How to Have Healthy Chakras

Opportunities, methods, and discussions about Chakra Balancing abound. And because most people know very little about chakras at all, let alone whether or not they should be balanced or what this even means, pretty much anything can be called Chakra Balancing and be acceptable. Most methods include something which asks the participants to be in a relaxed state either for meditation or in order to receive something like sound/vibration. Some ask the participants to be purely passive and allow the process to balance them so all they have to do is receive. Others ask the participants to actively manipulate their chakras in various ways to promote balance.

In all cases the notion of having balanced Chakras, meaning fully active, uniform, and equally functioning, is the goal. No one wants a wonky, withered, blocked or stuck chakra because...bad? 

All of which begs the question(s): "What is a balanced Chakra? And how would one know if it were balanced? And if so, then what?"

Well, let's start with a bit about Chakras themselves. Chakras are energy systems throughout the physical body which manage critical functions we need to survive and thrive. Think of them a bit like the Circulatory, Lymphatic, and Limbic system. The Circulatory system is our heart and lungs and all the veins and arteries. This is how we get the good stuff into our cells and the bad stuff out again. The Lymphatic system (think Lymph draining in massage) is what actually scrubs us of toxic things and sends in the troops when we're being invaded by infection. The Limbic system (our brainstem, cerebrospinal fluid, the spinal cord, and all the nerves feeding into it) is like active sonar to a submarine, constantly pinging our environment and listening to everything in order to decipher where it's good for us or not. If not good then we're on alert in time to react appropriately which, as a side benefit, heightens our receptivity in times of excitement, pleasure and even joy as well.

Chakras are not organs, but systems which help us manifest ourselves in the world and navigate through it. Just as there are an enormous amount of systems, operations, and physical features which make up each individual, so there are hundreds of chakras in each of us. However, most people in Western countries come to know only the most fundamental, the 7 Chakras which operate in the torso, while those in healing community will also have heard mentioned those which are in the palms of our hands and might know of the two which are in our feet. The 7 major Chakras are most commonly the target of Chakra balancing.

While it's really common to associate simple labels to these chakras or energy systems, this bypasses the fact they are the engines which manage entire aspects of our nature and are rich with complexity. Here's just a quick look at some of what's involved in each from bottom to top:

*Root Chakra - Home of our survival instincts this is where we find trust issues, self-sacrifice, overwork when our life devolves into dealing with everyone else's s__t, and the need to just keep moving even when things get good. On the other hand, when things are good this is the seat of manifestation where we manage all the logistics of life with ease, engage in self-care and pleasurable pursuits, and acquire the skills to succeed in our endeavors.

*Sacral Chakra - As this is where our genitals reside, we often think of this chakra as about sex and connection, or lack thereof. But it's actually the system of value which means it's also dealing with self-esteem issues, finances, relationships, and boundaries concerning friends, relatives, co-workers and even bosses. It's where we show people how to treat us and how we choose to extend ourselves out to others. It's where money comes in and goes out again which means how well we breath into our lower abdomen is especially important for our financial future.

*Solar Plexus Chakra - This is where are soul and our bodies combine. Where our universal nature fully merges with our embodied experience. It is where our timeless self who knows you shouldn't sweat the small stuff (and it's all small stuff) meets up with a world where we experience how we are only a small part of things. So, are we small stuff??? Physically it is one of the least protected of all the areas of our body having only muscle wall in the front and spine in the back to protect it. We are therefore most fragile and most accessible in this spot which is why we protect it instinctively in situations which seem fraught. We fold in over it in the fetal position, cross our arms over it when we're emotionally defensive, press into it when we're sad or hurt or angry, and use it as the easiest means for entering into meditation or doing journey work. When we speak of stepping up to walk the path our soul intends for this life, this area is where the information manifests into knowledge and becoming.

*Heart Chakra - While some see this chakra as the center of things, being it is the 4th of 7 Chakras, this is a numerical fact and not a physical one. The 7th chakra stands nearly outside the body and out legs are actually a thing, therefore the center of the system, depending on the person, is either the Third Chakra or just above it. This makes Heart Chakra the balance for and opposite of Sacral Chakra. It's here we have love, but not love for individuals. Instead this is the love of the Angels which sees everyone as equal, as loveable, as worthy of love. It is the place where we can see the need for compassion and action after a mass shooting or natural disaster and rise above nationality, creed or other division and connect with our mutual humanity. It is also the place where our capabilities reside.  It manages both of our arms so everything we are able to do with our hands, all of our opposable thumb human ingenuity, our ability to do throughout our day resides here.  And while it holds the angels of our better nature, it also gently cradles our demons who sometimes are the wiser and better suited to the occasion.

*Throat Chakra - This chakra is most often seen as the place where we speak our truth, make ourselves heard, express our feelings. It is where we take in the nourishment or abuse we put into our bodies. It is also where we bite off more than we can chew. It includes the shoulders which bear the burdens set before us or which we take on until we're carrying the weight of the world. It is where we make things harder than they have to be, carry our regrets, and decide how much or how little we will do about ourselves and the world around us. It is where we manage how much of a Doing we are vs. how much of a Being. It is where we control our feelings, clenching our teeth against the wail which is attempting to burst out, how we shove down the bile which is threatening our ability to get through ____, and the exit point for things which need to get out without being processed. Right this way, please hurry, no dilly dallying....

