Over the coming months I am embarking on a journey through the chakras with my jewellery inspiration and teacher, Susan Lenart Kazmer. She is running a 7 month program where we work through the 7 main chakras, one per month, starting from the Root and working upwards. We will be covering cleansing and balancing work, including gemstones, meditation, as well as jewellery projects.
Starting in October, I will be sharing with you more details on each chakra, ideas to work on healing and balancing the chakras, as well as the jewellery that I create along the way.
So what exactly are chakras?
In the realm of holistic wellness, the concept of chakras has been a guiding force for centuries. Derived from the ancient Indian tradition of yoga and meditation, the seven chakras are believed to be centres of energy that play a pivotal role in our physical, emotional, and spiritual well-being. Understanding and aligning these energy centres can help us achieve balance and harmony in our lives.
The word "chakra" originates from Sanskrit, meaning "wheel" or "disk." Chakras are often depicted as spinning wheels or vortexes of energy located along the central channel of the body, aligned from the base of the spine to the crown of the head. Working up the body you have the root, sacral, solar plexus, heart, throat, 3rd eye and crown chakras.
Our health and wellbeing is affected by many factors including diet, environment, traumas, etc. but also our energy system. When these energy centres are in balance, our physical, mental, and emotional health thrives. However, disfunction or imbalance can contribute to a range of issues, including illness or health conditions.
1. Root Chakra (Muladhara)
- Location: Base of the spine
- Colour: Red
- Element: Earth
- Qualities: Grounding, stability, survival instincts
- Imbalance: Anxiety, insecurity, financial difficulties
- Gemstone: Red jasper, Hematite, Bloodstone, Garnet, Black Tourmaline..
- Essential Oils: Arborvitae, Patchouli, Cedarwood, Vetiver..
2. Sacral Chakra (Svadhisthana)
- Location: Base of the spine
- Colour: Orange
- Element: Water
- Qualities: Creativity, emotions, sensuality
- Imbalance: Low libido, emotional instability, lack of creativity
- Gemstone: Carnelian, Yellow Calcite, Fire Opal..
- Essential Oils: Ylang Ylang, Orange, Tangerine..
3. Solar Plexus Chakra (Manipura)
- Location: Upper abdomen, near the solar plexus
- Colour: Yellow
- Element: Fire
- Qualities: Confidence, personal power, self-esteem
- Imbalance: Low self-esteem, digestive issues, lack of motivation
- Gemstone: Citrine, Tiger's eye, Amber, Sunstone...
- Essential Oils: Bergamot, Ginger, Grapefruit, Coriander..
4. Heart Chakra (Anahata)
- Location: Center of the chest, near the heart
- Colour: Orange
- Element: Air
- Qualities: Love, compassion, forgiveness
- Imbalance: Difficulty in forming relationships, heartache, emotional numbness
- Gemstone: Rose Quartz, Green Aventurine, Amazonite, Emerald..
- Essential Oils: Rose, Ylang ylang, Eucalyptus, Geranium..
5. Throat Chakra (Vishuddha)
- Location: Throat area
- Colour: Blue
- Element: Ether (Space)
- Qualities: Communication, self-expression, truth
- Imbalance: Communication issues, difficulty expressing oneself, sore throat
- Gemstone: Blue lace agate, Aquamarine, Apatite, Lapis Lazuli, Sodalite..
- Essential Oils: Lavender, Birch, Oregano..
6. Third Eye Chakra (Ajna)
- Location: Between the eyebrows (forehead)
- Colour: Indigo
- Element: Light
- Qualities: Intuition, insight, imagination
- Imbalance: Lack of clarity, difficulty making decisions, headaches
- Gemstone: Amethyst, Chaorite, Lepidolite, purple Fluorite
- Essential Oils: Frankincense, Clary sage, Lemongrass...
7. Crown Chakra (Sahasrara)
- Location: Top of the head
- Colour: Violet or white
- Element: Thought
- Qualities: Connection to the divine, spiritual enlightenment
- Imbalance: Lack of purpose, spiritual disconnection, depression
- Gemstone: Clear Quartz, Diamond, Moonstone...
- Essential Oils: Frankincense, Melissa, Lemon, Rosemary..
How to assess the current state of your chakra/s..
One way of doing this is by using a gemstone pendulum to dowse each chakra in turn.
Pendulum dowsing is a practice that uses a suspended object to gain insights or answers to questions. The pendulum is typically made of a crystal, metal, or other materials and is suspended from a string or chain. Practitioners hold the top of the chain and ask yes or no questions. The pendulum then swings or rotates, and the movements are interpreted as answers to the questions posed.
For myself, I have an outline of the human body with each of the 7 main chakras highlighted. I then hold my pendulum above each of the chakras in turn and ask it to show me the current state of each one. The pendulum will then move - or not sometimes - in one of a number of ways:
- Dot/no or little movement - chakra is in a state of confusion
- Straight line from side to side - chakra is closed or almost closed
- Elipse shape - chakra is in the process of closing
- Circular movement - chakra is in good health - the size of the circle denotes the level of energy. The larger the circle the greater the energy level
When all chakras are balanced you will have similar size circles moving in alternate directions..
A chakra in a state of confusion could mean that a person is experiencing imbalance, blockages, or disturbances related to the qualities associated with that particular chakra. For example:
Root Chakra: Associated with stability and security. If it's in a state of confusion, it might symbolize feelings of insecurity or instability.
Sacral Chakra: Associated with creativity and relationships. Confusion here could represent issues related to creativity or problems in personal relationships.
Solar Plexus Chakra: Associated with confidence and self-esteem. Confusion in this chakra might indicate a lack of confidence or self-doubt.
Heart Chakra: Associated with love and compassion. Confusion might signify difficulties in giving or receiving love, or a lack of empathy.
Throat Chakra: Associated with communication. Confusion here could indicate problems in expressing oneself or issues in communication.
Third Eye Chakra: Associated with intuition and insight. Confusion in this chakra might imply a lack of clarity or understanding in one's life.
Crown Chakra: Associated with spiritual connection. Confusion here might suggest a lack of spiritual direction or purpose.
As I work through each chakras in turn over the coming months I will share ways to balance and heal your energy field using a variety of different methods. In the meantime if you would like a copy of my Chakra Dowsing template you can download it for free HERE..
