By Christy Stumpf, Reiki Master, Certified Crystal & Sound Healing Practitioner, Cosmic Healing NW
We are all made up of energy, and quantum physics has proven this. The atom has a vibration, an energy and movement to it, and at its core, it is energy moving. The atom makes up a molecule, which makes up a cell, which in turn make up our physical form, our bodies. We are energy, the universe around us is energy, and we draw energy into and out of our bodies; just as we draw a breath and release it, without thinking or being conscious of this fact. Chakras are, very basically, energy centers. Chakra is an ancient Sanskrit word that literally means “spinning wheel of energy”. Think of them as swirling, energy vortexes. These centers are located within our bodies, including our physical body and our auric body (which extends out from your physical self). They are a way of explaining how energy moves within our body and out into our surroundings. The chakras are constantly receiving and transmitting energy, between us and the universe that surrounds us, like a satellite dish. They are access points for us to connect to the world around us and receive the vital force energy needed to be our Healthy Divine Selves. Chakras are located at each major endocrine gland and nerve bundle within your physical body, making them very important to your physical well-being. These centers run along our spine, from the base of the spine to the top of the head. They connect to each other and are dependent on the health of one another.
Understanding and taking care of your chakra system can promote your physical, emotional, and spiritual healing and growth. Chakras can become imbalanced due to stress, emotions, diet, lack of exercise and illness. By imbalance, I mean they may close off to accepting energy, take in too little energy, or can be so wide open they gain excess energy. These imbalances may cause physical, spiritual, and emotional symptoms. When one chakra is off balance or misaligned, it can affect the rest of your chakra centers, as they are all connected. A healthy, functioning chakra system is the key to feeling well, in all aspects our lives.
There are many ancient texts, all different in their description of what chakras are, with the earliest recorded being the Vedic Texts in India written between 1500 and 500 BC. However, every book on the chakras only represents one possible model, and there are many! Mostly we are familiar with the Modern Western Model, which includes the 7 Chakra system. And for our purposes, I will concentrate on this system. I cannot share everything known about the Chakras, it would take up several volumes and even then, we would just scratch the surface of the subject. In fact, there are 7 main chakras, and 241 minor ones just in this system.
Here are some basics: the 7 main Chakras are called the Root, Sacral, Solar Plexus, Heart, Throat, Third Eye, and the Crown. Each Chakra is said to resonate at its own vibrational sound and frequency, and has a color associated with it. It also has a direct relationship to the elements. There are many characteristics that each chakra has specific to itself, and I will go deeper into these in subsequent articles.
The top three chakras: the crown, third eye, and throat, are the seats of our masculine energy and are responsible for critical and analytical thought, logic, and reason. The lower three chakras, the root, navel, and solar plexus are the seat of feminine energy. They are responsible for your emotional reactions and memories, your creativity and your capacity for wonder and delight. The Heart Chakra is where these energies meet and is possibly the best place to be. Staying centered in the heart will help us avoid the pointless mind chatter of the masculine and the anxious worry of the feminine. Keep your focus on your heart chakra for the best results in manifesting the life you want.
As these energy centers are very important to the health of our physical as well as emotional and spiritual selves, it takes care to keep them healthy, balanced, and functioning well. There are many ways to help assist our chakras, from eating certain foods, to aromatherapy and color therapy, to using certain crystals, or listening to frequency-based music, and performing certain movements, exercises, or yoga poses. These things are helpful because they all have an energetic quality to them, a frequency that heals. The best tools available are meditation or energetic healing work. I will delve deeper into each chakra in an upcoming series. Please stay tuned. If you are interested in more information about Chakras, or how to help balance and heal them, please consider joining one of my upcoming classes or make an appointment for a treatment by going to cosmichealingnw.com or call 503-800-1092.