putting feelings into words
- Shy, quiet and withdrawn
- Out of touch with your own desires
- Not trusting of intuitive powers
More precisely are the following features of imbalanced throat chakra in communication:
- Talking too much
- Talking as a defense
- Dominating voice
- Inability to listen
- Have to appear strong at all costs
Physical Imbalances:
- Cold symptoms
- Tickle or phlegm in the throat
- Coughing
- Stress
- Hyperactivity
- Allergies
- Signs of a goiter
- Stuffy, runny nose
- Fatigue
Overactive Vishuddha Chakra
The over-reactive phase of this chakra makes the person yell and dominate others in a conversation, not allowing them to speak or listen to them, with a loud and shrill voice, and become judgmental by overanalyzing things.
When your Vishuddha Chakra is overactive;
- Voice will be loud with dominancy.
- Interrupt behavior with ongoing conversations.
- Over-opinionated and critical of others.
- Bad listener and intellectualize things to avoid the vulnerability of feelings.
- Mostly a compulsive liar prone to gossiping.
- Dishonors his own words with an inability to fulfill commitments and promises.
Underactive Vishuddha Chakra
Underactive chakra makes one whisper and speaks in a timid voice with stammering. These people find it hard to initiate conversations or find the right words when speaking.
When your Vishuddha Chakra is underactive:
- Difficulty to express feelings and emotion
- Feel shy and timid.
- Unable to initiate a conversation and think that you do not have the right to ask a question.
- Feel under-rated with your own feelings and difficulty in telling the truth and being honest with oneself.
Balancing Throat Chakra Energy
If you feel any symptoms of your throat energy blocking in physical or psychological level, emulate following practices in your life to flow energy through the throat chakra.
1) Stop Comparing Yourself to Others
No one is perfect in this world and there will always be someone better or lesser than you. Everyone has their own set of unique talents that make them successful.
2) Express Yourself
Fear of expressing one’s ideas and thoughts because of the fear of others’ rejection leads to fear of sharing the opinion with others and expressing one’s talent. Everyone is a unique soul with a unique life purpose and for that unique talents need to be expressed in society.
3) Remove the Fear of Being Misunderstood
Fear of being misunderstood arises with doubt leading to communication problems. Hence, it is important to have trust in the other person and to make yourself understood.
4) Releasing Dependency
Communication always happens between equals as if you feel lesser or higher than the other due to dependency results in no communication.
5) Release Guilt
Guilt comes with the tagline, “I am wrong and have to be punished”. To address your guilt, magnify it, face it and then release it with an acceptance of having right thought at that moment.
One can also imbibe the following practices apart from their regular activity to balance the throat chakra energy.
Crystal Energy and Sound Therapy
- Blue crystal energy unblocks and balances the throat chakra as the dark shades of blue have the power of truth and the lighter shades have the power of flexibility relaxation and balance.
- Yellow crystals are used to augment the blue crystal as it brings the power of communication and free expression drawing the energy from the solar plexus.
Sound Therapy
- Crystal healing of the throat can be accompanied by soothing, melodic music for maximum effectiveness.
Yoga & Meditation
The Throat Chakra teaches us about the beauty of our uniqueness.
[alert-success] You are meant to share yourself just as you are – your strengths and your beauty along with your vulnerabilities and your blemishes are your uniqueness. [/alert-success]
The ancient science of yoga and meditation is the easiest key to open the door of Chakras energy. Practice these yoga asanas and meditation for the throat chakra.
- HAM (Vishuddha seed Mantra): Cross your fingers on the inside of your hands, without the thumbs. Let the thumbs touch at the tops, and pull them slightly up. Concentrate on the Throat Chakra at the base of the throat. Chant the mantra HAM. Do it for 10 minutes and feel the sensation of the awakening of the Vishuddha Chakra.
- Head Rolls and Neck Stretches
- Lion’s Breath (Simhasana Pranayama)
- Supported Shoulderstand (Salamba Sarvangasana)
- Supported Fish Pose (Salamba Matsyasana)
Throat Chakra Stones
The throat chakra is the main hub of emotion and expression and governs creativity and the ability to communicate clearly and effectively.
One of the best ways to balance an underactive or overactive chakra is by using crystals. The crystals below all resonate at the frequency of the throat chakra,
- Amazonite: Dispels and guards against negativity while restoring emotional balance.
- Lapis lazuli: Used to open, stimulate, and balance. This “stone of truth” restores your ability to communicate effectively.
- Turquoise: Used to stimulate and balance. Dispels negativity and restores confidence to speak and express one’s thoughts effectively.
- Aquamarine: Used to cleanse and stimulate. It offers courage and promotes tolerance and compassion while dispelling fear.
Heart Chakra (Anahata): Meaning, Location, and Signs of Balance & Blocked Chakra
The Heart Chakra at a Glance
| Sanskrit Name – Meaning | Anahata – unstruck sound |
| Location | Centre of chest |
| Color | Green |
| Seed Mantra | YAM |
| Element | Air |
| Characteristics | Harmony with nature, unconditional love, positive neutrality, harmonious relationships |
| Symptoms of blocked | Headaches, blurred vision, sinus issues, eyestrain, seizures, hearing loss, hormone function |
| Healing crystal | Green Aventurine, Prehnite, Emerald |
Kindness is the language which the deaf can hear and the blind can see.
– Mark Twain
With this quote, I would like to mark the importance of the Heart Chakra i.e. the chakra of relationships motivated by the principles of integration and transformation.
The heart chakra is the center of the chakra system, in terms of its location in the body and 4th in order among 7 major chakras. Being at the center it connects the lower 3 chakras (root chakra, sacral chakra, solar plexus chakra) with the upper 3 higher chakras (throat chakra, third eye chakra, crown chakra).
In the lower 3 chakras, the ego (as our identity) is connected to the mundane world, to security, outer beauty, and the world of name and fame. Here, in the fourth chakra, the ego opens for a greater cause, and instead of being self-centered, it makes us feel one with all. It’s the quality of heart chakra.
The heart chakra is associated with balance, serenity, and calmness. When you become anxious or stressed, your brain overrides the emotions that block your heart chakra and you will notice both mental and physical disturbance.
