Beginners Guide to Chakras ⋆ Holistic Lifestyle Guide

You don’t have to be a reiki master or meditation expert to have heard of chakras. There are many who have felt the proof of their existence just as there are many diehard skeptics. You might be cautiously hovering somewhere in the middle secretly hoping they are real, or you might know next to nothing about them and want to learn more. In this article, I will give a beginners guide to chakras so you can learn everything you need to know about chakras.

If you prefer to listen, the audio/podcast version of this blog post is below:

Table of Contents

What Chakras Are

The word “chakra” means “wheel”. They are points of physical or spiritual energy in the human body. They are centers in the body through which energy enters, along the spine, and is dispersed to the rest of the body.

Another definition of chakras that I like is from Gary Fong who described them as points in the body that were like USB ports. When crystals are applied to these “ports”, the energy from the crystals can help restore balance in the chakras, which is another way of saying you are recharging your energy.

Since energy cannot be seen by most people, this is why many skeptics don’t believe they exist. But the effects of too much energy or lack of it can definitely be experienced and felt. This is why it is often referred to as “subtle energy”, or how humans are said to have a ‘subtle energy body”. It is energy that is there but cannot be measured or seen. There are, however, some individuals with heightened visual perception that have reported seeing chakras and auras (the energy field surrounding the outside of the body).

This is a fascinating subject to learn about and study, because it bridges the gap between the seen and the unseen, between the physical world and the world of energy and vibration that emanates all around us, invisible yet permeating.

The Seven Main Chakras

Most people have heard of the seven chakras, but there are actually many more. Depending on the source, there is generally agreed to be 114 total. But for the sake of simplicity (and since this is just a beginners guide), I will cover the seven main ones.

A helpful thing to remember is that the first three (lower) chakras are focused on the physical body and our senses, where the other four (upper) are focused on our soul or spirituality.

When your chakras are out of balance, or any of them are underactive or overactive, you will feel the physical, mental, emotional, or spiritual effects. If you are mindful enough to be conscious of any changes, you should be able to identify which chakras are out of balance. Here I will go over the main signs of each unbalanced chakra and how to balance them.

How to Balance Your Root Chakra

When the root chakra is out of balance, we might have some of the following issues:

Hoarding material possessions (including money)
Overeating
Have drinking problems
Smoke too much
Become obsessed with sex (often with multiple new partners)
Become needy
Have a victim mentality
Never feel satisfied in general
Gamble too much

To balance the root chakra and eliminate these issues, you can do any of the following;

Crystals: Emerald, Carnelian, Bloodstone, Fire’ Agate, Tiger’s Eye
Massage; Foot massages work particularly well for the root chakra
Yoga postures: Warrior Pose, Triangle, Eagle, Mountain Pose, Fierce Posture, Forward Bends
QiGong
Essential Oils: Cedarwood, Patchouli, Myrrh
Earthing/Grounding (walking barefoot on grass, dirt, sand, in water)
Incorporate the color red into your life
Spend more time in nature

How to Balance the Sacral Chakra

When the Sacral chakra is out of balance, we might have some of the following issues;

Chronic illness linked to stress
Unhealthy sexual activity
Illnesses of the lower abdomen such as IBS and Colitis
The need to control
Overprotectiveness
Jealousy
Anger
Need for approval
Guilt
Either obsessed with sex or frigid/impotent
Self-less focus on others rather than self (overactive sacral chakra)

To balance the sacral chakra, here are some things you can do:

Water-based therapies
Dancing
Crystals: Fire Opal, Carnelian, Aquamarine
Yoga poses: Cow Face, Warrior Pose, Tailor Pose, Side Stretch, Twisting Triangle, Extended Lateral Angle Pose, Pose of Shiva
Drink more water
Lymphatic drainage massage
Essential Oils: Sandalwood, Jasmine, Rose Oil, Ylang-Ylang
Incorporate the color orange into your life

How to Balance the Solar Plexus Chakra

When the Solar Plexus chakra is out of balance, you may notice any of these issues;

