ALIGNING CHAKRAS ENERGY THROUGH YOGA
 
Yoga is a highly effective way to balance each chakra, since it creates alignment in both the physical and subtle body.  A regular yoga practice cleanses and restores the mind and body through breathing techniques and postures called asanas.  Asanas and breathing purify the chakras: yoga is not a work-out, it’s a work-in that has the power to energise, strengthen and heal the body and mind.  

We generally focus our attention outward: on the TV, on the mobile phone, on the road, on the tasks we do every day.   Yoga allows us to look inward in order to acknowledge that place where our inner self resides and shines.  The place where the subtle energy of our chakras flows and makes us feel alive. Through our yoga practice, we feel grounded and our mind gradually comes to a state of clarity, tranquillity and peace.  
Breathing techniques used in yoga are a powerful vector of healing chakras, techniques that are enhanced when combined with meditation, affirmations and visualisation. Please don’t forget that you are the creator of your own reality. You can definitely do your chakra activation practice!
 
Meditate to balance your chakras
Our brain is constantly chatting, planning, designing…it is constantly in motion.  The idea of meditation is to make it quiet, silent and attentive and in that attention find what is eternal and sacred. 
Meditation is an empowerment tool to expand our consciousness and self-awareness and to focus the mind.  It calms our nervous system and gives the body a rest that may be even deeper than sleep.  It is a great way to settle down the mind and to get in touch with your inner self.  You relax into your true nature, where you can find peace and joy.
However, meditation is not always for the purpose of moving into states of stillness. Meditation can also be used as a way to check in with ourselves and better direct our energy, such as the case of guided meditation, which allows you to be in conscious, present creation of yourself. Guided meditations, led by a trained professional, provide instruction on what to focus on, and uses guided imagery (such as imagining a healing light travelling up and down your spine, for instance), to enhance the experience.  Both unguided and guided meditation facilitate a transformative inner experience.  
Of course that healing through meditation may not be easy.  At the beginning, knowing what to do or what to expect may be a real challenge.  But meditation is not about doing anything right, it is about being in a state, finding tranquillity through relaxation of body and mind. Once your mind and body are accustomed to the process of meditation, you will get lots of positive change since it will greatly enhance your self-healing power. It will reduce your negative self-talk, strengthen your coping mechanisms, help you sleep well and connect with your highest, deepest wisdom, among many other benefits.
 
Visualisation
Visualisation is the method of picturing positive images or ideas.  It means that you can use your imagination to create the reality that you truly want: health, fulfilment, satisfying relationships, inner peace, a new home, a rewarding job, and the list goes on and on.  Your goal may be on any level, physical, emotional, spiritual.  You may picture yourself successfully managing a difficult situation,
After relaxing into a deep state of mind, visualise what you really want or need to achieve.  Try to get a feeling in yourself that that is possible, experience as if it were already happening.  If your desire and intention to make a change are clear, chances are good that you may find that change that you want.   Set your goal, create a clear idea or picture of it, focus on it as often as you can, and think about it in an encouraging, positive way.
Meditation and visualisation can become an experience of meaningful growth. First you may practise them at specific times for specific goals.  But as you get in the habit of using them and witnessing their huge benefits, you will notice that they become an integral part of your thinking process. 

 Affirmations
Affirmations are one of the most important components of visualisation.  They are positive, powerful statements that encourage, inspire, motivate and break old patterns.  If repeated often, they rewrite those patterns and direct healing to the chakras.  
There is scientific evidence showing that repeating positive affirmations is a useful way to bring about positive change in our lives. A study conducted by the University of Pennsylvania by Dr. Christopher Cascio, which was published in the Social Cognitive and Affective Neuroscience journal, concluded that affirmations definitely increase positive health behaviours, rewiring the brain to produce beneficial results.  When we repeat our powerful affirmations often, we foster positive energy.
It is important to highlight that we need to prepare our mind for affirmations and visualisations and that’s why they are usually combined with meditation.
We can start by taking a comfortable position and controlling the breath with full inhales and long exhales.  This calms our mind and stimulates the nervous system so we feel more relaxed. Breathing also reduces negative thinking and harmonises the brain hemispheres so our creative and logical sides are balanced.
Once we feel relaxed, we repeat the words of our affirmations slowly, remaining calm and focusing on our breathing.  If at some stage of this process you experience negative thoughts, for instance, “I will never be properly grounded”, let the thought come and go and remember it is nothing more than a thought.   In order to balance your chakras, please focus on the affirmations given in previous chapters, or create your own affirmations in relation to every vortex of energy.
Continue repeating your affirmations for as long as you wish, and when you are finished, open your eyes slowly and continue with your day, in an energised and optimistic mood.

You may have heard that chakras are energy points that line along the spine but….what does it exactly mean? I have to say it took me quite a while to grasp the concept and understand the importance of chakras in our health and life. Chakra is a Sanskrit word meaning spinning wheels of light. Life is energy, and the chakras are about energy, the universal life force that circulates throughout our bodies, the paths through which energy flows.  This means chakras are not part of our physical bodies but a part of what could be called our spiritual anatomy, and are located along the central axis, in the energy spine. The location of the seven chakras coincide with glands, nerve centres and blood vessels, and even though they are not identical to those organs, they are closely linked to them. 
 