This guide will lighten your vision about your feelings to get connected to other souls by allowing awareness to penetrate the heart chakra.
Anahata chakra meaning
Anahata is the Sanskrit term used for the heart chakra. This term literally means “unstruck or unbeaten sound”, the sound that is produced without striking any objects. It’s usually associated with a calm sound void of peace, also called soundless sound.
The sound of OM is the perfect example of Anahata. It is believed, the natural vibration of OM is still present in the universe as it was at the time of the creation of the universe (when there was nothing to make sound).
The reason the heart chakra is associated with the Anahata sound because the heart opens up the door of higher wisdom. It can only be perceived when one is able to be receptive enough to perceive the subtlest sounds i.e. the sound of thyself. And one of the most important ways of achieving this listening ability is meditation. Nada yoga and kriya yoga practices can help you achieve that meditation state easily.
Location and associated organs
The heart chakra is located in the front and middle of your chest (between right and left lung), behind, and slightly to the left of your breastbone. From the back view, it lies at the level of T8 thoracic vertebrae.
The significance of the heart chakra’s area close ties to the lungs and the heart, oxygen regulation plays key components in keeping the heart chakra balanced. Pranayama is a potent practice to help this space of the energy system in the human body.
This chakra is mainly associated with the upper back, including the thorax and thoracic cavity, the lower area of lungs, skin, hands, and arms. This heart space has connections with the cardiovascular system, the respiratory system, and the immune system.
Moreover, the heart chakra regulates the thymus endocrine gland which is an important part of the immune system. The thymus gland is said “higher heart chakra”, also knows as “seat of the soul”. It represents spiritual growth, unconditional love, compassion, and forgiveness.
Green color significance
It is believed that each chakra in your body is directly associated with a particular color and vibrates your body with its own frequency.
The soul is tinged with the color of its thoughts.
The heart chakra has green color. Its green color represents freshness, safety, compassion, and the ability to transform. It emphasizes the essence of fresh growth, the promise of new hopes, the eternal nature, and the ability to share the love.
Exposure to green chakra color objects like plants in the morning prompts the release of cortisol (stress hormone). It helps you wake up early and gives rise to fresh stimulation in the morning time.
Heart chakra symbol
Each of the 7 chakras is represented by a unique symbol that tells the core qualities and function of that particular chakra.
The symbol for the heart chakra is a circle of twelve lotus petals surrounding two intersecting triangles, forming a six-pointed star.
The heart chakra symbol has the following elements.
- Twelve lotus petals: Twelve petals positioned in a circle depicted qualities of heart when the chakra lies in balanced state.
12 Mental Modifications (When Chakra is Imbalanced) 12 Heart Qualities (When Chakra is Balanced) Kam (hope) Delight Kham (anxiety) Peace Gham (possessiveness) Love Ngam (arrogance) Understanding Cham (incompetence) Fellowship Chham (discrimination) Clarity Jam (egoism) Purity Jham (lustfulness) Unity Nyam (fraudulence) Compassion Tam (indecision) Kindness Tham (repentance) Forgiveness Gam (endeavor) Harmony - The animal nature: In the Hindu tradition, the deity associated with the heart chakra is Vayu (air), who sits at the center of the symbol, riding an antelope.
The animal nature here is well depicted by the black antelope. It runs around restlessly but always in joy, searching for the source of the smell of the musk that resides in its navel. - Triangles: The triangles represent the descent of spirit into the body and the ascent of matter rising to meet the spirit. The heart is indeed a center of the intersection of two triangles, creating a Shatkona (6 angles), a symbol used in Hindu Yantra.
The energy frequency and seed mantra
The energy spread out of each chakra corresponds to a certain frequency and wavelength of the visible spectrum.
Heart chakra vibrates at 639 Hz frequency. The sound of this frequency helps balance emotions and elevate the mood. Listening to the music of this frequency helpful when you are anxious, feeling negative emotions in your heart, or have relationship problems.
YAM is the seed mantra of the heart chakra that corresponds to 639 Hz frequency. This “mantra” is connected to the control over the air and Prana (life force) in our body.
The heart chakra element is Vayu (air), the least dense of our physical elements so far. It makes the heart chakra dominant in the Vata dosha person. Air represents freedom, openness, and freshness, lightness, simplicity, and softness.
Characteristics of heart chakra
The heart chakra is the control center for compassion, empathy, connection, and forgiveness. It lets you experience and accepts any situation in life, no matter circumstances are in favor or against you.
This chakra determines your ability to rise up beyond materialistic identity. It’s actually the state when you identify yourself with the higher self.
When your heart chakra is activated, you allow yourself to be guided by the power of higher self that many refer to as God, or The Source, or Cosmic Intelligence.
The voice of Heart Chakra enchants; “I am worthy of love. I lovingly allow joy to flow through my mind, body, and experience”. which can be experienced when;
1. Release Expectations
When expectations are not met as per our definitions, we get to hurt. So let go and release the expectations from life. Focus on doing activities and then respect the outcome, This is what Karma Yoga teaches us.
On releasing expectation, love flows unconditionally and thus you can feel fully blossomed Heart Chakra.
2. Release Attachments
Desire gives the fear of losing and hence gives suffering. Whatever gives us pleasure also gives us pain. We are no longer a victim of desires connected to the material world when we can surrender our ego.
To evolve in life, one has to break attachments, remove expectations and make love unconditional and divine.
3. Trust your Relationships
Having trust over relations with full awareness is what Anahata is based on. No one betrays anyone but acts as per their perceptions, limitations, priorities, and fears.
4. Forgiveness
Release the pain and hurt and forgive those who hurt intentionally or non-intentionally as that alone will set you free.
How to know if heart chakra is balanced?
When our heart chakra is balanced and open, waves of love and compassion flow within us, enabling us quickly to forgive, and accept others and ourselves.
Balancing the Anahata chakra allows us to release our emotional pain through unconditional love. The ancient classics believed that our “jiva atman” (soul)- resides in the heart chakra, which is the transition zone of our material self to the divine self. As the heart center expands with love and compassion, our sapling of inner peace and harmony can open and grow.
