Tag Archives: Human Energy System

Deeper Chakra Clearing following Attunement

During the middle of 2016 I was drawn to Faery Reiki and given the opportunity to recharge my energy body on a much higher vibration. This attunement cleared my chakras on a deeper level than before, clearing out stuff that had developed in the years since my previous Reiki attunements. Along the way I gained greater insights into the purpose and role of the 7 main chakras. I now feel like there is a higher vibration of energy in each chakra – blocks have been cleared, resulting in the chakras now being filled with more light, consciousness and awareness. During this clearing I received messages from my guides and angels that related to each of the chakras, which I am including here in this blog.

Root Chakra

“Good solid grounding is essential for whatever you are trying to create or manifest.”

Clearing began with the Root Chakra. I had always been prone to anxiety (especially since my spiritual crisis in 2014/15) and living in my head a lot and therefore needed grounding and strengthening of the root chakra, the connection to Earth. Many spiritual people spend a lot of time in meditation and reciting mantras and affirmations but if your Root Chakra is weak or blocked, all that spiritual energy cannot flow down your central channel and out the Root Chakra where it can bring about positive change in the physical world. Instead it remains in the energy field around the head (as a mental activity) or around the heart chakra (if you are connecting with it emotionally). This was one of the most enlightening insights I received at this time. Many spiritual people neglect their Root Chakra and focus solely on reaching up to the higher dimensions but a balanced energy system with an open Root Chakra is essential if we want all our spiritual endeavours to improve our day to day life. In addition to practising Faery Reiki, I was drawn to try a Shamanic Reiki session, which was equally grounding, being focused in the dimension that is closest to the earth plane. Once we start on the healing journey, I am convinced we are drawn to what we need at the time for our own healing.

By clearing and strengthening the Root Chakra, anxiety can be practically eliminated or at least considerably lessened. When your Root is clear and balanced, you feel strong, safe and secure in yourself, able to cope better with any challenges or problems that arise. I also discovered that I had developed a much stronger connection to animals and a deeper appreciation of nature. There were still many aspects of my life I was unsure of but I was happy to go with the flow and let things unfold.

Sacral Chakra

“Stop trying to fit in with the norm, the expectations of family, society etc, and just be yourself.”

A couple of weeks after the clearing of the Root Chakra I was aware than a period of intense creativity had begun. I was receiving ideas and inspiration for new courses to take myself, workshops to run, a new direction to take my business in and plans for the future relating to life in general.

Issues of power and control are related to the Sacral Chakra and I had some old anger issues come up to be released at this time. I received messages from my guides about not worrying if some people appeared to be walking out of my life. Some friendships did indeed go but others deepened. When you are being yourself, and open about who you are and what you do, you vibrate at a level of truth. This attracts new people to you who match your new vibration. Fear of loss and rejection can stop you making healthy choices but healthy choices are essential to your wellbeing. I was initially rather reluctant to start promoting my work with the faery realm, worried that people would think I was literally ‘away with the fairies’ but the amount of new clients I attracted for my Faery treatments at this time was amazing!

On a physical level I was given to understand how gynae and digestive problems are connected: this is because our reproductive and digestive systems are both governed by the same chakra – the Sacral Chakra. A diet of sugary and/or processed food is bad for gut health/digestion and makes menstrual problems such as period pain and PMT much worse. This was a time to become more aware of what I was consuming and making a few changes to improve things.

Solar Plexus

“Stay calm, stand in your own power, stay strong.”

When this chakra was activated a couple of weeks after the Sacral chakra, issues relating to conviction of principles and self-belief were highlighted. If someone challenged me in the past, the first thought that went through my head was always “Oh, I must be wrong then”. During the clearing of the Solar Plexus Chakra I was given a test when I really could have doubted my own abilities but it soon appeared that there were many other factors involved and it was simply a matter of the timing being wrong. My self-worth and self-esteem improved. I was no longer prepared to put up with certain types of behaviour so I developed some assertiveness strategies at this time.

Heart Chakra

“Get past your own hurts and see the love in others.”

