Third Eye Chakra

 The Brow Chakra is associated with the color indigo. It is also often referred to as the "third eye" or the "mind center." It is our avenue to wisdom - learning from our experiences and putting them in perspective. Our ability to separate reality from fantasy or delusions is in connection with the healthfulness of this chakra. Achieving the art of detachment beyond "small mindedness" is accomplished through developing impersonal intuitive reasoning. It is through an open brow chakra that visual images are received.

Associations

Color - indigo (Gemstones – purple fluorite, lapis)

Physical Location - center of the forehead

Purposes - action of ideas, insight, mind development

Spiritual Lesson - understanding, reality check point, detachment, open mind

Physical Dysfunctions- brain tumors, strokes, blindness, deafness, seizures, learning disabilities, spinal dysfunctions, panic, depression

Mental and Emotional Issues - fear of truth, discipline, judgment, evaluation, emotional intelligence, concept of reality, confusion

Information Stored Inside Third eye Chakra - seeing clear picture (symbolic or literal), wisdom, intuition, mental facilities, intellect

Area of Body Governed- brain, neurological system, eyes, ears, nose, pituitary, pineal glands

 Crown Chakra

 The Crown Chakra is associated with the color violet or white. We use the seventh chakra as a tool to communicate with our spiritual nature. It is through this channel that the life force is dispersed from the universe into the lower six chakras. It has been referred to as our "GOD SOURCE" - but this terminology might be confusing to anyone who equates God with religion, because of this it is called - a spiritual connection or communicator. This chakra is often pictured as a lotus flower opening to allow spiritual awakening in an individual.

Associations

Color - violet, white (gemstones – amber, diamond)

Physical Location - top of head

Purposes - intuitive knowing, connection to one's spirituality, integration of the whole

Physical Dysfunctions- mystical depression, diseases of the muscular system, skeletal system and the skin, chronic exhaustion not associated with physical ailments, sensitivity to light, sound, environment

Mental and Emotional Issues - discovery of the divine, lack of purpose, loss of meaning or identity, trust, selflessness, humanitarianism, ability to see the bigger picture in the life stream, devotion, inspiration, values, ethics

Information Stored Inside Crown Chakra - duality, magnetism, controlling patterns, emotional feelings (joy, anger, fear)

Area of Body Governed- top center of the head, midline above the ears

Reflexology teaches us that the vital energy or life force of our body circulates in a balanced rhythmic way between all the organs of the body. It also permeates every living cell and tissue. If this energy becomes blocked, the organs relating to the blockage becomes diseased. Also, bacteria and virus related diseases can upset the energy balance in the body.

This energy is circulating between two points, the top of the head and the feet. It flows between these two poles, in ten separate energy currents, five in each sides of the body. The currents flow in perpendicular lines called zones and within these zones located are all the organs and muscles of the body.

Apart from these energy zones, the feet are also divided into three transverse zones. The first division lies between the phalanges and metatarsals. In that first zone are the reflexes of the head and neck. The second division lies over the metatarsals and houses the reflexes of the chest and upper abdomen. The third division continues down from the waistline to the calcaneus. In the third zone we can find the reflexes for the abdomen and pelvis.

Heart Chakra

The Heart Chakra is associated with the color green or pink. This love center of our human energy system is often the focus in bringing about a healing. Thus, the words "Love Heals All" have great truth. Hurtful situations that can affect our emotional being are divorce or separation, grief through death, emotional abuse, abandonment, and adultery. All of these are wounding to the heart chakra. Physical illnesses brought about by heartbreak require that an emotional healing occur along with the physical healing. Learning to love yourself is a powerful first step in securing a healthy fourth chakra.

Associations

• Color - green, pink (Gemstone – emerald, rose quartz)
• Physical Location - center of chest
• Purposes - emotional empowerment
• Spiritual Lesson - forgiveness, unconditional love, letting go, trust, compassion
• Physical Dysfunctions- heart conditions, asthma, lung & breast cancers, thoracic spine, pneumonia, upper back, shoulder problems
• Mental and Emotional Issues - love, compassion, confidence, inspiration, hope, despair, hate, envy, fear, jealousy, anger, generosity
• Information Stored Inside heart Chakra - connections or "heart strings" to those whom we love
• Area of Body Governed- heart, circulatory system, blood, lungs, rib cage, diaphragm, thymus, breasts, esophagus, shoulders, arms, hands

Throat Chakra

The Throat Chakra is associated with the color sky blue. This chakra is our will center. The healthfulness of the fifth chakra is in relation to how honestly one expresses himself/herself. Lying violates the body and spirit. We speak our choices with our voices. All choices we make in our lives have consequences on an energetic level. Even choosing not to make a choice such as in repressing our anger (not speaking out) may manifest into laryngitis. We have all experienced that "lump in our throats" when we are at a crossroad of not knowing how to speak the right words in any given situation, perhaps even stuffing our own emotions. A challenge of the throat chakra is to express ourselves in the most truthful manner. Also to receive and assimilate information. Seek only the truth.

