What Even Are Chakras?

𝐞𝐯𝐞𝐫𝐲𝐭𝐡𝐢𝐧𝐠 𝐲𝐨𝐮 𝐧𝐞𝐞𝐝 𝐭𝐨 𝐤𝐧𝐨𝐰 𝐚𝐛𝐨𝐮𝐭 𝐜𝐡𝐚𝐤𝐫𝐚𝐬

what even are chakras?

chakras (from the sanskrit word cakra, meaning “wheel” or “disc”) are spinning vortexes of subtle energy that exist within your pranic body (also called the “subtle body”). they’re not physical organs, but energetic hubs where mind, body, and spirit meet.

chakras were described as energy centers (padmas, or “lotuses”) that store prana: life force, within the subtle body, which is different from the physical body.

this subtle body is composed of nadis (energy channels), koshas (layers of consciousness), and chakras (energy hubs).

the original chakra texts were written in sanskrit, and the most detailed source comes from the shat-chakra-nirupana, a 16th-century tantric text that laid out the seven main chakras and their symbolic, spiritual, and physiological associations.

they influence your thoughts, emotions, physical health, spiritual growth, relationships, and even your damn bank account.

when your chakras are healthy and flowing freely, your whole life aligns like sacred geometry. when they’re blocked or chaotic? expect spiritual lag, emotional glitches, physical illness, and endless chaos.

important to note:

in the original tantric system, chakras weren’t “self-care tools” they were maps to divine awakening used during intense yogic, meditative, and kundalini practices to transcend ego, illusion, and reincarnation. it was liberation tech, not lifestyle inspo.

but now, in this modern age of energy work, psychology, and soul evolution, the chakra system has become a universal template applicable to everyone, not just yogis. and we’re gonna fuse that original wisdom with real psychology, real healing, and real magic.

origin of the chakra system

• earliest references to energy centers show up in the Vedas (ancient hindu scriptures) around 1500–1000 BCE.

• the shat-chakra-nirupana, a 16th-century tantric text, outlined the 7-chakra system most people know today.

• the system was never meant to be aesthetic it was part of a serious spiritual practice to activate kundalini shakti, the dormant divine feminine energy said to be coiled at the base of your spine.

originally, chakra work was about liberating the soul from illusion (maya) and achieving moksha (spiritual liberation). but in today’s world, chakra healing can help you:

• release trauma + emotional baggage

• align with your highest self

• create energetic flow in your career, love life, and creative path

• experience divine connection + psychic expansion

how do chakras work?

imagine 7 power stations wired along your spine. each one governs a certain aspect of your physical body, emotional world, mental patterns, and spiritual connection.

when they’re:

• balanced → energy flows freely = peace, joy, purpose, radiance

• blocked → stuck energy = fear, fatigue, illness, toxic patterns

• overactive → too much energy = burnout, anxiety, ego overdrive

• underactive → not enough energy = apathy, insecurity, numbness

your 7 main chakras

1. root chakra – muladhara

“i exist. i survive. i am grounded.”

• sanskrit: mula = root, adhara = support/foundation

• location: base of spine, pelvic floor

• element: earth

• color: red

• mantra: LAM

• gland: adrenal glands (fight-or-flight center)

• body link: spine, legs, bones, colon

• psych themes: survival, money, stability, belonging, family, safety

imbalanced symptoms:

• underactive: anxiety, disconnection, poverty mindset, fear of abandonment

• overactive: hoarding, controlling behavior, stubbornness, material obsession

• trauma imprints: childhood neglect, abandonment, physical abuse etc.

when balanced:

• you feel safe in your body and the world

• you can build structure and discipline with ease

• you attract abundance + grounded stability

• you trust life even when it’s hard

healing tools:

• grounding meditations

• red foods: beets, root vegetables, chili

• physical touch, body-based therapies (somatic work)

• walk barefoot, work with hematite, black tourmaline

• build routines + financial structure

• affirmation: “i am worthy of safety and abundance.”

2. sacral chakra – svadhisthana

“i feel. i create. i allow pleasure.”

• sanskrit: sva = self, adhisthana = dwelling place

• location: lower abdomen, 2 inches below navel

• element: water

• color: orange

• mantra: VAM

• gland: reproductive system

• body link: womb, bladder, hips, genitals

• psych themes: sensuality, emotions, creativity, pleasure, intimacy

imbalanced symptoms:

• underactive: numbness, shame, low libido, creative block, disconnection from body

• overactive: hypersexuality, addiction, obsession, drama

• trauma imprints: sexual abuse, body shame, religious guilt, heartbreak

when balanced:

• you radiate magnetism, sensuality, and artistic flow

• your emotions move freely without controlling you

• you’re tapped into your divine feminine and creative life force

• you allow yourself to feel pleasure without guilt

healing tools:

• sensual dance (belly dance, twerking, slow flow yoga)

• sacred baths with rose + orange oil

• creative practices (painting, singing, scripting)

• orange calcite, moonstone

• inner child + womb healing

• affirmation: “i honor my body. i deserve to feel good.”

3. solar plexus – manipura

“i act. i choose. i claim my power.”