Health issues related to stress
Stress resulting from many simultaneous life changes (good or bad)
Digestive system illnesses
Desire for power over others
Arrogance
Feeling edgy
Feeling depleted of energy
Depression
Becoming fearful
Insecurity

To balance the solar plexus chakra, you can do any of the following:

Yoga poses: Cow Pose, Sitting Spinal Twist, Camel Pose, The Boat, Downward Facing Dog
Stress reduction
Meditation
Crystals: Topaz, Yellow Tourmaline, Emerald, Sapphire, Citrine
Fasting
Digestive system detox programs
Get plenty of sunlight
Sit in front of a fire
Use more of the color yellow in your life
Essential Oils: Clary sage, Juniper, Geranium

How to Balance the Heart Chakra

When your heart chakra is out of balance, you may notice any of these:

Lack of confidence
Blocked creativity
Weakened immune system
Clingy and needy in relationships
Guarded behavior
Heart or lung issues
Holding on to grudges
Have problems trusting and accepting others
Lack of compassion

To balance the heart chakra, you can do the following:

Massage
Meditation
Crystals: Rose Quartz, Rose and Green Tourmaline, Emerald, Jade, Pink Carnelian, Peridot, Pink Topaz, Rhodonite
Yoga poses; Crescent Moon Pose, Fish Pose, Side Forward Bend, Cobra, Head-to-Knee Forward Bend
Express yourself creatively
Essential oils: Rose, Bergamot, Jasmine, Sandalwood, Neroli
Alternate nostril breathing
Laughter
Use the color green more in your life

How to Balance the Throat Chakra

If your throat chakra is out of balance, you may experience some of the following:

Ear, nose, throat or respiratory problems
Fear
Arrogance
Depression
Monotonous speaking voice
Feeling defensive about your ideas
Feeling threatened by other points of view
Talking too much without saying anything of substance
Anxiety and confusion, particularly about decisions

You can balance the throat chakra by doing any of these things:

Reading, especially with an open mind
Yoga Poses; Upward Facing Dog, Camel Pose, Lion Pose, Bow Pose, Sitting Forward Bend
Crystals: Blue Topaz, Yellow Topaz, Quartz
Essential oils: Lavender, Chamomile, Rosemary, Thyme, Sage
Singing
Vocal toning
Yogic breathing exercises
Using the color turquoise or blue more in your life
Chanting

How To Balance Your Third Eye Chakra (Brow Chakra)

When you have an imbalance in the Third Eye chakra, you may notice any of these things:

Identification with information rather than knowledge
Frequent headaches and migraines
Ear and eye problems
Hyper- or Hypo-thyroidism
Sleep disorders
Low serotonin levels
Poor judgement
No sense of purpose
Lack of imagination
Nightmares, disturbing thoughts

To balance your third eye chakra, you can do any of the following:

Yoga Poses: Eagle, Cobra, Headstand, Child’s Pose, Downward Facing Dog, Plough Pose
Crystals: Diamond, Emerald, Sapphire, Lapis Lazuli
Essential oils: Frankincense, Holy Basil, Rose, Geranium
Spending more time in nature
Quiet and solitude
Contemplation
Meditation
Qigong
Go on a retreat
Tratak (Yogic concentration exercise)
Use the color indigo more in your life

How to Balance the Crown Chakra

When your crown chakra is imbalanced, you might notice any of the following:

Headaches
Epilepsy
Paralysis
Parkinson’s Disease
Refusal to believe in spiritual matters
Arrogance
Materialism
Lack of life purpose and meaning

To balance the crown chakra, you can do any of the following:

Yoga Poses: Tree Pose, Half Lotus, Headstand, Shoulder Stand
Crystals: Celestite, Blue Sapphire, Charoite, Clear Quartz, Amethyst
Essential oils: Ylang-ylang, Rosewood, Linden
Meditation
Visualization
Add the color violet to your life

I have a printable Chakra Chart for easy reference that you can download instantly and print at home! This chart contains basic information of the most common ways to keep your chakras healthy.