We love chakras

If you’ve taken a class at The Yoga Barre recently, then you’ve likely heard the word chakra. Each week we have been exploring different chakras and how to balance them with yoga poses.  If you missed it or already forgot, then no worries, this blog has got you covered. Learning about chakras is fun and can help you find balance and peace in your life.

Let’s dive in…

The word “chakra” means “disk” or “wheel” and it is energy in your body. These wheels of spinning energy each correspond to certain nerve bundles and major organs. To keep yourself feeling your best, your chakras need to stay open and balanced.

There are seven main chakras that run along the spine, but some believe there are up to 114 chakras in the body. You can practice activities like yoga, meditation, and mindfulness to help you stay connected to your chakras and ensure they’re open and balanced.

First – Root chakra

The root chakra, or Muladhara, is located at the base of your spine, but also encompasses your legs and feet. It provides you with a foundation for life and it helps you feel grounded and able to withstand challenges. Your root chakra is red, and it is responsible for your sense of security and stability. Acceptance is the feeling when your root chakra is balanced. If you don’t feel supported, grounded, or comfortable in your own skin, you are likely to be full of the shadow emotion, resentment. There are many poses that can help with the root chakra, but our favorite here at The Yoga Barre is tree pose. It takes focus, stability, and roots to hold. If this seems too easy, we dare you to close your eyes!

Second – Sacral chakra

The sacral chakra, or Svadhisthana, is located just below your belly button and I truly believe getting into your hips is huge for balancing this space. This chakra is orange and is responsible for your sexual and creative energy. Life, when you are vibrating positively from this center, is colorful, vibrant, and deeply meaningful. Creativity is flowing and creativity is everyone’s birthright, it is the act of finding out what makes you happy, and then pursuing your path. When blocked you will feel stuck, life is listless, empty, and boring. Poses we love at The Yoga Barre to help balance your second chakra is anything that opens your hips. Pigeon pose or Malasana pose, otherwise known as a yogi squat, are great options.

 

Third – Solar plexus chakra

The solar plexus chakra, or Manipura, is in your stomach area, your core. It’s responsible for confidence and self-esteem, as well as helping you feel in control of your life. The color is yellow, and this is where your fire comes from, that deep down power. When balanced you will feel like you can take on the world. “You’ve got guts!” When unbalanced the feeling is insecurity, out of control and even anger. We love getting into this space at The Yoga Barre…hence all our hard work. To spark this center, I suggest making a power song playlist and getting moving! Dance, run, walk, and don’t forget to add planks, and other core favorites. If this is your jam we suggest trying out our power yoga class! Check schedule

 

Fourth – Heart chakra

The heart chakra, or Anahata, is located near your heart, in the center of your chest. The heart chakra is all about our ability to love and show compassion and the color is green. When the heart chakra is too active, not balanced, a person may be overly sympathetic, they love everyone else too much and forget to look after there own needs. Another imbalance, is becoming overly attached to an object, person, or time. Fear is the shadow emotion of the heart chakra, fear of losing something…. Learning to love yourself and having a gratitude practice are steps to find balance. Heart opening poses we suggest at The Yoga Barre are camel, dancers, or wheel.

 

Fifth – Throat chakra

The throat chakra, or Vishuddha, is located in your throat and includes your neck, shoulders, mouth, nose, and ears. This chakra has to do with our ability to communicate verbally, speak our truth, and say what we are meant to say to the world. The color is blue, and the shadow emotion is denial. When in denial and not living and developing our truth, addictions become active. The Yoga Barre’s suggestions for opening the throat chakra are to sing, speak up, get used to hearing your voice, add neck rolls, dog breath, cat/cows…and remember, words have power in your physical body, so watch what you say to yourself.

 

Sixth – Third eye chakra

The third eye chakra, or Ajna, is located between your eyes. The third eye is responsible for intuition, your gut feeling. The color is indigo, and the shadow emotion is depression. “How do you get your intuition, your third eye chakra working?” Yoga! Get to class, clear your brain, get quiet, the answer to almost anything is within you. I truly believe that yoga will help you see and fulfill your life’s purpose. Although all our classes at The Yoga Barre are great for chakra balancing, restore class is a must if you are struggling with your third eye space and need answers.

 

Seventh – Crown chakra

The crown chakra, or Sahasrara, is the seventh chakra and is located at the top of your head and encompasses most of your brain. Your Sahasrara represents your spiritual connection to yourself, others, and the universe. The color is violet, and the human talent is boundlessness, full surrender, the ability to take a leap of faith and knowing things are ultimately going to work out. Meditation will help you slow down and tap into this energy. Yoga and meditation will help you see the bigger picture and let go. The crown chakra has no shadow emotion.

There is not one chakra better than the other, in fact if you’re feeling stuck in one, I guarantee, the chakra above or below is playing a roll. Ultimately, we want everything flowing and working together to feel our best. Chakra balancing is not one and done, consistency is key.

The Yoga Barre’s conclusion…get into yoga. Our classes incorporate poses that directly affect different chakras and are intended to help you find balance.

Who knew? A little sweat, chakra healing and community all in one!

If you love this stuff and want to take a deeper dive, I highly recommend reading the book “8 Human Talents” by Gurmukah.

*Most of the information for this blog is taken from her book.

Love, Nicole