What is Chakra Meditation?

There are more than a dozen types of meditations out there. While mindfulness tends to get all of the attention, chakra meditation can be especially therapeutic for those who want to work on specific issues. Often, when we struggle in certain areas of our lives, our mental and physical state is a reflection of an out-of-balance chakra.

But what exactly is chakra meditation? How does it work? Let’s explore!

What is Chakra Meditation?

Chakra meditation is a type of meditation that focuses on healing or balancing the chakras. It can be used to help improve your overall well-being, or it may be used to address specific issues in one or more of your chakras.

In Sanskrit, the word chakra means “wheel,” and it refers to the energy centers of the body. Each of these energy centers, or chakras, is located along the astral spine, running from the crown of the head to the base of the spine. There are seven in total.

Before diving into the practice of chakra meditation, it’s important to have a better understanding of the seven chakras.

What are the 7 Chakras?

There are seven chakras in total that run from the base of the skull all the way down the spine. Let’s look at each one, starting from the top.

1. Crown Chakra

The crown chakra, or Sahasrara Chakra, is at the top of the head. It represents liberation – complete freedom – and its associated color is violet.

The crown chakra is associated with thought, the connection with your spirit and universal consciousness.

An imbalance or blockage in this chakra can cause:

• Physical imbalance and poor physical performance
• Mental confusion
• Lack of a connection to the world
• Poor focus and mental functioning

Correcting the imbalance can help you not only feel better mentally and physically, but it can also help you better connect to higher consciousness.

2. Third Eye Chakra

The third eye chakra, or Ajna Chakra, has two opposing ends:

• A negative end at the base of the skull, which represents the ego.
• A positive end that sits just between the eyebrows, representing enlightenment.

As you may have guessed, the Anja Chakra is associated with higher knowledge and intuition.

When the third eye chakra becomes imbalanced or blocked, you may:

• Feel like you’re lost or going adrift
• Lose the connection to your inner wisdom
• Have trouble seeing the bigger picture
• Feel anxious, depressed or foggy

Some people may even experience physical symptoms, such as:

• Headaches
• Eye strain
• Dizziness
• Hearing issues
• Clogged sinuses
• Confusion
• Nightmares or insomnia

Realigning the chakra can help bring clarity to your life and restore emotional balance.

3. Throat Chakra

The throat chakra, or Vishuddha Chakra, is associated with communication. Your throat chakra helps you communicate your truth and find your true voice.

When the throat chakra is imbalanced or blocked, you may feel:

• Depressed or anxious
• Have low self-esteem
• Unable to express your feelings

Sometimes, an imbalance can have the opposite effect, where you:

• Talk too much and without a clear purpose
• Use inappropriate language
• Say things you don’t mean
• Talking over people and interrupting

Taking the time to rebalance your throat chakra can restore healthy communication, allowing yourself to be heard and for others to be heard as well.

4. Heart Chakra

The heart chakra, or Anahata Chakra, is associated with emotion and feeling. It is the center of your love for yourself and others, as well as empathy, compassion and forgiveness. The Anahata is often considered the bridge between the upper and lower chakras.

A blocked or imbalanced heart chakra can affect your entire being. It may manifest as:

• Illness or disease
• Poor circulation
• Infection of the lungs

It can also impact your mental health, causing you to feel:

• Jealous of others
• Isolated and lonely
• Overly defensive
• Fear
• Difficulty trusting others

Restoring balance and realigning the heart chakra can help you feel grounded, supported in love and connected to the world around you.

5. Solar Plexus Chakra

The solar plexus chakra, or Manipura Chakra, sits just behind the navel and is associated with either self-control or aggression. It is also associated with your self-esteem, a sense of purpose, metabolism, digestion and individual will.

Blockages and misalignments in the Manipura Chakra can manifest as:

• Digestive issues
• Ulcers
• Disease and illness of the liver and pancreas
• Difficulty with self-expression
• Neediness
• Short temper
• Poor confidence
• Fear
• Lack of direction

Restoring balance to this chakra can help you feel more self-assured and connect you with your higher purpose.

6. Sacral Chakra

The sacral chakra, or Swadisthana Chakra, sits just an inch above the first chakra (root). It is associated with creativity and the cycles of life.

Balancing your sacral chakra can help you get more pleasure out of life and to feel in harmony with the world around you.

7. Root Chakra

The root chakra, or Muladhara Chakra, sits at the base of the spine and is associated with family, security and your feeling of home.

When the root chakra is out of alignment or blocked, it can cause:

• Weight gain or loss
• Pelvic pain
• Constipation
• Difficulty staying focused
• Inability to take action
• Anxiety, stress or depression
• Exhaustion or fatigue

How Does Chakra Meditation Work?

When you practice chakra meditation, you focus on healing a blocked chakra or harnessing the power of whichever chakra you may need at the time.

Chakra meditation is very similar to any other type of meditation. However, your intention is to help heal or realign either all or one or more of your chakras.

Guided Chakra Meditation Practice

Not sure where to start with chakra meditation? We’ve rounded up some helpful YouTube videos to help you on your journey.

10-Minute Chakra Balance Meditation

You don’t have to meditate for hours to enjoy its healing benefits. This 10-minute guided meditation will help you get started on your chakra meditation journey.

Crown Chakra Guided Meditation

This 10-minute guided crown chakra meditation includes breathing exercises and will help you work on rebalancing this major chakra.

Third Eye Chakra Meditation

In this 10-minute guided meditation, you will work on connecting to your third eye and use powerful affirmations to strengthen it. This meditation is a great way to start the day, or you can use it just before a big event or decision that requires you to see clearly.

Throat Chakra Meditation

In this 10-minute throat chakra meditation, you will work on removing blockages from this key energy center. The meditation starts and ends with a focus on the breath to bring you into the present moment.

Heart Chakra Meditation

Here’s a beautiful 10-minute heart chakra meditation to help you realign this key chakra and feel more connected to everyone and everything around you.

Solar Plexus Chakra Meditation

This 10-minute meditation focuses on healing and improving your connection with the solar plexus chakra. Follow this meditation to feel reinvigorated and uplifted.

Sacral Chakra Meditation

A 10-minute guided meditation to help clear your sacral chakra and reconnect with your inner wisdom.

Root Chakra Meditation

A 10-minute guided meditation to help you reconnect with your roots and rebalance this chakra. Use this meditation when your root chakra needs balancing or you need to feel more grounded and at peace.

Chakra meditation can help you improve your sense of well-being and reconned with a higher consciousness. The guided meditations above are a great place to start on your chakra-healing journey.