Several teachings came through while this chakra was activated and cleared. It is essential not to let your ego stop you from doing something new or something different. After all, it may all turn out better than expected and you may be surprised at the kindness of others. How many times do we come out with excuses like “I can’t possibly do that”, “I’ll never be good enough” or even “I’m too old”. So often we just expect the worst, from ourselves and others. The lesson here is to get over your own ego and give others, and yourself, a chance.

“Know what’s in your heart – this knowledge is power.”

So often our egos cloud our connection to our soul, causing blocks to recognising and realising our dreams. This powerful message ‘Know what’s in your heart – this knowledge is power’ highlights the importance of knowing what is actually in your heart, ie. what you really want to do with your life. Knowing this gives power to set your intention. You are beginning to align with truth. Once you know where your heart lies, the energy from the heart centre can move up to the throat chakra to enable you to follow a new path. Until the Solar Plexus was fully cleared of blocks, I had had too many doubts in the Solar Plexus which impaired the flow of energy from the Solar Plexus to the Heart. Once these issues were cleared, I was free to follow my heart.

Throat Chakra

“Speak kindly of others – this purifies your Throat Chakra. Anything else lowers your vibration.”

When the Throat Chakra is clear you can put into action the creative impulses from the Sacral Chakra, free from the self-doubt of the Solar Plexus and the confusion of the Heart. When the Solar Plexus and Heart Chakras are clear, the energy of these creative impulses moves up the central channel free from the emotional wounds and limiting beliefs of the Solar Plexus, fully aligned with what is in your heart.

The teaching I was given (above) by my guides at this time is one we can all use to keep the energy in the Throat Chakra high and strong. This teaching can be very challenging at times but every action has a reaction and the energy we give out always comes back to us.

The Throat Chakra is concerned primarily with self-expression, living your truth and your path in life. While this chakra was clearing I was drawn to a book containing information which negated something I had been told several years back. I made a very interesting discovery relating to someone else’s erroneous belief that I had bought into, assuming that they knew more than I did. Discovering that I had been informed incorrectly helped to clear away a ‘limiting belief’ which had hindered my development in the area of mediumship/channelling which I really wanted to develop further. This is a strong reminder never to hand over your power to others, especially when deep down you know what they are saying feels wrong.

Third Eye

“Your path is unfolding. Don’t get side-tracked in other people’s lives and dreams; stay focused on your own. See clearly what is for you and what is for someone else.”

While this chakra was clearing I was drawing more like-minded people into my life and connecting with people with a similar vision – inspiring women with spiritual ambitions. Developing discernment is a major function of the Third Eye Chakra – understanding what is your path, in other words what is right for you, and what is someone else’s path. A clear, balanced Third Eye literally enables you to see clearly. It also enables you to detach from drama and all things which no longer serve you.

I was now beginning to feel much clearer about the direction I was heading in. I knew what I wanted to do, to raise my energy higher to achieve a stronger connection with Spirit, but sometimes when you are so focused on the big picture you want it all now without doing the work along the way and giving it the time it needs. My guides told me that I needed to deal with the small things and enjoy the steps along the way, rather than focussing on what I would be doing one day in the future. When you’re full of grandiose ideas, it is often very easy to neglect the boring day to day stuff of life. This was a reminder that being in the present is essential for bringing the grounding we need to manifest those great plans.

Crown

“See the underlying inter-connectedness in all things.”

Our external world can be regarded as a mirror of both our true desires and our fears. Have you ever noticed how often things keep going wrong when you are on the wrong path in life? In the symbolic language of the universe, things going wrong is a sign that you have veered away from your real path in life. Having a series of bumps in your car, for example, can be interpreted as the universe giving you a push or kick up the backside!

At this time I asked for a new spirit guide to help me on this next stage of my journey. I was then drawn to a book which helped me improve my connection to spirit and to take further energy attunements to raise my vibration higher. As my Crown Chakra cleared I also noticed an improvement in my manifesting abilities – things I really wanted to do suddenly became possible.

