Chakras for Beginners

Author:
KimmySF
Updated:
Jan 11, 2008

Chakras are energy centers that run from the base of your spine out the top, or crown, of your head. The word chakra is a Sanskrit word, meaning wheel or disc. There are seven major chakras, each a circular wheel of light spinning in your energetic system, associated with certain body parts, a color, stone, element, and function. By learning to tune into the energy of your chakras, you can begin to embrace the fullness of who you truly are.

Seven main chakras and their placement along the spine

Muladhara, or Root, Chakra

This deep red chakra grounds and connects us to the earth. When our root chakra is open, we feel a sense of belonging. We deserve to be here and to be happy. This chakra focuses on our needs. Basic needs like food, shelter, and water are necessary in order for this chakra to feel balanced. Beyond that, we can use food (both “real” food and all of the things that feed us that don’t come on our plate) in our lives to help us feel more present in our bodies.

Stones: Ruby, Bloodstone, Hematite

Element: Earth

Body Part(s): Adrenal Glands, associated with survival (fight or flight) instincts

Svadhisthana, or Sacral, Chakra

This calming orange wheel goes round in our lower abdomen, right below the navel. This chakra is associated with health, pleasure, feelings, and sexuality. When the sacral chakra is balanced, we feel abundant, we know that we are deserving of pleasure in all areas of our lives. It is this chakra that helps us feel free to let our emotions flow through our lives, taking them as they come and knowing that they will pass, knowing that just as emotions are fluid, so is life. When we are able to find ways to accept and express our emotions, then we are able to keep our emotional, as well as physical, bodies healthy.

Stones: Carnelian, Tiger’s Eye, Onyx

Element: Water

Body Part(s): Testicles, Ovaries, in charge of sexual development

Manipura, or Solar Plexus, Chakra

This bright yellow ball of fire heats up our personal sense of power. Located at the solar plexus, this chakra helps to center us. It is our power center where we develop our autonomy and sense of self. When this chakra is open, we feel worthy of all that life has to offer us. We realize the power we possess to create the life of our dreams is already alive inside of us. When we harness the energy of the solar plexus chakra, we find the strength to conquer our dreams and goals.

Stones: Topaz, Citrine, Amber

Element: Fire

Body Part(s): Pancreas, controls digestion

Anahata, or Heart, Chakra

Our heart center creates balance in our lives. When we move into our heart chakra, we feel love and compassion toward ourselves. Once we have learned to be kind to ourselves, then we are able to extend that kindness to others. The heart chakra allows us to live our lives from an understanding, considerate, and peaceful place. It connects us to others, our surroundings, and the universe. When we tap into our heart chakra, love radiates around us and out into the world.

Stones: Rose Quartz, Diamond, Peridot

Element: Air

Body Part(s): Thymus, helps build immune system

Visuddha, or Throat, Chakra

The blue of this energy center spins its truth in our throat, helping us to be authentic in the way we live our lives. The throat chakra is where we communicate, where we are able to openly share our life perspective. Part of speaking truthfully involves carefully considering our words and the effect they will have once they have been spoken, causing us to consciously choose what we say to others. This, however, does not mean that we bottle our words up inside. It means that we try to look at all perspectives and find a respectful way to present our voice. Be clear, ask for what you want.

Stones: Turquoise, Blue Agate, Aquamarine

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Element: Sound

Body Part(s): Thyroid, controls metabolism

Ajna, or Third Eye, Chakra

The violet light of this chakra makes its mark on our forehead, between the eyebrows and slightly above. This is where we see, where our inner eye lives. When we have an important decision to make or are feeling uncertain in our lives, it helps to focus on the third eye and to seek guidance. Everything we need to know is inside of us. Each one of us has all of the answers to all of the questions that we ask. What we need to do is slow down, take some time out, listen and trust in our own wisdom.

Stones: Sapphire, Tanzanite, Lapis Lazuli

Element: Light

Body Part(s): Pituitary Gland, influences growth and hormones

Sahasrara, or Crown, Chakra

Bright white light glows at the top of our head, radiating upward, reaching its rays out into the world beyond us. When we are grounded in our bodies, we are able to accept the ever-changing world that moves around us. Once we have accepted that change, we can work on building a strong sense of self, knowing that we deserve to fulfill our dreams. Having learned to love ourselves, we can then let that love move beyond the boundaries of our self and enter into our interactions with others. When we know how to love ourselves and others, then we are able to speak our truth from a place of integrity and respect for all involved in the conversation. When we are able to openly be honest, we can then go inside and listen quietly to our inner voice, which guides us. Going inside, we discover that though it often seems we are alone in this journey of life, we are really connected to everything. The white light radiates out from our crown and blends into the rest of the light that flows from all other beings. We are all one.

Stones: Amathyst, Alexandrite

Element: Thought

Body Part(s): Pineal Gland, regulates natural body rhythms

Comments

ekta on November 05, 2015:

I have seen the green light dark one and now no other light come.what does it mean.

