Chakra is a Sanskrit word for a series of circular energy centers in and around the body. There are seven central chakras in a line up the center of your body, each one playing a vital role in the phyical,mental, and emotional well-being of each person. There are also several other chakras, such as the soles of the feel and the palms of the hands, as well as numerous in various parts of the body. However, I’ll start with the basics to give you a general understanding to the most important of them.
The Root Chakra – or first chakra
This chakra is represented with a bright, poppy red color, and is located at the very base of the spine. In women, just inside the vagina, and just above the testicles in men. You could rest your hand on your pubic bone and be right about where this chakra is located. This is the chakra of basic survival, the primal sex drive, and in whole – the bodily life energy. This is the origin of the ability to protect, as in the incredible ability to life a vehicle after an accident to save a life.
The Belly Chakra – or second chakra
This chakra is a deep, warm orange color, and sits just below the navel in the center of the body. This is the center of the emotions, about gender identity, and ability to connect and bond in both emotional and non-emotional situations. Here is where you feel your primal connection to a loved one.
The Solar Plexus Chakra – or third chakra
This sunny yellow colored chakra sit right in the center of the navel and the sternum, roughly where the hollow at the base of your ribs is located. This chakra is involved in thought and intellect, and is the center of energy immunity. This is where energy from the stress or ease of your everyday life is held. In instances of great stress, your solar plexus may ache, causing you to believe it to be a stomachache. Alternately, in inspiring moments of your life, here is where the butterflies fly.
The Heart Chakra – or fourth chakra
Represented by a receptive, beautiful, emerald green color – this energy center resides in the center of the chest. When fully healthy and open, this chakra allows you to channel love, compassion and acceptance to everyday life situations. It is here, however, that the pain in your life – either from physical or emotional hurts, is held also. A hurt or closed heart chakra can cause devestating emotional turmoil, for confusion and depression often occur.
The Throat Chakra – or fifth chakra
This sapphire-blue, expressive chakra sits right above the hollow at the base of the neck. It allows for the ability to express oneself with real, tangible expression and communication. The fifth chakra is also the center of change and commitment. This is where you voice your opinion and put out to the world what it is that makes you tick. This chakra is what makes you – YOU.
The Third Eye Chakra – or sixth chakra
This chakra center is a brilliant indigo-color. It sits right in the center of the forehead, between the eyebrows and the hairline. This chakra is the center of clairoyance, or the ability to receive energy vibrations visually. When clouded, the third eye can cause headaches and problems in vision. This chakra is also the center of discernment, unemotional judgement, and the higher brain functions of learning and information processing and retrieval – in all, helping you to see things not as they pretend to be, not as they would like to be, but as they are.
The Crown Chakra – or seventh chakra
An amazing purple/violet color, the crown chakra sits above the very top of the head – floating gently above where you once had your "soft spot" as a baby. It is the only central chakra that is outside of the body. This is the center of our bodily connection to pure spiritual energy and information. This chakra contains the "blueprint" of our spiritual purpose we agreed upon before we entered our earth bodies, and contains the specific life purpose, spiritual path, healing information, and personal connection to the Higher Being in each of us.
The Hand Chakras
These chakras are smaller and do not have a particular color. They are smaller in size than the previous 7 major chakras, and are connected to your heart chakra. Your hand chakras are located in the center of each of your palms. They can be either expressive or receptive, depending on the circumstance. During a healing experience, these chakras channel energy from within your body or from a healing guide, and send it out into the world. When lovemaking, during meditation, or extreme study, your hands can channel external energy and information into your body. People with healthy hand chakras are naturally giving and caring, but they have an extra dimension: they can also receive. They can readily receive help, compliments, advice, and criticism without losing themselves – and can give all of these things to others without creating guilt, hard feelings, or recriminations. The creativity of these people flows, and do not rely on "teachers" for their learning experiences.
The Foot Chakras
These chakras are also smaller, however…they are associated with a shade of brown, like the color of soil, if connected to the first chakra. Both of our feet have a chakra in the center of its arch. Like the hand chakras, they can be expressive or receptive. During grounding and exercise, your foot chakras help your body to channel energy into Mother Earth…yet still opening to allow Earth energy to come up and cleanse your body during meditation. Having healthy foot chakras allow you easily be cleansed, centered and grounded.