Overview

By the end of my journey of clearing through the chakras I understood how each chakra is affected by the energy of the chakra below it. Ultimately it all starts with the need for a strong, healthy Root Chakra which can provide a solid, stable foundation for future growth and happiness. Without this, the energy flowing up into the chakras above the Root becomes weak and distorted which prevents these chakras from developing and functioning as effectively as they should. The Root Chakra, I believe, is the most important chakra of all yet it is so easily damaged by trauma, emotional upheaval and not feeling safe in our early years. It is also easily neglected by those seeking to develop spiritually and ‘go higher’. It seems that healing is a universal process that virtually everyone here on Earth will feel the need to address at some point in their lives if they wish to achieve their highest and greatest potential.

Helen Shortland is a Reiki Master Healer/Teacher and Holistic Therapist based at 15 Wheeler Gate in Nottingham city centre. Helen offers several healing treatments such as Reiki, Angelic Reiki, Faery Reiki, Angel Therapy and Fairy Blessing Guided Journey, as well as Usui Reiki and Faery Reiki training courses. She has been on the spiritual path for 15 years and has extensive knowledge of healing and the healing journey. For further information about her Reiki courses, therapies and workshops, please visit her website http://helenshortland.com or visit and ‘like’ her Facebook page Helen Shortland Holistics & Enchantment.

The Fall: The Descent of Consciousness through the Chakras

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Recently I was reading an article which mentioned The Fall and the Garden of Eden. There are several theories about the concept of The Fall, such as Adam and Eve being cast out of the Garden of Eden or fallen angels being cast out of Heaven, but it got me thinking…. what if The Fall is a metaphor for the descent of our consciousness through the chakras with each incarnation? It is generally accepted that the development of the physical body proceeds from root to crown but our spiritual self or Higher Self descends downwards from crown to root. At the beginning of each incarnation our spiritual self leaves the consciousness of the bliss of unity to descend down to the consciousness of the earth plane. Could it be that The Fall is actually this Fall of Consciousness?

The Garden of Eden is likened to the bliss of unity with spirit, which is a good description for the 7^th chakra, the crown chakra. Many who journey to the afterlife in meditation or near death experience describe being in a beautiful garden. Many spirit communications have also reported existing in a beautiful garden.

As we descend from the unity of the 7^th chakra, we enter the duality of the 6^th chakra, or third eye chakra, which is represented by the dual forces of Chokmah and Binah on the Tree of Life. At the third eye, our energy splits into conscious and unconscious. I have always felt that the forces of light and dark play out very strongly in this chakra. This idea is depicted perfectly in the High Priestess tarot card with the two columns Boaz and Jachin, one black and one white, representing the subconscious and conscious minds. Does the dark pillar contain all the issues/karmic patterns we come into this lifetime with, with the aim of bringing them into the light of consciousness for healing? Here lies the duality of good and bad – our potential for greatness and healing along with the destructive elements of the shadow self. This chakra is where we have the opportunity to exercise our free will with our choice of action. The question to ask when considering which action to take should always be ‘Is this action in line with my truth, with love and with my highest good?’ If yes, we stay on the right path. If not, we lose our way and suffer the consequences of not living as we should.

We are making choices throughout our whole lives. Even in childhood we are learning the consequences of the choices we make. It can take years to undo the damage caused in terms of lack of self-worth and self-confidence and find our way back to Truth and Light. When we understand that the dark Boaz column signifies negation and the light Jachin column signifies beginning, this makes perfect sense. This journey back to Truth and Love, otherwise known as the healing process, is the clearing out of the negative energy created when we chose the path of illusion over love.

At the 5^th chakra, the throat chakra, we are learning to express ourselves and define who we are. At the 6^th chakra we had the choice to be true to ourselves or live in line with the demands or expectations of others. Here, the 5^th chakra, is where we express the energy of that choice. If we have chosen the path of illusion and false beliefs, the shadow self is exerting its influence and we are afraid to be ourselves and we end up living according to other people’s paths, not our own. If we are able to express our Higher Self using the energy of light from the 6^th chakra we will make healthy life choices that support our growth and our truth.

