What are The 7 Chakras of The Human Body?

Chakras are the energy centers of the body that the ancient practice of yoga recognized. Traditionally, any issue with your body is termed as the blockage of a particular chakra or energy center. These chakras are located vertically from your lower abdomen to the center of the head. So what are the 7 chakras called? Take a look:

1. Muladhara (Root Chakra)
2. Manipura (Solar Plexus Chakra)
3. Swadhisthana (Sacral Chakra)
4. Vishuddha (Throat Chakra)
5. Anahata (Heart Chakra)
6. Sahasrara (Crown Chakra)
7. Ajna (Third Eye Chakra)

Now, why do blocked chakras throw your physical and mental health off balance? Chakras are thought to align the flow of energy in your body just like a wheel (‘chakra’ in Hindi translates to ‘wheel’ in English). Keep reading to uncover which chakra controls which aspects of your physical health and life in general, and how you can unblock (or open) them.

What are The 7 Chakras and How are They Identified?

1. Muladhara (Root Chakra)

Location: In the tailbone area at the base of the spine

Colour: Red

Yoga pose: Warrior 1

Developmental Age: 1 to 7 years

Aim: Satisfies the needs for food, money, and financial independence

Muladhara represents our foundation and once in control, helps us stay grounded mentally. Located at the base of our spines, the root chakra (as it is otherwise called) helps us feel confident in withstanding mental hurdles. The main sign of a blocked Muladhara is feeling threatened or feeling unstable.

2. Swadhisthana (Sacral Chakra)

Location: In the lower abdomen at 2 inches below the navel

Colour: Orange

Yoga pose: Bound angle pose

Developmental Age: 8 to 14 years

Aim: Satisfies your sexual needs and your sense of well-being and abundance

Swadhisthana helps us relate to our emotional well-being along with handling others' emotions. It signifies sexual energy and creativity and a blocked sacral chakra will make us feel out of control in life. Unable to make decisions for our benefit and goodwill, we might become unstable over time.

3. Manipura (Solar Plexus Chakra)

Location: In the stomach area (upper abdomen)

Colour: Yellow

Yoga pose: Boat Pose

Developmental Age: 15 to 21 years

Aim: Satisfies your self-esteem, self-confidence, and self-worth

The Manipura is in action when you feel butterflies in your stomach. They also deal with a human’s ability to be confident and free to talk. When blocked it could lead to feelings of shame and self-doubt.

4. Anahata (Heart Chakra)

Location: Just above your heart

Colour: Green

Yoga pose: Camel Pose

Developmental Age: 21 - 28 years

Aim: Brings in inner peace, love, and joy

The heart chakra is a bridge that connected the upper (associated with spirituality) and lower (associated with materiality) chakras. It can influence our reception of love and the ability to give the same. A blocked heart chakra may make it difficult to open up to others or experience empathy and compassion.

5. Vishuddha (Throat Chakra)

Location: Throat

Colour: Turquoise or light blue

Yoga pose: Fish Pose

Developmental Age: 29 to 35 years

Aim: Satisfies your goals for truth-seeking, self-expression, and communication

Vishuddha is interconnected with Anahata as it controls our ability to communicate. Once blocked, it will prevent us from thinking and expressing ourselves clearly.

6. Ajna (Third Eye Chakra)

Location: In between your eyes

Colour: Purple or dark blue

Yoga pose: Child’s Pose

Developmental Age: 36 to 42 years

Aim: Build your wisdom, imagination, and intuition

This represents our communication with our spirituality and helps us seek wisdom and intuition. Have you heard of the gut feeling or sixth sense? They originate from the Ajna chakra.

7. Sahasrara (Crown Chakra)

Location: At the top of your head

Colour: Amber or violet

Yoga pose: Headstand

Developmental Age: 43 to 49 years

Aim: Satisfies your spiritual connection, inner and outer beauty

This is the highest chakra and is again interconnected with the Ajna chakra. It helps us be in touch with our spiritual side and unlocks all the open-mindedness and heart any human could ever have.

A Final Word: What are The 7 Chakras’ Importance?

Unlocking chakras facilitates a flow of positive energy that assist your intellect, mind, and organs to function at their best. Spiritual energy and chakras are tied together and when they are in a proper balance and alignment, we get to feel emotionally and physically stable. You don't need to be a man or woman of faith to practice the unlocking of chakras through yoga. Chakras get blocked when you experience too much stress (mentally or physically). Stress could be caused by poor personal habits, such as self-destructive behavior, unhealthy diet, poor picture, and the like. Yoga asanas fix all of these issues, balancing all your 7 chakras.

FAQs

1. What do the 7 chakras represent?

The 7 chakras of the human body are a symbolic representation of our energy centers that correspond to certain nerves, organs, and areas of the body. Stimulating these chakras activates our emotional and physical well-being.

2. How do you open your 7 chakras?

Yoga is the best way to open your blocked chakras. Even if they are not blocked, you may energize them to better your physical and mental health. Here’s what you can do:

● Try yoga asanas properly

● Breath to encourage the flow of energy

● Meditate to have a clear mind

● Practice visualization

● Try sound healing

3. How do I know if my chakra is blocked?

Blocked chakras cause physical and mental imbalances and discomfort that take a ton of time to heal. Physical discomforts include

● Hormonal dysfunction

● Hearing loss

● Seizures

● Eyestrain

● Sinus issues

● Blurred vision

● Headaches

Emotional imbalances are your inability to deal with people and basic issues that life throws at you such as

● The inability to learn from others

● The inability to face one’s fears

● Lack of self-reflection

● Extreme volatility

● Sudden or prolonged moodiness

4. Can massage open your chakras?

Each chakra is in a physical location on your body and massaging that area can stimulate energies from there. Masseurs always make sure they do so with the help of essential oils because chakras have associated scents. Any blockages will be easy to open when you inhale the aromas and stimulate the particular nerves.