INTRODUCTION TO CHAKRAS

Chakra is a Sanskrit word meaning circle or wheel.  Your chakras are spinning vibrating circles of energy that appear as wheels in your body – they connect your physical, mental, emotional and spiritual bodies.

There are said to be seven main chakras in all; four in our upper body, which govern our mental properties, and three in the lower body, which govern our instinctual properties. They are:

The Muladhara (root) chakra. The Svadhisthana (sacral) chakra. The Manipura (solar plexus) chakra. The Anahata(heart) chakra. The Visuddhi (throat) chakra. The Ajna (third eye) chakra. The Sahasrara (crown) chakra.

These energy centers regulate how you feel physically, mentally and emotionally.  When any one of these centers is blocked or unstable it affects your everyday life in many different ways.  You pick up negative energy and toxins from your environment, the people around you and from your own thoughts and reactions to events in your life.  That energy builds up slowly, so after a while, you feel out of balance, unhappy, unsatisfied, or not able to move forward in one area of your life.  This is because your energy centers are the foundation of your body’s health.  This energy affects the cells of your body, your thoughts and your emotions.

Root Chakra ( MULADHAR ) This chakra is based on being physically aware and feeling comfortable in many situations. If opened, you should feel well-balanced and sensible, stable and secure. You don't distrust people around you for no reason.You feel present in what is happening right now, and very connected to your physical body. If it's under-active: you tend to be fearful or nervous, and easily feel unwelcome. If it's over-active: you may be materialistic and greedy. You feel as if you should be secure and are unwelcome to a change.

Sacral Chakra ( SVADHISTHANA ) . This chakra deals with feeling and sexuality. If open, feeling are released with liberty, and are expressed without you being over-emotional. You would be open to affinity and can be passionate as well as outgoing. You also have no problems based on sexuality. If it's under-active: you tend to be unemotional or impassive, and are not very open to anybody. If it's over-active: you tend to be sensitive and emotional all the time. You may also be very sexual.

Navel Chakra ( MANIPURA ) This chakra encircles confidence, especially when in a group. When open, you should feel in control and have good feeling of dignity in yourself. If it's under-active: you tend to be passive and indecisive. You could be frequently apprehensive and this doesn't reward you. If it's over-active: you tend to be imperious and aggressive.

Heart Chakra ( ANAHATA ) This chakra is all about love, caring, and endearment. When open, you seem to be compassionate and friendly, always working in amicable relationships. If it's under-active: you tend to be cold and unfriendly. If it's over-active: you tend to be so "loving" towards people that you suffocate them, and you could be seen as selfish for it.

Throat Chakra ( VISUDDHI ) This chakra is based on self-expression and communication. When the chakra is open, expressing yourself is easy, and art seems to be a great way to do this. If it's under-active: you tend not to speak too much, so you are classified as shy. If you lie often, this chakra can be blocked. If it's over-active: you tend to speak so much, it annoys a lot of people. You could also be a pretty bad listener.

Third Eye Chakra ( AJNA ) Like it's name, this chakra deals with insight. When open, you have excellent clairvoyance, and tend to dream a lot. If it's under-active: you tend to look up to other people to think for you. Relying on beliefs too often, you also tend to be confused most of the time. If it's over-active: you tend to live in a world imagination all day long. In the extremes, you could suffer from frequent daydreams or even hallucinations.

Crown Chakra  ( SAHASRARA ) This is the seventh and most spiritual chakra. It encircles a being's wisdom and being one with the universe. When this chakra is open, prejudice disappears from your To Do list, and you seem to become more aware of the world and it's connection to yourself. If it's under-active: you tend to not be very spiritual, and may be quite rigid in your thoughts. If it's over-active: you tend to intellectualize things all the time. Spirituality seems to come first in your mind, and if you are really over-active, you may even ignore your bodily needs (food, water, shelter).