Balancing and healing the chakras or energy centers in the body can be done in several ways whether it be through specific yoga poses, breathing exercises, meditations, visualizations, mantras, affirmations, or placement of crystals on the body. In fact, the most effective way is to truly understand the purpose of the chakras, which is to show you what areas of your life you still need to heal and learn more about.
For example, the first chakra, which is located near your pelvic floor, expresses any fears you may have. So a good exercise is to observe what you are still fearful of while doing a specific pose that help open that energy center. A pose you may try is a deep squat where your hips are lower than your knees all while engaging your mula bandha (keigel exercises) if possible. The way to heal your fears is to replace that fear with trust. How would you feel if you began trusting what you most feared? Probably pretty relieved, so try it, even if it’s just conceptual for now. Trust me! 
Your second chakra or energy center is located about 2 inches below your navel and its associated negative emotion to heal is guilt. The second chakra has a lot to do with our sexual relationships in addition to our relationship with money so if you are feeling any guilt in your life, observe it while doing a seated spinal twist and breathing deeply. Once you identify where you feel guilt replace that guilt with forgiveness. I know it’s hard, but that’s the point. These are areas that need serious healing so observe where you feel the most attached to your negative emotions.
Your third chakra is directly on your solar plexus or navel center. This energy center is blocked by feelings of low self-esteem and lack of confidence in oneself. Take a moment now to sit and think of where you may feel this way and replace that emotion with a high level of confidence in your abilities. Express your creativity without doubt and experience, if just for a moment, how it would feel to know your self-worth as high. Observe this while taking in deep Buddha belly breaths which is inhaling and expanding the belly as much as you can without moving the shoulder girdle and exhaling drawing the navel in as close to the spine as possible. Just sit up straight and take ten deep Buddha belly breaths.
Your fourth chakra is located at your heart center is associated with love, naturally. But, what is important to consider here is the fact that we all hold onto some anger and frustration towards others. Pause now and honestly answer the question, To whom do I still hold anger, resentment or hatred towards? There may be several people. Start one at a time. Visualize that person and send them compassion and love in whichever way you can. Try this physical pose while visualizing the person: Find a hard pillow and sit down on the floor with the pillow behind you but touching your lower back. You are going to lay down on it facing upwards so that the pillow is forcing your chest to arch backwards and open up. Let your head relax backwards and feel free to place your legs in the butterfly position in order to make this an even more open experience for you. Let yourself go and experience compassion and love.
The fifth chakra is located in your throat and is associated with communication. When your chakra is blocked, you are unable to communicate clearly and feel that what you have to say isn’t important anyways. You may be too passive, or be passive-aggressive, or just aggressive in your words. Sometimes we don’t speak up when we feel we need to and then kick ourselves for it later. Or sometimes we say “yes I can help you,” when we really want to say “no” but we don’t want to disappoint anyone. Us women are masters at this!
If you are seeing some similarities in yourself while reading this, then what you want to do is empower yourself by telling yourself that what you have to say is important and giving your opinions value.
You may want to take some time to develop a nice bridge pose that can help you physically release there. Lie down on your back. Bend your knees and place the souls of your feet flat on the floor so your knees are pointing up. Bring your arms by your side and press your hips up towards the ceiling. Tuck your shoulders under and press your hands firmly on the floor. Keep you hips up for 5 breaths then lower down slowly. Focus your attention on the throat region while you are doing this and tell yourself “I have courage and will communicate more truthfully and clearly.” You can!
Your sixth chakra is located between your eyebrows at your spiritual eye. When this chakra is blocked, you have an inability to understand the connection in everything, which causes you frustration. You feel alone and isolated from the world and others, even yourself. You don’t trust your intuition so you make decisions based on other’s influences instead of your own. A way to start balancing this chakra is to find acceptance. Understand the link between us all and that you are not separate from me – we are all the same energy. Then you will start to listen to your intuition more because it will become louder and clearer for you. You will be walking your intended path.
I understand this may be hard to understand sometimes and if this is the first time you are reading about this concept I urge you to read the book The Yoga Sutras of Patanjali translated by Swami Satchidananda to learn more on the topic.
A pose you can do to connect with the sixth chakra is childs pose. You come to all fours on the floor and bring your hips back towards your heels with your toes pointed back behind you. Bring your forehead towards the floor, rounding your back naturally and rest with your arms by your side. If the spot between your eyebrows doesn’t touch the floor, put a pillow or object under your head so that you have contact with that region. Breathe into it.
The seventh chakra is located in the crown of your head and is associated with your faith. If you don’t have faith in the universe then this region will be blocked. I understand faith is a tricky word and it is not meant to be used in a religious context. It is just trusting that the universe is taking care of you how it needs to even with the pain and the pleasure that it brings. One must trust the process for one to heal. And how does one heal and balance this chakra? By learning how to let go and surrender to the universe.
I know it may sound trite of me to say, but it can be accomplished little by little. A pose that can help one surrender is Savasana, Corpse Pose. You lie down on your back with your legs 3 feet apart and your arms by your side about 1 foot away from the body with your palms facing up. That part is very important. By turning your palms up you are allowing yourself to be open and receive whatever information you are meant to be given. Pay attention and listen. Make sure you scan your body and relax every single muscle. Make your body extremely heavy and just let go! Stay here for five to ten minutes.
All of these chakras can be healed in the pace that you are ready for them to heal. Be patient and gentle with yourself. Just being conscious of the areas that need healing is the first step so congratulations, you’re already on your way! Just keep paying attention and listen. So make your negative emotions heel and heal! Make them stop and transform consciously. Keep reminding yourself, Heel Chakras! Heal!
If you want to go deeper into this process, you can purchase my book, Choose Peace: A Practical Guide into Consciousness here!