Balanced heart chakra manifests in the form of;
- Harmony with nature
- Unconditional love
- Positive neutrality
- Harmonious relationships
- Nonjudgmental of self or others
- Compassionate
- Peaceful
Imbalanced heart chakra symptoms and its causes
An imbalanced heart chakra gives way to grief, anger, jealousy, fear of betrayal, and hatred toward ourselves and others. It results in physical symptoms including asthma, heart problems, hypertension, breathing problems, infection at the level of the lung, and bronchitis.
Imbalanced heart chakra manifests in the form of;
- Loneliness
- Jealousy
- Bitterness
- Inability to forgive
- Passive aggression
- Inability to love
- Judgmental
- Lack of empathy
- Smothering behavior
An imbalanced heart chakra leads you to experience poor energy levels in the whole body as the heart basically is the center of all bodily functions. The predominance of negativity and hate can be responsible for an imbalance in the heart chakra. You will feel hopeless, shy, rejected, and disconnected from the whole world. Hopelessness can make you distance yourself from other people and you will lose some valuable relationships.
Physically you will feel a weaker immune system (colds, flu, and frequent infection), low/high blood pressure, poor circulation, and breathing difficulties happen because of the imbalanced heart chakra.
1. Overactive heart chakra
When there is an excess flow of energy in the heart, it manifests imbalance in the form of the overactive heart chakra.
If the heart chakra is overly open, it may exhibit into:
- Being overly demanding, especially close family or partner
- Extending to fulfill other people’s perceived needs to the cost of one’s balance
- The tendency to feel like a victim
- Losing a sense of personal boundaries in a way that is detrimental for well-being
Apart from this, because of overactive Anahata Chakra, we get disconnected in our relationships and get controlled by emotions and possessiveness.
2. Blocked heart chakra
When there is suppressed flow of energy in the heart, it manifests imbalance in the form of the blocked or underactive heart chakra.
In the case of the blocked heart chakra, there is a lack of compassion and empathy for self and others in person. A person becomes cold-hearted and emotionally inaccessible, or overly sensitive.
Underactive Anahata makes us feel scared to love or be loved because of fear of betrayal. Therefore we continue to hold on to bitterness, sorrow, and grief and do not trust others, become judgmental, critical, and intolerant.
How to balance heart chakra?
1. Incorporating karma yoga principles
Karma yoga is the path that emphasizes one to follow their duty without any attachment to the results. Incorporating the principles of karma yoga principles can help you open the heart chakra.
- Experience without attachment – Experience each moment for what it is and accept it, without referencing it to past or future moments. No moment can last forever because nothing is permanent.
- Let go of attachment to the past – We often remain cling to situations or people when we feel happy, safe, and comfortable with their company. So, letting go past attachments and opening the mind and heart, sets away to a new future.
- Let go of attachment to outcomes – Make peace with the moment as it is, without worrying about the outcome. Release the need to know and accept uncertainty. There are no guarantees about how life will play out. Just live well today.
- Let Go of Attachment to Feelings – Understand that pain is unavoidable. You will lose things that matter and feel some level of pain. But it doesn’t have to be as bad as you think. As the saying goes, pain is inevitable, suffering is optional.
2. Practice pranayama and heart opening yoga poses
Balancing the heart chakra with yoga helps to live with an open heart, accept people, to accept ourselves, and dispose of hatred and negativity.
Pranayama practice directly impacts the working of the heart by regulating the flow of air entering in and out of the lungs. These pranayama breathing exercises for lungs will surely help you maintain open up and balance your heart chakra.
Try to incorporate the following yoga poses to open your heart chakra and view the world through the eyes of love;
- Half Camel Pose (Ardha-Ushtrasana): Half Camel Pose is a deep backbend for your upper back, and literally and metaphorically opens up your heart space.
- Wheel Pose (Urdhva Dhanurasana): Wheel Pose develops mobility and flexibility in your spine and hip flexors as well as creating space in your heart.
- Bridge Pose (Setu Bandha Sarvangasana): Bridge Pose is a gentler variation of Wheel Pose and it begins to create flexibility and strength in your spine.
- Reverse warrior pose: Warrior 1 Pose strengthens your quads while creating flexibility in your hips.
- Upward Facing Dog Pose ( Urdhva Mukha asana): Upward-Facing Dog strengthens and tones your arms while creating flexibility in your spine.
- Bow Pose (Dhanurasana): Bow Pose generates mobility in your spine as well as flexibility in your hip flexors.
3. Practice meditation with heart chakra mudra
Meditation and mudras make a perfect combined practice to direct energy to any part of the body. All we have to do is meditate on a particular part of the body and hold hands in a specific mudra to redirect energy to that part.
To balance the heart chakra, holding hands in Apana vayu mudra and bringing your awareness to the heart center is the easiest way. This mudra has the power to ease the pain around the chest area and improves blood circulation.
4. Using heart chakra stones
One of the best ways to balance an underactive or overactive heart chakra is by using crystals.
The nine crystals below all resonate at the frequency of the heart chakra, so they enhance love and compassion. They also allow empathy and forgiveness to flow freely, which can bring harmony to any relationship.
- Rose Quartz: Stone of Unconditional Love
- Rhodochrosite: Stone for Selfless Love and Compassionate Heart.
- Emerald: Stone of Successful Love
- Rhodonite: Stone of Self Love and Unconditional Love referred to as an emotional balancer.
- Green Aventurine (Stone of Opportunity)
- Green Jade: Dream Stone and Stone of Fidelity
- Amazonite: Stone of Hope and Courage, supports both the heart and throat chakra.
- Prehnite: Stone of Unconditional Love and Healing
5. Add heart chakra food in diet and do lifestyle changes
Green vegetables and fruits are your great companion to open up your blocked heart chakra.
- Eat green vegetables like leafy greens, salad greens, pot herbs, brussels sprouts, spinach, and kale.
- Use aromatherapy oils such as Sandalwood, Jasmine, Lavender, and Geranium.
- Listen to the sound of wind instruments like flute, saxophone, etc.
- Wear 15 Mukhi Rudraksha and gemstones like Emerald.