*3rd Eye - This is often seen as the place where we intake psychic or alternative information. Hence it is common for people to be told their 3rd Eye is wide open, or it's closed, or they are using it in one way or another. Having it open is often supposed to be good and to have it closed means there is a block somewhere or the person is stubbornly refusing to allow themselves to be available to aspects of life. However, Chakras aren't physical eyes with lids which can be opened or closed. Our health requires this chakra to function and so it does if we are alive. The 3rd Eye chakra operates like our brain, processing information which is brought to it via multiple sources of input. What people think of as psychic information or intuition is really all the inputs coming in through the radar dish, which is our back, as well as the sensory input of our 5 physical senses, and all information our other main chakras process along with the multitude of minor chakras bringing things in. The 3rd eye includes all of our brain processing from the right brain seeing the big picture to the left brain focusing on the minutia and problem solving. What information we allow as acceptable, what we discard, and how we use it determines how affective our 3rd Eye is.

*Crown Chakra - This energy center does a great many things, but the most crucial is it translates our soul into something which can experience linear time. Beyond this Chakra is the infinite Now which is being without regard to our notion of cause and effect, past/present/future, or binaries such as good/bad, up/down, here/there. The majority of our soul, our Higher Self, resides on the other side of this Chakra or gate. The Crown Chakra maintains a membrane or filter which allows us to live our lives here without the distraction of all that. This membrane provides us the means to be an eternal soul experiencing an embodied life, to keep our connection to All That Is while we focus on our lessons and goals in this now, and gives us a conduit through which our newly formed wisdom can flow out to the universe while the necessary support and wisdom flows into us moment to moment. So, while it's something to remember and keep connected with, it's not a goal we need to reach. We have it and have access to it at any time. 

This is just a very brief overview of what each Chakra is and does for us in every moment and yet you can see the variety and complexity of each system. While in general, it's a good idea for each of these be healthy and work well within themselves and with each other, to say all of these systems need to be perfectly in balance, equal to each other in size, strength, and functionality, is the same as saying the heart and lungs need to be equal in size, strength and functionality with the small and large intestines. Or that our left hand needs to be completely in balance with our pancreas in order for us to be healthy. 

The concept of Chakra balance is one found in Hindu sacred texts and philosophy as one of the highest and most worthy goals of each human being. This is said, not as something general for all human beings to achieve, but instead as a goal we may choose to strive for through many lifetimes if we let go of any other thing in embodied life. Think of it like climbing the most difficult face of Mount Everest or sailing across the Atlantic in a small boat or achieving EGOT (The winning of all four awards as a performer Emmy, Grammy, Oscar and Tony). Yes, it can be done and it's amazing, transformative, and a worthy goal. But the reason for this is not only that you did it, but how much you gave up, did differently, or didn't do at all. It's a worthy endeavor and for those who undertake it, the price is worth the rewards.

Living a chakra balanced life isn't, however, practical nor is it really how we're meant to be in this embodied life. For instance, we shouldn't experience balanced chakras during a protest rally/march. This is where our Heart and Throat chakras should be going full bore and the rest are in support. Well, Root if there might be physical altercations or thrown objects. During a meeting with our boss we probably need Throat, 3rd Eye, and Solar Plexus. Childbirth gets us into Root and Sacral while child care in the first two years can put us through all of them rapidly depending on the moment while we both long for more Sleep/Root, to leave so we can get relief on a higher plane/Crown, or just to crawl into a hole where everything is going to be ok/Solar Plexus, while we are periodically reminded about the wonder of it all/Heart or at least guiltily try to.

So rather than work to ask our Chakras to be balanced or go through some exercise which is the energy version of patting each one on the head for being good to us, it's better to strive for an honest and healthy relationship with each one. The connections and interactions between them will become visible once we are conscious of and comfortable with them individually.

Creating Chakra Relationships

While it came seem like we should dive right into the main 7 chakras first as they are foundational, I recommend starting with the hands. This is because we already have good relationships with our hands, dexterity issues and potential arthritis notwithstanding. We don't have preconceived notions of what our hands mean symbolically or over-hyped expectations of what they are supposed to do. Day in-day out we live with them, work with them, and attempt to keep them from getting burned, stabbed, cut, slammed or pinched. This makes it a bit easier, the way clearer, towards recognizing and working with the chakras there.

In the palm of each hand we have a chakra. In our hands these aren't necessarily energy centers, but instead ports of entry and exit. Just as our hands are a primary means we interact with our world sensorially (they are what most of us think of first when we think of our sense of touch) the chakras in our hands are a major means for us to interact energetically with the world around us.

The easiest way to think about this is via Reiki or any other energy work. For most people, when we think of pushing energy out into the world in any form, we think of doing so with our hands. Those who do it usually find their hands getting hot and notice the energy goes out from them via the palms rather than the backs of their hands or their fingertips. There are exceptions such as those whose hands run cold during energy work or those who exclusively use their fingertips to express energy in a more intricate form.

