Our chakras are energy centres within our body. Activating and aligning the chakras leads to greater stability with our physical, emotional and spiritual selves. By focusing on each of the seven chakras, you can open or clear blockages and allow energy to flow freely.
Imagine along your spine you have spinning spheres, each with a different colour of the rainbow. Red at the base of your spine for your root chakra. Orange is next for your sacral chakra, about two inches below your navel. Above your navel is yellow for your solar plexus chakra. At heart level is green for your heart chakra. Blue is at your throat chakra. Indigo is for your third eye, above the bridge of your nose. Violet is at the top of your head for the crown chakra.
Various herbs are associated with each of the chakras and can assist with activating these energy centres so you can reach your full potential.
Muladhara, the Root chakra, is the chakra for sexuality, security and fears. When the root chakra is unaligned or imbalanced, we may feel a fear of change, depression, or have compulsive behaviour. A beautiful grounding herb for the root chakra is dandelion root. Other herbs that can be helpful are paprika, astragalus and burdock root.
Swadhisthana, the Sacral chakra, is the chakra for passion, joy and creativity. If the sacral chakra is out of balance, we may feel shy, self-conscious or have strong cravings. The sacral chakra can be activated with calendula, ladies mantle and raspberry leaf.
Manipura, the Solar plexus chakra, is the chakra for confidence, discipline and stamina. Unbalanced solar plexus chakra may show up as aggression, vanity, feeling like a victim, or bitterness. Activate the solar plexus chakra with herbs like ginger, turmeric and fennel.
Anahata, the Heart chakra, is the chakra for love, compassion and peace. When the heart chakra is unbalanced, we may feel like we can’t say “no”, or we may feel shy, selfish or lonely. The heart chakra can be activated by using tulsi, hawthorn or nettle.
Vishuddha, the Throat chakra, includes the neck, shoulders, jaw, thyroid, vocal cords and ears. The throat chakra is about communication (both speaking and listening) and honesty. Imbalance of the throat chakra may manifest as arrogance, always having to have the last word, or timidness and fearing public speaking. Herbs that can be helpful for the throat chakra include marshmallow and licorice.
Ajna, the Third eye chakra, is the chakra of wisdom, intuition and dreams. Signs that the third eye chakra is imbalanced can include lack of concentration & imagination, nightmares or repressed memories. Meditation is recommended for balancing your third eye, and you can use herbs to assist also. Mugwort is one of my favourites for this purpose, but eyebright and bilberry can also be beneficial.
Sahasrara, the Crown chakra, is the last chakra located right at the top of your head. The crown chakra gives us knowledge & understanding. When the crown chakra is imbalanced, we may have a closed mind, lack of direction, or we may feel confused. Lavender is often used to help balance the crown chakra, although other herbs such as gingko, gotu kola, violets and blackberries can also help.
My suggestion is to work with one chakra at a time. You may already have a feeling of which chakra is blocked or imbalanced. Otherwise, you can meditate and focus on your chakras to get a sense of which chakra(s) need help.
What are your favourite herbs to use for activating and unblocking the chakras? Let me know!
About The Author
Kyra Howearth has been a vegan for nearly 15 years, developing a “conscience” when she was a young school girl. When she’s not flipping vegan pancakes, she’s teaching her children how to live a compassionate vegan life, and creating more healthy vegan recipes to share on her blog, Vie De La Vegan