Feel Bad After Chakra Healing: Understanding Chakra Work Side Effects

Chakra Balancing Worse: Why Chakra Healing Makes You Feel Bad

You did chakra balancing work—meditation, energy healing, crystal work, or reiki—expecting to feel better. But instead, you feel worse. You're experiencing physical pain, emotional overwhelm, fatigue, anxiety, or other uncomfortable symptoms that weren't there before. You're left wondering: why do I feel bad after chakra healing? Did something go wrong? Is this normal? Should I be worried? Will I ever feel better?

Feeling worse after chakra work is actually common and often indicates a healing crisis—a temporary worsening of symptoms as your energy system releases blockages, processes stuck emotions, and rebalances. While uncomfortable, this is usually a sign that the healing is working, not that something went wrong. Understanding why chakra work can make you feel worse and how to support yourself through the healing crisis can help you navigate this challenging but ultimately transformative process.

Why Chakra Balancing Makes You Feel Worse

1. Healing Crisis (Detox Reaction)

The most common reason: your system is purging and releasing.

What's happening:

• Chakra work releases blocked energy
• Stuck emotions, old trauma, or energetic toxins surface
• Your system is processing and clearing them
• This creates temporary discomfort as things move out
• Like physical detox, you feel worse before you feel better

Why it happens: Healing isn't always comfortable. Sometimes you have to feel it to heal it.

Signs it's a healing crisis:

• Symptoms started after chakra work
• They're intense but temporary
• You're processing emotions or memories
• You feel like something is moving or shifting
• Symptoms gradually improve over days/weeks

2. Suppressed Emotions Surfacing

Chakra work brings up what you've been avoiding.

What happens:

• You've been suppressing emotions (grief, anger, fear)
• Chakra balancing opens the energy centers
• Suppressed emotions flood to the surface
• You suddenly feel things you've been avoiding

Why it feels worse: You're now feeling what was always there but buried. It's overwhelming because it's all coming up at once.

Common emotional releases:

• Crying without clear reason
• Sudden anger or rage
• Deep sadness or grief
• Anxiety or fear
• Feeling vulnerable or raw

3. Energy Moving Through Blockages

When energy encounters a blockage, it can be painful as it clears.

What happens:

• Your chakras have been blocked or sluggish
• Balancing work activates energy flow
• Energy hits the blockages
• As blockages clear, you feel discomfort

Physical sensations:

• Pain or pressure in chakra locations
• Headaches (crown or third eye clearing)
• Throat tightness (throat chakra)
• Heart pain or tightness (heart chakra)
• Digestive issues (solar plexus)
• Lower back pain (root or sacral)

4. Too Much Too Fast

Intense or frequent chakra work can overwhelm your system.

What happens:

• You did very intense chakra work
• Or you did it too frequently
• Your system is overloaded
• You're processing more than you can handle

Signs of overwhelm:

• Extreme fatigue
• Feeling spacey or ungrounded
• Emotional instability
• Physical symptoms are severe
• You can't function normally

Solution: Slow down. Give your system time to integrate.

5. Imbalanced Chakra Work

Working on some chakras but not others creates imbalance.

What happens:

• You focused only on upper chakras (third eye, crown)
• You neglected lower chakras (root, sacral, solar plexus)
• You're ungrounded and unbalanced
• This creates discomfort and instability

Symptoms of imbalance:

• Feeling spacey or disconnected
• Anxiety or panic
• Physical instability
• Can't focus on practical matters

Solution: Work with all chakras, especially grounding in root chakra.

6. Practitioner Error

If someone else did the chakra work, they may have made mistakes.

Possible issues:

• Opened chakras too much without closing them
• Worked too intensely for your system
• Didn't ground you properly after
• Transferred their own energy or issues to you
• Inexperienced or poorly trained

Solution: See an experienced practitioner to correct the work.

7. You're Highly Sensitive

Some people are more sensitive to energy work and react more strongly.

If you're sensitive:

• You feel energy work very intensely
• You have strong reactions to subtle work
• You need gentler, slower approaches
• Standard chakra work may be too much for you

Solution: Use gentler methods, shorter sessions, more integration time.

Common Chakra Healing Side Effects

Physical Symptoms:

• Fatigue or exhaustion
• Headaches
• Body aches or pain
• Digestive issues
• Flu-like symptoms
• Changes in sleep patterns
• Changes in appetite
• Skin breakouts (detox)

Emotional Symptoms:

• Crying easily
• Mood swings
• Irritability or anger
• Anxiety or fear
• Sadness or grief
• Feeling vulnerable or raw
• Emotional overwhelm

Mental Symptoms:

• Brain fog or confusion
• Difficulty concentrating
• Vivid dreams or nightmares
• Old memories surfacing
• Mental overwhelm

Energetic Symptoms:

• Feeling ungrounded or spacey
• Increased sensitivity to energy
• Feeling others' emotions more
• Psychic experiences
• Feeling energetically raw or exposed

