Chakras! Whether you’re a yogi or someone who hasn’t practised a single time, you’ve probably heard about them.

So what are they? In yoga philosophy, chakras are 7 energy points in our subtle body or centres, forming a spiral of energy flow through our body.

Each chakra represents a different aspect of our body, mind and soul. Any imbalances in chakras (also called blocks) can create an imbalance in those areas and the entire wellbeing of a person.

When all chakras are in a balance, they create a healthy flow of energy through our body.

Through our yoga asana practice, meditation, connection to natural elements as well as healthy nutrition, we can achieve that healthy energy flow and overall wellbeing.

We’ve created his 7 chakra guide to help you understand each chakra, what it represents, and what and we do to reach the chakra balance (and the health of each chakra separately).

The guide includes the meaning, representation, location, element, colour, mantra, crystals, aromas, foods, yoga poses and affirmations as well as symptoms of imbalance for each chakra.

Chakras represent not only physical but also our mental and spiritual health. A balanced chakra system allows us to feel our best, to reach our goals, manifest our true selves and simply – live healthy lives.

Muladhara (Root Chakra)

Meaning: Mula – “root”, Adhara – “support” or “base.”
Location: base of the spine
Element: earth
Colour: red
Sound (mantra): Lam
Crystals: red jasper, garnet, bloodstone, smokey quartz, poppy jasper, jet.
Aromas: cloves, cedar, rose, sandalwood.
Foods: red apples, strawberries, eggs, beans, nuts, root vegetables (potato, sweet potato, beetroot)
Poses: Vrkhasana (Tree pose), sukhasana (simple pose), malasana (deep squat), tadasana (mountain pose), Virabadhrasana II (warrior II), balasana (child’s pose), savasana (corpse pose)
Affirmations: I am safe. I am secure. I am here.

The Root chakra represents and is associated with safety, security, stability and grounding. It includes our basic needs and desires (food, shelter, security). These lay the foundations for our lives, represent our core beliefs, values, family relationships, “feeling at home”. The fight or flight response comes from this chakra.

Imbalanced chakra creates feelings of being lost, anxious, stressed.

Svadhisthana (Sacral Chakra)

Meaning: Swa – “one’s own”, adhisthana – “abode” or “seat.”
Location: pelvic area
Element: water
Colour: orange
Sound (mantra): Yam
Crystals: amber, orange moonstone, citrine, hematite, carnelian
Aromas: rose, jasmine, sandalwood, ylang-ylang, clary sage
Foods: oranges, carrots, mangoes, pumpkins, sweet potatoes, various seeds and nuts, fish
Poses: Virasana (hero pose), Deviasana (Goddes pose), Anjaneyasana (low lunge), Mandukasana (Frog pose), Paschimottanasana (seated forward bend).
Affirmations: I feel. I love. I am passionate. I am creative.

The sacral chakra is a centre of feeling, emotion, intimacy, pleasure, connection. It is associated with or creativity as well as sexuality and fertility. It corresponds to the reproductive and sexual organs and represents fluidity, creativity, and fertility. A healthy second chakra represents a healthy, creative, passionate life.

Blocked chakra creates feelings of low self-confidence, inability to cope with changes, feeling emotionless, cold, rigid.

Manipura (Solar Plexus Chakra)

Meaning: “resplendent gem” or “lustrous gem.”
Location: between the navel and the rib cage, solar plexus
Element: fire
Colour: yellow
Sound (mantra): Ram
Crystals: Tiger’s eye, amber, citrine, yellow jasper, Lemon Quartz, Malachite
Aromas: chamomile, myrrh, rose, frankincense, sandalwood
Foods: ginger, chamomile, turmeric, cumin, bananas, flax seeds, lemons, legumes, whole grains
Poses: Dhanurasana (Bow Pose), Virabadhrasana III (Warrior III), plank pose, Parsvottanasana (side stretch), Kappalabhati pranayama, Navasana (Boat Pose)
Affirmations: I can. I am confident. I am worthy of.

Manipura chakra represents our power, strength, self-esteem. Self-worth and acceptance stem from this chakra. If the chakra is balanced, we feel confident with our decisions in life; we take action, are productive.

A blocked chakra creates low self-esteem, self-doubt, fear, low energy and passive behaviour. It cal also create issues and pain with digestion.

Anahata (Heart Chakra)

Meaning: “unhurt.”
Location: centre of the chest, heart area
Element: air
Colour: green
Sound (mantra): Yam
Crystals: jade, rose, emerald, rose quartz, amazonite
Aromas: rose, lavender, neroli, marjoram, basil
Foods: green vegetables (spinach, green beans, zucchini), green fruit (avocado, limes, kiwi, apples), herbs (basil, parsley, mint, coriander), green teach, spirulina, chlorella
Poses: Bhujangasana (cobra pose), Ustrasana (camel pose), Camatkarasana (wild thing), Setu Bandha Sarvangasana (bridge pose), Matsyasana (fish pose)
Affirmations: I have infinite love. I love.

This chakra represents and is a channel for love, compassion, understanding, empathy. It helps us connect with the world, others and ourselves, exercises kindness and compassion. It helps overcome sadness or anger and is the energy centre for love, happiness and joy.

