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A Millennial’s Guide to Balancing Your Chakras
Sumaya shares how being more mindful of chakras has helped her grow in all the ways
Whether your knowledge of chakras is sourced from Naruto, Doctor Strange, or from a pal on a journey to become one with the universe (lol, I know, bit extra, bear with me), it’s a concept you might have come across before. With the growing popularity of spirituality as a practice and as a theme in film and television, it’s not hard for chakras to be misconceived.
I’m definitely no expert (which is chill because odds are, a lot of people reading probably think I’m already chatting mad shit lmao [which is also chill – each to their own]). I’m simply exploring and want to share what I’ve learned about this concept that has helped me grow into a healthier, happier version of myself, in hopes it can help others do the same.
With any luck, this article will clarify a few things and help you gain a better understanding of what chakras are and how they affect us all. Whether or not it’s a notion you can fully get behind, you may find certain aspects within it resonate with you. Any issue can of course be tackled in a different way than meditation, yoga etc. – it’s not essential for you to go full hippy like your girl here.
So please, stay tuned and try to have an open mind – this could be just what you need.
‘So what the heck are chakras, then?’
C/o GIFY
Our bodies are home to organs and nerve centres – Hinduism and Buddhism tells us they’re also home to chakras. They’re said to be vast yet concentrated pools of energy within us, the word actually translating into ‘wheel.’ This concept doesn’t seem too whack to me – we have energy, we transfer energy, we are energy (science my dudes). There are seven main chakra points, each of which correspond with major organs that help govern our psychological qualities and well-being. They’re located from the bottoms of our spines along to the tops of our heads. The higher three are connected to mental properties, and the lower four, instinctual. It’s more common than not for some of these chakras to be blocked by emotional turmoil. This can cause the other chakras to be overactive, as they’re compensating for the more dormant ones. When they’re out of balance in this way, it prevents energy from circulating within the body fluidly, and in turn, peace within the self cannot be achieved.
I’ll now go into each of the main chakras in order of which you should attempt to open them. I’ll explain where they’re located, what they deal with, what over and underactive chakras translate into to, and most importantly, how to go about unblocking them. Please note that there’s no need to try and close over-active chakras – they will find balance naturally as the others are opened.
The Root Chakra (Muladhara/Red)
This chakra is located at the very base of the spine. It should be the first you attempt to tackle as it is the foundation of all your chakras. In a nutshell it deals with survival and is clogged by fear. It’s all about being physically aware, grounded and present – feeling comfortable in various situations and connecting to your body. You can unblock this one by contemplating the things you’re scared of, along with how they currently do and should affect your actions and life. Work on overcoming your fears and becoming more trusting – within reason of course. Still trust in your instincts but don’t take them as truth. Partaking in mild physical activity is obviously a great way to connect with your body. This can range from tidying, going for a little stroll, doing some yoga or meditating. Once opened, you should feel secure, sensible and well-balanced. If underactive, you tend to be anxious, distrustful and fearful a lot of the time, and may easily feel unwelcome. If overactive, you could be considered greedy and materialistic. You may feel as if you’re entitled to security and reject change.
The Sacral Chakra (Svadhisthana/Orange)
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This one’s located among the lower back, under the belly button. It deals with emotions in general but more specifically, pleasure and sexuality – often blocked by feelings of guilt. In order to unblock this chakra, it’s important to consider the things you or others have blamed yourself for – remorse can often lead you to feel as if you don’t deserve happiness. Process and accept these things that have happened, but don’t let them pollute your energy. Instead let them motivate you to better yourself – learn from them and be cautious as to not repeat the same mistakes again. When open, feelings are shared freely, without feelings of shame, and are expressed passionately but calmly. You could be considered outgoing, open to affinity and have no or little issues regarding sexuality. When underactive, you’re thought to be closed off to others – impassive or unemotional. If overactive, you can be considered ‘over-emotional’ or ‘sensitive.’ The key with each chakra is to reflect upon how it relates to you now, and how you’d like it to affect you as an end goal. The more actively you work on this, the quicker you can achieve emotional balance.
