Chakras For Beginners | Chakra Meaning Explained

What Are The 7 Chakras In Our Body?

• Chakra 1 - Root Chakra | Muladhara - Located at the base of the spine. It is associated with energy, survival, stability, comfort and safety. Its element is earth.

• Chakra 2 - Sacral Chakra | Svadhishthana - Located in the lower abdomen. It is associated with sensuality, sexuality, pleasure, sociability and emotions. Its element is water.

• Chakra 3 - Solar Plexus Chakra | Manipura - Located in the navel area. It is associated with strength, personality, power, determination and self-esteem. Its element is fire.

• Chakra 4 -  Heart Chakra | Anahata - Located in the middle of the chest, over the sternum. It is associated with love, acceptance, compassion and sincerity. Its element is air.

• Chakra 5 - Throat Chakra | Vishuddha - Located in the throat area. It is associated with communication, expression, creativity and inspiration. Its element is ether / sound.

• Chakra 6 - Third Eye Chakra | Ajna - Located in the middle of the forehead. It is associated with intuition, lucidity, meditation and trust. Its element is light.

• Chakra 7 - Crown Chakra | Sahasrara - Located at the top of the head. It is associated with knowledge, consciousness, fulfilment and spirituality. Its element is thought.

Do you want to know the best part?

The colors of the 7 chakras correspond to the seven colors of the rainbow, and they are called the spectrum of white light.

Colors of the rainbow always appear in a specific order (red, orange, yellow, green, blue, indigo, and violet) when the water droplets disperse sunlight.  

1. Root Chakra | Muladhara

Root Chakra (Muladhara) is the 1st chakra in your body located at the base of the spine. It provides the foundation on which we build a life, and it represents safety, stability, comfort, and security. 

Root Chakra is the foundation of our entire system on which the other chakras sit, and it is the place where the Kundalini (the life force) sleeps, waiting to be liberated and give you the power to go into the material world.

Your Root Chakra has the deepest connection to the animal nature of your physical body and Earth.

If you do not balance this chakra before you progress to others, your growth will lack the stability necessary for true growth.

You can learn more about root chakra in our Root Chakra Healing Guide | Muladhara.

ROOT CHAKRA OVERVIEW
Sanskrit Name	Muladhara
Element	Earth
Color	Red
Seed Sound	Lam
Affirmation	I Am
Meaning	Root Support
Location	Perineum
Planets	Mars
Energy State	Solid
Psychological Function	Survival
Glands	Reproductive Glands
Gemstones	Ruby, Hematite, Garnet, Bloodstone
Orientation to Self	Self-preservation
Signs of imbalance	Obesity, anorexia, sciatica, constipation

2. Sacral Chakra | Svadhishthana

Sacral Chakra (Svadhishthana) is the 2nd chakra in your body located around the navel area. The sacral chakra is responsible for the healthy flow of your emotions, and it deals with your ability to relate to yourself and others.

Sacral Chakra is the main center of your creativity and emotional intelligence, but the main aspect of the second chakra is sexuality.

Sexual energy is one of the most powerful energies we have in our bodies.

With a balanced sacral chakra, you can allow yourself to take delight in the pleasure of sex as an integrated aspect of life and see intimacy as a form of communication.

Sexuality is our life force and the sacred ritual of union between people.

You can learn more about sacral chakra in our Sacral Chakra Healing Guide | Svadhisthana.

SACRAL CHAKRA OVERVIEW
Sanskrit Name	Svadhishthana
Element	Water
Color	Orange
Seed Sound	Vam
Affirmation	I Feel
Meaning	Sweetness
Location	Sacrum
Planets	Venus
Energy State	Liquid
Psychological Function	Desire
Glands	Adrenal Glands
Gemstones	Golden Topaz, Carnelian, Tiger's Eye, Citrine
Orientation to Self	Self-gratification
Signs of imbalance	Lack of desire, anxiety, apathy, sexual problems

3. Solar Plexus Chakra | Manipura

Solar Plexus Chakra (Manipura) is the 3rd chakra in your body located in the stomach area. You can think of the third chakra as a glowing, yellow Sun, which radiates through the center of your body and rules all aspects of your personal power.

Solar Plexus has the biggest concentration of pranic energy because 72,000 nadis (conduits of pranic energy) meet here and radiate from this center.

It is the center of your personal identity, which rules all aspects of your personality, self-esteem, and ego.

The main function and purpose of your solar plexus chakra is transformation. Through the process of transformation, your solar plexus chakra provides the body with fuel, energy, and keeps it alive. 

You can learn more about solar plexus chakra in our Solar Plexus Chakra Healing Guide | Manipura. 

SOLAR PLEXUS CHAKRA OVERVIEW
Sanskrit Name	Manipura
Element	Fire
Color	Yellow
Seed Sound	Ram
Affirmation	I Do
Meaning	Lustrous Gem
Location	Solar Plexus
Planets	Sun
Energy State	Plasma
Psychological Function	Will
Glands	Pancreas
Gemstones	Amber, Citrine, Golden Topaz, Tiger's Eye
Orientation to Self	Self-definition
Signs of imbalance	Digestive issues, chronic fatigue, misuse of power, anger

 4. Heart Chakra | Anahata

Heart Chakra (Anahata) is the 4th chakra in your body located in the chest area, and it represents love, acceptance, and compassion. 

Heart chakra acts as a bridge between the body (represented by the lower three chakras) and the mind (represented by the 5th, 6th, and 7th chakra).

The heart chakra is home to our spirit, and love is the main energy of a healthy heart chakra.