As our energy moves down from the 5^th chakra to the 4^th, our heart centre expresses how we feel about the life choices we have made. If we are living our truth, we will live in joy, contentment, inner peace, abundance and harmony. If not, there will always be an underlying sense of dissatisfaction and frustration; happiness and inner peace remain elusive.

At the third chakra, the solar plexus, the energy of the 4^th chakra descends and expresses itself as self-acceptance, self-worth and self-validation – or the opposite, self-doubt and low self-esteem. If you are happy in yourself and with the choices you have made, you naturally value yourself much more highly that if you are anxious and depressed. The solar plexus chakra carries the energy of how we really feel about ourselves. If you are living according to your highest potential and expression, your self-esteem and capacity for contentment and love will be high. If you are struggling to find your path and struggling to separate truth from the illusions you have bought into over the years, it will always feel like you are struggling to find yourself. How we think about ourselves affects how we relate to others. Solar plexus energy stresses that our primary relationship is with ourselves. If that relationship isn’t happy and healthy, other relationships we subsequently forge will reflect that lack of inner harmony. That is why external relationships can never bring us the contentment we seek; that contentment has to come from within, at the solar plexus, first.

The focus of the 2^nd chakra, or sacral chakra, is relationships with others and creativity. Consider your relationships – are they healthy? What do the people in your life reflect about you? The people you meet and situations you encounter externally in life reflect how you feel about yourself and about what is happening within you. When the sacral chakra is functioning well, your creative juices will flow. This creativity can take a variety of forms including creating plans and bringing new ideas to birth, creating art and craft work, singing, dancing and writing, as well as creativity in the form of fertility at the physical level. When this chakra is blocked, the energy isn’t flowing down from the solar plexus at a high enough frequency. In other words, if our self-esteem and self-worth are low and we do not properly value ourselves, we are either not able to express ourselves creatively at all or it may be expressed in unhealthy ways such as violent or subversive tendencies.

Finally the energy reaches the base or root chakra, the 1^st chakra, and fully merges with the dense energy of the earth plane. In most cases, the energy is now de-spiritualised, focusing solely on work, money and security. Life revolves around making ends meet, the hardships of life and the endless treadmill of working to survive. However if the energy has remained high and healthy and is in line with the Higher Self, it can create a trust in the universe to provide for our needs, faith in a higher power and a career that is more of a vocation or labour of love. You are now living your true purpose while here on earth.

To summarise this journey through the chakras then, I believe that The Fall is not a fall from grace at all (as was traditionally believed) but rather a fall of consciousness into the heavier density of the earth plane. We can make our journey a lot easier by aligning with our truth and living from our own higher spiritual ideals rather than buying into the illusions, prejudices and falsehoods of the society we live in. Wherever we are now, we can return to the energy of the 6^th chakra and make a different choice and follow a different path. Connecting to our own truth is essential for the great healing potential it holds. When we make choices in line with our growth, we are choosing the path of love and light and making positive, life-affirming choices. Our energy will start to flow more freely and naturally, attracting greater potential for happiness and wellbeing.

Helen Shortland is a Reiki Master Teacher, Spiritual Coach, Holistic Therapist and Meditation Teacher based at 15 Wheeler Gate in Nottingham city centre. Helen has been on the spiritual path since 2001 and, following a recent spiritual crisis, now finds she has a clearer, more intuitive communication with her spirit guides and angels who have encouraged her to share her extensive knowledge of healing on a broader scale than before. For further information about her Reiki courses and therapies please visit her website http://helenshortland.com or ‘like’ her Facebook page Helen Shortland Holistics.

Chakra Quiz

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Try this fun quiz to determine which of your chakras are low in energy and in need of an extra boost. Please see my previous blog to find ways to energise weak chakras.

In the questionnaire you will see that there are 7 options for each question. Jot down the number of each reply on a piece of paper. You can choose more than one option if appropriate.

