Chakra Elements and Their Meanings

Author: Jessica Tracy


Chakra Elements - All 7 Chakra Elements

The philosophy of Ayurveda is based on the presence of 5 elements, which are the building blocks of the entire universe (the macrocosm), and of our physical body (the microcosm).

According to this ancient, (5,000 years old) Vedic, holistic healing modality, each human being has a different balance of the following elements (Pancha Mahabhutas):

  • Ether / Space (ākāśa)
  • Air / Wind (vāyu)
  • Fire (agni)
  • Water (jala)
  • Earth (pṛithivī)

Yes, all of these elements can be found in the chakra system, and we are going to discuss them in more detail in this post.

The order of these elements is important. The element of Earth was created last, and it evolved from the interaction between the previous 4 elements.

We are all unique, and every one of us has a different balance of these elements. 


These five principles were distilled into three constitutional forms, also known as 3 Doshas in Ayurveda:

  • Vata person has dominant Ether and Air elements
  • Pitta individual is composed mainly of Fire and Water elements
  • Kapha is composed of Earth and Water

Would you like to know which dosha are you?

We have created a very easy to follow guide on this topic: Ayurveda Body Types | The 3 Doshas - Vata Pitta Kapha

Ok, now let's have a look at how these ayurvedic elements correspond to each chakra in the body.

5 Elements of Ayurveda - Ether Water Wind Fire Earth

What Are The Elements of The Chakras?

There are 7 chakras in the human body and these are the elements associated with each chakra:

  1. Root Chakra (Muladhara) - Earth Element
  2. Sacral Chakra (Svadhishthana) - Water Element
  3. Solar Plexus Chakra (Manipura) - Fire Element
  4. Heart Chakra (Anahata) - Air Element
  5. Throat Chakra (Vishuddha) - Ether (Space) Element
  6. Third Eye Chakra (Ajna) - Light
  7. Crown Chakra (Sahasrara) - Thought

Let's have a look at all chakra elements with their corresponding colors and symbols in a chart / table format:

Chakra Symbol  Chakra Name Chakra Sanskrit Name Chakra Element
Root Chakra Symbol Root Chakra Muladhara Earth
Sacral Chakra Symbol Sacral Chakra Svadhishthana Water
Solar Plexus Chakra Symbol Solar Plexus Chakra Manipura Fire
Heart Chakra Symbol Heart Chakra Anahata Air
Throat Chakra Symbol Throat Chakra Vishuddha Space / Ether
Third Eye Chakra Symbol Third Eye Chakra Ajna Light
Crown Chakra Symbol Crown Chakra Sahasrara Thought

Now, you probably noticed that third eye chakra and crown chakra have "elements" of Light and Thought associated with them.

This information is based on Anodea's Judith book "Wheels of Life. A User's Guide To The Chakra System". Many other sources indicate that all 3 upper chakras (throat chakra, third eye chakra, and crown chakra) are related to Space (Ether) element (which is also correct).

However, in this article, we are going to follow Anodea's modern philosophy of chakra elements, as she spent many years researching the topic of chakras.

Let's have a look at the qualities of these chakra elements, one by one.

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1. Root Chakra ~ Earth Element (Prithivi)

Root Chakra Earth Element

Earth is obviously the densest and the most stable element. It is also the toughest element compared to the other four elements

The root chakra governs your primal instincts of survival, safety, and stability. Foundational energy of 1st chakra, and the element of Earth, will allow you to feel secure and grounded in your own body.

According to ayurvedic philosophy, the element of Earth is closely linked with your sense of smell and skeletal system, including nails, and teeth.

2. Sacral Chakra ~ Water Element (Jala)

Sacral Chakra Water Element

Your body consists of 70% water, and all of your bodily fluids, such as the lymphatic system, circulatory system, synovial fluids in joints, etc., are controlled by the Water element.

Continual movement and change are the key aspects of your sacral chakra and the element of Water (as opposed to the grounded stillness of root chakra). 

Balanced sacral chakra allows you to freely express your emotions and sexuality, be more creative, and experience pleasures of life with all of your senses.

3. Solar Plexus Chakra ~ Fire Element (Agni) 

Solar Plexus Chakra Fire Element

The transformation is the main aspect of fire. The element of Fire is the force of change. Solar plexus chakra governs your metabolism and digestion. In Ayurveda, this transformational process is called digestive fire.

Solar plexus chakra governs your personality, ego, determination, and self-esteem.

Balanced and healthy solar plexus chakra allows you to be energetic, just like the Fire element, and move towards your goals with lots of strength and full confidence.

4. Heart Chakra ~ Air Element (Vayu)

Heart Chakra Air Element

The element of Air is present in your body in the respiratory system. It controls your breath and oxygen distribution throughout your body.

The heart chakra is responsible for your ability to express unconditional love, empathy, kindness, sincerity, compassion, and acceptance towards yourself and others.

The energy of the balanced heart chakra is similar to the attributes of the Air element: it is expansive, gentle, and formless.

5. Throat Chakra ~ Space / Ether Element (Akasha)

Throat Chakra Ether Element

Ether represents a hollow vacuum or an 'empty space'. According to Vedic philosophy, it is was the first element to be created.

The element of Space is omnipresent, and it offers us the freedom to move and express ourselves.

The throat chakra is all about expressing your authenticity through sound and speech. Communication through sound is your first doorway to overcome the physical's body limitations.

6. Third Eye Chakra ~ Light

Light is electromagnetic energy, which travels faster than any of the elements mentioned before (Sound, Wind, Fire, Water, and Earth).

Within the entire spectrum of light, many wave types are invisible to the human eye (for example, x-rays, radio waves, or UV radiation) However, the element of light can be directly perceived by consciousness.

Third eye chakra is directly linked with the pineal gland in your head, which is known to have light photoreceptors (similar to the ones in your eyes).

Third eye chakra is a center of intuition, lucidity, imagination, visualization, and your main portal to step beyond duality.

7. Crown Chakra ~ Thought

Crown chakra's element is profoundly distinct and unmeasurable. Thought is the first and finest representation of the infinite field of consciousness surrounding us.

The main function of the crown chakra is to connect you with the divine force and merge with the energy of the Universe.

Balanced crown chakra will allow you to reach your highest spiritual fulfillment and feel divine harmony with everything around you.

Conclusion

As you can see, all seven chakra archetypes are based on ancient, ayurvedic philosophy, also known as "science of life".

According to Ayurveda, the body, mind, and consciousness work together to maintain perfect equilibrium.

These ancient visionaries understood that we are all made from the same "stuff" as the universe, and we are one with it.

I really hope you found this article useful, and it gave a better understanding of how all of the chakra elements work together.

If there's anything you wanted to add or share with everyone, feel free to post it the comment section down below!

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Are you interested in healing all of your chakras?
Are any of your chakras blocked?

We have created comprehensive healing guides for each chakra in your body!

Click on one one of the links below and learn how to unblock all of your chakras:

1. Root Chakra Healing Guide | Muladhara.
2. Sacral Chakra Healing Guide | Svadhisthana.
3. Solar Plexus Chakra Healing Guide | Manipura.
4. Heart Chakra Healing Guide | Anahata.
5. Throat Chakra Healing Guide | Vishuddha.
6. Third Eye Chakra Healing Guide | Ajna.
7. Crown Chakra Healing Guide | Sahasrara.

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