Accepting yourself and practicing self-love will give you a great starting point in the development of a healthy heart chakra.

The element of the heart chakra is air, which is the most expansive of the first four elements. Air represents freedom, openness, and spaciousness.

Working with your breath (the Hindus call the breath prana) is one of the best ways of restoring balance in your heart chakra.

You can learn more about heart chakra in our Heart Chakra Healing Guide | Anahata.

HEART CHAKRA OVERVIEW
Sanskrit Name	Anahata
Element	Air
Color	Green
Seed Sound	Yam
Affirmation	I Love
Meaning	Unstruck
Location	Chest
Planets	Moon
Energy State	Gas
Psychological Function	Love
Glands	Thymus
Gemstones	Rose Quartz, Green Agate, Amazonite
Orientation to Self	Self-acceptance
Signs of imbalance	Asthma, lung issues, coronary disease

5. Throat Chakra | Vishuddha

Throat Chakra (Vishuddha) is the 5th chakra in our body located at the center of our neck, and it represents your ability to speak clearly and communicate effectively. 

The throat chakra is the seat of purification, and the element associated with vishuddha is ether, also known as Akasha or spirit.

Ether is a very subtle, non-physical element beyond earth, air, fire, and water, that separates the material universe from the astral universe.

The throat chakra is a chakra of communication, which shapes our reality and brings all of our manifestations on the physical plane.

Communication is a rhythmic activity and an act of connection, which involves both listening and speaking.

Balanced and purified throat chakra will enable your creativity to be expressed in speech (sound), clear thought, and writing.

You can learn more about throat chakra in our Throat Chakra Healing Guide | Vishuddha.

THROAT CHAKRA OVERVIEW
Sanskrit Name	Vishuddha
Element	Sound, ether
Color	Light Blue
Seed Sound	Ham
Affirmation	I Speak
Meaning	Purification
Location	Throat
Planets	Mercury
Energy State	Vibration
Psychological Function	Communication
Glands	Thyroid
Gemstones	Turquoise, Aquamarine, Kyanite
Orientation to Self	Self-expression
Signs of imbalance	Thyroid issues, neck and shoulder pain, sore throats

6. Third Eye Chakra | Ajna

Third Eye Chakra (Ajna) is the 6th chakra in your body located in the center of the forehead, between the eyebrows. 

Third eye chakra is your spiritual center of awareness and intuition, and its element is light, which has a faster vibration than a sound.

The Sanskrit name of third eye chakra is anja, which means both 'to perceive' and 'to command' and people with highly developed third eye chakra have enhanced visualization abilities.

Third eye chakra is your main portal, through which you can obtain higher knowledge and step beyond duality.

With opened and awakened third eye chakra, you will be able to access extrasensory perception such as clairvoyance and telepathy.

Third eye chakra corresponds to the pineal gland, which is a light-sensitive gland that controls your circadian rhythm and governs the production of a hormone called melatonin.

You can learn more about third eye chakra in our Third Eye Chakra Healing Guide | Ajna.

THIRD EYE CHAKRA OVERVIEW
Sanskrit Name	Ajna
Element	Light
Color	Indigo
Seed Sound	Om
Affirmation	I See
Meaning	Command Centre
Location	Forehead
Planets	Saturn
Energy State	Luminescence
Psychological Function	Intuition
Glands	Pineal
Gemstones	Lapis Lazuli, Sodalite, Azurite
Orientation to Self	Self-reflection
Signs of imbalance	Vision issues, headaches, insomnia and nightmares

7. Crown Chakra | Sahasrara

Crown Chakra (Sahasrara) is the 7th chakra in your body located at the top of the head. 

Sahasrara means 'thousandfold', because the symbol for this chakra is a thousand-petaled lotus representing the state of higher consciousness and divine connection.

The element of the crown chakra is thought and the main function of this chakra is knowing.

The development of crown chakra ultimately leads to profound transformation, self-realization, and enlightenment.

From the level of the crown chakra, you can learn to transcend all you have known thus far because it is a meeting point between finite and infinite.

You can learn more about crown chakra in our Crown Chakra Healing Guide | Sahasrara.

CROWN CHAKRA OVERVIEW
Sanskrit Name	Sahasrara
Element	Thought
Color	Violet, white
Seed Sound	Om
Affirmation	I Understand
Meaning	Thousand Fold
Location	Top of Head
Planets	Jupiter
Energy State	Consciousness
Psychological Function	Understanding, Knowing
Glands	Pituitary
Gemstones	Diamond, Amethyst, Clear Quartz
Orientation to Self	Self-knowledge
Signs of imbalance	Depression, confusion, alienation

How To Unblock Chakras?

Your chakras radiate and receive energy constantly and it is important to understand that each chakra is of equal importance.

All chakras in your body need to be in balance with each other in order to create an even flow of energy throughout the entire chakra system.

Unblocking and clearing your chakras normally involves the following steps:

• Intention - start with setting up an intention such as: "I align and balance all of my chakras".
• Clearing - it is a process of learning about particular chakra and releasing all negative thought-forms, behaviors, and belief systems associated with this center. This guide will help you to understand each individual chakra system. 
• Balancing - process which involves enlarging and aligning the chakras through specific exercises and tools.

One of my favorite tools for unblocking and creating a healthy flow of energy throughout all of your energy centers is chakra meditation.

Your entire focus during this meditation should be directed towards each energy center in your body - start from the root chakra, and end at the crown chakra level.

Familiarize yourself with the location and color of each chakra in your physical body, set up your healing intention before meditation, and imagine each chakra expanding and opening up.