Associations

• Color - blue (Gemstone – lapis, blue opal)
• Physical Location - throat, neck region
• Purposes - learning to take responsibility for one's own needs
• Spiritual Lesson - confession, surrender personal will over to divine will, faith, truthfulness over deceit
• Physical Dysfunctions- sore throat, mouth ulcers, scoliosis, swollen glands, thyroid dysfunctions, laryngitis, voice problems, gum or tooth problems, TMJ
• Mental and Emotional Issues - personal expression, creativity, addiction, criticism, faith, decision making (choices), will, lack of authority
• Information Stored Inside Throat Chakra - self-knowledge, truth, attitudes, hearing, taste, smell
• Area of Body Governed- throat, thyroid, trachea, neck vertebrae, mouth, teeth, gums, esophagus, parathyroid

Sacral Chakra

The Sacral Chakra is associated with the color orange or red-orange. Visualize the Sunkist orange or the orange red of an evening sunset when focusing on spinning the sacral chakra. This chakra often offers us the opportunity to lessen our "control issues" and find a balance in our lives, teaching us to recognize that acceptance and rejection are not the only options in our relationships. The process of making changes in our life stream through our personal choices is a product of sacral chakra energy. A well-functioning sacral chakra helps one to maintain a healthy yin-yang existence.

Associations,

• Color - orange (Gemstone – garnet, moonstone, orange toumaline)
• Physical Location - lower abdomen to the navel
• Purposes - emotional connection
• Spiritual Lesson - creativity, manifestation. honoring relationships, learning to "let go"
• Physical Dysfunctions- low back pain, sciatica, ob/gyn problems, pelvic pain, libido, urinary problems
• Mental and Emotional Issues - blame, guilt, money, sex, power, control, creativity, morality
• Information Stored Inside Sacral Chakra – control issues, controls your passions, your sexual needs, the abundance that you allow into your life for fulfillment of your desires
• Area of Body Governed- sexual organs, stomach, upper intestines, liver, gallbladder, kidney, pancreas, adrenal glands, spleen, middle spine

Solar Plexus Chakra

The Solar Plexus Chakra is associated with the color yellow. This is the area which defines our "self-esteem". The personality that develops during puberty is housed in this chakra....otherwise known as the "EGO". Anyone experiencing dysfunction of the third chakra is having difficulty obtaining or maintaining his/her own "personal power". This intuitive chakra is where we get our "gut instincts" that signal us to do or not to do something. Strong self-esteem is a required for developing intuitive skills.

Associations

• Color - yellow (Gemstone – jasper, golden topaz)
• Physical Location - solar plexus
• Purposes - mental understanding of emotional life
• Spiritual Lesson - acceptance of your place in the life stream (self-love)
• Physical Dysfunctions- stomach ulcers, intestinal tumors, diabetes, pancreatitis, indigestion, anorexia/bulimia, hepatitis, cirrhosis, adrenal imbalances, arthritis, colon diseases
• Mental and Emotional Issues - self esteem, fear of rejection, oversensitivity to criticism, self-image fears, fears of our secrets being found out, indecisiveness
• Information Stored Inside Solar plexus - personal power, personality, consciousness of self within the universe (sense of belonging), knowing
• Area of Body Governed- upper abdomen, umbilicus to rib cage, liver, gallbladder, middle spine, spleen, kidney, adrenals, small intestines, stomach

What is a chakra exactly?

A chakra is a center of activity that receives, assimilates, and expresses life force energy. The word chakra literally translates as wheel or disk and refers to a spinning sphere of bio-energetic activity emanating from the major nerve ganglia branching forward from the spinal column. There are six of these wheels stacked in a column of energy that spans from the base of the spine to the middle of the forehead, and the seventh which is beyond the physical region. Chakras are our energy centers. They are the openings for life energy to flow into and out of our aura. Their function is to vitalize the physical body and to bring about the development of our self-consciousness. They are associated with our physical, mental and emotional interactions.

In Hinduism, the concept of chakras is part of a complex of ideas related to esoteric anatomy. These ideas occur most often in the class of texts that are called Tantras. There are many variations on these concepts in the Sanskrit source texts. In earlier texts there are various systems of chakras, with varying connections between them. Various traditional sources list 5, 6, 7, or 8 chakras.

 Over time, one system of 6 or 7 chakras along the body's axis became the dominant model, adopted by most schools of yoga. This particular system may have originated in about the 11th century AD, and rapidly became widely popular.

The chakras are described as emanations of consciousness, an energy emanating from the spiritual which gradually turns concrete, creating these distinct levels of chakras. The energy that was unleashed in creation lies coiled and sleeping at the base of the spine. It is the purpose of the tantric forms of yoga to arouse this energy, and cause it to rise back up through the increasingly subtler chakras, until union with God is achieved in the crown chakra at the top of the head.

It is our goal as therapists to encourage the highest level of healing in our clients. Therefore we need to educate and open their mind to the widely excepted concept that mind, body and soul are connected in regards to disease and disharmony. When there is an imbalance, all of these levels are affected. We should strive to promote healing for our clients on all levels to lower the chance of reoccurring imbalances. Keep in mind that each client will have a different way of understanding and a different level of accepting energy healing. Each client will take what ever they need in that moment in their life from this experience. Your job is to spark their awareness and bring balance into their life. 

There are 7 Chakras in the Hindu system, which are located at the 7 Endocrine glands. Chakra means wheel, and they are also called lotus flowers, as each chakra has a certain number of leaves, petals, or spokes.

Various techniques have been presented on working with the chakras, both optimizing balanced chakras to allow more chi energy through, and helping or balancing chakras that are not functioning properly. You can activate the chakra through breathing, visualization, movement, and yoga postures. Projecting love and light into the chakra is also good for malfunctioning and blocked chakras, but not overactive ones, which already have enough energy going through them.  Imagine the area of the affected chakra as pervaded by a brilliant white, golden, or other colored light, which is of the complete essence of love. Imagine this light healing the chakra, opening it, and restoring it to its proper functioning. Chakra balancing can also be achieved through the use of the crystals associated with each chakra, and even by wearing clothes in the color matching the imbalanced chakra.