 Photo credit: YogaJournal http://blogs.yogajournal.com/yogabuzz/2014/01/a-guide-to-the-chakras.html |  Photo credit: YogaJournal http://blogs.yogajournal.com/yogabuzz/2014/01/a-guide-to-the-chakras.html |
The Meaning of “Chakras"
In Sanskrit, the word “chakra” literally translates to “spinning wheel”, the consciousness of our mind gets projected through these channels and influences how we act, feel and perceive things.
In Sanskrit, the word “chakra” literally translates to “spinning wheel”, the consciousness of our mind gets projected through these channels and influences how we act, feel and perceive things.
Depending on what state our mind is in, we can become imbalanced in our lives. We might feel limitations, fear, anxiety of self-esteem, causing deficiency in chakras - or confidence, even excessiveness of certain energy centers.
Following the path of consciously listening to our body can manifest in releasing certain blocks and finding our way to higher consciousness and cultivating our yoga practice to fine tune it to our unique personalities and circumstances.
FIRST CHAKRA: Muladhara Chakra (Root)
Muladhara Chakra is associated with the element earth and with the color red, symbolizing physical and emotional grounding.
Following the path of consciously listening to our body can manifest in releasing certain blocks and finding our way to higher consciousness and cultivating our yoga practice to fine tune it to our unique personalities and circumstances.
FIRST CHAKRA: Muladhara Chakra (Root)
Muladhara Chakra is associated with the element earth and with the color red, symbolizing physical and emotional grounding.
Imbalances can be developed by travel, relocation, financial difficulties, changes in family, deficiency in this chakra will be presented by a feeling fearfulness and anxiety, usually resulting in a limitation of security and a sense of groundedness, stability in life.
When we are balanced on the other hand, this is the area where we feel connected in our root, safe and grounded, connected to others, stable, secure and are able to provide for ourselves. Our immune system is affected here, health issues. Overfunction, become almost very obsessed with basic needs, go home stay on couch, make money. A lot of people struggle with over-eating, over-spending.
Yoga poses:
Asanas that settle the overactive “monkey” and helping us surrender to gravity: Suppta Baddha Konasana (Reclining Bound Angle Pose); Salamba Savasana (Supported Corpse Pose); Salamba Balasana (Supported Child’s Pose); Uttanasana (Standing Forward Bend)
Grounding oils that can help: bergamot, pachouli, frankincense - calm the central nervous systemSide note: we tend to be attracted to what we need
When we are balanced on the other hand, this is the area where we feel connected in our root, safe and grounded, connected to others, stable, secure and are able to provide for ourselves. Our immune system is affected here, health issues. Overfunction, become almost very obsessed with basic needs, go home stay on couch, make money. A lot of people struggle with over-eating, over-spending.
Yoga poses:
Asanas that settle the overactive “monkey” and helping us surrender to gravity: Suppta Baddha Konasana (Reclining Bound Angle Pose); Salamba Savasana (Supported Corpse Pose); Salamba Balasana (Supported Child’s Pose); Uttanasana (Standing Forward Bend)
Grounding oils that can help: bergamot, pachouli, frankincense - calm the central nervous systemSide note: we tend to be attracted to what we need
SECOND CHAKRA: Svadisthana Chakra (Hips, Sacrum, Genitals)
In Sanskrit this chakra is called Svadisthana, meaning one’s own place or base is associated with the color orange. This is our area in balance for pleasure or creativity. Our reproductive function and health sits here, for women this is the place for growing life. The first chakra was about getting things in order, whereas the second chakra allows for emotional and sensual movement in our life and learning to “go with the flow".
When in balance, we are happy, and connected with others, build strong emotional ties to the people we are connected to, experience pleasure not in an over-consuming way.
When out of balance, we loose our body, and we see symptoms of self-consciousness, resistance to change, fear of pleasure. We see people with eating disorders, who lost a connection to their body or have a very distorted version of their body. People who are deficient in this chakra tend to be flat and dull, tend not to have the juice for life, the vibrancy that we need to be happy and balanced. Sexual problems, alcoholism, drug addiction and discomfort in the lower back, hips, reproductive organs and overly emotional behavior, can be signs that this chakra needs some kind of attention.
Yoga poses:
The following poses help with adaptability and receptivity, while also providing freedom of movement in the pelvis: The leg position of Gomukhasana (Cow Face Pose); Eka Pada Rajakapotasana (Pigeon Pose) forward bending with the legs in the first stage; Baddha Konasana (Bound Angle Pose); Upavistha Konasana (Open Angle Pose) and other hip and groin openers.
Essential oils: clarisage, orange, eucalypthus - help the brain with creativity
----------------
Subscribe to this blog to stay tuned to read the complete guide about the other 5 chakras!
Sources:
YogaJournal
http://blogs.yogajournal.com/yogabuzz/2014/01/a-guide-to-the-chakras.html
http://www.yogajournal.com/basics/898
MindBodyGreen
http://www.mindbodygreen.com/0-1117/Ayurveda-Dosha-Types-for-Beginners.html
In Sanskrit this chakra is called Svadisthana, meaning one’s own place or base is associated with the color orange. This is our area in balance for pleasure or creativity. Our reproductive function and health sits here, for women this is the place for growing life. The first chakra was about getting things in order, whereas the second chakra allows for emotional and sensual movement in our life and learning to “go with the flow".
When in balance, we are happy, and connected with others, build strong emotional ties to the people we are connected to, experience pleasure not in an over-consuming way.
When out of balance, we loose our body, and we see symptoms of self-consciousness, resistance to change, fear of pleasure. We see people with eating disorders, who lost a connection to their body or have a very distorted version of their body. People who are deficient in this chakra tend to be flat and dull, tend not to have the juice for life, the vibrancy that we need to be happy and balanced. Sexual problems, alcoholism, drug addiction and discomfort in the lower back, hips, reproductive organs and overly emotional behavior, can be signs that this chakra needs some kind of attention.
Yoga poses:
The following poses help with adaptability and receptivity, while also providing freedom of movement in the pelvis: The leg position of Gomukhasana (Cow Face Pose); Eka Pada Rajakapotasana (Pigeon Pose) forward bending with the legs in the first stage; Baddha Konasana (Bound Angle Pose); Upavistha Konasana (Open Angle Pose) and other hip and groin openers.
Essential oils: clarisage, orange, eucalypthus - help the brain with creativity
----------------
Subscribe to this blog to stay tuned to read the complete guide about the other 5 chakras!
Sources:
YogaJournal
http://blogs.yogajournal.com/yogabuzz/2014/01/a-guide-to-the-chakras.html
http://www.yogajournal.com/basics/898
MindBodyGreen
http://www.mindbodygreen.com/0-1117/Ayurveda-Dosha-Types-for-Beginners.html
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