Axman on February 28, 2012:

This is so tru and awsome i only have one Question how can i open all of them very fast or atleast just open them CAN ANYONE GIVE ME AN ANSWER PLEASE I WANNA know

Tiffany from Springbrook, AB on January 29, 2012:

Thank you for your hub, great help! Voted up! and shared on my Herbal Habits facebook page

Peace

theboysmom0104 from Georgia on September 01, 2011:

Help! reading about them is great but I took this test thing and it says mine are all closed/blocked. Then it wanted me to pay to find out how to open them. With everything available online is there any place to go to learn how to unblock them that isn't going to cost me.

Cindy on September 01, 2011:

Brenda on June 22, 2011:

There is beauty in simplicity. Thank you. A good bookmark for chakra reference material.

2 whon it may concern on April 15, 2011:

I'm christian wonderin if I pratice this would it affect my christianaity .....I mean its kinda diff

linda on July 13, 2010:

inspired me

it is nice to be nice.

Andre on June 29, 2010:

namaste :) wonderful information, thank you

manpreet singh kalraa on June 27, 2010:

i had read about it but how to use this colours or how to learn to use this therapy

mrfun on June 18, 2010:

Tell me more about the sacral chakra!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

vishal on May 31, 2010:

please can some one let me knw 4 the traning cenerts or the workshops for chakras in india,

email-in.vishal.agarwal@gmail.com

Dawn Derry on May 26, 2010:

wow . i didn't think i would understand any of this and i did , thank you for making it understandable.

Helea on May 01, 2010:

Great Site, very good for beginning, enjoyable!

Be Well!

Cherie on April 28, 2010:

Remaining grounded is such an adventure - wayward thoughts spill & tumble-mind grabs the wise words from "Desiderata" focus returns- the Ox escapes - am i ox or observer?

nick on April 27, 2010:

a great explanation - just the right amount of reading!

me on April 26, 2010:

thank you kimmysf. during meditation i was told i need to learn about my chakras. i googled and landed here. this is s great start :-)

thanks again.

Ricee Kai on April 22, 2010:

thanks for this. I have just started to try to understand and utilize this in myself. This is a great place to start.

flakis on March 04, 2010:

Great information! thanx :)

.. on March 04, 2010:

wow..

Genevieve on March 02, 2010:

Great beginners info! It's really well put together and easy to read. Thank you!

Carol Frances on February 19, 2010:

fabulous site.... I am working with beginners and this is 'simply' perfect.... Namaste`

Dr. Gurdial Singh Sandhu on February 18, 2010:

Great Chakra Site. Thank you. God Bless You.

nik on January 28, 2010:

cool

Urbanmonkdiaries on January 23, 2010:

Very nice article. Thanks for taking the effort to put it up. I will link to your page as well.

scarlettblack on January 23, 2010:

Thanks a great overview.

jeff on November 22, 2009:

Why is it that i can only tap into the chakras in my head and have a hard time noticing the ones in my body during meditation. is this a bad thing to focus on only certain chakras? i am new to meditation and just started like 2 weeks ago. my third eye seems to be the most prominent and active chakra and i find myself only focusing on this chakra a lot during meditation.

kilobugs on November 03, 2009:

Very Well Said!,

We are starting to understand the true potential of our chakras and how they impact on our daily lives

http://www.sourceoforigin.com

Chris on October 28, 2009:

very well put, very simple.

i underztand a lot better, thanks so much

gloria caso on October 20, 2009:

Es imprecionante todo esto del chakras, me hubiera gustado haber aprendido de esto antes, pero ahora no dejare perder esta oportunidad.gracias por la informacion.

Gnana Sambandam on August 23, 2009:

Hey Nice Beginners guide on Chakras and it is up to the point and very brief.Have you been doing chakra cleansing this for years?

tanya on August 15, 2009:

thank you so much!

Karen Ellis from Central Oregon on June 01, 2009:

Great chakra primer. Thanks.

iceburgstar on May 31, 2009:

cool

Sam on May 23, 2009:

There is a course put on by Life Quality Projects called IRECA that helps and shows you how to open up these energy systems, and also to teach you how to do it yourself. Check website for info

andrewguy on March 03, 2009:

oh freaking yeah dang it

F yeah

andrew on March 03, 2009:

f yeah

andrew on March 03, 2009:

f yeah

Derek on February 09, 2009:

What does it mean when the Chakras, any of them are either heavily resitricted or not even visible and when they are all completely open and larger than normal. Emaill Address quantumebmd@yahoo.com

andrew on January 11, 2009:

oh yeah

360 vision on January 01, 2009:

is it possible to use the third eye to see 360 degrees around u just wondering because i can do it when ever i want

Mystyk from Allendale on December 23, 2008:

Wooo Hooo now I can start working on Chakra's!!! I am also linking to your page as I have a beginners page on Meditation.

andrew on December 14, 2008:

I now understand all the elements perfect thank you

andrew on December 14, 2008:

thank you I feel more peaceful and I mastered all the chakras

myles on December 07, 2008:

thank you guru mona i have mastered all the chakras thanks to you.