The chakras represent different levels of consciousness. The ones located at the bottom represent primitive instincts, the ones in the middle of the body, human behaviour and the ones at the top are linked with intellectual aspects and higher states of consciousness. 
We have an unlimited potential in the body given by the constant flow of life force energy. To feel this energy flowing, the chakras have to be clear so they can work at their fullest potential. When they do, we feel healthy, at peace and nourished from the outside out. 
 
The seven chakras at a glance 
 
The first chakra, called Root chakra, is situated at the base of the spine and its main function is to keep us grounded by helping us to establish a strong connection with the Earth.  It keeps us rooted in ourselves and relates to our basic needs of survival. This chakra radiates the colour red, which symbolises strength and vitality.  
A balanced root chakra provides emotional strength, security and confidence. Conversely, when it is imbalanced, it may lead to mental stress, feelings of being isolated, anxiety, digestive disorders and reproductive issues, among others.
Crystals are vibrational tools, therefore placing crystals on or around your energy centres creates an internal energy balance that leads to healing. 
Crystals for root chakra: red coral, mahogany, black obsidian.
Affirmations that can help strengthen your Root chakra, include:

• I feel safe, centred and secure
• I have deep roots
• I am grounded and open to all possibilities.
• I am at home in my own body.

 
The Sacral chakra is the second energy centre, located in the lower abdomen, below the navel. Its colour is orange, which stands for creativity, growth and pleasure. This chakra assists in accepting change, flexibility and transformation in life and supports personal expansion and exploration of our desires and creativity.  It is associated with the bladder, kidneys and reproductive organs.  If unbalanced, it produces physical and emotional weakness, anxiety and fear of losing control in relationships.  At a physical level, it produces lower back pain, sexual problems and kidney issues, among others.
Crystals: orange carnelian, stibilten.
Affirmations that can unblock the Sacral chakra include: 

• I am a creative being
• I attract people who treat me with respect
• I am in touch with my feelings and emotions
• It is passionate about my life

 
 The third chakra, called Solar Plexus, is situated around the navel and provides a source of personal power and will along with a sense of purpose.  Its colour is yellow, which symbolises energy, intellect and new beginnings. Imbalances in this energetic field may produce digestive disorders, issues with the pancreas, liver and colon and a range of emotional problems such as doubts, low self-esteem, worries and mistrust towards people. When this chakra is in a healthy alignment, it promotes self-security, empowerment and allows the connection with a life purpose, helping us achieve success. 
Crystals: amber, tourmaline and topaz.
Affirmations that can strengthen the third chakra include the following:

• I am strong
• I honour myself
• I accomplish tasks easily
• I am worthy of love and respect

 
The fourth chakra is the centre of love for ourselves and others and is located in the region of the heart.  It is connected with opening the channels to unconditional love, empathy, compassion and forgiveness.  Its colour is green, which represents health, growth, serenity and calmness for ourselves and others.   When properly balanced, we feel abundance of empathy, compassion and love. We can see the love around us and we feel connected with ourselves. Issues with the energy flow in this chakra may us feel isolated, unable to giving and receiving affection and to establishing healthy relationships.   Physical manifestations of blockage include heart palpitations, poor blood circulation and lung conditions. 
Crystals: rose quartz, green opal, rhodonite.
Affirmations to strengthen the heart chakra include:

• I completely love and accept myself.
• My heart is open to love.
• I forgive myself.
• I live in a state of grace and gratefulness.

 
The fifth chakra is located at the base of the throat.  The energy of this chakra produces effective communication, inspiration and expression.  It allows us to establish a deep connection with verbal and body language, to find our voice, to speak our truth and to express ourselves in a creative way.  Its colour is sky blue, which represents communication, peace and tranquillity and is the colour associated with heaven.  Signs of a blocked throat chakra include inability to express emotions, use of negative words and behaviours, unbalanced expression of creativity and, in extreme cases, inability to express ourselves at all.  At a physical level, the blockage of this chakra manifests itself by pain or stiffness in the neck area, a sore throat and problems in the thyroid gland.
 
Crystals: turquoise, aqua marine, blue lace agate.
Affirmations that can heal the throat chakra include the following:

• I communicate confidently and with ease.
• I am balanced in speaking and listening.
• I am an active listener.
• I speak my true thoughts with clarity.
  

 
The sixth eye chakra, located between the eyebrows, is the centre of intuition, perception and consciousness. The third eye reveals insight into the future and establishes a connection with the outer world through the inner vision.  When this chakra is awakened, it enhances consciousness and allows us to transcend reality, strengthening awareness and intuition and improving our physical and spiritual wellbeing.  When it is blocked, it produces lack of concentration and imagination, not receiving intuitive insights, eye and ear problems, headaches and hormonal imbalances.   It is represented with the colour purple, the colour of spirituality, transformation and spiritual awakening.
 Crystals: lapi lazuli, sodalite, sapphire.
Affirmations that increase the power of the third chakra include:

• I am wise, intuitive, and connected to my inner guidance.
• I trust my intuition, always.
• I seek to understand and learn from my life experiences.
• I am connected to my higher power.