At the end of the quiz, see how many times you recorded each number. Each number refers to a chakra, ie. 1 = root/base chakra, 2 = sacral chakra, 3 = solar plexus, 4 = heart chakra, 5 = throat chakra, 6 = third eye and 7 = crown chakra. You will be able to see where most of your energy is focused. In other words, if you have a dominant number 3 recorded, your solar plexus chakra needs the most attention and healing. Similarly if you record a particularly low score with a particular chakra, that chakra may also need healing and energising.

Question 1: Which area(s) of your body do you dislike?

Feet and legs
Between waist and hips
Waist
Chest
Neck and shoulders
Face
Head

Question 2: Which area(s) of your body are you proud of?

Feet and legs
Between waist and hips
Waist
Chest
Neck and shoulders
Face
Head

Question 3: Which area(s) of your body are most affected by health issues?

Feet and legs
Between waist and hips
Waist
Chest
Neck and shoulders
Face
Head

Question 4: Which colours do you like the most?

Red
Orange
Yellow
Green
Blue
Dark blue/indigo
Violet

Question 5: Which colours do you like the least?

Red
Orange
Yellow
Green
Blue
Dark blue/indigo
Violet

Question 6: Which are your favourite foods?

Meat/fish/pulses
Rice/orange fruits
Wheat (bread)/yellow fruits
Green fruit and veg

Question 7: Which sorts of exercise/interests attract you?

Fast action
Dancing/painting
Crosswords/puzzles
Outdoor activities
Drama/singing
Mystery/crime novels
Doing nothing

Question 8: What sort of people do you look up to or admire?

Sports people
Artists/musicians
Intellectuals
Conservationists
Speakers/politicians
Inventors
Mystics/religious figures

Question 9: What sort of person do you think of yourself as?

Get on with things
Creative
Thinker/worrier
Emotional
Chatterbox
Quiet
Daydreamer

Question 10: What emotions do you consider are uppermost in your life?

Passionate
Easy-going
Contented
Sharing/caring
Loyal
Helpfully distant
Sympathetic

Question 11: What emotions do you have that you would like to change?

Temper
Possessiveness
Confusion
Insecurity
Needing things to be black or white
Feeling separate from others
Not saying ‘no’

Question 12: If you get angry, what is your most common reaction?

Rage/tantrums
Sullen resentment
Get frightened
Blame yourself
Keep quiet
Withdraw
Imagine nothing happened

Question 13: What are you most afraid of?

Dying
Lack of sensation
Things you don’t understand
Being alone
Having no-one to talk to
Losing your way
Difficult situations

Question 14: Which of these describes the way you prefer to learn?

Fast
Slowly
Quickly but forget
Through feelings
By rote
Instinctively
Can’t be bothered

Question 15: What best describes your reaction to situations?

Enthusiastic
Go with the flow
Think things through
See how things feel
Ask a lot of questions
See the patterns then act
Drift along

Question 16: If you are criticized or reprimanded, what is your usual response?

Anger
Resentment
Fear
Self-blame
Verbal riposte
Think about it
Denial

Question 17: How would you describe your favourite books, films, video games?

Combat action
Art
Skill/intellectual
Romances
Courtroom dramas
Detective stories
Spiritual or self-development

Question 18: Which category best describes your friends?

Competitive
Creative
Intellectual
Loving
Idealistic
Rebellious
Spiritual

Energising the Chakras

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A weak, under-active chakra can be brought back into balance in a variety of ways. This ensures stability and wellbeing of the individual at every level of body, mind and spirit.

Base Chakra

Imbalances in this chakra can manifest as a chronic lack of energy, exhaustion, problems with stiffness and painful movement particularly in hips, legs and feet. Healing and energising is also needed when someone is uncomfortable with their body which can lead to a sense of confusion or unreality, lack of drive or motivation and an aversion to dealing with practicalities and taking physical exercise.

