The Beginner’s Guide To Chakra Healing, Alignment and Balance

The interest in the chakras has risen rapidly in recent years, with more and more people becoming interested in energy healing. The chakra system consists of seven energy centers that align the spine from the tailbone to the crown of the head. If one of these centers is blocked or unbalanced, it can create mental tension, emotional distress, and physical illness. 

By learning about the chakras, you can discover if you have chakra blockages. You then have the power to take control of your health and wellbeing by balancing your chakras yourself or under the guidance of an expert like a reiki practitioner. So if you’re looking to balance your chakras to heal physical, mental, or emotional ailments, read on to learn how.

How do you balance chakras?

There are several ways you can try to balance and align your chakras. The methods people use are typically based on personal preference. For example, if you are a yoga enthusiast, you’ll most likely be interested in incorporating chakra balancing into your yoga practice. Or, if you are interested in nutrition, you may decide to heal the subtle body with food.

However, bear in mind that as the chakra system is not scientifically proven, there is no evidence to suggest any of the following ways work.

• Yoga poses – It is believed that specific yoga postures can stimulate each chakra, removing blockages and promoting the free flow of life force to aid in healing.
• Visualization meditation – You can work on the chakras through meditation using different techniques. The most popular is visualizing the color and energy in the physical chakra location.
• Foods – All chakras have an associated color, which matches the frequency of that energy center. Therefore, some people believe that eating foods of the same color and frequency are beneficial to the chakra system. 
• Crystals – Every crystal has specific qualities, and many match the qualities of a particular chakra. If a crystal or stone has the same attributes and the same color as an energy center, it is believed it has the power to heal or open it.
• Mantras or affirmations – You can use your voice to align your chakras in two ways. Firstly, all chakras have an associated Bija (seed) mantra, a Sanskrit word you can chant. Alternatively, you can speak positive affirmations using the qualities of that energy center.
• Sound healing and frequencies – An easy way to work on your chakras is to listen to sound healing music tuned to the frequency of the chakra you are looking to heal.
• Mudras (hand gestures) – A specific hand gesture (mudra in Sanskrit) that is said to evoke the energy of a chakra. There are associated mudras for each of the seven chakras that you can use while meditating. 
• Breathwork – One of the best ways to promote free-flowing energy in all seven major chakras is with pranayama breathing techniques. Deep breathing, such as in Nadi Shodhana, is known to cleanse the Nadis, part of the energetic body.
• Reiki – Reiki practitioners work with the energy in your body and can sense any blockages and heal them by using their hands and sometimes the addition of crystals.

Root chakra balancing

Your root chakra may be blocked if you feel unsafe in the world, insecure in yourself, or generally lost and uncentered. Major life obstacles that threaten one of your basic needs can throw this chakra off balance, such as an unexpected change in your financial or housing situation. Physically, you may lack vitality or experience bladder or colon problems if your first chakra is blocked.

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To balance the root chakra:

• Reconnect to nature by spending time outdoors and around trees. To access the earth element further, walk barefoot on the ground.
• Practice grounding yoga poses like Malasana (Garland Pose), Tadasana (Mountain Pose), and Vrikshasana (Tree pose). 
• Visualize a red energy ball at the base of the spine and feel its energy drawing down to the earth.
• Add more earthy red-colored foods to your meals, such as tomatoes, radishes, watermelons, peppers, and pomegranates.
• Wear or keep red root chakra stones, such as fire agate, red jasper, and tiger’s eye.

Sacral chakra alignment

If your sacral chakra is unbalanced, you might feel out of touch emotionally or sensually and lack creativity, passion, and physical desire. Typically, traumatic physical events or emotional experiences can shut this chakra down. Physically, you might feel lower back pain or develop issues with the spleen, kidney, or reproductive organs.

To balance the sacral chakra:

• Spend time in or around water to connect to the water element. Swimming in natural water sources like the ocean is best. If you cannot get to an ocean or lake, take a bath instead.
• Practice hip-opening yoga poses like Anjaneyasana (Crescent Pose), Baddha Konasana (Bound Angle Pose, and Eka Pada Rajakapotasana (Pigeon Pose).
• Visualize orange energy in the lower abdomen below the belly button. Imagine it expanding out to the hips.
• Eat orange fruits and vegetables like carrots, pumpkins, oranges, apricots, and mangos.
• Wear orange crystals like citrine, orange calcite, and amber. 
• Practice mindfulness meditation to observe and release your emotions. Breath into the feeling for a few moments, then let the emotion pass. You can also try an emotional healing guided meditation that uses visualization to observe and release negative feelings.

Solar plexus chakra balancing

Your solar plexus chakra could be blocked if you lack self-worth, self-confidence, courage, and willpower. A third chakra imbalance makes it hard to connect to your personal power, take action and withstand challenges. Physical signs of a blocked solar plexus chakra include digestion problems and fatigue.

