Chakras for Beginners: Complete Guide to the 7 Energy Centers

By Nicole, Founder of Mystic Ryst

You've heard about chakras. Maybe you've been told your heart chakra is blocked, or that you need to open your third eye. But what ARE chakras, really? And why does everyone from yoga teachers to energy healers to crystal practitioners talk about them?

Chakras are your body's energy centers—spinning wheels of light that govern your physical, emotional, mental, and spiritual health. When they're balanced, you feel vibrant, healthy, and aligned. When they're blocked, you experience physical illness, emotional issues, or spiritual disconnection.

Understanding your chakras is like getting the owner's manual for your energy body. This guide will teach you everything you need to know about the seven main chakras—what they are, what they do, and how to keep them balanced.

What Are Chakras?

Chakras are energy centers in your subtle body (your energetic anatomy, not your physical body). The word "chakra" comes from Sanskrit, meaning "wheel" or "disk."

Key Concepts

• Energy centers: Points where energy concentrates and flows
• Spinning wheels: Chakras spin, drawing in and radiating energy
• Seven main chakras: Along the spine from base to crown
• Each has a color: Rainbow spectrum from red to violet
• Each governs specific areas: Physical, emotional, mental, spiritual

Where Chakras Come From

Chakra system originated in ancient India (Vedic texts, 1500-500 BCE). It's part of:

• Yoga philosophy
• Ayurvedic medicine
• Tantric traditions
• Hindu and Buddhist practices

Now used worldwide in energy healing, meditation, and holistic health.

The 7 Main Chakras

1. Root Chakra (Muladhara)

Location: Base of spine, pelvic floor
Color: Red
Element: Earth
Sanskrit: Muladhara ("root support")
Symbol: 4-petaled lotus

Governs:

• Survival and basic needs
• Safety and security
• Grounding and stability
• Physical body and health
• Money and material world
• Connection to Earth
• Fight-or-flight response

Physical associations: Legs, feet, bones, large intestine, adrenal glands

When balanced:

• Feel safe and secure
• Grounded and stable
• Healthy relationship with money
• Strong physical body
• Present in the moment
• Trust in life

When blocked/imbalanced:

• Anxiety and fear
• Financial insecurity
• Feeling ungrounded or spacey
• Physical issues: leg/foot problems, constipation, lower back pain
• Hoarding or materialism
• Inability to feel safe

How to balance:

• Grounding exercises (walk barefoot, connect with nature)
• Physical exercise, especially yoga
• Eat root vegetables (carrots, potatoes, beets)
• Wear red
• Crystals: Black tourmaline, red jasper, hematite, smoky quartz
• Affirmation: "I am safe. I am grounded. I am supported."

2. Sacral Chakra (Svadhisthana)

Location: Lower abdomen, below navel
Color: Orange
Element: Water
Sanskrit: Svadhisthana ("one's own place")
Symbol: 6-petaled lotus

Governs:

• Creativity and creation
• Sexuality and sensuality
• Emotions and feelings
• Pleasure and joy
• Relationships and connection
• Flow and flexibility
• Desire and passion

Physical associations: Reproductive organs, kidneys, bladder, lower back

When balanced:

• Creative and inspired
• Healthy sexuality
• Emotional balance
• Ability to feel pleasure
• Healthy relationships
• Go with the flow

When blocked/imbalanced:

• Creative blocks
• Sexual dysfunction or addiction
• Emotional numbness or overwhelm
• Inability to feel pleasure
• Relationship issues
• Physical issues: reproductive problems, urinary issues, lower back pain

How to balance:

• Creative expression (art, dance, music)
• Movement (especially hip-opening yoga)
• Water activities (swimming, baths)
• Healthy sexual expression
• Wear orange
• Crystals: Carnelian, orange calcite, moonstone
• Affirmation: "I am creative. I embrace pleasure. I flow with life."

3. Solar Plexus Chakra (Manipura)

Location: Upper abdomen, stomach area
Color: Yellow
Element: Fire
Sanskrit: Manipura ("lustrous gem")
Symbol: 10-petaled lotus

Governs:

• Personal power and confidence
• Self-esteem and self-worth
• Willpower and determination
• Action and motivation
• Transformation and change
• Digestion (physical and emotional)
• Identity and ego

Physical associations: Digestive system, stomach, liver, pancreas, adrenals

When balanced:

• Confident and empowered
• Strong sense of self
• Motivated and driven
• Healthy boundaries
• Good digestion
• Take action on goals

When blocked/imbalanced:

• Low self-esteem
• Lack of confidence
• Victim mentality
• Inability to take action
• Control issues or passivity
• Physical issues: digestive problems, ulcers, diabetes

How to balance:

• Set and achieve small goals
• Practice saying no (boundaries)
• Core-strengthening exercises
• Sunlight exposure
• Wear yellow
• Crystals: Citrine, tiger's eye, pyrite, yellow jasper
• Affirmation: "I am powerful. I am confident. I take action."

