Chakras

What is a Chakra Exactly? Chakras are our energy centers. They are the openings for life energy to flow into and out of our aura. Their function is to vitalize the physical body and to bring about the development of our self-consciousness. They are associated with our physical, mental and emotional interactions.

They are called: Root Chakra - Muladhara Sacral Chakra - Swadhisthana Solar Plexus Chakra - Manipura Heart Chakra - Anahata Throat Chakra - Vishuddha Brow (Third-Eye) Chakra - Ajna Crown Chakra - Sahasrara

Chakra Personality Test Do not copy this slide! To learn which chakras are especially well developed, which chakra is dominant, and which chakras may have blockages, you can take the following kinesiological and chakra personality test.

Kinesiological Chakra Test Find a partner and extend your left arm so that the palm faces downward and think of a very pleasant, enjoyable experience. Your partner will lightly press down on your arm and registers the muscular resistance. Recalling a pleasant experience will strengthen your muscles. Next, think of an unpleasant experience and repeat the muscle test. The muscular resistance should be much weaker, since negative thoughts weaken the musculature.

Once again, stretch out your left arm and place your right hand on one of your chakras. Your partner then follows the procedure described on the previous slide. The stronger the muscular resistance, the stronger the chakra. Weakened resistance indicates weakness in the chakra. If your partner can push down your outstretched arm with little or no resistance, then you likely have a blockage in that chakra.

Chakra Personality Test Respond to the statements on the following slides with YES or NO. Don’t think about them too much – your answers should be intuitive and spontaneous. If you’re unsure, chose the answer that first came to mind.

I generally feel in harmony with the universe. My intuition is quite well-developed. I express myself well in words. I feel emotionally connected with other people. I follow my gut instincts. I am full of vitality and joie de vivre. I love to be in movement and feel my own body. It is easy for me to meditate and find inner peace. I have good concentration.

I feel socially confident. I am deeply afraid of loneliness. Eating is one of the great pleasures of life. I know how to enjoy life. I almost never worry. I find it difficult to take the world seriously. I often think about the world and life. I can easily put my thoughts into words. Love is the most important thing in the world. I am at peace within myself and not easily thrown off center.

I am a very passionate person. I feel a deep connection with nature. My soul’s home does not lie in this world. I have intense, colour-filled dreams. I have many different interests. I have the desire to express myself artistically. I experience feelings mostly in my body. I am comfortable with intimacy and lust. I have a lot of confidence in life and the future.

Which one do you identify with? Root Chakra – the grounding force Sacral Chakra – finding balance Solar Plexus Chakra – Self esteem Heart Chakra - love Throat Chakra – voicing truths Brow (Third-Eye) Chakra – intellect and wisdom Crown Chakra – spiritual connection

Muladhara (Root) Root Chakra - Represents our foundation and feeling of being grounded. Location: Base of spine in tailbone area. Color: Red Element: Earth Emotional issues: Survival issues such as financial independence, money, and food. Healing Exercises: Stomping your bare feet on the ground. Remember, the Root Chakra is all about feeling "grounded." Practicing Kundalini Yoga can open up your lower spine. Bridge Pose is another good yoga pose to try out Healing Foods: Red colored foods (apples and beets) Hot spices (Red cayenne peppers and Tabasco sauce) Vegetables from the ground (potatoes and carrots) Animal proteins (red meat and eggs)

Muladhara (Root) Acceptance This chakra is the grounding force that allows us to connect to the earth energies and empower our beings. Focusing one's attention on the colour of a cherry popsicle or a juicy red apple can help bring our energetic body "down to earth" and in alignment with our physical body when we find ourselves energetically fleeting or in other words....."spacing out."

Muladarah (Root) cont. We connect to the planet through our first chakra. If we are balanced in this part of our body, we feel at home in our own skin. Unbalanced can manifest in lower back pain! Root Chakra Video

Swadhisthana (Sacral) Sacral Chakra - Our connection and ability to accept others and new experiences. Location: Lower abdomen, about 2 inches below the navel and 2 inches in. Color: Orange Element: Water Emotional issues: Sense of abundance, well-being, pleasure, sexuality. Healing Exercises: Pelvic thrusts Cobra Yoga Pose Healing Foods: Orange colored foods (oranges, tangerines) Nuts (any kind)

Swadhisthana (Sacral) Try to visualize the Sunkist orange that has been dyed to attract the produce buyer, or the orange red of an evening sunset when focusing on the second chakra. This chakra often offers us the opportunity to lessen our "control issues" and find a balance in our lives.

