How to Practice Chakra Meditation for Healing and Balance?

Our universe and all life forces are made up of energies and we human beings are also an extension of it. We all are driven by these astral forces and these forces play a pivotal role in balancing our Prana (life) force in our body. The optimal functioning of these energy forces governs our physical, mental, spiritual, and emotional wellbeing. These energy centres in our body are known as chakras. In this article, we’ll learn about chakras and how to heal them through chakra meditation.

So what are these chakras?

In Sanskrit, chakras are depicted as wheels or the energy vortexes that are located in the astral body located along the base of the spine to the crown of your head. These are subtle energy vortexes that direct the flow of prana (vital forces) throughout our body. Now there are hundreds of these energy chakras located in our bodies. However, there are seven main chakras that are outlined in yoga. Any blockages in these chakras can lead to various physiological and psychological disorders. The chakra meditation cycle or sapta chakra leads to the balancing of these chakras.

Let us explore these seven main chakras briefly to understand how these chakras affect our bodies.

1. Root chakra

• Element: Earth
• Colour: Red
• Beej Mantra: Lam
• Location: It is located at the base of the spine.

The root chakra is associated with foundation, security, and grounding. The root chakra interacts with the need for survival. It also influences our creativity, passion, vitality, and youthfulness. It also symbolizes sexuality, physical strength, and our fight and flight response when we sense danger.
When it is balanced, we feel stable, secure, confident, and much more in control of our basic physical needs.

When it is out of balance, it can lead to tiredness, lower back pain, constipation, eating disorders, poor sleep, and the person will lack a purpose in life. Practicing root chakra meditation is highly beneficial for balancing this chakra.

2. Sacral chakra

• Element: water
• Colour: Orange
• Beej Mantra: Vam
• Location: Right below your belly button

Sacral chakra or swadhisthana chakra symbolizes the water element in our body. It represents our pursuit of being happy, compassionate, joyous, and creative. It also influences our reproductive functions, sexuality, and our desire to be happy. In the human body, it influences the functioning of the female reproductive organs, lymphatic system, bladder, pelvis, etc.

When it is balanced it will make you compassionate and lead to harmonious relationships.

When imbalance, it can manifest in lower self-esteem and it also leads to impotency, urinary tract infection, lower back pain, etc.

3. Solar plexus chakra

• Element: Fire
• Colour: Yellow
• Beej Mantra: Ram
• Location: Bottom of rib cage and navel

It is also known as the Manipura chakra and is known as one of the most powerful chakras which symbolize personal power. It determines your abilities to fulfill your ambitions and dreams. When it is balanced we feel confident, active, and optimistic and the person feels that he/she is in control of their destiny.

When out of balance, the person will feel depressed, worthless, fear of rejection. Since the solar plexus chakra is associated with the fire element, it can lead to digestive issues, diabetes, stomach ulcers, etc.

4. Heart chakra

• Element: Air
• Colour: Green 
• Beej Mantra: Yam
• Location: Just above the heart 

It is also known as the Anahata chakra and is represented as the seat of unconditional love and compassion, both to divinity and fellow humans. The heart chakra strongly influences our ability to receive and give love, kindness, and compassion to others and to ourselves. When in harmony, you will feel love, gratitude, kindness, peace, and compassion for everyone.

When imbalanced it can lead to possessiveness, anger, jealousy, and hatred, which can ruin relationships. Since it is linked to the thymus and lymph glands, it can lead to complications in the lymphatic system and immune systems. 

5. Throat chakra

• Element: Ether
• Colour: Blue
• Mantra: Ham
• Location: base of the throat

Also known as the vishuddhi chakra, it depicts our true inner voice and influences our ability to communicate with everyone. It allows us to express our ideas, and opinions in an honest yet firm and truthful way. When your throat chakra is in harmony it empowers you with the ability to express yourself in the most creative and artistic way. It also helps in reaching that spiritual awareness.

When this chakra is out of balance, it will hinder you from communicating your needs and ideas. You will lack ideas and feel dull. It also impairs thyroid functions, throat infections, neck issues, and ear infections. The purpose of chakra healing meditation is to assist you in healing each chakra individually.

6. Third eye chakra

• Element: Light
• Colour: Indigo
• Beej Mantra: Aum or Om
• Location: Between your eyebrow

Also named Ajna chakra, which translates as the seat of intelligence. This chakra represents our inner wisdom, ability to rationalize, intuition, and consciousness. In chakra healing meditation, when you practice third eye meditation, it has the ability to liberate you from your past life karma. It enhances our awareness by tuning in to our intuition and enabling us to see the world differently when it is in harmony.

When imbalanced it manifests in headaches, nightmares, learning dysfunction, blindness, and depression.

7. Crown chakra

• Element: Consciousness
• Colour: White or violet
• Beej Mantra: Silence
• Location: the crown of the head

It is also named as Sahasrara chakra. This chakra is the centre of our soul, spirituality, and enlightenment. It helps us to associate our consciousness with the universal consciousness. When this chakra is in harmony, it helps us to stay present and we have a very firm belief in our inner consciousness.

When out of balance, the person is constantly agitated, depressed, and has an increased sensitivity to sound and light.

How to practice chakra meditation for the seven chakras in the body?

To practice, chakra meditation one can use the above-mentioned BEEJ mantras which are unique to each chakra. It is best to sit in a meditative state while reciting the Beej mantra and visualize the chakra associated with it. Since these mantras are unique to each chakra, they can help in energizing those chakras associated with it. Many people resort to crystal therapy, as each chakra resonates with a unique stone. Holding that particular stone while meditating along with chanting affirmations can also help in chakra balancing.

Health benefit of chakra healing meditation

• Chakra healing will enhance the health of your mind, body, and spirit because each chakra corresponds to a different body part.
• It helps in the opening of blocked chakras which help in the smooth transmission of energies through the body.
• It improves your physical and mental abilities
• It heightens your concentration, memory, and consciousness.
• It will help in relieving your stress, and anxiety, and you will be able to attain that sense of calmness.
• You will feel confident, and aware and find better control over emotions.
• Through the regular practice of seven chakra meditation, you will be able to attune to your inner consciousness which further leads you to the divine consciousness.

Chakra meditation is highly beneficial for everyone. However, it is advised to practice seven chakra meditation cycles under the guidance of a trained yoga teacher. Opening the wrong chakra without preparation and knowledge can lead to imbalances in your overall life and wellbeing.