Blocked chakra manifests with loneliness, shyness, fear, inability to connect with others and actual heartache.

Vishuddha (Throat Chakra)

Meaning: “pure” or “purification”
Location: throat area
Element: ether
Colour: blue
Sound (mantra): Ham
Crystals: aquamarine, azurite, turquoise, sodalite
Aromas: frankincense, jasmine, sandalwood, rose, ylang-ylang
Foods: soups, sauces, fresh juices, smoothies, blueberries, blackberries, peaches, plums, coconut water.
Poses: Singhasana (Lion Pose), Halasana (Plow Pose), Matsyasana (fish pose), seated cat-cow, mantra chanting
Affirmations: I live my truth. I am heard. I am positive.

This chakra represents the ability to communicate freely, speak the truth, express emotions, respect own and others opinions. It helps live honestly, reach goals and live in harmony with others.

Blocked chakra manifests in holding back on expressing needs and desires, not finding own voice or truth.

Ajna (Third-Eye Chakra)

Meaning: “perceive” or “authority.”
Location: between the eyebrows
Element: light
Colour: indigo
Sound (mantra): OM
Crystals: clear quartz, amethyst, purple fluorite, moldavite
Aromas: myrrh, sandalwood, Palo Santo, grapefruit
Foods: fish, nuts, blueberries, flax seeds, purple cabbage, cacao and dark chocolate, grapes, eggplants
Poses: Sukhanasan (Easy pose), flows, meditation, chants
Affirmations: I am that. I see clearly. I trust myself.

The third eye chakra represents intuition, spiritual awareness, ability to see clearly and through illusions. It governs all of the other chakras. It allows us to tap into our deeper wisdom, subconscious, spiritual insight, understand the meaning of it all.

Blocked chakra represents in migraines, poor sleep or insomnia, difficulty to make decisions.

Sahasrara (Crown Chakra)

Meaning: “thousand pettaled.”
Location: the crown of the head
Element: Cosmic Energy
Colour: white
Sound (mantra): OM
Crystals: blue sapphire, amethyst, clear quartz, diamond
Aromas: rose, jasmine, frankincense, lavender, sandalwood,
Affirmations: I trust my intuition. I am connected.

Located outside of the body, this chakra represents the non-physical, spiritual realm. It allows us to experience oneness with the world and complete freedom. We start living with faith, trust and abandon fear and anxiety.

Blocked chakra manifests with feelings of isolation, lack of direction, disconnectedness.

If you want to go further into your chakra journey, here are some of our suggestions for the first steps!

The post The Ultimate Chakra Guide appeared first on Summersalt Yoga Retreats.

By Brigid Brennan, yoga teacher

If you have ba een to handful of yoga classes, chances are you have heard of the chakra system. According to Indian philosophy, there are seven centers of energy within the body following the spine from the base to the crown. Each of these energy centers- or chakras-  is associated with a different function, region of the body, color, sound, and a myriad of other aspects from essential oils to mudras and yoga poses. It is a worldview which seams together all aspects of our being from the physical to the metaphysical.

Beginning at the base of the spine is the Muladhara Chakra, which literally translates from sanskrit to mean root, base, or foundation. It is associated with the color red and the grounding element of earth. Vetiver essential oil is a very earthy and calming essential oil to use for balancing this chakra. The root chakra represents the structure upon which we are based: our physical structure of skeleton, spine, bones, teeth and blood; our most basic needs such as food, water, shelter; and our emotional foundation of family values and beliefs. This ground level of our being can be compared to the foundation of Maslow’s hierarchy of needs. Once all our basic needs are met, we are then able to advance to higher realms of living and being through the other chakras.

The second or sacral chakra is also called the Svadhisthana Chakra, situated near the lower abdomen below the navel in the pelvic area. It translates into abode or seat, and is viewed as the dwelling place of the self. Associated with the color orange and the element of water, this chakra symbolizes creativity, passion and pleasure. It represents sensuality and sexuality, governing over the corresponding areas of the body such as the reproductive system, kidney, bladder and genitals. When this chakra is balanced and flowing freely, we experience healthy relationships, confidence in creativity and sexuality, and a release of stored emotions within the body. Orange, ginger and cinnamon essential oils especially activate this chakra.

Moving up the spine to the solar plexus, the Manipura Chakra is the third chakra, the yellow “fire in the belly”. This is our source of personal power and self-worth, self-confidence, and self-esteem. An essential oil which fuels this personal power is bergamot, the oil of self-worth. Because this chakra governs over the stomach, liver, pancreas, and digestive system, it is literally the fire of transformation, converting material into energy. In this way, the manipura chakra actually helps us digest not only food, but also our life experiences. It is important to stay in the flow of life and realize we are in control of our own life experiences.