Swadhisthana (Sacral) cont. This chakra is about desire, passion, duality polarities, movement, change, and creativity. The energy of this chakra involves others. When it is well balanced and open, life is colourful, vibrant and meaningful. Associated with the reproductive organs. Sacral Chakra video

Manipura (navel) Solar Plexus Chakra - Our ability to be confident and in-control of our lives. Location: Upper abdomen in the stomach area. Color: Yellow Element: Fire Emotional issues: Self-worth, self-confidence, self-esteem. Healing Exercises: Kundalini Yoga, Boat Pose (image above) Dancing. Shake those hips! Healing Foods: Yellow colored foods (corn) Grains and fiber (granola, whole wheat bread) Teas (peppermint, chamomile tea)

Manipura (navel) This is the area which defines our "self-esteem". The personality that develops during puberty is housed in this chakra....otherwise known as the "EGO". This intuitive chakra is where we get our "gut instincts" that signal us to do or not to do something

Manipura cont. It encompasses the entire digestive system It is our source of energy – it is the element of life. A person with a strong navel center has control over their actions. Energize using full yogic breath. Solar Plexus Chakra

Anahata (heart) Heart Chakra - Our ability to love. Location: Center of chest just above heart. Emotional issues: Love, joy, inner peace. Color: Green/Pink Element: Air Healing Exercises: Bikram Yoga Love, love, love. Simply opening up our hearts to others is the best healing exercise to open up the Heart Chakra. Healing Foods: Green colored foods (leafy vegetables, spinach) Green tea

Anahata (heart) This love center of our human energy system is often the focus in bringing about a healing. Thus, the words "Love Heals All" have great truth. Learning to love yourself is a powerful first step in securing a healthy fourth chakra. The "wounded child" resides in the heart chakra.

Anahata cont. Heart Chakra Video The heart chakra is the home of compassion, which breeds kindness. Imbalance can lead to becoming overly attached to some object of affection. Can be related to negativity, fatigue, tension, anger, insomnia and heart disorders. “If you’re not loving yourself, you won’t be able to love others.” Heart Chakra Video

Vishuddha (throat) Throat Chakra - Our ability to communicate. Location: Throat Color: Blue Element: Sound Emotional issues: Communication, self-expression of feelings, the truth. Location of our Throat Chakra: Throat Emotional issues affecting our Throat Chakra: Communication, self-expression of feelings, speaking the truth, holding secrets. Healing Exercises: Shoulder stand (see above image) Singing, chanting Healing Foods: Juices and teas Fruits (all kinds)

Vishuddha (throat) This chakra is our will center. We speak our choices with our voices (throats). We have all experienced that "lump in our throats" when we are at a crossroad of not knowing how to speak the right words in any given situation, perhaps even stuffing our own emotions. A challenge of the throat chakra is to express ourselves in the most truthful manner. Seek only the truth.

Vishuddha cont. The gateway between the head & heart – learn our authentic voice & what we are meant to “say to the world”. Imbalance can lead to arrogance, self-righteous, talk too much or not enough and addiction as well as throat inflammation, ear infections, etc. Speak the truth with compassion. Throat Chakra video

Ajna (Third-eye) Third Eye Chakra - Our ability to focus on and see the big picture. Location: Forehead between the eyes. (Also called the Brow Chakra) Color: Indigo Emotional issues: Intuition, imagination, wisdom, ability to think and make decisions. Healing Exercises: Child's Pose or other types of yoga poses with forward bends. Eye exercises. Herbal oil treatment (see above image). Healing Foods: Purple colored fruits (grapes, blueberries) Chocolate Lavender flavored spices or tea

Ajna (Third-eye) It is also often referred to as the "third eye" or the "mind center." It is our avenue to wisdom. Our ability to separate reality from fantasy or delusions is in connection with the healthfulness of this chakra. This is where your intellect overrides the heart. Intuition is related to the third-eye

Ajna cont. The pituitary gland is located here. It is responsible for the secretion of serotonin which is a major factor in the health of our emotional lives. It is here that we start to move into thought and spirit. Imbalance can lead to difficulties with the brain and ears, pain, agitation and psychic exhaustion. Third Eye Chakra video

Sahasrara (Crown) Crown Chakra - The highest Chakra represents our ability to be fully connected spiritually. Location: The very top of the head. Color: Violet/White Emotional issues: Inner and outer beauty, our connection to spirituality, pure bliss. Healing Exercises: Meditation Running or cardio Healing Foods: Since the Crown Chakra represents our spiritual connection to our surroundings, this Chakra does not benefit from healing foods. The Crown Chakra is more likely to benefit from breathing clean and fresh air and sunshine.

Sahasrara (Crown) We use the seventh chakra as a tool to communicate with our spiritual nature. It is through this that the life force is dispersed from the universe into the lower 6 chakras. Call it a spiritual connection or communicator. This chakra is often pictured as a lotus flower opening to allow spiritual awakening in an individual.

Sahasrara cont. Crown Chakra video This chakra rules not only the brain itself, but all the major systems of the body (nervous, skeletal, circulatory, etc) Gateway to enlightenment. Imbalances in this chakra have been associated with migraines, depression, baldness, dandruff, parasites. Crown Chakra video