What are the Chakras? An introduction to the chakra system

What are the chakras?

Introduction to the chakra system

Okay so what are the chakras? Why should you give a sh*t about your chakras? What do they even mean…?

The chakras are a kind of energetic anatomy in the body. Think of a chakra like a wheel of energy.

We have seven major chakras in our bodies. These are energetic points in our bodies that either draw in or expel energy. When we are feeling whole, healthy, stable we can say that our chakras are spinning in a balanced way. when we feel off in some ways, we might say that one of our chakras is imbalanced.

Sometimes emotional or physical ailments can effect the way our chakras turn, either causing them to spin too slowly (under-active) or too quickly (overactive).

Chakra
in
sanskrit
means
wheel

The 7 major chakras
align themselves
along the
Shushumna Nadi.

The Shushumna Nadi is the central Energetic super highway of our bodies. It’s located roughly in the same spot as your spinal chord. Just like your spinal chord delivers physiological information to your body about how to move or how you’re feeling, the shushumna Nadi delivers energetic information throughout your body, including to and from your chakras. This might happen in the way of feelings, emotions, belief systems of patterns of behaviours.

Relating to the physical body, the chakras are also where there are major collections of nerve ganglia. So when we talk about our chakras we are also referring to specific areas of our bodies and places where we actually DO receive and send out A LOT of information to our brains about how we are doing.

Chakra imbalances can arise or resurface at various point in our lives. Sometimes a physical injury can knock a chakra out of balance, (because of all the nerve endings there), sometimes an emotional injury can. Sometimes we carry things from long ago as trauma or behaviour patterns. They can be triggered by a seemingly unrelated event and can also cause a chakra or chakras to become imbalanced. Sometimes chakra imbalances are inherited from things we’ve learned from friends, family, loved ones or from belief systems or behaviours that we’ve reinforced within ourselves for years.

Why should you give a sh*t about your chakras?

Okay so why should you give a sh*t about your chakras? Well, if your curious about yourself and your personal growth, understanding the chakras can give you some insight in to YOU! The chakras can help us understand the mind-body connection a little better. Think of the chakra system as just another lens of looking at the way you are.

The chakra system is simply a yogic tool that we can use to better understand our physical and emotional bodies. Learning about the chakras can provide insight on what makes us tick and why we act and react in the ways that we do. With knowledge and awareness comes the ability to grow and make change. The better we get to know ourselves, the more able we are to find our individual happiness and live our own best life.

Each chakra has it’s own theme. Each chakra has it’s own associated patterns, actions, beliefs, ways of being, injuries, ailments and more… without getting too deep into it here, we’ll say this: Each chakra helps you accept and understand a unique part of YOU that makes up the wholeness of your being.

Below we’ve created some simple affirmations for each chakra. Screenshot it and keep it on your phone if you like, or just take the one that you need and repeat it to yourself as you meditate in the morning or walk the dog or before you go to sleep each night.

xox

Love Team Yoga Academy International

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