To energise the base chakra:

A warm bath.
Massage, aromatherapy or reflexology.
Walking, running, drumming, dancing or jumping. Just stamping the feet can improve circulation, co-ordination and our link to the earth.
Gardening for extra grounding.
Attend to practical matters.
Meditation to bring you back to the present and increase focus.
Eating, especially high protein foods. A good mineral supplement can also help. (Shortage of zinc is one of the most common causes of ‘spaciness’ and lack of mental focus.)
Haematite crystal for increased focus and grounding.

Sacral Chakra

This chakra is concerned with balance and flow including the ebb and flow of the emotions. Any imbalances in this chakra can manifest as poor balance of fluids and lack of flexibility such as irregular or painful menstruation, constipation, lower back pain, sciatica, fertility problems, arthritis and rigidity of joints. Imbalances can arise when we become fixated on something that is unrealistic or inappropriate which can lead to unhealthy emotional dependency, lack of emotional flexibility and repression of feelings. Adults who display sacral chakra imbalances may have experienced a lack of close physical contact as young children.

To energise the sacral chakra:

Tai chi, chi kung, hatha yoga or belly dancing to increase sense of movement and balance and increase chi in the tantien.
Creative pursuits such as painting, drawing, writing or making music to help blocked energy start flowing.
Moonstone, rose quart and clear quartz crystals placed over the sacral chakra.

Solar Plexus Chakra

This chakra is associated with the element of fire. Fire can bring comfort and warmth but can also bring fear and terror when out of control, echoing the emotional breadth of this chakra. Imbalances in this chakra can manifest as anxiety, digestive disorders, lack of personal power, victimhood or dominating others.

To energise the solar plexus chakra:

Seated spinal twist hatha yoga pose.
Visualise a golden sun in your solar plexus chakra.
Learn to accept yourself for who you are.
Meditation without form or Vipassana/still point meditation to take you beyond your sense of who you are.
Spiritual development including recogising that people and situations are a reflection of ourselves to stop you taking things so personally.
Citrine and calcite crystals.

Heart Chakra

This chakra governs our interactions as we reach out to touch and embrace others. It continually strives to bring balance between external stimuli and internal emotions. The state of this chakra indicates our capacity for joy, compassion and tolerance. Imbalances can manifest as feeling remote and isolated from the world around us or living your life according to other people’s rules. When you listen to your heart, you will be directed along a path which allows you to achieve your maximum potential.

To energise the heart chakra:

Join groups/classes or do community work to meet people and make new friends if you have been feeling isolated.
Gomukhasana hatha yoga pose to open the heart centre.
Find a balance between your personal needs and the needs of others.
Examine your values and beliefs to see if they are really yours. If not, identify your own and start to live by them instead.
Pink and green crystals to strengthen and energise the heart chakra.

Throat Chakra

This chakra is associated with communication, self-expression and finding a path of inner peace. Individual expression can be stifled by overbearing discipline. When that happens, energy is either directed upwards where it is locked in a fantasy world of imagination or downwards to distort the lower three chakras as aggression or excessive manipulation and dominance over others. Imbalances here manifest as lack of inner peace, communication difficulties and understanding the communication of others, difficulties swallowing or breathing, throat and thyroid disorders, metabolic disorders, neck and shoulder tension

To energise the throat chakra:

Singing, chanting a mantra or toning to release physical and emotional tensions.
Release and purifying hurt, angry feelings by writing them down and burning the piece of paper.
Creative/artistic expression such as drawing or painting.
Ustrasana (camel pose) from hatha yoga.
Examine core beliefs and see where there are conflicting viewpoints.
Don’t tell lies; try to practice open, honest communication.
Blue crystals such as blue lace agate, lapis lazuli and turquoise to assist self-expression.

Third Eye/Brow Chakra

This chakra governs perception, understanding, interpretation, perspective and thought processes. It interprets information received by the brain. Imbalances here manifest as confusion, poor vision, jumping to conclusions or a closed mind.

To energise the brow chakra:

Creative visualisation with images of light.
Cultivate a sense of detachment from strong emotional involvement to increase possibility of flashes of intuition and inspiration arising in the mind.
Send distant healing regularly to increase inner vision/clairvoyance.
Practice psychometry, with an open mind and sense of fun!, to receive impressions about an object, its history and owner.
Practice tratak (candle-gazing) meditation to strengthen third eye.
Indigo or violet crystals such as lapis lazuli or amethyst.

