Meditation has grown in popularity thanks to its many health benefits. Whether you are new to the spiritual wellness scene or you’ve been doing yoga and meditation for a while now, you have probably heard the term chakra. Perhaps in your yoga classes, your instructor might have mentioned them during one of your sessions, telling you to activate or balance them.
But what exactly are chakras? In this article, we’ll explore a quick guide to chakra meditation.
Chakra: What Is It?
The term chakra comes from a Sanskrit word that means ‘wheel.’ It refers to the seven energy centers of your body that control your physical, psychological, emotional, and spiritual functions. These chakras include:
- Root chakra or Muladhara
- Sacral chakra or Svadhishthana
- Solar Plexus chakra or Manipura
- Heart chakra or Anahata
- Throat chakra or Vishudda
- Third-Eye chakra or Ajna
- Crown chakra or Sahasrara
These seven chakras correspond to specific aspects of the body and consciousness and have their functions and characteristics. You can read this in-depth guide on the chakra for beginners to know more about them.
Understanding Chakra Meditation
At its core, chakra meditation is a specialized type of meditation that targets closed, blocked or imbalanced chakras.
When chakras are closed, the natural flow of energy throughout your body can be affected or imbalanced. Some chakras may become hyperactive while others may shut down, and the effects may appear in several forms. For instance, a blocked heart chakra may prevent you from moving on from trauma or cause you to form unhealthy relationships with others.
Careful chakra meditation is the best way to keep your chakras activated, balanced, and aligned properly. With this, you’re actively participating with your whole body, allowing for a deep level of healing and heightened chakras of energy. It can also ensure a stronger connection with yourself and those around you.
With chakra meditation, you can enjoy a harmonious and balanced flow of energy, helping prevent physical, psychological, spiritual, and emotional disruptions.
How To Do Chakra Meditation
Performing a chakra meditation won’t require as much effort. You can go with your usual meditation routine with a stronger focus on opening and rebalancing your chakras or work on each as needed. You can also incorporate different yoga poses to activate them better.
If you’re a visual person, you can use the colors representing each chakra as a focal point. For crystal enthusiasts, you can use healing crystals associated with each chakra. And for others, you can place your hand at the chakra point as you meditate.
To help you start, here are simple steps to guide you with your chakra meditation:
- Determine Your Position
You can sit on the floor or lie flat when doing chakra meditation, whichever position you are comfortable with. However, keeping your straight back is important to allow the energy to flow more freely through the chakras. You also want to find a place that’s quiet and feels calm to you and where you won’t be distracted.
- Relax Your Mind
Close your eyes to have a better focus. Then, take deep, slow breaths to calm your body and mind. Note that this may take a few minutes to help build mindfulness into practice, so don’t pressure yourself, especially if you notice your mind starting to wander.
- Focus On Your Chakras
Once you’re calm and have heightened awareness, you can start working on your chakras. If there’s no specific chakra you want to focus on, you can start from the bottom and work your way up.
Think about each focal point as lotus flowers or discs. You can take a deep breath as you visualize light flowing into the chakra, making it shine with energy. Then breathe out, imagining all negativity and stress flowing out of the chakra. Repeat these steps as necessary.
A good practice to incorporate into your chakra meditation session is having music playing in the background. For instance, as you focus and re-align your root chakra or Muladhara, you can have sounds of drums or tribal music playing. On the other hand, as you work on your sacral chakra, you can listen to a recording sound of the ocean.
- Come Back Slowly
Once you finish energizing and re-aligning your chakras, you want to end the session slowly and not abruptly. Continue taking deep breaths and slowly open your eyes. As you prepare to finish your meditation, slowly ground yourself and be aware of your physical feelings. For example, take note of the chair or floor you’re on. You can also engage your senses, such as hearing or smell.
Takeaway
Chakra meditation can help give you inner peace and a better understanding of yourself and the universe. While it may seem complicated, especially if you’re new to this, it doesn’t have to be intimidating. As a good start, you can consider the above tips to guide you through the process and maximize your sessions. Moreover, always be patient as you meditate and activate and balance your chakras.
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