 
The seventh chakra, called Crown chakra, is situated at the top of the head and creates a strong connection with the Supreme Self, allowing access to a great clarity and enlightened wisdom.  It represents pure, cosmic energy and the desire to experience the Divine and gives us a sense of serenity, joy and peace about life.  This chakra vibrates to two colour energy frequencies: white, and radiant violet,
A blocked crown chakra produces headaches, poor coordination and exhaustion.  At an emotional level, its imbalance manifests as disconnection to the spirit, close mindedness, isolation, loneliness and even depression.  The imbalance may also produce neurological disorders, migraines, nerve pain and thyroid and pineal gland issues.
Crystals: amethyst, clear quartz, moonstone.
 Positive affirmations for Crown Chakra balance include the following:

• Divinity resides within me.
• I am open to new ideas.
• The world is my teacher.
• I am guided by a higher power and my inner wisdom.

Yoga can help us to connect deeply with ourselves to start to listen to our body, that soft voice that let us know what is going on inside of us.
When we learn to listen, to pay attention to that voice we can avoid fall into pain or illness because we can catch the subtle signals that our body is sending before it has to scream for you to listen...
Also we can use the yoga class to practice grounding and connecting with our planet more deeply.
When we are connected fully with our Mother Earth we can have a sense of belonging and feeling that we are strong, resilient and capable to be ok even if the worse of the situation that we face.

Heart Chakra (Heart Openers Workshop):
The heart chakra is like a conduit for a form of energy that is commonly associated with love. When the energy of the heart chakra does not flow, we may experience it at different levels, from physical and emotional to spiritual.
By healing the heart chakra, we can feel a boost in energy, positivity, love, compassion, and increased sense of connectedness to life. The main idea behind healing the heart chakra is to restore flow of energy and overall balance.

Why do we need heart chakra healing?
The heart chakra is particularly vulnerable to disturbances associated with relationships and love. We all have a history of relationships from the moment we’re born to now. During our history, there were many events and opportunities for positive or negative experiences regarding love and relating to others.

As we encounter life difficulties, we have two main ways to cope: We may shut down or decrease the energy that we dedicate to the situation, or we may boost or increase our energy to fight it. These defense mechanisms get anchored in our chakras.

In the case of the heart chakra, we might have felt hurt during childhood or a recent breakup and closed our chakra to numb our pain and avoid suffering. Or on the opposite side, we may have opened and extended our heart energy to a demanding partner or parent in need, sometimes to the point of over-extending and being drained.

Over time, these defense mechanisms can cause imbalance in the heart chakra and other chakras, leading to an overactive, deficient or blocked chakra. One may tend to have excess or deficiency in the heart chakra, or both depending on the situation and coping mechanism.

When the heart chakra needs healing may be signaled by a variety of symptoms ranging from the physical to existential and spiritual.

Physical heart chakra Signals:
The 4th chakra is associated with the element of air and is located in the chest area. As a result, a lot of the physical symptoms of heart chakra imbalance are connected to the lungs, ribs, and heart. Look for the following: Hypertension, problems breathing, infection at the level of the lung, bronchitis, heart condition.

Psychological and Emotional Heart Chakra Signals:
When the heart chakra is blocked or closed, it may translate into the following psychological and emotional characteristics:

• Being withdrawn
• Avoiding socializing, social interactions
• Being overly critical of others and oneself
• Lacking empathy
• Feeling isolated

If the heart chakra is overly open, it may translate into:

• Being overly demanding of others, especially close family or partner
• Extending yourself to fulfill other people’s perceived needs to the cost of one’s own balance
• Tendency to feeling like a victim
• Losing sense of personal boundaries in a way that is detrimental to your well-being

Balancing and Healing the Heart Chakra
When the heart chakra becomes unbalanced, this may lead to emotional, physical or even existential distress. The energy running though this chakra is not flowing freely and you may feel drained, depleted, stuck in thoughts or behavioral patterns.
To overcome a blockage, excess or deficiency in the heart chakra, the energy needs to:

• Be able to move freely (one may need to loosen up constrictions or interference, such as continuous stress, physical muscle tension, negative influence of others, limiting beliefs or attitude)
• Move in a patterns that is suitable to this chakra
• Be balanced with other energies (we need to take into consideration the whole chakra and energy system; for instance, stress or imbalance in neighboring chakras might influence the state of the heart chakra)

Join our Heart Openers - Loving Kindness Restorative Yoga Workshop with Positive Affirmations and Visualizations to Open your heart to Love and Forgiveness.
Sunday 28th January - From 12.30 pm to 1.45pm
at The Core Studio, Glasthule, Dun Laoghaire

Call Claudia at 085 763 7981
The Core Studio (71 Glasthule Road, Dun Laoghaire)
www.yogafitness.ie - [email protected]
085 763 7981
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(Courtesy of http://www.chakras.info/heart-chakra-healing/)