What to Do When You Feel Worse After Chakra Work

Step 1: Assess the Situation

Determine if this is healing crisis or something else:

Healing crisis signs:

• Started after chakra work
• Temporary (days to weeks)
• Gradually improving
• Accompanied by emotional release or insights
• Feels like something is moving or shifting

Problem signs:

• Severe, worsening symptoms
• Lasting more than a few weeks
• Interfering with daily function
• Feels wrong or dangerous
• No improvement over time

Step 2: Ground Yourself

Bring energy down and stabilize:

• Walk barefoot on earth
• Eat grounding foods (protein, root vegetables)
• Physical exercise
• Root chakra meditation
• Hold grounding crystals (hematite, black tourmaline)
• Spend time in nature

Step 3: Support the Detox

Help your system process and release:

• Hydrate: Drink lots of water
• Rest: Sleep and rest as much as you need
• Gentle movement: Yoga, walking, stretching
• Healthy food: Nourishing, easy-to-digest meals
• Epsom salt baths: Help release toxins
• Journaling: Process emotions on paper

Step 4: Allow Emotional Release

Don't suppress what's coming up:

• Cry if you need to
• Express anger safely (punch pillow, scream in car)
• Talk to supportive friend or therapist
• Write about what you're feeling
• Let emotions move through without judgment

Step 5: Slow Down or Pause Chakra Work

Give yourself integration time:

• Stop intense chakra work temporarily
• Let your system process what's already been activated
• Focus on grounding and stabilizing
• Resume gently when you feel better

Step 6: Balance All Chakras

Don't focus on just one or two:

• Do full chakra balancing meditation
• Give extra attention to root chakra
• Ensure lower chakras are strong
• Work with the whole system, not just parts

Step 7: Protect Your Energy

You may be energetically sensitive right now:

• Visualize protective bubble around you
• Limit time with draining people
• Avoid overwhelming environments
• Use protective crystals
• Set energetic boundaries

Step 8: Seek Support

Don't go through this alone:

• Talk to the practitioner who did the work
• See an experienced energy healer
• Work with a therapist if emotions are overwhelming
• Join support groups for energy work
• See a doctor if physical symptoms are severe

How Long Does Healing Crisis Last?

Typical timeline:

• Mild healing crisis: 1-3 days
• Moderate: 3-7 days
• Intense: 1-3 weeks
• Deep clearing: Can take weeks to months to fully integrate

You should see:

• Gradual improvement over time
• Symptoms lessening, not worsening
• Moments of feeling better between difficult periods
• Insights or breakthroughs accompanying the discomfort

If symptoms persist beyond a few weeks or worsen, seek professional help.

When to Seek Medical Help

See a doctor if you experience:

• Severe physical pain
• Symptoms that could indicate medical emergency
• Severe depression or suicidal thoughts
• Inability to function in daily life
• Symptoms lasting more than a few weeks without improvement
• Anything that feels medically concerning

Important: Energy work side effects can mimic medical conditions. Rule out physical causes first.

How to Do Chakra Work Safely

To prevent overwhelming healing crisis:

Go slowly: Gentle, gradual work is safer than intense sessions

Work with all chakras: Don't focus only on upper ones

Ground before and after: Always ground yourself

Integrate between sessions: Give yourself time to process

Listen to your body: If it feels like too much, it is

Work with experienced practitioners: Especially if you're sensitive

Support yourself: Rest, hydrate, eat well during chakra work

Be patient: Healing takes time

FAQs About Chakra Healing Side Effects

Is it normal to feel worse after chakra balancing?

Yes, healing crisis is common. You're releasing blockages and processing stuck energy. Temporary worsening often indicates healing is happening.

How do I know if it's healing crisis or something wrong?

Healing crisis is temporary, gradually improves, and feels like something is moving or releasing. If symptoms are severe, worsening, or lasting weeks, seek help.

Should I continue chakra work if I feel bad?

Pause intense work and focus on grounding and integration. Resume gently when you feel better. Don't push through severe discomfort.

Can chakra work cause permanent damage?

Rarely. Most side effects are temporary. However, very intense or improper work can cause lasting energetic imbalance that requires correction.

What if I can't stop crying after chakra healing?

This is emotional release. Allow it, but if it's overwhelming or doesn't improve after a few days, seek support from a therapist or healer.

The Bottom Line

Feeling worse after chakra balancing usually indicates a healing crisis—your system is releasing blockages, processing suppressed emotions, and rebalancing. While uncomfortable, this is often a sign that healing is working, not that something went wrong.

Support yourself through the healing crisis by grounding, resting, hydrating, allowing emotional release, and giving yourself time to integrate. Most healing crises resolve within days to weeks with proper self-care.

And remember: healing isn't always comfortable. Sometimes you have to feel it to heal it. Be patient with yourself, seek support when needed, and trust that this temporary discomfort is part of your transformation.