Meaning “unhurt, unstruck, and unbeaten”, Anahata Chakra refers to the pure quality and vibration of this energy. The fourth chakra is the center of the heart, which allows for the flow of love in giving and receiving. A balanced anahata chakra shows up as generosity, compassion, forgiveness, and trust. The author Kahlil Gibran said that “If you love somebody, let them go, for if they return, they were always yours. If they don’t, they never were.” While all the chakras deal with letting go of the ego, the heart chakra is especially powerful for releasing personal identity and realizing oneness with all things. It is also the appreciation of beauty in all things. Green is the color of anahata chakra, and air is the element. The best essential oils for this chakra relate to opening the airways, so using eucalyptus and cardamom are beneficial, as are tea tree and helichrysum which is excellent for healing past wounds, both physical and emotional.

Located in the center of the throat, Vishuddha Chakra is the fifth chakra. The area governed includes the neck, shoulders, mouth, jaw, tongue and even ears. This is the chakra of crystal clear communication, which is not only speaking true intentions, but also listening deeply to both yourself and to others. Feeling heard is one of the most basic human functions, and allows for transmitting truth and connecting on a deep, personal level. Blue is the color, and the element is obviously sound. Lavender, which is one of the most widely used essential oils, is also the oil of communication, and can be used to facilitate an opening of the throat chakra for clearer speech and understanding.

One of the most well-known chakras is the Ajna Chakra, commonly referred to as the “third-eye”. Physically it is situated in the center of the forehead and is correlated with the pineal gland. This is our source of intuition, insight and imagination, as well as our sense of discernment, ability to make decisions, and our wisdom of past and future. Indigo is the shade between blue and purple, perfectly placed between the throat and crown chakras associated with these colors. Known for its clairvoyant properties, clary sage is an excellent choice of essential oil to tap into the energy of the third eye chakra; especially as the word “sage” also refers to someone with profound wisdom. Because the ajna chakra deals with vision, its element is light.

Arriving at the very top of the head we find the crown or Sahasrara Chakra. Here is the “thousand-petaled lotus” which is our connection to our higher self and our life’s purpose. Sometimes associated with the color purple, the crown chakra can also be seen as the color white which radiates out from the top of head, connecting our personal selves to the universal source of energy. White is a combination of all the colors of the chakras, so to experience a balanced crown chakra, all other energy centers must be balanced. Frankincense is an excellent essential oil to be used to commune with the divine, as are myrrh and sandalwood. Space is the element of this chakra, uniting the space within and between us all.

The post Balancing Body & Spirit with the Chakras appeared first on Summersalt Yoga Retreats.

By Leah Sugerman, Summersalt Yoga teacher

Each morning as the sun kisses our faces, we offer our salutations to greet it. As we move following the rhythm of our breath, the gentle ebb and flow of the waves echoes our tempo.

Life is slow on this little island paradise in the Adriatic. Its gentle pace reminds us to slow down ourselves: our bodies, our breath, and our minds.

This perfect environment for a yoga practice keeps us drawing inward and reflecting. Listening to the peaceful breeze blowing and the slow movement of the sea, we journey through ourselves.

According to yogic philosophy, our bodies hold energy in the form of chakras. These whirling vortexes of energy exist throughout our bodies and culminate in seven major ones that travel from the base of our spines up through the crown of our heads. This major “highway” of the seven chakras, if clear of any barriers and optimally aligned, allows us to connect to our highest sense of self and our greatest potential in both our everyday and spiritual lives.

Moving through chakras

In each practice, we bring our awareness to one of these seven major chakras through meditation, pranayama (or breath work), and asana (or the physical yoga postures). Tuning our awareness to each these chakras allows us to inwardly reflect on whether or not we feel open and aligned within this space and what it signifies in our lives. By tuning everything else out and sharply tuning our attention inside, we are able to release any stagnant or “stuck” energy from these spaces and create space and alignment wherever it is needed most.

Every day we focus on a different area of our bodies, moving through the base of the spine, the sacrum, the solar plexus, the heart, the throat, the third eye, and, finally, the crown of the head. Each chakra space is associated with a different body part and, therefore, aspect of the physical practice (such as core work or heart openers). As we focus each day on a different area, we’re able to bring both strength and flexibility to this space to align ourselves deeper, both physically and mentally.

Each chakra represents a different part of our psyches as well, so we meditate upon these aspects as we move through our practices. From grounding and rooting down with the root chakra to creating love and self-acceptance with the heart chakra to elevating and connecting to our intuition and sense of purpose with the third eye chakra, we are able to find balance between our bodies and our minds.

Yoga – on and off the mat

Each practice moves us closer to our best version of ourselves. Every release brings us one step closer to alignment. Every revelation brings us closer to a sense of unity and our ultimate calibration for inner peace.

We spend our mornings moving rhythmically with our breath, finding a dance between effort and ease as the sun illuminates the sky. We spend our evenings relaxing and releasing as we draw awareness deeper inside with slow gentle stretches, following the slow release of the sun dipping down toward the sea.

We practice our yoga off our mats as we excursion out throughout the island, mindfully enjoying each moment of our relaxing and rejuvenating holiday. Our awareness is always on this very moment in time—this delicious taste against our taste buds, this picturesque piece of the coastline, this breathtaking view of the town, this invigorating movement of our bodies. Our undivided attention is always to the present—perhaps the greatest lesson of all from our beloved yoga practice.

The post Journeying through the 7 chakras in paradise appeared first on Summersalt Yoga Retreats.