What are Chakras?

My journey working with crystals began with the basic knowledge that light comprises all colour, and then connecting that to an old tradition of assigning a colour to each of our physical energy junctions: chakras. Just as light is constantly moving, so is all energy, and I picture energy as a spiral up through the trunk of my body and out the top of my head, flowing through each chakra from the earth out to the sky. Old traditions described this as the serpent, or kundalini, with a sense of spiralling upwards toward greater understanding. The notion of ‘blocked’ energetic centres is when we are stuck in the same reality ad infinitum.

Our chakras are focal points where the many energy flows of our ethereal body intersect. In most modern representations, there are seven chakras. In the early traditions of Hinduism, Buddhism, and Jainism the number varies, but the philosophical texts from all these religions, and the ancient Chinese system of acupuncture, acknowledge and support the existence of this energy flow and its connection to everything else in the universe. ‘Chakra’ in Sanskrit means a wheel or circle, and can be thought of as discs of rotating light through which our vital energy flows.

When chakras are ‘blocked’ or there is poor energy flow we became out of balance, which over time impacts upon our physical bodies. Crystals help us to focus on ‘opening’ our chakras, connecting to the life force of the universe, and keeping our tiny part of this constant flow strong and vibrant.

Below is a simple summary which hopefully clarifies how an understanding of each chakra helps with the changes we need to make at certain points in our lives. We may ponder, meditate, exercise, visualise, use mantras or affirmations in order to focus upon those aspects of our lives that appear difficult or stuck, with the intent of gaining transformative insight: an ‘unblocking’ of the chakra and a freeing up of our energy flow.

The particular issues we face as individuals are unique to our circumstances but with the chakra colours we can attribute aspects of the human experience to each, take a new look at where we are stuck on repeat, and create a new story about that experience. Every new thought is an act of creation.

The transformative potentials held in each chakra are a guide to the steps we make to achieve wisdom, compassion and liberation from toil and dissatisfaction. When we are intent on becoming a happier healthier human, we are effecting changes within ourselves that will impact on everything around us.

It’s magic.