Are the Chakras real, what do they do and how can I use them?
By The Awake Aware Alive Team
What Are the Chakras?
The word "chakra" is Sanskrit for "wheel" or "disk." In yogic and tantric traditions, chakras are believed to be spinning, vortex-like centers of energy (prana or life force) located along your spine, from its base to the crown of your head.
Think of them as energy hubs or processing centers. They are not physical organs you could see or touch, but rather a part of your subtle body (or energy body), much like an invisible circuit board that influences your physical, emotional, and spiritual health.
Each chakra corresponds to:
A specific location in the body
Specific glands, nerves, and organs (physical aspect)
Specific emotional, psychological, and spiritual issues (energy aspect)
A color and a sound (seed mantra)
The 7 Main Chakras (from bottom to top):
1. Root Chakra (Muladhara) – "I am."
Location: Base of the spine, tailbone.
Color: Red.
What it does: Governs survival, safety, security, stability, and basic needs (food, shelter, money). It's your feeling of being grounded.
2. Sacral Chakra (Svadhisthana) – "I feel."
Location: Lower abdomen, about 2 inches below the navel.
Color: Orange.
What it does: Governs pleasure, creativity, sexuality, emotions, and relationships. It's your capacity for joy and flow.
3. Solar Plexus Chakra (Manipura) – "I do."
Location: Upper abdomen, the "pit of the stomach."
Color: Yellow.
What it does: Governs personal power, willpower, self-esteem, confidence, and discipline. It's your inner fire and sense of agency.
4. Heart Chakra (Anahata) – "I love."
Location: Center of the chest.
Color: Green (sometimes pink).
What it does: Governs love, compassion, forgiveness, empathy, and connection. It's the bridge between the lower (physical) and upper (spiritual) chakras.
5. Throat Chakra (Vishuddha) – "I speak."
Location: Throat.
Color: Blue (light blue/teal).
What it does: Governs communication, self-expression, truth, and authenticity. It's your ability to speak and live your truth.
6. Third Eye Chakra (Ajna) – "I see."
Location: Between the eyebrows (center of forehead).
Color: Indigo (deep blue-purple).
What it does: Governs intuition, imagination, wisdom, and perception beyond the physical. It's your inner guidance system.
7. Crown Chakra (Sahasrara) – "I understand/liberate."
Location: Top of the head.
Color: Violet or white.
What it does: Governs spirituality, connection to the divine, universal consciousness, and enlightenment. It's your sense of oneness with all that is.
What Do They Actually Do?
Think of healthy chakras as freely spinning wheels of energy. When they are balanced and open, energy flows smoothly, and you feel healthy, resilient, and aligned.
When a chakra is blocked (spinning too slowly), excessive (spinning too fast), or imbalanced, the corresponding areas of your life feel stuck.
For example:
Blocked Root Chakra: You might feel anxious, fearful, ungrounded, or have financial insecurity.
Excessive Solar Plexus: You might be aggressive, domineering, or overly controlling.
Blocked Heart Chakra: You might struggle to trust, feel lonely, hold grudges, or have trouble giving/receiving love.
Blocked Throat Chakra: You might fear speaking up, feel shy, or feel like you can't express your true feelings.
So, their primary function is to: Receive, assimilate, and express life force energy. When they work in harmony, you feel physically vital, emotionally stable, mentally clear, and spiritually connected.
How Can You Use Them?
You don't need to be a mystic to work with chakras. You can use simple, practical techniques to bring them back into balance.
The best approach: Start from the bottom (Root) and work your way up.
Here’s how to work with / use / balance each one:
Root - Grounding: Walk barefoot on grass/earth. Movement: Leg exercises, squats, dancing. Practice: Say "I am safe, I am here now." Yoga pose: Mountain Pose, Child's Pose. Color: Wear/visualize red. Food: Root vegetables (carrots, potatoes, beets).
Sacral - Creativity: Do something creative (draw, cook, dance). Water: Swim, take a bath, sit by a river. Practice: Say "I allow myself to feel pleasure and joy." Yoga pose: Hip circles, Goddess pose. Color: Orange (clothes, foods like oranges). Journal: Explore your feelings freely.
Solar Plexus - Core strength: Do sit-ups or planks. Fire: Light a candle and watch the flame. Practice: Say "I am confident, I have power over my own life." Yoga pose: Boat pose, Warrior poses. Action: Set a small, achievable goal and complete it.
Heart - Self-compassion: Put your hand on your heart and speak kindly to yourself. Nature: Spend time with trees, pets. Practice: Say "I am loved, I am love." Yoga pose: Camel pose, Cobra pose (heart openers). Action: Practice forgiveness (start with yourself).
Throat - Expression: Sing, chant, hum. Journaling: Write what you truly think, even if no one sees it. Practice: Say "I speak my truth with kindness." Yoga pose: Shoulder stand, Fish pose (neck stretches). Exercise: Gargle water or hum for 1 minute.
Third Eye - Stillness: Meditate (even 5 minutes). Visualization: Close your eyes and picture a deep indigo spinning wheel. Practice: Say "I trust my intuition." Journal: Write down your dreams and "gut feelings." Activity: Spend time in silence, limit screen time.
Crown - Contemplation: Reflect on "What is my place in the universe?" Silence: True stillness, no phone or input. Practice: Say "I am connected to all that is." Yoga/meditation: Silent sitting, focused on the top of the head. Action: Act with compassion and selfless service.
A Simple Daily Practice for Beginners (5 min)
You don't need to do everything. Just pick one small thing.
Check-in (1 min): Close your eyes. Scan your body from feet to head. Where do you feel tight, heavy, or empty? That's a clue for a blocked chakra.
Breathe into it (2 min): Place your hand on that area. Imagine your breath flowing to that spot, like a gentle stream washing away a dam. Visualize the associated color there.
Affirm & Act (2 min): Say the "I am..." phrase for that chakra. Then, do one tiny action from the table above (e.g., if your throat feels stuck, hum a tune for 30 seconds).
Important Final Notes
It's a journey, not a fix. Chakra work is about ongoing awareness and gentle adjustment, like tending a garden, not like fixing a broken machine.
Don't obsess over "blockages." Life naturally creates imbalances. The goal is dynamic balance, not perfect, static openness.
Start with the lower chakras. Most modern people have root or sacral issues (feeling unsafe, disconnecting from their bodies). Ground yourself first.
It complements, not replaces, medical care. If you have severe anxiety, trauma, or physical pain, please see a doctor or therapist. Chakra work is a wonderful complementary practice.
In essence: The chakras are a map of your inner landscape. Learning to use them is learning to listen to your own body, mind, and spirit—and gently guide yourself back to wholeness. Enjoy the exploration.