To balance the solar plexus chakra:

• Practice core-strengthening yoga poses like Navasana (Boat Pose) and Phalakasana (Plank Pose). Asanas that compress the abdomen like Bow Pose (Dhanurasana) can also be beneficial.
• Visualize a fire in your belly. Watch the fire becoming stronger and imagine you are throwing the negative qualities you want to release, like lack of self-esteem or fearfulness, into the fire. Then, imagine the fire transforms these qualities into positive ones, like strength, courage, and persistence.
• Replicate the visualization in real life by creating a bonfire. Write on pieces of paper the emotions and thoughts you want to release and throw them into the fire, watching them burn and transform.
• As the solar plexus chakra is also associated with the sun, ​​increase energy flow by basking in the sunlight and feeling the sun’s beams on your skin or watching the sunrise or set.
• Increase the fire element within your body with dynamic, sweaty exercise.

Heart chakra healing 

Signs of a heart chakra blockage include closing yourself off from human connection and seeing the negative side of people and situations. You might also tend to hold grudges and judge others. Physical symptoms include asthma or other ailments affecting the lungs, heart palpitations, upper back and shoulder problems, and arm and wrist pain. 

To balance the heart chakra:

• Do a gratitude practice, thinking of or writing down all the things you feel grateful for.
• Try a metta (loving-kindness) meditation to connect to the qualities of the heart chakra. 
• Increase the air element in your body and strengthen your lungs by practicing deep breathing. Place a hand on your heart center and focus on the rising and falling sensation of the chest.
• Eat green fruits and vegetables like spinach, kale, broccoli, avocado, and green apples.
• Practice heart-opening yoga poses like Ustrasana (Camel Pose), Urdhva Dhanurasana (Wheel Pose), and Urdhva Mukha Svanasana (Upward-Facing Dog).
• Use heart chakra affirmations like “I am worthy of love” or “I freely give and receive love.”
• Wear rose quartz or another heart chakra crystal around your neck, close to the heart center. 

Throat chakra alignment

If there is a blockage in the throat chakra, you’ll struggle to communicate with others. You will likely find self-expression difficult and may tend to tell others what they want to hear rather than speak your truth. Listening to others and accepting contrasting opinions may also be challenging. Physical symptoms include neck or jaw pain, thyroid problems, mouth ulcers, sore throat, and dental issues.

To balance the throat chakra:

• Use your voice more by singing in the shower, practicing public speaking in the mirror, or rehearsing difficult conversations you feel anxious about.
• Use throat-opening yoga postures like Matsyasana (Fish Pose) and Setu Bandhasana (Bridge Pose) for a blocked throat chakra. Try throat compressing postures like Halasana (Plow Pose) and Sarvangasana (Shoulder Stand) if it’s overactive.
• Do neck rolls and neck stretches every morning. 
• Visualize light blue energy moving through your throat, dispersing any blockages.
• Practice self-expression through writing by journaling your thoughts and feelings. Or tap into your creativity and express yourself through art. 
• Chant the throat chakra mantra ham to stimulate the energy here and strengthen your voice box.

Third eye chakra balancing

If your third eye chakra is closed, you may struggle to articulate your thoughts, experience brain fog, forget things easily, have vivid dreams, and feel disconnected from yourself, unable to tap into your intuition. Physical signs of a closed third eye chakra include grogginess, chronic headaches and migraines, brain disorders, and seizures. 

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To balance the third eye chakra:

• Meditate daily to clear the mind and deepen the connection to your inner voice.
• Practice yoga postures that stimulate the third eye chakra by compressing this area, such as Balasana (Child’s Pose) or Uttana Shishosana (Puppy Pose). In addition, practice replenishing asanas like Uttanasana (Standing Forward Bend) and Viparita Karani (Legs up the wall) to promote fresh oxygen flow to the brain and elevate headaches and mental tension.
• Strengthen your imagination with a manifestation practice where you envision yourself achieving your dreams. Visualize the experience with as much detail as possible, creating a movie of your future life in your mind’s eye.
• Practice yoga Nidra to help relax your mind and bring you into deeper states of consciousness. 
• Try candle gazing meditation (Trataka) to improve eye health, memory, cognitive performance, and focus.

Crown chakra alignment

If your crown chakra is closed, you will likely be too attached to the physical world and material things. As a result, you may disregard the existence of spirituality, feel emotionally detached from others and the world and struggle with anxiety. Headaches, dizziness and lightheadedness, sleep disturbances, and poor coordination may also be present. 

To balance the crown chakra:

• Meditate daily to strengthen your spiritual connection. Envision a bright white light coming down from the universe and entering the top of your head. See the healing light fill your entire body as you become one with the divine. Finish your meditation by chanting om for at least one minute.
• Read spiritual books and texts.
• Try stargazing to deepen your connection with spirit. 
• Practice yoga poses that connect the top of the head with the ground, like Sirsasana (Headstand) and Sasakasana (Rabbit Pose).
• Take an extra-long Savasana (Corpse Pose) after your yoga practice or do a yoga Nidra guided meditation.
• Where white or light purple clothing.
• Eat clean, high-frequency foods like fruit, vegetables, raw chocolate, and raw nuts and seeds. Avoid low-frequency foods like processed meals and food with added sugar. 

Final thoughts

As you can see, there are many ways to balance the seven chakras, removing stagnated or negative energy from the subtle body. Working on the main energy centers could help heal or improve physical ailments or health conditions, boost the immune system, and improve mental and emotional health.

However, as no chakra treatment is scientifically proven to work, these techniques should be pursued in addition to conventional/western medicine.