Conclusion
If you keep your heart chakra balanced and healthy you can be transformed into a loving and compassionate person towards others. You can’t expect anything in return but give forgiveness, love, and kindness to others because this is the only thing that heart chakra is aiding you to do.
“Contemplating the Self as the Manipura chakra, which is luminous like the rising Sun, and gazing at the tip of the nose, the yogi shakes the world.” – Goraksha-Praddhati
The prior thing that separates us from the crowd is our confidence, self-esteem and will power. Every person is different in behavior and character only because of these things. Isn’t it?
All these powers come from our subtle body and the source of our inner powers in our subtle body is Manipur/Solar Plexus Chakra.
Solar Plexus or Manipura Chakra: Energy Centre of Transformation
The third major chakra in the series of 7 chakras is Manipura Chakra- the Solar Plexus Chakra. This chakra is associated with fire, the power of transformation. The energy of this chakra allows us to transform according to the challenges of our life.
The literal meaning of Manipura in Sanskrit is ‘City of Gems’, where ‘Mani’means ‘gem’ and ‘Pura’ means ‘city’. In the case of chakra, Manipura means Bright Gem or Lustrous Gem. In Yogic language, the gem within us is our self-esteem and will power and this chakra is the source of our confidence and self-esteem. Balancing this chakra makes out your true self shine brightly.
This chakra is located in the navel region just above the belly and below the breastbone. This is located at the center of our body.
Manipura chakra is the junction of Prana and Apana Vayu. This is the core of our personality and ego.
Moreover, Solar Plexus Chakra is also called the Navel Chakra.
Manipura Chakra in Detail
To know Solar Plexus Chakra in detail, you need to draw your attention to the following points.
- Location.
- Color significance.
- Symbol.
- The energy frequency and seed mantra.
- Associated element.
Location of Manipura Chakra
Manipura Chakra is located in the Naval region (just above the navel), in correspondence with the solar plexus.
There is a lot of confusion in the exact location of this chakra. Many say it is exactly at the navel, however, many say it exactly at the Solar Plexus.
According to Ramkrishna Paramhansa and Swami Vivekananda, the Chakras do not exist in the gross body or physical body. Moreover, they are part of the subtle body and are only visible when the Sushumna Nadi is opened.
Organs associated with the solar plexus chakra
Due to its location at the abdomen, Manipura Chakra is connected with the pancreas, organs of the digestive system and the outer adrenal glands. These glands secrete hormones for digestion and conversion of food into energy.
Color Significance
The color associated with the Manipura Chakra is Yellow.
Yellow is the color for brightness and enlightenment. This color represents energy. Yellow is also considered as the color of the sun, that represents shine.
Here Yellow color signifies the enlightenment of one’s true self. This means Solar Plexus Chakra emits bright energy to show one’s strong will power and confidence.
Symbol of Solar Plexus Chakra
Manipura Chakra is represented by a downward-facing triangle in the middle of a ten petal lotus in yellow color.
1. The number of petals (10 petals). 10 petals represent 10 pranas within us. These petals are connected to 5 pranas and 5 upa-pranas [efn_note] what are pranas and upa-prana https://www.yogaindailylife.org/system/en/the-spiritual-background/prana [/efn_note].
2. The Downward-Facing Triangle. The downward-facing triangle signifies the energy of the lower three chakras is being gathered and spread towards the higher chakras.
3. Symbolized Animal. Ram (riding animal of God of fire) is the animal symbol of this chakra.
4. Deities Connected. Deities connected to this symbol are Shiva and Shakti Lakini (wife of lord shiva).
The energy frequency and seed mantra
Bijaakshara or Seed Mantra: RAM
Frequency: 384 Hz
Associated Element with Manipura Chakra
Out of 5 elements lies within us, the element associated with the Manipura Chakra is Fire/Agni that is formed as heat in the solar plexus. Therefore we also call it the Fire center of the body.
The Manipura Chakra associates with the following behavioral characteristics.
- Control over thoughts and emotions.
- Willpower and self-discipline.
- Confidence and self-esteem.
- Power to transform thoughts into ideas.
Balanced Solar Plexus (Manipura) Chakra
When the Solar Plexus Chakra is balanced, one becomes confident and determined. We become self-controlled and self-disciplined. It is like mastering our own body. The following are characteristics of a Balanced Manipura Chakra.
- Inner empowerment- The Manipura Chakra is the core of our powers, so, it gives us control over the thought process, emotions, and mood swings. As a result, a good mood and optimistic point of view arise.
- Calm Mind– Controlling over our thought process and emotions, Solar Plexus Chakra allows us the flexibility of mind. We become calm and flexible. Further, we do not get angry easily, and we solve every problem with a calm mind.
- Self-esteem- The Solar Plexus is the source of our self-esteem and confidence. So, it gives us the power to believe in ourselves and make decisions & actions confidently.
- Digestion- Manipura Chakra helps to generate the digestive fire. Balance in this chakra keeps the digestive system healthy.
Imbalanced in Solar plexus Chakra
Even a slight imbalance in Solar Plexus Chakra can damage our inner willpower and confidence. As a result, the following disorders take place in our body.
- Problems in the liver and kidney.
- Difficulty in respiration.
- Nerve pain.
- Poor digestion.
- Get easily offended.
- Feeling of worthlessness.
- Dissatisfaction and restlessness.
- Anger.
- Overreactiveness.
- Judgmental.
- Unwillingness.
A blockage in Solar Plexus Chakra makes you greedy, short-tempered and unwilling. Moreover, you will feel worthless and all your desires will seem unreachable. This makes us angry and rude.There are two types of imbalances in Manipura Chakra. One, when it becomes overactive and second when it becomes underactive. Let’s discuss them one by one.
Overactive Solar Plexus Chakra
When Manipura Chakra is overactive, one becomes power-hungry and highly aggressive. In addition, one becomes a bit bossy type and try to get control over other people. Here are some signs that occur when Solar Plexus is overactive.
- Getting angry over little things.
- Trying to get control over the surroundings.
- Self-centered behavior.
- Lust for power.
- Hyperactive and possessive.
- Intolerant or conservative behavior.
- Overjudgemental.