The Navel Chakra (Manipura/Yellow)
Located at the solar plexus (above the belly button, below the chest), this chakra is concerned with will power and confidence, especially among groups of people (lol rip fellow foodies with low self-esteem). Shame and disappointment are often the cause of this one being blocked. Don’t hold yourself to standards and expectations that are manmade and essentially don’t mean jack. Try to remember that your body is working 24/7 to keep your heart beating – that your entire being is actually a pretty mad miracle. When open, you should feel in control of all aspects of yourself and have a good sense of dignity within. You can’t find balance if you deny, ignore or reject any part of yourself, so work on loving, accepting and trusting in your personality, capabilities and body. When less active, you tend to be indecisive, apprehensive and passive. If over active, it’s likely that you can be domineering and aggressive.
The Heart Chakra (Anahata/Green)
The heart chakra encircles all things relevant to love and can be hindered by grief. It may be particularly challenging to unblock this one, but critical for your well-being. You can start the process by remembering those you’ve lost. Reflect upon the theory that we are all energy – that energy can’t simply disappear, it can only be transferred. Whether or not you can find comfort in this idea, it’s important not to let a fear of someone leaving you, in whatever capacity, stop you from opening your heart to love. When this chakra is open, you can be described as caring, friendly and compassionate and may also find it easier to maintain amicable relationships. When underactive, you can be considered to lack empathy or be viewed as hostile. If overactive, you can be seen as loving to a suffocating degree, and even considered selfish depending how you let this affect your actions. Try to honestly acknowledge which of these traits are mirrored in your behaviour and work towards developing healthier habits that will allow for happier relationships.
The Throat Chakra (Visuddhi/Light blue)
C/o GIFY
Revolving around self-expression, communication and truth, this chakra is blocked by shame, denial and lies. Whilst it’s necessary to work on being truthful with others, you must first practice honesty within yourself. Think about the hard truths you may have altered for your benefit. Are you doing something because you truly feel a connection to it, or are you desperate to connect with a certain crowd? Find your truth and own it – you’d be surprised how many people can get behind full transparency. If you can’t bring yourself to hop aboard the meditation wagon, a great way to explore this is through the creative arts. Self-expression is of course a very personal thing – products of it don’t have to resonate with or make sense to other people (you do you boo). When this chakra is open, you can express yourself with ease, through all sorts of mediums. If obstructed, you may lie often, speak infrequently and are therefore often categorised as shy. When overactive, you may qualify as a poor listener and talk so much that it can sometimes irritate others (oof).
The Third Eye Chakra (Anja/Indigo)
This chakra surrounds insight and is blocked by illusion. Arguably one of the most widespread deceptions is separation. Think about our countries – are they not all just land on this Earth that we decided to divide and claim? Think about race – are we all just not members of the human race, all owners of thoughts and feelings? Sometimes things we consider different are actually one in the same in many ways. Unblock this chakra by encompassing all sorts of perspectives – let your mind be open to opposing opinions and realities. When open, you can be deemed very intuitive and even be considered clairvoyant. You also tend to dream a lot and may be able to deduce and take away a lot from them. If less active, you may struggle to think for yourself, often going with or looking to other people to tell you what to think. This can leave you feeling rather lost or confused. When it’s over-active, you may daydream often, living in a world of imagination and distraction a lot of the time.
The Crown Chakra (Sahasrara/Purple)
When open, you’re said to have full control over your thoughts and actions. This chakra surrounds wisdom – finding unity with the universe we embody and becoming more aware of the connection we have to the world, and the connection the world has to us. It deals with raw cosmic energy that some argue is impeded by earthly attachments, both materialistic and personal. Many are unable to unblock this chakra but it’s not impossible. When underactive, you may be close-minded and rigid in your thoughts. On the other end of the spectrum, if overactive, you may have a tendency to over-intellectualise things a lot of the time. Work on letting go in all of the ways, so long as it doesn’t bring harm to you or others.
What’s your take on chakras? Think it’s ridiculous or still have questions? Let’s discuss in the comments!
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About the author
Sumaya Hassan-Murphy
Sumaya is a Bristol based mixed-medium creative whose passions are built predominantly from music, film, art and literature. She hopes that others can find company and comfort through her exploration of identity and creative expression, to encourage compassion and conversation. When she’s not thinking about her next meal or nap, she’s eager to get home, cuddle her cats and and binge a new series.
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