Crown Chakra

This chakra relates to spirituality understanding and concept of oneness or unity. The crown chakra is also the main co-ordinating centre of the body and connects the individual to universal sources of energy. Imbalances here manifest as limbic system disorders (body temperature, appetite, sleep patterns, emotions and movement), chronic fatigue syndrome and ME, lack of co-ordination, dyslexia, detachment and isolation or over-dependence on a person or way of living. If the crown chakra is weak or prevented from working normally, it cannot provide all the energy and information required by the other chakras.

To energise the crown chakra:

Physical exercises such as cross crawl (right elbow to left knee etc) to improve co-ordination.
Adho mukha svanasana (downward dog) hatha yoga pose to balance energy between feet and crown.
Improve body-mind co-ordination with activities such as juggling and rubbing your stomach while tapping your head.
Practice meditation and develop an interest in spirituality.
Reiki or other energy healing attunements.
Practice yoga nidra to visualise flow of energy and information throughout the body.
Clear quartz crystal to energise whole auric field and selenite crystal to live more in tune with higher self.

Helen Shortland is a Reiki Master Teacher, Meditation Teacher and Holistic Therapist based at Little London Herbal Stores on Kings Walk in Nottingham city centre. For further information about her courses, workshops and therapies, please visit her website at http://helenshortland.com.

The Chakras: Qualities, Correspondences and Stages of Development

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This picture depicts the seven major Chakras with descriptions. (Photo credit: Wikipedia)

Each of the chakras is symbolised by layers of imagery and energetic associations such as colour, element, note and a bija mantra sound, which can be used to promote balanced functioning of the chakras. Each chakra also relates to an endocrine gland, an area of the physical body and several mental/emotional qualities, which can result in various physical disorders when the chakra remains out of balance long term. Using a crystal of the appropriate colour can also be used to help re-balance a chakra – hold it over the chakra and visualise breathing its energy into the chakra with the in-breath for 5 or 10 minutes at a time.

Root or Base Chakra

Name – Muladhara, meaning ‘foundation’

Represents fearlessness, stillness, stability, survival instincts, will to live.

Colour – red, Element – Earth, Bija Mantra – Lam

Gland: Adrenal glands

Physical organs: Base of spine, bones, legs, feet, rectum, immune system.

Physical disorders: Chronic lower back pain, sciatica, varicose veins, rectal disorders, depression, alcoholism, immune-related disorders, flu/colds.

Crystals to help rebalance: red jasper, haematite, smoky quartz.

Stage of Development: Conception and birth up to approx 1 yr old – creation of physical body.

Sacral Chakra

Name – Svadistana, meaning ‘sweetness’

Relates to emotions, sensuality and creativity.

Colour – orange, Element – Water, Bija Mantra – Vam

Gland: Ovaries/testes

Physical organs: Reproductive organs, bladder, large intestine, appendix, pelvis, hips.

Physical disorders: Lower back/pelvic pain, gynaecological/reproductive disorders, sexual potency, urinary problems, migraine.

Crystals to help rebalance: carnelian, tiger’s eye, rose quartz; rhodonite and rhodochrosite to heal wounds.

Stage of Development: 6 months to approx 2 yrs – becoming an individual, separate from mother.

Solar Plexus Chakra

Name – Manipura, meaning ‘city of gems’

Relates to control of energy, personal power, self-esteem and self-confidence.

Colour – yellow, Element – Fire, Bija Mantra – Ram

Gland: Pancreas

Physical organs: Stomach, liver, gallbladder, kidneys, pancreas, spleen, mid back.

Physical disorders: Arthritis, gastric/duodenal ulcers, intestinal problems, pancreatitis/diabetes, indigestion, anorexia or bulimia, liver dysfunction, hepatitis.

Crystals to help rebalance: calcite, citrine, amber, tiger’s eye.

