Chakras and Advanced Yoga Practices for Energy and Balance

Yoga is not just about stretching your body, but also a way to heal your mind, and heart too. One of the unique aspects of yoga is the information that comes with learning about chakras. 

Chakras are spinning circles of energy located in your body. Keeping your chakras well-maintained will allow you to feel healthy, energized, and happy.

Let’s look at what chakras are and how advanced yoga practices will allow you to maintain balance within them.

What Are Chakras?

The word “chakra” means “wheel” in Sanskrit. Chakras are energy flow locations in the body. You can’t see them with your eyes, but many believe they are there. 

You feel good when your chakras are open and balanced. When they are blocked, you may feel sad, tired, or even sick. 

There are seven primary chakras in your body. Each chakra has a color and is associated with different feelings and body parts.

The 7 Main Chakras

Let’s look at each chakra and what it does:

1. Root Chakra (Red)

• Location: Bottom of your spine
• What it does: Keeps you grounded and feeling safe
• When it’s balanced: You feel courageous and strong
• When it’s blocked: You feel fear or worry

2. Sacral Chakra (Orange)

• Location: Below your belly button
• What it does: Controls emotions and creativity
• When it’s balanced: You feel joyful and creative
• When it’s blocked: You feel bored or alone

3. Solar Plexus Chakra (Yellow)

• Location: Stomach area
• What it does: Gives you self-confidence and personal power
• When it’s balanced: You feel proud and in command
• When it’s blocked: You feel powerless or shy

4. Heart Chakra (Green)

• Location: Center of your chest
• What it does: Helps you feel love and compassion for others.
• When it’s balanced: You feel loving and compassionate.
• When it’s blocked: You feel angry or sad.

5. Throat Chakra (Blue)

• Location: Throat
• What it does: Helps you communicate clearly and honestly.
• When it’s balanced: You feel courageous to express your thoughts.
• When it’s blocked: You feel shy or afraid to communicate.

6. Third Eye Chakra (Indigo)

• Location: Between the eyebrows.
• What it does: Helps you think and see before you act.
• When it’s balanced: You trust your thoughts and dreams.
• When it’s blocked: You feel confused or uncertain.

7. Crown Chakra (Purple or White)

• Location: The top of your head.
• What it does: Connects you to peace and a higher source of wisdom.
• When it’s balanced: You feel peaceful and filled with bright light.
• When it’s blocked: You feel disconnected or lost.

Why Are Chakras Important?

Chakras assist in the flow of energy within your body. Your body performs the best and feels the best when all chakras are open and balanced. 

However, stress, sadness, or being sick can block chakras. That’s why yoga and other healthier habits are helpful—they keep your energy and energy spirals healthy and moving.

What Are Advanced Yoga Practices?

The key to advanced yoga is not just achieving difficult poses. Successful advanced yoga is about harnessing breath work, focus, and stillness to become in tune with your energy source. Ancient practices, like yoga, help you heal and grow. 

Here are some advanced yoga tools to help with chakras:

1. Pranayama (Breathing)

Pranayama translates to breath work or breathing exercises. Breath work helps move energy through the body to align chakras. Each type of breathing will open different chakras.

• For example, deep belly breathing will affect the root chakra.
• Alternate nostril breathing will affect your third eye chakra.
• Breath of fire will affect the solar plexus chakra.
• Slow, purposeful breathing can calm your thoughts and relax your body. 

2. Meditation

Meditation is a way to sit quietly and listen to yourself. Besides, when meditating, you can concentrate on a chakra and visualize the chakra with a bright glowing color.

Okay, here is a simple way to meditate with chakras:

• Sit or lay down in a quiet place
• Close your eyes
• Take deep and slow breaths
• Visualize a spinning ball of light where the chakra is
• Think of the color and vocalize a positive word, “peace,” “love.”

If you complete these steps daily, your chakras will become stronger.

3. Mantras and Sounds

Every chakra has its sound, or mantra. Speaking these sounds can help open the chakra.

• Root Chakra – “LAM”
• Sacral Chakra – “VAM”
• Solar Plexus Chakra – “RAM”
• Heart Chakra – “YAM”
• Throat Chakra – “HAM”
• Third Eye Chakra – “OM”
• Crown Chakra – silence or “OM”, 

Mantras can be said aloud or silently in your head while meditating.

4. Mudras (Hand Gestures)

Mudras are hand positions for moving energy, each associated with a unique mudra.

Examples include: 

• Root chakra mudra: Touch thumb and index finger
• Heart chakra mudra: Bring your palms together as though in prayer.
• Mudras can be done while breathing or meditating and have very deep, specific answers for each chakra.

5. Yoga Poses for Chakras

Yoga poses (or asanas) can also create balance in each chakra. Examples below: 

Root chakra – Mountain pose, or child pose

• Sacral chakra – Butterfly pose, hip and knee circles.
• Solar plexus chakra – Boat pose, or warrior pose.
• Heart chakra – Camel pose, or cobra pose.
• Throat chakra – Fish pose, or shoulder stand.
• Third eye chakra – Child pose (forehead on the mat).
• Crown chakra – stillness, or headstand (if you’re advanced).

And as always, remember to move slowly and breathe deeply in each yoga pose.

Tips to Balance Your Chakras

Here are a few easy ways to keep your chakras open and healthy:

• Eat wholesome foods
• Drink pure water
• Get plenty of sleep
• Get outside into nature
• Speak kindly to yourself
• Listen to calming music
• Rest when you’re tired
• Be with loving people

All of these things can keep your mind and body in harmony.

Final Thoughts

Chakras can be described as energy centers that exist internally and invisibly. They help you to be joyful, healthy, and energized. 

Once you learn about your chakras and begin utilizing the advanced yoga practices such as breathing, meditation, and physical postures, you will begin to realize wide-ranging benefits. 

While many of the practices may appear to be strenuous, you can start slow and take modest steps toward improving yourself. 

A few minutes a day can lead to tremendous changes. With patience and consistency, you will feel calmer, stronger, and brighter.

FAQs

1. What are chakras in yoga?

Chakras are energy centres in the body. There are 7 main chakras, and each one affects not only how you feel, but also how your body works. They help to clear up energy and also help with feelings of balance.

2. Are chakras important in advanced yoga?

In advanced yoga, chakras are helpful for breath awareness, focal point awareness, and movement. 

When you open and balance your chakras, you will benefit more from it physically, mentally and spiritually.

3. Can beginners do yoga with chakras?

Yes! Beginners can start with simple poses and breathing techniques that help to open and balance their chakras. Advanced practises will come as you learn.

4. How do I know if a chakra is blocked?

You may have help with being tired, stress, or some sort of pain in your body when there is a chakra blocked. Practicing yoga, meditation, and breathing techniques will help release the blockage.

5. What types of advanced yoga practices apply to chakras?

Advanced practices include breathwork (pranayama), meditation, chant, and poses in yoga.

These methods allow forthe  movement of energy, allowing each chakra to be balanced.

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