4. Heart Chakra (Anahata)

Location: Center of chest
Color: Green (also pink)
Element: Air
Sanskrit: Anahata ("unstruck" or "unhurt")
Symbol: 12-petaled lotus

Governs:

• Love (all forms)
• Compassion and empathy
• Forgiveness and acceptance
• Relationships and connection
• Healing and wholeness
• Balance (bridge between lower and upper chakras)
• Peace and harmony

Physical associations: Heart, lungs, chest, arms, hands, circulatory system

When balanced:

• Loving and compassionate
• Able to give and receive love
• Forgiving of self and others
• Healthy relationships
• Empathetic without absorbing
• Inner peace

When blocked/imbalanced:

• Difficulty loving or being loved
• Holding grudges
• Jealousy or codependency
• Emotional coldness or overwhelm
• Loneliness
• Physical issues: heart problems, lung issues, circulation problems

How to balance:

• Practice self-love and self-care
• Forgiveness work
• Heart-opening yoga poses
• Spend time in nature
• Wear green or pink
• Crystals: Rose quartz, green aventurine, malachite, rhodonite
• Affirmation: "I am love. I give and receive love freely. I forgive."

5. Throat Chakra (Vishuddha)

Location: Throat
Color: Blue
Element: Ether/Sound
Sanskrit: Vishuddha ("especially pure")
Symbol: 16-petaled lotus

Governs:

• Communication and self-expression
• Truth and authenticity
• Speaking and listening
• Creativity (verbal expression)
• Sound and vibration
• Choice and decision-making

Physical associations: Throat, thyroid, neck, jaw, mouth, ears

When balanced:

• Speak your truth clearly
• Authentic self-expression
• Good listener
• Clear communication
• Creative expression
• Make decisions easily

When blocked/imbalanced:

• Difficulty expressing yourself
• Fear of speaking up
• Lying or withholding truth
• Talking too much or too little
• Feeling unheard
• Physical issues: sore throat, thyroid problems, neck pain

How to balance:

• Speak your truth (start small)
• Sing, chant, or hum
• Journaling
• Practice active listening
• Wear blue
• Crystals: Blue lace agate, aquamarine, kyanite, turquoise
• Affirmation: "I speak my truth. My voice matters. I am heard."

6. Third Eye Chakra (Ajna)

Location: Forehead, between eyebrows
Color: Indigo/Purple
Element: Light
Sanskrit: Ajna ("command" or "perceive")
Symbol: 2-petaled lotus

Governs:

• Intuition and psychic abilities
• Insight and wisdom
• Imagination and visualization
• Clarity and perception
• Dreams and visions
• Inner knowing
• Spiritual awareness

Physical associations: Eyes, brain, pituitary gland, pineal gland

When balanced:

• Strong intuition
• Clear insight
• Vivid imagination
• Good memory
• Ability to see truth
• Spiritual connection

When blocked/imbalanced:

• Lack of intuition or clarity
• Confusion and indecision
• Inability to see the big picture
• Nightmares or lack of dreams
• Disconnection from intuition
• Physical issues: headaches, vision problems, sinus issues

How to balance:

• Meditation (especially third eye focus)
• Visualization practices
• Dream work and journaling
• Trust your intuition
• Wear indigo/purple
• Crystals: Amethyst, labradorite, lapis lazuli, azurite
• Affirmation: "I trust my intuition. I see clearly. I am wise."