Underactive Solar Plexus Chakra
When Solar Plexus Chakra is underactive, one feels a lack of confidence and ambition. Here are some signs of underactive Manipura Chakra.
- Losing decision making power.
- Hesitation to speak out your concern.
- Lack of confidence and willpower.
- Bad digestion.
- Low self-esteem and self-trust.
- Weak mentality and thought process.
- Fear to take responsibility.
If you feel any of the symptoms within you, it means your Solar Plexus Chakra is imbalanced. Now the question comes what you need to do to balance this chakra?So, let me take you to the process of balancing the Manipura Chakra.
How to balance your Solar Plexus Chakra
When there is an imbalance in your Solar Plexus Chakra, you need to do the following practices in your daily life to balance it.
Physical Activities
1. Give some time to yourself In our busy lives, we often forget to give time to ourselves. Consequently, this habit doesn’t let you analyze yourself. Give some time to yourself, try to realize your actions and their outcomes. In addition, try to deepen your mind towards your inner self. This will let you know who you are and what you are capable of.
2. Behavioral ChangesYour rude behavior does not let you open up with others. Try to express yourself to others with love and kindness. Certainly, open up with others and try to get some new experiences. Getting out of your zone and trying something new can help you to open up and bring balance to Manipura Chakra.3. Get Some SunlightSince the fire element is the core element of Solar Plexus Chakra, therefore, the Sun has a very beneficial effect on it. So, try to get out on sunny days and take sunbaths. This can help you to balance the Solar Plexus Chakra.
Yogic Activities
Yoga practices can be very helpful to balance your Solar Plexus Chakra. Hence, you can perform the following Yoga practices to bring balance to this chakra.
Yoga Asanas
Here is a list of Yoga Asanas that you can perform to bring balance to your Manipura Chakra.
- Surya Namaskara (Sun salutation)
- Paripurna Navasana (Boat Pose)
- Tittibhasan ( Firefly pose)
- Dhanurasana (Bow pose)
Yoga Mudra
The following Yoga Mudras are very beneficial to balance Manipura Chakra.
In addition, when you perform these mudras in conjunction with Pranayama, these mudras show the best effects.
Meditation
Meditation is very helpful in balancing the chakras. When you perform meditation for balancing the chakras, you need to bring your awareness to the location of that chakra. Similarly, here you need to bring your awareness to the location of Solar Plexus Chakra, which is just above the navel. You can perform the following steps to balance this chakra with meditation.
- Sit in a comfortable Asana such as Sukhasana or Padmasana, hands on your lap. Relax your whole body with a couple of breaths and close your eyes.
- Bring your awareness to the Manipura Chakra location, that is just above your navel.
- Since this chakra is associated with the Yellow color, therefore, imagine a yellow source of light just above your navel.
- Now take deep breaths and try to warm the navel region. Maintain the whole process for 5-10 minutes.
- When you are done, rub your hands on your face gently and slowly open your eyes.
- Chant the mantra RAM (Manipura Seed Mantra) during the meditation.
Moreover, you can do this whole process in Kapalbhati Pranayama for better results.
Solar Plexus Chakra Affirmation
Affirmations are some positive thoughts or statements, that we say to ourselves, so that, we can conquer fear and negative thoughts. Here are some powerful affirmations that help in balancing the Solar Plexus Chakra.
- I am strong and confident.
- I pose my own powers.
- I love myself and accept every aspect of my life.
- I am worthy of love and respect.
- I am the creator and ruler of my life.
Solar Plexus Crystals
It is believed that nature and Earth pose the same powers as our bodies. Since crystals and stones are part of nature and Earth, therefore they associate some powers within them and helps in balancing the chakras.To balance the Solar Plexus Chakra, helpful crystals and stones are Citrine, Carnelian, Topaz, Tiger Eye Stone, Malachite, Amber and Yellow Sapphire. Among these, the most beneficial stone is the Tiger Eye Stone.
Sacral Chakra (Svadhishthana): Meaning, Location, and Symptoms of Blocked / Balance
The Sacral Chakra at a Glance
| Sanskrit Name– Meaning | Svadhishthana – dwelling place of self |
| Location | Two inches below the navel |
| Color | Orange |
| Seed Mantra | VAM |
| Element | Water |
| Characteristics | Creativity, Relationships, and Sexuality |
| Symptoms of balance | Freedom of expression, energy for creativity, desire, movement, and pleasure. |
| Symptoms of blocked | Feelings of fear, depression, emotional instability, loss of imagination, sexual dysfunction, reproductive issues, and addiction. |
| Healing crystal | Carnelian, Amber, Orange Moonstone, Goldstone. |
The sacral chakra is the 2nd of 7 major chakras. It lies in line with the spinal cord between the coccyx and the sacrum. This chakra is concerned about all the experiences and karmas we get involved in as being a conscious person on this earth.
In chakras evolution, after we grew up from the physical-emotional needs of survival and self-preservation of the first chakra Muladhara, the second chakra is where Prana (life force) gets activated and we start experiencing the world consciously. The Muladhara is an unconscious state of our existence whereas in the second chakra we become conscious experiencer of the world.
Svadhishthana meaning
Svadhishthana is the Sanskrit name of Sacral chakra. Sva means “Self” and adhishthana means “rule” or “dwelling place”. On combining root terms Svadhishthana literally means “place of self” or “place where self rules”.
This meaning shows Svadhishthana chakra makes one aware of their identity which is explored by an individual’s creativity, emotions, desire, pleasure-seeking karmas, etc. In this context, the second chakra is called “Seat of Life”. It’s also known by other names as spleen chakra, splenic chakra, and orange chakra.
When we start building our fantasy world with the help of mental and intellectual faculties, understand that second chakra energy is dominated within us.
Mostly in boys, this chakra energy dominant between 7-14, and in girls, the 6-12 age.
Sacral chakra location and associated organs
The sacral chakra is in the lower abdomen, centered between the navel and the genitals. The exact location of it however is described as two finger-width above the first chakra (tailbone) or about four fingers below the navel.
