Written by Avery Woodbury
The human vessel is a powerful hardware that has potential to achieve greatness throughout the universe. In order to operate effectively, it must be equipped with the right software and activate upon essential elements within. The chakra system originates from a Hindu concept that has been elaborated upon by many cultures and schools of thought throughout the world. A common model features seven chakras that are codependent with the others to live a full life of spirituality, health, wealth, and wisdom. There are seven chakras in the displayed system:
From bottom up they are the root, sacral, solar plexus, heart, throat, brow, and crown chakra. Each chakra can be enhanced with different types of workouts, meditations, crystal usage, and foods. With the Crown Chakra being the pinnacle, all chakras are easier activated once the underlying chakras already are. Starting with the Root Chakra, energy is built from the bottom up towards the heavens.
The Root Chakra is located at the bottom of the spine. It focuses on grounding, structure, survival, and essential movement. This chakra most connected with the Earth as it ties us to the material reality. Having a healthy Root Chakra encourages strong bones, immune system, hips, legs, and feet. Having the chakra blocked, or not active, will instill illness, a loss of confidence, anxiety, lack of mobility, and an unhealthy body weight.
To strengthen the Root Chakra spend more time hiking or walking barefoot. Shoes block the energy flow from the earth to the body, and can cause disruptions throughout the chakra system. There are also many muscles in your feet connected to the rest of your body through meridians. Walking around barefoot will stimulate muscles throughout the body and improve overall wellness.
Root vegetables such as potatoes, carrots, beets, onions, and ginger help restore the chakra and provide energy to bring confidence back to the individual.
Stones for healing and aligning the Root Chakra are hematite, obsidian, and tourmaline.
The Sacral Chakra is located in the lower abdomen. It empowers emotional feeling, sexuality, creativity, and the need for adventure. This chakra is what makes human relationships so powerful and orchestrates connectivity within the conscious collective. A healthy Sacral Chakra develops healthy intimacy, creative power, and a craving for the mysteries of life. When this chakra is blocked a person becomes closed off emotionally, uncomfortable with their sexuality, uninspired creativity, and a lack of motivation.
Recovering the Sacral Chakra requires deep meditation. Silent meditation helps build awareness around one's feelings, impulses, and desires. The ability to distance the body from consciousness helps develop empathy with the self along with understanding and respecting personal feelings.
Fruits such as melons, coconuts, strawberries, mangos, and oranges will help spark the fire back in the Sacral Chakra.
Stones such as orange calcite, vanadinite, and topaz help restore the Sacral Chakra.
The Solar Plexus Chakra is located under the chest. It rules over the ego, self-esteem, and awareness. This chakra allows an individual to moderate boundaries, control emotional reactions, and be at peace with internal dialogue. A healthy Solar Plexus Chakra leads to a soul being comfortable with the self and the surrounding world. When blocked the individual becomes ego driven, quick to react, and judgmental.
The best treatment for a blocked Solar Plexus Chakra is doing activities that release a lot of energy. Running, punching a bag, drilling a skill within athletics, or even screaming are great ways to release built up tension suppressing your solar plexus.
Grains, nuts, and dairy products can help restore the Solar Plexus Chakra.
Beneficial stones include amber, pyrite, peridot, and jasper.
The Heart Chakra is located within the chest. Compassion, generosity, love, and collective consciousness are all empowered by this chakra. This chakra brings consciousness into the 5th dimension and is the primary force behind raising vibrations. Someone with a strong Heart Chakra is forgiving, understanding, and a talented healer. Emotional abuse or a broken heart can cause a blocked Heart Chakra.
The best exercise to restore the Heart Chakra is practicing self-love. Easier said than done, this requires loving the self like it was one's own child. What would someone give his or her child for a daily routine? Where does forgiveness play in? What gifts, rewards, and encouragement does the child deserve?
Green vegetables such as spinach, lettuce, kale, broccoli, green peppers, and celery are high vibration/low karmic foods and empower the Heart Chakra.
Helpful stones are rose quartz, jade, emerald, and rhodonite.
The Throat Chakra is located in the spinal side of the throat. It controls our ability to communicate. A healthy Throat Chakra boasts great speaking skills and conviction. When out of balance, an individual may stutter, be lost for words, or have a difficult time projecting one's voice. The Throat Chakra becomes blocked when what one is saying isn't within their true feelings or purpose.
To restore the Throat Chakra it is important to openly vocalize feelings either alone or to a trusted person. Releasing the truth will restore fluid thought and speech.
Teas, water, and juices will help rejuvenate the Throat Chakra.
Stones for restoring the voice include lapis lazuli, turquoise, apatite, and malachite.
The Brow Chakra controls the third eye. The third eye represents sensory organs in the frontal lobe the control intuition, perception, and wisdom. Someone with a powerful third eye can delegate their energy wisely and avoid things detrimental to the human spirit. When the Brow Chakra is undeveloped an individual is more vulnerable to manipulation, illusion, and even possession. The best place to go to restore The Brow Chakra is nature. Mother Nature, when not disrupted by static from civilization is able to share God's imprint, and therefor remind one who and what they are. Like the Sacral Chakra, meditation is a powerful aid to restoring the Brow Chakra. Focusing your energy on the forehead can awaken the third eye during meditation.
Pomegranates, grapes, blueberries, black raspberries, and other dark fruits will restore the Brow Chakra.
Useful stones are Labradorite, amethyst, moldavite, and moonstone.
The final chakra, the Crown Chakra, exists just above the head. It opens spiritual communication and oneness with the universe. This chakra is the cultivation of all the others and is the most difficult to activate. Someone with a strong Crown Chakra is close to God and their actions radiate strong auras. Lacking an activated Crown Chakra leads to depression and materialism.
Time on Earth is short, so vision and ambition beyond this life is essential for spiritual development. Athletics that include full body movement and changing of elevation during training such as dancing, martial arts, yoga, and gymnastics will connect one to their Crown Chakra and the whole universe.
Though no specific food helps the Crown Chakra, burning incense or sitting at a campfire can awaken spiritual senses.