You can see this in action right now as you're reading this newsletter. Hold your hands facing each other and about 1 ft/30 cm apart. Notice where your body senses new sensations. There will be some in your arms because you're holding your hands up. There will be some in the tops of your hands which are registering the muscles extending your fingers out straight(ish). And there will be a warm, tingly, awake and aware sensation in your palm, like the physical expectation of being touched or the moment just before being kissed. 

These are your palm chakras being active and interacting with each other. The closer you bring them the more push/pull you'll get, somewhat like the feeling of compressing a beach ball. If you push your hands all the way together the feeling changes completely because you've just made a circuit and the energy is simply rushing through one and into the other like a NASCAR track.

We are less aware of our feet than our hands, but there are chakras in the center of our arch which is the palm of each foot. These work a bit differently than our hands. As our feet are primarily for locomotion, the chakras there are more gatekeepers helping us decide what to let in and whether or not we wish to extend out. This is as simple as how we are when we walk barefoot outside. It doesn't matter how callused or experienced your feet are, we don't willy nilly walk through everything and anything. I mean, dog/cat poop anyone? So, our feet discern whether or not we want something to come into us. We open up when we're bathing/showering, but close down around the dirty socks. We open up at home and close up tight at work. These chakras are wonderful to open when we're wanting to release what no longer serves us, but should be shut tight when we're walking through tough circumstances. And, to be honest, we keep them shut up in shoes, socks, sandals and flip flops most of the time. This is in part why foot massages are so amazing. The directed pressure allows us to open up and breath through our feet in a way they desperately need.

Once you start forming a conscious working relationship with your hand and feet chakras, by which I mean you are listening to them and cooperating with them rather than being a dictator which tells them what to do regardless of common sense, you have a good foundation for connecting with the big 7.

Like with the hands and feet, I don't recommend you start the way most people recommend, going from Root and working your way up or focusing on the Crown and moving down. This is left brain logical but ignores the working reality of who you are as an individual, all of your experience/baggage/wisdom and your soul's path for this life. Instead I suggest you start with the Chakra you are most personally familiar with in your daily life. If you're "too much in your head" all the time, then start there. If you're heart centered and service oriented, start with that. If you don't have any real idea, I recommend you start with Solar Plexus. It's the gentlest, most calming, soothing and easy going of them all. It holds a lot of the answers to the "big questions" people look for all their lives and with a little attention you can get a lot of good from it.

Like working with your hands, start by holding your hands gently over your chosen Chakra. I would recommend holding them about 1 ft/30 cm above them if you are working with them from the front. For those who want a challenge or feel like they want their relationship to go further faster I would suggest working from your back. This means a bit more physicality from your arms and you might want to engage a small rectangular pillow along the spine rather than using your hands depending on how your shoulders and wrists feel about the process.

Holding your hands above the area, turn your attention to how this area of your body feels. Think of this the same way you answer a doctor who is asking you what the pain feels like. You aren't going inside away from your body on some journey, you are fully attending to your body inside/outside with all your senses including your brain to figure out what is truly going on. This in part is why we have a hard time explaining to the doctor what we feel. Too much information rather than not enough and vocabulary seems inadequate to the task.

When you're ready, when the chakra is accepting, allow your hands to rest gently against the skin/muscle/bone of it. Let your mind be a journalist, not a dictator. Don't ask your chakra to do anything, let it tell you what it is, what it wants, if anything, and where to begin unfolding your conscious relationship with it.

Because each of these is a complex energy center which controls much more, but also includes the physical, it's not unusual for you to have an initial response which is both familiar and yet surprising. You may feel something physical which seems unconnected like a sudden pinch in your right butt cheek. You want to shift and move, check out what just happened or stop everything and get up. If that's the case, DO THAT. This is not a distraction, it's your chakra. It's telling you things. Put your finger on the area which just twinged and press gently. You'll find more information is forthcoming and just the fact you followed through builds trust in the relationship, therefore allowing the chakra to open and unfold more to you.

You may feel muscle twitches, what seem like random emotions, get a flood of problem solving concerning something which points you towards a solution you had said no to before or something new you didn't consider. You may get food cravings, feel the desire to go do something fun/frivolous/counter intuitive or get confirmation of something you've known all along.

Like with all new relationships, where things start is in the connections. We look for common ground, build trust and acceptance, and form shared vocabulary with which we can, at the very least, use to make inside jokes. 

Once you've begun to create relationships with the chakras you're comfortable with, you can move on to the ones you're not. We all have those we like better just like we have a dominant hand. It doesn't mean our non-dominant hand is bad, unhealthy, or blocked, it just means we have a preference which has become a habit. Having experience with our preferred and well-known chakras, we then have a better chance of working well with and opening ourselves to the chakras we tend to avoid or ignore.

Building a relationship with your chakras transforms them from the unknown into the know and from a possibly malfunctioning appliance which needs maintenance into an ally which propels you forward on your path.