This location corresponds anterior to the Sacrum or exactly below the 5th lumbar vertebrae in our spine. In front-view, it corresponds to the area above the pubic bone. The sacral chakra, in this way, is attached to the ovaries in females or testicles in males. All pelvic floor muscles are considered the area of the root chakra and sacral chakra combindely.
As sacral chakra is located just below the pubic area; sexual organs ovaries/testicles, bladder, bowel, and lower intestine are associated with it. Along with that, sacral chakra’s characteristics of being creative, playful, and passionate about life come from its association with the adrenal glands located above both kidneys.
Orange color significance
The sacral chakra exudes a feeling of warmth and excitement. Hence it makes perfect sense that the color of this chakra is orange.
The effect of the orange tone in the body’s feelings is identified with sexuality, imagination, want, the conceptual framework, sympathy, and numerous others.
The Symbol
The symbol of the sacral chakra is composed of six lotus petals around two concentric circles which create a crescent moon shape.
Six lotus petals represent 6 vrittis (modes of consciousness): anger, envy, hatred, cruelty, pride, and desire. These vrittis are the cause we are tied up with the cycle of birth & death. In sacral chakra, one can break this cycle and raise the consciousness level through conscious efforts.
The circle in the center is the representation of the water element present in our body. Apart from water, the upturned crescent moon is also an important symbol of Svadhishthana. It represents the female energy and establishes a link with the subconscious.
The energy frequency and seed mantra
Being second in the order, sacral chakra consists of a higher energy level than root chakra. At the balanced state, this Chakra vibrates at 288 Hz frequency.
“Vam” is the seed sound (Bija Mantra) that resonates with the Sacral Chakra. This sound is considered a healing chant in case you face experience the disturbance of Sacral Chakra.
Characteristics of sacral chakra
- Emotions: The sacral chakra energy connects with the feelings and emotions of an individual.
- Joy: Motivated by joy and bliss, the sacral chakra is answerable for your satisfaction in life through the senses. It makes the establishment for passionate prosperity.
- Creativity: The sacral chakra assists with comprehension and fosters private associations with others.
- Passion: The sacral chakra stirs the innovative articulation, permitting the investigation of groundbreaking thoughts and invigorates the creative mind.
- Enthusiasm: The sacral chakra’s energy permits finding and investigating what a person is enthusiastic about. This enthusiasm allows one to enjoy life.
How to know if the sacral chakra is balanced?
A balanced Sacral Chakra houses creativity, healthy relationship, and sexuality. It is openness to the surroundings. The signs of a balanced sacral chakra are:
- Creativeness: The Sacral Chakra’s fundamental center permits the person to find what they appreciate, shape pastimes, and make adoring and energizing connections.
- Helps to identify personal identity: The Second Chakra focuses on the individual role in the outside world and how it reacts to the alluring powers of the actual world.
- Financially stable: The Svadhisthana is the establishment of a sound conscience that permits us to associate with the world without undercutting ourselves or claiming to be somebody else. Individuals with a solid Second Chakra can endure monetarily and indeed on their own and bond with others to form a good friendship.
- Can face challenges: A decent Second Chakra can face challenges and have the strength to recuperate when things turn out badly.
How to identify when the sacral chakra is imbalanced?
The imbalance in the sacral chakra can weaken it. Discouragement, being excessively delicate, encountering nervousness would all be able to be indications of the unaligned sacral chakra. The dread of letting go in a relationship with enthusiastic or over-the-top conduct is an indication of an imbalance in Sacral Chakra. It likewise influences the association with natural things like work and profession.
You can identify imbalance in sacral chakra in two ways – underactive or blocked state and overactive state.
1. Blocked / underactive sacral chakra
When the sacral chakra is blocked, it makes feel an absence of control. It goes from vulnerability to an inability to adapt to life’s progressions. The way to unreservedly express desires also impedes creative capacities. Additionally, being reliant or mutually dependent on others makes a mental unevenness causing separation from oneself.
2. Overactive sacral chakra
An overactive Sacral Chakra distributes too much energy throughout the body. Since Sacral Chakra oversees feelings, overactive chakra makes a mind-boggling feeling. Encountering feelings more profoundly and outrageous emotional episodes show an extremely touchy nature. The sensation of disappointment with life can bring habit-forming practices given continually attempting to satisfy yourself with outside things.
Problems caused by imbalanced sacral chakra
When sacral chakra is blocked, physically you start experiencing back pain, dysfunction in reproductive organs, sudden pain in the lower abdomen, kidney troubles and urinary problems. The premenstrual condition can likewise be an aftereffect of an unbalanced sacral chakra.
Psychologically, a person with imbalanced sacral chakra may have guilt feeling about sex, confusion about own feelings, excessive emotions, obsession, emotional dependency, and addictive behaviour.
How to balance sacral chakra?
You can follow the following practices if you are facing any imbalance in your sacral chakra.
1. Meditate on orange color
While meditating, sit with averting your energy towards the central part of your lower abdomen. Since each of the seven chakras is associated with a different color, for the sacral chakra, imagine an orange color shade around your lower abdomen.
Considering that in whatever you do, your motive is to bring yourself peace and inner joy. Meditate by relaxing, not focusing; focusing means, you are stressing about something.
2. Chant Seed Mantra “Vam”
Frequently chanting the seed sound “Vam” while meditating helps you vitalize the state of your Sacral Chakra. This Seed Sound (Bija Mantra) is directly associated with the frequency of the Second Chakra.
Continuous chants of this Mantra help you vitalize your sexuality, creativity, and encourages you to participate in pleasure activities. You directly influence the functions of Sacral Chakra by reciting this Seed Sound aloud and internally.
3. Mudras to Activate Sacral Chakra
Mudras in yoga are simplest exercise to redirects the blocked energy chakra within the body.
Shakti mudra and ushas mudra help balance the sacral chakra. These Mudras (Hand Gestures) stabilize the imbalance caused by several factors. Usha Mudra pacifies creativity and sexuality. Shakti Mudra is practiced to enhance your physical and mental wellbeing hence focusing on inner strength.
Now combine Meditation, Mudra, and Chant along the Mantra to see you transform.
4. Practice hip opening yoga poses
Hip opening yoga poses can help alleviate physical problems caused by the imbalance of sacral chakra. Yoga poses to balance sacral chakra are upavistha konasana, goddess pose, mandukasana, pigeon pose, and triangle pose.
