Ever Wondered What are chakras - And what energy center means?
What are Chakras? If you’ve wandered through the realms of meditation, yoga, or energy healing, you’ve definitely come across the word chakra. It’s tossed around like everyone’s supposed to know what it means. People often toss around the idea that chakras are energy centers, right, but beyond that, it often sounds like chasing incense smoke with your bare hands.
I’m no guru, no robe-wearing swami. Just a fellow traveler – curious, questioning, trying to make sense of things that are felt more than seen. So let’s sit down, sip a cup of herbal tea together, and explore what do chakras mean actually – in real terms, with a little soul and a lot of sense.
understanding chakra Energy Centers
So, picture this: your body, a finely tuned machine, humming with energy. Now, we’re familiar with the fuel it needs – good old food, converting into ATP for our cells. But hold on, there’s another kind of energy, a bit more mysterious, known by different names like Chi, Ki, Prana, or Mana, depending on who you ask and where you are in the world or which ancient wisdom you’re tuned into. It’s the subtle power that animates every breath, every emotion, every spark of insight. Think of it like a magnetic field surrounding an electric machine.
This mystical force, often called bio-energy, dances just beyond the grasp of modern science but is the magic wand for various healing arts – Reiki, Theta, Crystal Healing, you name it. This energy is like the invisible orchestra surrounding us, but how do we tune into its frequency? Now imagine this energy flowing through you like electricity through a grid. It needs to be distributed, as per need, to different parts of the countryside, or your body.
Enter the Aura, and the Chakras. Your aura is the electromagnetic field that surrounds your body and the chakra energy centers are the transformers, each one stepping that energy down, distributing bio-energy into a usable form for your body, mind, and emotions.. It’s like a precisely designed energy highway!
The Chakras
I am sure you would have seen the rainbow colored pictures of 7 chakras. But is the whole complex system based on just 7 chakras? Umm No, there are actually 114 of these chakras – some of them even outside the body. But there are 7 main chakras:
Each of these governs a set of smaller chakras – sub-stations if you will. Thus these govern physical, emotional, and spiritual layer of your being. When one is imbalanced, it throws the whole system off-balance – kind of like playing your favorite song with one instrument totally out of tune.. Hence no one chakra remains affected but it affects the neighboring chakras too.
Why do chakra imbalance?
Now, imagine what would happen if there’s a hiccup in one of these power stations. A dip or surge in energy supply would send ripples across the affected areas, like a glitch in the system. It’s like having a perfect symphony disrupted by a rogue note. That’s the importance of keeping these chakra energy centers, in harmony, to ensure the smooth flow of energy throughout your body. If one malfunctions, it could be due to additional load or increased resistance.
Chakras and emotions
Now, let’s talk about something fascinating: the same bio-energy that powers your body also transforms into the incredible symphony of your emotions and thoughts. It’s like this energy is the raw material for the dance of your feelings and the script of your thoughts.
No wonder they say, “You are your thoughts and emotions!” or “Emotions are energy in motion!”
When one of those Chakras decides to throw a bit of a tantrum, it doesn’t just stop at the physical level. Oh no, it extends its influence to the mental and emotional realms too. An out-of-tune Chakra might just be the culprit behind that Monday morning blues or the burst of creativity on a sunny day. This could be due to things that use the energy in its pure form. Whether from emotional trauma, stress, fear, or even stagnation, it ripples through your whole system. It might show up as anxiety. Or fatigue. Or a foggy head. Or the inability to make a decision when life demands it.
Not just emotions
Now, Here’s where it gets even more interesting. The same chakra imbalance can affect our physical reality in a big way! Here is a list of problems that chakra imbalance shows up as:
🔴 Root Chakra (Muladhara) - Fear and survival – "I Am"
Chronic financial scarcity or fear of money
Hoarding or obsessive saving
Inability to hold a stable job or routine
Constant relocation, homelessness, or instability
Over-attachment to material security (rigid routine, job clinging)
Excessive survival focus: food, shelter, basic needs
Chronic fatigue or lower back/knee issues
🟠 Sacral Chakra (Svadhisthana) - Creativity and sensuality – "I Feel"
Creative blocks or fear of expressing ideas
Sex addiction or complete disinterest
Emotional codependency or over-attachment in relationships
Guilt around pleasure or sexuality
Trouble starting or enjoying projects
Fertility issues, menstrual imbalances
Overeating or using food for comfort
🟡 Solar Plexus Chakra (Manipura) - Confidence and willpower – "I Do"
People-pleasing, lack of boundaries
Control issues, bossiness, micromanaging
Fear of being seen or taking leadership
Procrastination, burnout, or overachievement loops
Digestive issues, liver imbalances, ulcers
Perfectionism and fear of failure
Feeling “invisible” or unworthy
💚 Heart Chakra (Anahata) - Love and empathy – "I Love"
- Overgiving and emotional burnout
- Trouble receiving love or intimacy
Holding on to old grief or resentment
Feeling emotionally cold, guarded, or overly sentimental
Respiratory issues, asthma, upper back pain
Difficulty trusting others
Self-love blocks or body shame
🔵 Throat Chakra (Vishuddha) - Communication and truth – "I Speak"
Difficulty saying no or expressing needs
Over-sharing, gossip, or word vomit
Fear of public speaking or visibility
Feeling misunderstood or ignored
Thyroid imbalances, sore throat, jaw tension
Writer’s block, inability to speak up in conflict
Holding back truth out of fear of judgment
🟣 Third Eye Chakra (Ajna) - Intuition and clarity – "I See"
Lack of direction or spiritual disconnect
Obsession with “signs” or over-spiritualizing everything
Mental fog, poor memory, lack of clarity
Nightmares or confusing dreams
Headaches, eye strain, sinus issues
Relying only on logic OR only on intuition (extremes)
Overwhelm from too many ideas or insights
⚪ Crown Chakra (Sahasrara) - Connection and surrender – "I Am That I Am"
Existential dread or feeling disconnected from life’s meaning
Intellectual arrogance or spiritual elitism
Escapism via spiritual bypassing
Resistance to rest, stillness, or surrender
Migraines, insomnia, sensitivity to light or sound
Feeling cut off from the Divine or from others
Over-attachment to gurus, ideologies, or spiritual identities
If you’re feeling creatively stuck, chronically anxious, emotionally shut down, or can’t speak your truth, it may not just be a psychological issue. It could be energetic.
So, the key takeaway? It’s not just about keeping your body in top-notch condition though. It’s also about maintaining a harmonic flow in these energy centers for the sake of your mental and emotional well-being too. Imagine it as the secret recipe for an all-encompassing health potion. You can take this quiz to find out which of your Chakras are under/ over- active. Got questions or thoughts? I’m all ears -drop a comment below, and let’s keep this conversation flowing