What are the 7 Chakras and how can you balance them?

Your chakra system can serve as a guide for you and your life if you would like to open yourself up to the subtle world of energies. In this post you will find out what the 7 chakras are, what they stand for and how you can bring them back into balance with simple rituals, from food to gemstones to Ritual Cacao.

By Felix in Cacao Blog

Origin and Introduction to the Chakra System

Chakra translates as "wheel" or "energy vortex" and comes from Sanskrit, which is one of the most important languages of Hinduism. Chakras are subtle energy centers in our physical body which are responsible for the exchange of energy between us humans and the world around us. They influence our body, mind and soul. Every chakra is individual, represents certain themes on a psychological and physical level and shows us how balanced our life is.

In the chakra system it is said that our wellbeing is closely connected to our energy system and that each chakra is linked to certain areas of our body on a subtle level. With certain tools and techniques such as breathing exercises, yoga, certain foods such as cacao, meditations and the like, we can bring our chakra system back into balance.

In total there are 7 so called main chakras which, on a physical level, run along our spine starting at our tailbone and going up to the crown of our head: root chakra, sacral chakra, solar plexus chakra, heart chakra, throat chakra, third eye chakra and crown chakra.

Root Chakra

The root chakra, also known as the Muladara chakra, forms the basis of your energy system and is connected to the color red and the element earth.

It is located in the area of the pelvic floor and on a physical level it is responsible for supplying energy to your large intestine, your legs and your feet. On a subtle level, this chakra is home to the themes of security, basic trust, stability and life force. For many people, an unbalanced root chakra can show itself through inner insecurity, restlessness or the feeling of not being quite grounded.

How you can balance your root chakra:

• Essential oils such as lavender
• Gemstones such as red jasper
• Walking barefoot in nature
• Eating plenty of root vegetables

Sacral Chakra

The sacral chakra, also called the Svadisthana chakra, is located at the level of your lower abdomen and is characterized by the element water and the color orange.

It is said that this chakra is the home of our emotions as well as of our true creative power. Everything is born here - no matter whether it is a physical pregnancy or a creative idea. On a physical level the sacral chakra is closely connected to our reproductive organs and is therefore associated on a subtle level with the theme of sexuality and sexual energy.

If the sacral chakra is not in balance, for many people this can show itself in creativity and joy of life flowing less freely or in the connection to their own sensuality being less noticeable.

How you can balance your sacral chakra:

• Essential oils such as sandalwood
• Gemstones such as red tiger's eye
• Dancing intuitively and freely
• Eating plenty of orange foods

Solar Plexus Chakra

Our center of power is located in our upper abdomen, also called the solar plexus chakra or Manipura chakra. It is assigned to the element fire and carries the color yellow. Our abdominal organs in particular, such as our stomach, the liver and so on, are closely connected to this energy center. Life themes such as self confidence, power, success and other earthly themes are located here.

For many people, an unbalanced solar plexus chakra can show itself through less energy, a low sense of self worth or the need to want to control everything.

How you can balance your solar plexus chakra:

• Essential oils such as lemon
• Gemstones such as citrine
• Doing strength training
• Eating plenty of yellow foods

Heart Chakra

Our heart chakra is also called the Anahata chakra and is, so to speak, our main life center and the midpoint of our chakra system. This chakra carries the color green and the element earth within it. It is located in the middle of your chest at the level of the physical heart. On an emotional level, this energy center is home to themes such as compassion, (self-)love, harmony, forgiveness, gratitude, healing; but so called "shadow themes" such as envy, dependency, jealousy and the like also have their origin here when the heart chakra is out of balance. On a physical level, organs such as the heart, the lungs and our skin are connected to this chakra. For many people an unbalanced heart chakra shows itself through the feeling of having closed their own heart - of being able to allow little closeness or of feeling separated from others and sometimes also from themselves.

Some people have closed their heart because of painful experiences from the past, yet they wish to get back into feeling more. Here it is important to understand that once we close our heart, we close it to ALL feelings - the seemingly positive and the seemingly negative ones.

That is why we invite you to open your heart again and again, bit by bit, so that your heart chakra can find its way back into a natural balance and you can enjoy life with all its facets more. Allow yourself to receive and give love unconditionally again.

How you can balance your heart chakra:

• Essential oils such as rose
• Gemstones such as rose quartz
• Drinking Ritual Cacao to open the heart
• Eating plenty of green foods

Throat Chakra

The throat chakra, also called the Vishudda chakra, is located in the throat and is characterized by the element ether and the color blue. On a physical level it governs our thyroid gland, vocal cords, ears and mouth. That is why, seen on a subtle level, this energy center is essential for our expression, communication, creativity, understanding and listening.

If the throat chakra is not in balance, for many people this can show itself in finding it hard to express themselves freely, to connect openly with others or to give their own creativity space.

How you can balance your throat chakra:

• Essential oils such as sage
• Gemstones such as aquamarine
• Singing and humming
• Eating plenty of blue foods

Third Eye Chakra

At the point between our eyebrows sits our third eye, also called the brow chakra or Ajna chakra. It carries the color indigo and the element light within it. Physically, the third eye chakra is connected to the eyes, nose, ears, face and pineal gland. On a subtle level it deals with the themes of intuition, psychic senses, decisiveness and wisdom.

For many people, an unbalanced third eye chakra can show itself through a lack of focus, a less noticeable connection to their own intuition or a longing for more inner clarity. That is why it is important to strengthen our third eye chakra, so that it becomes easier for us to direct our focus inwards even in stormy times, in order to get a clearer view of our life again.

How you can balance your third eye chakra:

• Essential oils such as peppermint
• Gemstones such as amethyst
• Practicing alternate nostril breathing
• Eating plenty of purple foods

Crown Chakra

Last but not least, the crown chakra, also called the Sahasrara chakra, at the crown of our head represents our connection to the heavens or the universe. This chakra is assigned to the color violet and stands for the element of cosmic energy. Physically it is closely connected to our brain, nervous system and our scalp. On a subtle level the focus lies on spirituality, transcendence, wisdom as well as universal consciousness and truth.

If the crown chakra is not in balance, for many people this can show itself through a feeling of separation or meaninglessness and a less noticeable connection to something greater than themselves.

How you can balance your crown chakra:

• Essential oils such as frankincense
• Gemstones such as clear quartz
• Meditation and silence
• Any form of fasting (please pay attention to your individual health and, if necessary, speak to your doctor beforehand)

May your chakras serve you as loving guides and remind you again and again to feel into yourself, to consciously perceive your energy and to give yourself exactly what you need right now.