5. Stones for sacral chakra
In a deficient or hyperactive state of your Sacral Chakra, wear Orange Calcite, as it is directly associated with your sexual energy and playfulness.
Carnelian Stone is helps boost your creativity, compassion, and gives you courage. Citrine also possesses the same characteristics as that of carnelian stone and contains cleansing qualities to prevent blockage of Sacral Chakra.
You can wear Moonstone for its soothing and emerging properties in the case of hyperactive state and underactive of Second Chakra.
6. Food to balance
Since the Wheel depicts the second element, water and is orange in colour, feed yourself watery vegetables, like watermelons, muskmelons, cucumber, Pine Apples, Oranges, Mangoes, etc. Try Cinnamon, Vanilla, and sesame seeds for spices to tune up your abdomen and neighbouring parts.
Affirmations to Vitalise imbalanced Sacral Chakra
In the end, speak these affirmations as a reminder to yourself:
- I value my body
- I am peaceful inside and outside
- I feel compassion and pleasure
- I embrace my sexuality
- I am creative and full of desires
- I allow myself to connect indifferently
- Every relationship is full of joy.
- I stay connected with my feelings.
Conclusion
If you haven’t been to any water sighting, do it now because that is what disturbs your Sacral Chakra. Most likely, lack of water in your body leads to urinary and bladder-related troubles, ultimately misaligning the second chakra. Taking a walk to the riverside, seashore, or a lake will help you indeed.
What is Root chakra? Symbol, Location, and Its Signs of Balanced & Imbalanced
The Root Chakra at a Glance
| Sanskrit Name | Muladhara |
| Location | The base of the spine, the pelvic floor. |
| Color | Red |
| Seed Mantra | Lam |
| Element | Earth |
| Qualities | Stability, survival instinct, and security |
| Signs of balance | Full of vitality, fearlessness, and sense of belonging |
| Signs of imbalance | Fatigue, constipation, fear, anxiety, lack, and instability |
What is Root Chakra?
The root chakra is the first of 7 chakras present at the base of the spine in our subtle body. Being the first and base chakra, the energy of this chakra works like the foundation for all the above chakras.
In Sanskrit, the root chakra is known as Muladhara. The term Muladhara comes from the prefix mula, meaning “root,” and adhara, meaning “support” or “base.” It’s called Muladhara because the development of this chakra begins at the conception date and it provides a supportive foundation to develop the spine and other body organs.
When you feel a sense of instability for the basic survival needs like food and shelter or you don’t trust anyone other than yourself only, it indicates the problem in your root chakra.
The root chakra is an instinctual energy center. It means everything we need to survive and evolve on this earth like a sense of safety and security (fight-flight, or freeze response), our basic needs, and emotional needs are initiated from the root chakra. When these instinctual needs are met, root chakra happens in its balanced form and you feel grounded and safe.
Where exactly is root chakra located?
The root chakra is located in the pelvic floor, exactly at the tailbone, where 3 vertebrae fuse to produce a triangular shape area. In the subtle body, your root chakra present at the center of this small area.
Physically you can be aware of root chakra location by placing your hands (finger pointing downwards) at the tailbone. The point where your downward-pointing little finger touches the pelvic floor is the location of your root chakra.
In females, the location of the root chakra consists in the center of the anus and vagina. It lies posterior to the genital organ i.e. cervix. While in males, this chakra occupies the area above the perineum or lies inside it.
What is the color of root chakra?
The color of energy that radiates from the root chakra is red. It’s because this chakra has the closest vicinity to the earth element and the red color shows a reflection of the earth’s inner surface and core.
The reason for the red color of the root chakra is that red is the color of energy and determination that stimulates the limbic system of the brain. The limbic system governs behavior we need for survival: feeding, reproduction, and fight or flight response.
Moreover, the red color also denotes how much we are connected to the earth. Being connected to earth means how well you are aware of yourself. The more you aware of yourself, the more you would come to know how less your basic needs are and this is what the work of a balanced root chakra is.
What does root chakra symbol shows?
The symbol of root chakra contains 4 simple components; downward-pointing triangle, square, lotus petals and text lam at the center.
- Downward-pointing triangle – It points towards the earth and home of kundalini shakti present in this chakra. Also, the downward arrow reminds us to be grounded and connected to the earth.
- Square inscribed in a circle – Square shown in the root chakra symbol is the representation of a firm foundation to support everything. Earth being the element of root chakra provides us that firm foundation.
- Lotus flower 4 petals – 4 lotus petals represents the connection between Nadis and chakras. It indicates the merging of 4 nerves (Nadis) at the root chakra. These 4 Nadis in the symbol represented with 4 Sanskrit syllables वं (vaṃ), शं (śaṃ), षं (ṣaṃ), and सं (saṃ).
- Text लं on the center – “Lam” is the ‘Bija Mantra’ (seed mantra) of the root chakra. Its sound has the power to stimulate the earth element and so the root chakra.
Some textual reference shows the symbol of root chakra with an elephant picture within the square. The elephant is a representation of mother earth bearing the weight and hence symbolizes the inner strength associated with this chakra.
Key characteristics of the root chakra
Root chakra governs the following functions in our body;
- It creates a firm foundation and grounded us by nurturing lower body parts like feet, legs, and hip flexors in conjunction with the minor chakras.
- Being centered at the mid-section of our body, the root chakra controls the functioning of skeleton bones, Kidneys, colon, adrenal glands, bladder, and arterial blood flow to the left chamber of the heart.
- Root chakra locates at the place where kundalini energy lies in the dormant state. In spiritual language, awakened Kundalini or open root chakra is considered the gate for higher energy.
- The Muladhara chakra has instinctual characteristics that control our animal nature and governed by the predominant survival sense of smell and taste.
How to know if the root chakra is balanced?
When the root chakra is spinning at a balanced rate, it radiates energy in all aspects of a person’s life. You are more involved in activities that explore your physical and emotional side. Hence you impart positive vibrations just like a winner in all walks of life.