• sanskrit: mani = jewel, pura = city → “city of jewels”

• location: stomach, between ribs and navel

• element: fire

• color: yellow

• mantra: RAM

• gland: pancreas + digestive system

• body link: liver, gallbladder, intestines

• psych themes: identity, ambition, boundaries, ego, self-discipline

imbalanced symptoms:

• underactive: low self-esteem, indecision, victim mentality

• overactive: arrogance, perfectionism, aggression, burnout

• trauma imprints: bullying, strict parenting, humiliation, failure shame

when balanced:

• you’re decisive, empowered, and assertive without arrogance

• you have strong boundaries and healthy self-esteem

• you feel motivated and energized to go after what you want

• you become a natural leader

healing tools:

• sunbathing, breath of fire, core exercises

• wear yellow, work with citrine or pyrite

• personal power rituals (write + burn limiting beliefs)

• practice saying “no”

• affirmation: “i am the author of my life. i am enough.”

4. heart chakra – anahata

“i love. i forgive. i connect.”

• sanskrit: anahata = unstruck, infinite sound

• location: center of chest

• element: air

• color: green / pink

• mantra: YAM

• gland: thymus (immune system)

• body link: lungs, heart, arms, hands

• psych themes: compassion, forgiveness, empathy, romantic love, grief

imbalanced symptoms:

• underactive: isolation, coldness, fear of intimacy, bitterness

• overactive: martyrdom, people-pleasing, jealousy, attachment

• trauma imprints: loss, betrayal, rejection, emotional neglect

when balanced:

• you feel deep connection to others and to life itself

• you radiate unconditional love without losing yourself

• your immune system strengthens (yes, real science backs this)

• you can forgive, grieve, and love again

healing tools:

• breathwork (especially heart coherence)

• ho’oponopono (forgiveness prayer)

• emerald, rose quartz

• write love letters to self

• self-compassion meditations

• affirmation: “i am love. i radiate unconditional compassion.”

5. throat chakra – vishuddha

“i speak. i express. i tell the truth.”

• sanskrit: vishuddha = purification

• location: throat and neck

• element: ether (space)

• color: sky blue

• mantra: HAM

• gland: thyroid

• body link: vocal cords, mouth, jaw, ears

• psych themes: communication, truth, expression, listening

imbalanced symptoms:

• underactive: fear of speaking, introversion, repression

• overactive: gossip, interrupting, dominating convos

• trauma imprints: being silenced, punished for truth, gaslighting

when balanced:

• you speak with clarity, confidence, and integrity

• your voice becomes a tool for healing and influence

• you can express yourself artistically and emotionally

• you’re deeply heard by others

healing tools:

• chanting, singing, vocal toning

• write + speak affirmations out loud

• journal your truth

• use lapis lazuli, blue lace agate

• affirmation: “my voice matters. i speak my truth with grace.”

6. third eye – ajna

“i see. i know. i trust my inner wisdom.”

• sanskrit: ajna = to perceive, to command

• location: forehead, between eyebrows

• element: light

• color: indigo

• mantra: OM

• gland: pineal gland (melatonin, circadian rhythms)

• body link: brain, eyes, sinuses

• psych themes: intuition, imagination, perception, clarity

imbalanced symptoms:

• underactive: confusion, over-intellectualizing, lack of faith

• overactive: paranoia, delusion, dissociation

• trauma imprints: disillusionment, spiritual rejection, fear of intuition

when balanced:

• you trust your intuition without needing external validation

• you see life symbolically, not just literally

• dreams become vivid and prophetic

• you develop inner wisdom + spiritual intelligence

healing tools:

• meditation (especially vipassana + visualization)

• dream journaling

• limit screen time

• work with amethyst or labradorite

• third eye massage

• affirmation: “i see clearly. i trust my soul’s vision.”

7. crown chakra – sahasrara

“i transcend. i merge. i remember who i truly am.”

• sanskrit: sahasrara = thousand-petaled

• location: top of the head

• element: pure consciousness

• color: violet / white

• mantra: OM

• gland: pineal + pituitary

• body link: brain, nervous system

• psych themes: spirituality, divine connection, oneness, transcendence

imbalanced symptoms:

• underactive: atheism, existential dread, lack of purpose

• overactive: spiritual bypassing, superiority complex

• trauma imprints: spiritual rejection, religious abuse, nihilism

when balanced:

• you experience oneness with the universe

• you tap into divine downloads, flow states, soul alignment

• you feel limitless, guided, and expansive

• you recognise yourself as a vessel for higher love + wisdom

healing tools:

• meditation in silence

• crown chakra mudras + breathwork

• read sacred texts / study universal wisdom

• selenite, clear quartz

• fast or detox occasionally

• affirmation: “i am one with the divine. i am infinite consciousness in form.”

how to activate, align, and master your chakras daily

• do chakra meditation

• listen to solfeggio frequencies for specific chakras

• wear color-coded outfits / makeup to amplify each chakra

• eat chakra-aligned foods for lunch + dinner

• pull tarot spreads for each chakra to check your energy

• speak chakra mantras out loud in order to harmonize your field

• visualize golden energy spiraling from root to crown every night