What is Chakra Healing?
Our chakras are vortexes of energy at seven centres in the body and relate to the flows of subtle energy throughout our endocrine system. They are symbols of the connection between the physical and spiritual and when they are in balance, we are in balance. When we are blocked, therefore it probably means one or more of our chakras is blocked.
Yogis have used this system for centuries as an essential part of healing. Although this ancient Indian system may seem out-of-touch from more orthodox medicine, there has been a big surge of interest in this and other more alternative therapies in recent years, especially where the use of more traditional prescription drugs has failed. The origins of this system are in Hindu culture and the earliest use of the word ‘chakra’ is found in the Vedas, the four holy books of the Hindu religion which date back to before 2500 BC.
The word chakra means ‘wheel’ or ‘disk’ in Sanscrit and they are normally portrayed as lotus flowers resonating at different frequencies and each corresponding with the colours of the rainbow. So the ‘root’(lowest) chakra corresponds with red and relates to our material existence;
the ‘kath’ (second) resonates with orange and our emotional/sexual feelings;
the ‘solar plexus’ (third) with gold or yellow and our identity and confidence;
the ‘heart’ (fourth) with green or pink and our feelings of love and forgiveness;
the throat (fifth) is blue and of course relates to communication; and the 3rd eye (sixth) is indigo and relates to psychic awareness and visions. (Interestingly many people with mental illness simply have a blockage or disturbance in this chakra). The crown (7th) chakra is our spiritual link with the divine and when this is fully balanced it is a very blissful place to be! The colour is amethyst. Another chakra is sometimes referred to, which exists between the heart and throat. This is the thymus chakra and relates to brotherly love and compassion. The colour for this is turquoise.
There are crystals too which correspond with each chakra. The fact that we can't physically see our chakras is explained away by the fact that they are vibrating at a rate which is normally undetectable by all but the most gifted of humans, but there are very tangible benefits in balancing the body's chakras, and we see evidence of this in the fact that more and more people are moving towards this and other forms of healing. Alternative practitioners know that these ancient systems work because of one thing, they view us in a holistic (or ‘wholistic’ way), ie as a whole person, and they base their beliefs on the fact that in order to create optimum well-being the physical, mental, emotional and spiritual must be in balance and working together to create a healthy, happy you! Why not find an alternative therapy that suits you – there are many books on chakra healing and that's a great place to start! Other therapies along these lines are reflexology, aromatherapy, acupuncture, shiatsu, shen, reiki, crystal healing, hot stone therapy, craniosacral therapy, and Indian Head Massage, Alexander technique, Aurvedic medicine – to name but a few! So be well and may you walk in beauty this summer.
Posted on Fri 18th Mar 2011 13:42:43