The signs of a balanced root chakra are;
- Full of vitality and passion – In a balanced root chakra state, you are more passionate about whatever you do. You would experience vitality and feeling of the responsibility for your work, family, and friends.
- Satisfaction with survival needs – You tend to be more satisfied while striving to meet the needs of surviving.
- Connected with core values – Balanced root chakra is all about governing the force of being grounded. Hence, the person with a balanced root chakra would be connected with the core values of life.
- Equanimity of logic and emotion – When your root chakra is balanced, it helps you to keep your mind equally drawn to the logic and emotion in something you are more active.
- Fearless personality – A person having Root Chakra aligned feels to be fearless and prepared for physical, financial, moral, and psychological tasks.
How to know if the root chakra is imbalanced?
When root chakra happens to out of balance, a sense of incompleteness and retreated from everything takes place in the person.
Imbalance in root chakra appears in two ways – under-activity and overactivity.
1. When Root Chakra is Under-active
In case of under-active root chakra imbalance,
- You feel taken down by depression, withdraw from whatever you plan or intend to do.
- There is more possibility that you grow vague feelings about your insecurity and start leading a life of a loner.
- The more you lack the energy, the harder is to trust others. This makes you more self-centered. This leads you to live aloof being disconnected from the earth and the surroundings.
2. When Root Chakra is Overactive
Overactive root chakra makes you overconfident, which eventually ends up developing the following signs.
- Overflow of root chakra energy may lead you to disconnect from the basic notion that you are an earthly creature.
- You become possessive, tend to attach too much to the people or things that make you more rigid physically and psychologically.
- Being short-tempered, angry, belligerent, and greedy are some common traits of being an overactive root chakra.
What causes the root chakra imbalance?
The imbalance of root chakra may happen because of an old accident or regular activity you are most feared of. A trauma that has been affecting you from a long time (Childhood Trauma) could lead to an under-active root chakra.
Moreover, some general causes of root chakra imbalance are;
- A toxic relationship
- Longtime illness
- Abuse at an early age
- Mounting fear
- Abandonment in relationships
- Have been in relative poverty or
- Lack of empathy for your family.
Problems caused by imbalanced root chakra
Root chakra manifests its imbalance by means of different physical and psychological problems. You might face the following problems when your root chakra is in an imbalanced state.
1. Physical Problems
As physically root chakra locates in the pelvic area, it shows the main problems related to the bladder, kidney, lower spine, adrenal glands, prostate, hip flexors, and leg joints.
Some physical problems caused by imbalanced root chakra are irregular menstruation in females, blood diseases, constipation, diarrhea, piles, hemorrhoids, colitis, prostate cancer, glaucoma, and kidney diseases, and pain in the feet.
2. Psychological Problems
Psychologically, when the root chakra is imbalanced, you are more addicted and indulgence in any external agency for instant happiness.
Other psychological problems caused by imbalanced root chakra are Irritation, eating disorders, depression, hypertension, money addiction, migraines, and stubborn behavior.
How to balance root chakra?
Your root chakra is very easy to prone out of balance as it’s the bridge between us and the external world. The number of external agencies can influence it but simultaneously some little efforts are enough to balance it.
You can follow the following practices if you are facing any problems associated with the root chakra.
1. Do Meditation with Mantras and Mudras
One of the common causes of the disturbed root chakra is when you are not grounded, in both senses physically and psychologically.
Meditation, besides, introducing you to your inner dimension, also helps you to connect with the ground.
Although many meditation practices are available to bring your root energy in balance but a focused seated asana with mantra chant and mudras for meditation is the easiest one.
Choose a silent place and follow this small meditation practice to balance your root chakra.
- Sit in padmasana (lotus pose). Make Gyan mudra or Earth mudra with your hands.
- Bring your awareness down at the physical location of the root chakra and imagine a connection establishing between the pelvic floor and earth.
- To make the connection more effective, chant the seed mantra ‘Lam‘ vocally or subvocally. Vibrations induced out of mantra chanting stimulates root energy and thus balancing becomes easier.
- As the nose is the sense of organ of the root chakra, you can also meditate on the nose tip in seated asana to balance root energy.
2. Ground yourself with yoga poses
Physical exercise is another simplest approach you can opt to bring your root energy in balance.
In yoga, asana balances ease and effort and thus, a better alternate of physical exercises.
A few yoga poses which focus on energy associated with the root chakra are Pavanamuktasana (wind-relieving pose), padmasana (lotus pose), malasana (garland pose), tadasana (mountain pose), and virabhadrasana 2 (warrior pose 2).
You can practice yoga poses on green grass to feel more connected to the ground. It balances root chakra energy by strengthening lower legs, thighs, enhances hips mobility, and relieves back pain.
3. Harness the energy of stones
Some stones and crystals have the vibrating frequency to restore the balance of your Root Chakra. The root chakra vibrates at the lowest frequency of 396Hz.
Since the Muladhara Chakra is linked with Red Colour, Red-colored stones are resonant with Root Chakra. These are Red Jasper, Bloodstone, and Red Carnelian. With each stone possessing different characteristics, their symbolic significance on the Root Chakra is also different.
- You can wear Red Carnelian for Root Chakra which represents strength & courage and is used to cleanse & activate the Chakra.
- Red Jasper for Root Chakra is commonly known for cleansing and bringing the wheel to a balanced state. You can wear it in the state of deficient or overactive Root Chakra.
- Bloodstone for Root Chakra is suitable for you if you have shrunk your self-esteem and are working towards pushing the negative vibes out of you.
4. Nourish yourself with green veggies
Since the deficiency in Root Chakra is caused due to less interaction with the earth, whether directly or indirectly. It is time you tasted some earthly delights to balance your first wheel.
You can add green and root vegetables to your diet plan to start over a restoration chapter. Some of the vegetables are Beets, onion, Garlic, Tomatoes, Potatoes, carrots, radishes, and beetroots.
Conclusion
It is not hard to say when or how your Root Chakra gets out of alignment. Each state represents its different symptoms and causes. All you can do is to focus inwards to stay grounded and vibrant. This state can only be achieved through Meditation, Correct Mudras, wearing suitable Stones, and following earthly red foods.
Source: Fitsri