Stage of Development: Small child 18 months to approx 4 yrs – development of language and autonomy and search for balance between freedom and discipline.

Heart Chakra

Name – Anahata, meaning ‘unstruck’

Relates to harmony in both inner and outer worlds, love and relationships, compassion and forgiveness.

Colour – green or pink, Element – Air, Bija Mantra – Yam

Gland: Thymus

Physical organs: Heart and circulatory system, lungs, shoulders, arms, ribs, breasts, diaphragm.

Physical disorders: Heart failure, asthma/allergies, lung cancer, bronchial pneumonia, breast cancer, upper back and shoulder pain.

Crystals to help rebalance: emerald, green aventurine, rose quartz, kunzite.

Stage of Development: The child 4-7 yrs – relating to others outside immediate family, building self-esteem and self-acceptance.

Throat Chakra

Name – Vishudda, meaning ‘pure’

Relates to union of the elements, communication, self-expression, creativity and strength of will.

Colour – blue, Element – Ether/Space, Bija Mantra – Ham

Gland: Thyroid

Physical organs: Throat, thyroid, trachea, neck, mouth/teeth/gums, oesophagus.

Physical disorders: Sore throats, stuttering, mouth ulcers, gum problems, temporo-mandibular joint problems, laryngitis, swollen glands, thyroid disorders.

Crystals to help rebalance: lapis lazuli, turquoise, blue lace agate, chrysocolla.

Stage of Development: Pre-pubescent 7-12 yrs – beginning of stage of self-expression.

Third Eye or Brow Chakra

Name – Ajna, meaning ‘command’

Relates to seeing clearly, insight, intuition and imagination.

Colour – indigo or violet, Bija Mantra – Aum/Om

Gland: Pituitary

Physical organs: Left eye, lower brain, nose, ears, pituitary gland, nervous system.

Physical disorders: Brain tumour, haemorrhage, stroke, neurological disturbances, poor vision, full spinal difficulties, seizures, nightmares, headaches.

Crystals to help rebalance: sodalite, lapis lazuli, kyanite, amethyst, fluorite, sugilite.

Stage of Development: The adolescent – reflecting on patterns in own and others’ lives and creating a role in the world.

Crown Chakra

Name – Sahasrara, meaning ‘thousand-petalled lotus’

Relates to unity, formlessness, potential, knowledge and understanding.

Colour – violet or white, Bija Mantra – Nng

Gland: Pineal

Physical organs: Upper brain, right eye, pineal gland, skin, muscular and skeletal systems.

Physical disorders: Energetic disorders, chronic exhaustion, mystical depression, extreme sensitivities to light, sound and other environmental factors; co-ordination problems, feeling detached from others.

Crystals to help rebalance: amethyst, clear quartz, selenite.

Stage of Development: The adult 20-27 yrs – fully reacting and interacting with the world.

Cycles of Nature

Each of the cycles of nature can be regarded as a time during which certain skills are developed. The precise shift from one stage of development to another will vary from person to person, often with stages overlapping. In some cases, however, stress or trauma disrupts the chakra energy, often causing an underlying problem for subsequent growth. If one function remains under-developed, all the others dependent upon it will be negatively affected.

Having gone through a whole cycle, root to crown chakra, the individual often asks themselves existential questions such as ‘Why am I here?’, which may cause radical changes in life and work. The whole cycle then begins again, starting at the root chakra, with a metaphorical rebirth. The chakra cycle can repeat itself many times in a single lifetime, providing opportunities to heal and grow and express more of your potential.

A Holistic Approach

When you perceive the chakras as aspects of consciousness, it can be understood that the physical systems of the body cannot be separated from the subtler structures of mind and emotions. In fact, they are all fundamentally linked together. Changes at one level will bring automatic changes at the other levels. Dysfunction at the physical level is echoed in the function of the chakras, while stress in the chakras can manifest as discomfort at the level of body, mind or emotion.

This is the second in a series of 3 blogs looking in detail at the human energy system. Part 3, Energising the Chakras and a Chakra Quiz, will be available at the beginning of July.