A Guide to Chakra Meditation

"Emotions always have their roots in the unconscious, but manifest in the body." That line from Irene Claremont de Castillejo sits well with the practice we're about to walk through. Most people, if they're honest, have never tried chakra meditation. Plenty have never even heard the term. And yet it carries real benefits for both mind and body, from anxiety and depression to phobias, high blood pressure, migraines, and the ordinary grind of daily stress.

At its core, chakra meditation is a way to let go of tension and fatigue. The idea comes from an old Eastern tradition holding that the body contains seven main chakras, which are centers of energy. Through guided visualization, a person can wake those centers up and let positive energy move through them. People have leaned on this practice for hundreds of years, using it to care for mental, physical, and spiritual health alike. What follows is a plain explanation of the practice and how you might fold it into an ordinary day.

Before you sit down to try it, spend some time learning where the chakras actually are. The root chakra rests at the base of the spine. The solar plexus chakra sits between the chest and the mid-abdomen, around the belly button. Lower down, in the lower abdomen, is the naval chakra. At the throat, near the Adam's apple, you'll find the throat chakra. The crown chakra is at the very top of the skull, and the brow chakra sits on the forehead. The heart chakra, as you'd guess, lives in the center of the chest.

Each chakra also carries its own color, and knowing them helps the visualization. The root runs reddish. The solar plexus is yellow, the naval orange, and the throat a shade of blue. The brow takes on indigo, the crown shifts to violet, and the heart glows green.

Then there are the properties, since every one of the seven is tied to a function. Intuition belongs to the root. Control sits with the solar plexus, while the naval governs sexuality. The heart carries adoration and love. Creativity and imagination run through the throat; instinct and insight run through the brow. Knowledge and learning round things out at the crown.

When you're ready to practice, start by finding somewhere private and quiet. No crying children, no television or music, no barking dogs, no chatty partner, no co-worker leaning over your shoulder. Settle onto a large pillow or a yoga mat, either lying down or sitting. You don't need to cross your legs for this. The only thing that matters is keeping your back straight, whether you're upright or flat.

Let your breathing go deep. There's no need to force or manage it; just make sure nothing is restricting the air. See if you can sense it traveling up your spine as you inhale and sliding back down as you exhale. Noticing that movement is a sign you're doing it right. Keep repeating the cycle until you feel refreshed.

Begin at the root chakra and picture its reddish color. Ask yourself whether you can feel the energy there. If you can, stay with it, then move up to the next chakra and do the same. Work your way through all seven, sensing the particular energy of each, until your whole body feels awake and alive.

If you own chakra crystals, bring them into the session. Hold one in your hand and feel the energy coming off it; they can deepen the experience and help draw your inner energy out as you move through each center.

A word about the crystals, though. A basic set is cheap, and the cost only climbs as you chase higher quality. Stick to your budget. Some purists will insist that only premium stones will do, but you don't need to be talked into an expensive collection. And understand the limits here: chakra meditation is not a replacement for real medical or psychological care. If you notice shortness of breath, heavy sweating, deep fatigue, chest pain, fever, or a tight throat, call your doctor right away.

References: Health and Yoga. (2015). Chakra meditation. Retrieved from healthandyoga.com. Holmes, S. (2015). Spiritual chakra meditations. About Religion. The Quote Garden. (2015). Chakra meditation quotes.