7. Crown Chakra (Sahasrara)

Location: Top of head
Color: Violet/White
Element: Thought/Consciousness
Sanskrit: Sahasrara ("thousand-petaled")
Symbol: 1000-petaled lotus

Governs:

• Spiritual connection
• Divine consciousness
• Enlightenment and awakening
• Unity and oneness
• Higher purpose
• Transcendence
• Pure awareness

Physical associations: Brain, nervous system, pineal gland

When balanced:

• Spiritual connection
• Sense of purpose
• Inner peace
• Wisdom and understanding
• Feeling of unity with all
• Transcendence of ego

When blocked/imbalanced:

• Spiritual disconnection
• Lack of purpose or meaning
• Cynicism or close-mindedness
• Attachment to material world
• Depression or apathy
• Physical issues: neurological disorders, sensitivity to light/sound

How to balance:

• Meditation and prayer
• Spiritual practice
• Connection to something larger than self
• Silence and stillness
• Wear violet/white
• Crystals: Clear quartz, selenite, amethyst, diamond
• Affirmation: "I am connected to divine wisdom. I am one with all. I am consciousness."

How Chakras Work Together

The Chakra System as a Whole

• Lower chakras (1-3): Physical, material, earthly concerns
• Heart chakra (4): Bridge between lower and upper
• Upper chakras (5-7): Spiritual, mental, ethereal concerns

All seven must be balanced for optimal health and well-being.

Energy Flow

Energy flows up and down through the chakras:

• Upward flow: From earth, grounding, manifesting spirit into matter
• Downward flow: From divine, spiritual energy into physical form

Blockages anywhere disrupt the entire system.

Signs of Chakra Imbalance

Physical Signs

Issues in body areas associated with each chakra often indicate imbalance in that chakra.

Emotional Signs

Emotional patterns (fear, anger, grief, etc.) relate to specific chakras.

Mental Signs

Thought patterns and beliefs can indicate which chakras need attention.

Spiritual Signs

Disconnection, lack of purpose, or spiritual crisis often relate to upper chakras.

How to Balance Your Chakras

Meditation

Chakra meditation:

1. Sit comfortably
2. Visualize each chakra in its color
3. Start at root, move up to crown
4. See each chakra spinning and glowing
5. Breathe into each one
6. Feel them all balanced and aligned

Crystals for Each Chakra

• Root: Black tourmaline, red jasper, hematite
• Sacral: Carnelian, orange calcite, moonstone
• Solar Plexus: Citrine, tiger's eye, pyrite
• Heart: Rose quartz, green aventurine, malachite
• Throat: Blue lace agate, aquamarine, kyanite
• Third Eye: Amethyst, labradorite, lapis lazuli
• Crown: Clear quartz, selenite, amethyst

Place crystals on corresponding chakras during meditation or wear as jewelry.

Yoga

Specific poses open and balance each chakra. Any yoga practice helps overall chakra health.

Sound Healing

Each chakra has a corresponding sound/frequency:

• Root: LAM
• Sacral: VAM
• Solar Plexus: RAM
• Heart: YAM
• Throat: HAM
• Third Eye: OM
• Crown: Silence or OM

Chant these sounds to activate chakras.

Color Therapy

Wear, visualize, or surround yourself with each chakra's color to balance it.

Affirmations

Speak affirmations for each chakra (listed above) to reprogram and balance.

Breathwork

Conscious breathing while focusing on each chakra brings energy and balance.

Common Chakra Questions

"Can I feel my chakras?"

Some people feel tingling, warmth, or energy. Others don't physically feel them but notice effects of balanced chakras.

"How long does it take to balance chakras?"

Varies. Some feel shifts immediately, others need consistent practice over weeks or months.

"Can chakras be too open?"

Yes. Balance is key. Overactive chakras cause issues just like blocked ones.

"Do I need to balance them in order?"

Generally start with root and work up, but you can focus on whichever needs most attention.

"Are chakras real or just metaphor?"

They're part of subtle energy anatomy. Whether you see them as literal or metaphorical, working with them produces real results.

Your Chakra Practice

Start simple:

1. Learn the seven chakras (you just did!)
2. Notice which chakra(s) feel imbalanced
3. Choose one practice (meditation, crystals, affirmations)
4. Work with that chakra for a week
5. Notice what shifts
6. Gradually work with all seven

Final Thoughts

Your chakras are your energy anatomy—as real and important as your physical body. When they're balanced, you feel healthy, vibrant, and aligned. When they're blocked, you experience dis-ease on all levels.

Understanding your chakras gives you a roadmap for healing. Physical issues? Check the associated chakra. Emotional patterns? There's a chakra for that. Spiritual disconnection? Upper chakras need attention.

This ancient system is your owner's manual for your energy body. Learn it. Work with it. Watch your entire life come into balance.

Welcome to your chakras. Welcome to your energy body. Welcome to a whole new level of self-understanding.

Which chakra do you feel needs the most attention? How do you work with your chakras? I'd love to hear about your chakra journey.