Yoga and the Chakras

Yoga and the Chakras

Aligning Your Energy Centers for Wellbeing

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Yoga is a multi-faceted practice with its roots stemming from ancient Indian traditions. At its heart, it’s a practice of balance: physical, mental, and spiritual. One way yoga can help you find harmony is through chakras—the energy centers within your body. 

A Quick Guide to Chakras

As was mentioned, chakras are energy centers. And every energy center is connected to various aspects of your well-being. 

The word "chakra" in Sanskrit means "wheel." It represents how the energy is meant to flow through you up and down the length of your spine. There are seven chakras, each associated with certain parts of a physical body and different spiritual aspects.

If you want to delve deeper into this topic and explore your spirituality, feel free to chat with a psychic advisor about this. But generally speaking, here are the key charkas to know about:

  1. Root Chakra, or Muladhara. This center is located at the base of your spine. It represents your sense of stability and security.
  2. Sacral Chakra, or Svadhisthana. The place of this chakra is just below the navel. It’s associated with creativity, pleasure, and self-expression.
  3. Solar Plexus Chakra, or Manipura. It is located above the navel and represents power, self-confidence, and a sense of control.
  4. Heart Chakra, or Anahata. Situated right in the middle of your chest, this chakra governs love, compassion, and emotional healing.
  5. Throat Chakra, or Vishuddha. Located at the throat, this center represents communication and honesty.
  6. Third Eye Chakra, or Ajna. This one is located between the brows and is usually associated with intuition, insight, and wisdom.
  7. Crown Chakra, or Sahasrara. This center is located at the top of the head. It’s associated with spiritual growth.

When all the chakras are in harmony, the energy flows freely through you, creating a sense of balance and comfort. Let’s now explore how yoga can help us achieve this state.

How Yoga Can Help Align Your Chakras

Yoga combines movement, breathwork, and meditation in its practice. This can be a great way to untangle the know within you and unblock any energy that grew stifled. It’s one of the methods to restore greater spiritual balance.

Different yoga poses, or asanas, can help you target different energy centers to address various concerns.

Here’s a quick rundown of suitable asanas for all the chakras:

  • Root Chakra. To address this chakra, you’ll need something that helps you feel grounded. Mountain Pose and Warrior I are a perfect match.
  • Sacral Chakra. Try Bound Angle Pose or Goddess Pose. These poses will help to release any tension in the lower abdomen and pelvis, where the Sacral chakra is located.
  • Solar Plexus Chakra. If you want to build up some self-confidence and personal power, then try to focus on core-strengthening postures like Boat Pose and Plank Pose. These postures will help to lift the energy of this chakra.
  • Heart Chakra. Heart-opening asanas, such as Camel Pose and Bridge Pose, are ideal here. They will help you to open up your heart and embrace the flow of love and compassion. These postures stretch the chest and expand it, helping you to give and receive love more freely.
  • Throat Chakra. Try Fish Pose or Shoulder Stand for this one. Those asanas will help you open up your throat and energize your neck and shoulders. This, in turn, can encourage you to express your truth.
  • Third Eye Chakra. The asanas like Child's Pose and Downward Dog encourage you to find balance within yourself. Such practice can help you find time for introspection, and perhaps, strengthen your inner voice that represents your intuition.
  • Crown Chakra. If you want to balance the higher states of consciousness and spiritual growth, choose poses that specifically focus on the head. Those can be the Lotus Pose or Headstand.

With this selection of asanas, you should be able to connect with each of your chakras.  And when the chakras are aligned, the sense of balance that it creates carries into various aspects of your life.

This practice might help you cultivate inner peace and connect with your inner self on a more deep level. Not to mention the physical benefits of practicing yoga regularly—fewer pain points in your body and greater health and flexibility.

All these things combined over time might result in a much better understanding of yourself and your needs, both spiritually and physically. All in all, yoga is a multi-faceted practice, that can bring a lot of benefits to different aspects of your life.

Final Thoughts

Taking time to align all your chakras through yoga is not only about feeling good in your own physical body. It’s also about creating a sense of harmony within your mind and soul. It’s about nurturing an overall sense of well-being.

With various asanas picked specifically to strengthen your connection to different charkas, you can help your energy flow freely through you.

Om Magazine

First published in November 2009, OM Yoga magazine has become the most popular yoga title in the UK. Available from all major supermarkets, independents and newsstands across the UK. Also available on all digital platforms.