Legend – Chakra Guide Series
This post provides a key to the information included in the individual chakra posts in the 7-chakra series. I have included links to my favorite books related to each area on some of these; for more info please view my Chakra Booklist.
The idea behind this list is to provide a starting point for you to begin to work with your chakras from both a health and spiritual perspective. If you are entirely new to the chakras, you might want to read Introduction to the Chakras and Chakra Meditation. Please note that there are many different chakra systems and variations – in these posts I am just laying out the one I work with myself.
General:
Focal Point: The chakras are in our subtle or energy body – the intermediary between our physical body, our spirit, and Source/Light itself. As such, they aren’t ‘located’ per se in our physical body, but instead interface with our physical body at certain locations. I’ve listed the interface points that I use for focus (which do vary slightly among spiritual traditions.)
Color: Different traditions vary on the colors associated with the chakras. Here I am listing the color of the most well-known chakra systems in the West, the 7-chakra yogic system from India. This color is used for visualization and healing work, most closely representing the vibration of the chakra energetically.
Element: This is the element in nature associated with the chakra.
Life Aspects/Themes: This is the psychological themes and life aspects associated with the energy of this chakra.
Physical/Health Correlations:
Body Systems/Organs: This is the body parts and/or organ systems associated with this chakra in many energy healing traditions. (See The Subtle Body, by Cyndi Dale, for more information on this, and many other aspects of working with the chakras.)
Gland(s): In energy healing systems, the glands most commonly associated with this chakra, and what these glands produce.
Foods: Foods associated with strengthening each chakra. See my post Eating for Your Subtle Body for more information on this, as well as the book I cite there, Chakra Foods for Optimum Health, by Deanna Minich.
Strengthening Activities: Activities associated with strengthening the energies of this chakra.
Spiritual Practices/Correlations:
Yoga Asanas: The yoga postures most closely associated with each chakra in hatha-based systems (the book Chakra Yoga is also a good reference point for more info on these.)
Mantra: This is the chant associated with this chakra in most Indian-based yogic traditions (although this does vary across traditions). This is used in mantra/chanting meditation (see the book Chakra Yoga, with an accompanying chanting meditation CD, for a good introduction to this.)
Yantra: This is the yantra, or sacred geometry visual, that is associated with each chakra in Indian-based yogic traditions (although again, this does vary.) These may also be used in meditation as visual points of focus.
Intuitive Sympathy: The type of energetic/intuitive ‘data’ that is drawn into your energy body through this chakra, and that is expressed through it. This also corresponds to various intuitive skills or gifts (see Cyndi Dale’s The Intuition Guidebook for more info on her chakra-based approach to intuitive development.)
Spiritual Gateway: Each chakra is a spiritual vortex or doorway through which we can enter Source. This category describes that doorway – the unique entrance point it represents.
Spiritual/Religious Paths: Although most religions and spiritual paths connect to Source in multiple ways, this lists those that work most closely with the energies and themes of this chakra.
Now that you know what is included in this Chakra Guide, here are posts for each chakra:
Lisa, thank you so much for this, I have been looking for a guide like this to the Chakras to help me learn more about them and how to know what they connect to.. I know you go
through them in class each week as we do our work but I an only retain so much while I
am meditating!! Even though I don’t comment ( I will try and be better about this) I really
do get alot out of what you share on here, even the things that mostly relate to women.
I try and see how they may relate to me as a Gay man, since we are know to be two spirited people. I am very thankful to have found you and our Wednesday group, to say it has been life changing for me would be an understatement. Have a good week!
jaymes
Jaymes, thanks so much for commenting:-) Don’t feel any obligation to comment at all, only if you feel like it, it’s always great for me to get feedback, and if someone has a question, it’s great to answer it here as then perhaps others will be interested in the response too…so glad to be meditating with you:-) – Lisa
I found the article on healing my sacral chackra amzingly helpful and
I was hoping I could gain insight also on advice with healing my
I’m ever so grateful
Solar plexus chackra, I have use my initive to adapt from the sacral article but any additional advice
Would be greatly apreciated.
Many Thanks for your wonderfully helpful website!
With love and apreciation, Katya x
Hi Katya, I’m glad you found it helpful. Since you are writing this comment on the Legend for my Chakra series post, I am hoping you saw the page in that series. It is not as comprehensive from a healing perspective as the , but offers some basics in terms of the color, mantra, yantra, food and activity associations for strenghtening it. However, I think with the navel chakra in particular (I use the navel as the focal point but it covers the solar plexus area) it is important to clarify what it is you think you need to heal – since this chakra is associated with our personal power,boundaries, will, etc. is it that you feel it is weak, i.e. you can’t manifest your power in the world, or is it erratic and you find yourself having anger issues, or some other variation of those two? Feel free to email me (email on my About page) if you want to talk in more detail about this…you can also check out my for books that might be helpful for you.