Chakras (translated from Sanskrit as "wheels" of rotating energy and pronounced shock-ras),
as defined by the Eastern Masters, are the intersections of vital energy. This energy flows in the ethereal body and in related locations of the physical body. There are hundreds of these intersections, but there are seven major chakras associated with the physical body where the major energy flow intersects. The health of an area of the physical body and the condition of its associated chakra are considered interdependent. When a chakra is vital, the associated portions of the body should also be in optimum state.
 

 
Seven major chakras (from bottom up):
 

7- Sahasrara	= (Seventh) The Crown Chakra
6- Ajna	= (Sixth) The Third Eye Chakra
5- Vissudha	= (Fifth) The Throat Chakra
4- Anahata	= (Fourth) The Heart Chakra
3- Manipura	= (Third) The Solar Plexus Chakra
2- Swadhisthana	= (Second) The Sacral Chakra
1- Muladhara	= (First) The Root Chakra

 

Chakra	Location	Issue	Right	Tone (note)	Seed Syllable (sound)
Root	Base of spine	Physical	to be	C	Lam
Sacral	Lower Abdomen	Sexual/emotional	to feel	D	Vam
Solar Plexus	Solar Plexus	Power/vitality	to act	E	Ram
Heart	Heart	Love	to love	F	Yam
Throat	Throat	Communication	to speak	G	Ham
Third Eye	Brow	Intuition	to see	A	OM
Crown	Top of head	Understanding	to know	B	All Sound

Muladhara
First Chakra
"Grounding"

Meaning – root support		Location – base of spine
Element - earth		Sense - smell
Food - protein		Challenge - fear
Color – red		Balancing Color - green
Addiction - food, alcohol, sex		Glands - adrenals

Energy connection to the body – spinal column, Rectum, legs, bones, feet, immune system, large intestines, teeth.

Mental/emotional/energetic issues – 1st Chakra energy orients us in time and space to our 5 senses. This energy is about literal perception--how you relate to your body, finances, home, work, environment. Family beliefs(religious, ethnic, political) support the formation of identity; roots, grounding, nourishment, trust, health, home, prosperity, appropriate boundaries, survival, social & familial law & order, ability to stand up for one’s self, patience, commitment, and manifestation of our ideas & dreams happens here.

Contributors to imbalance - Birth trauma; abandonment; physical neglect; poor bonding with mother; mother not wanting child; malnourishment; survival threats; physical neglect; violent environment; inherited traumas (i.e. holocaust, war veterans, poverty).

Physical Malfunctions - Disorders of the bowels, large intestine, disorders of solid parts of body: bones, teeth, issues with legs, feet, knees, base of spine, buttocks, eating disorders, frequent illness, depression, OCD, alcoholism, immune related disorders, multiple personality disorder, varicose veins.

Balanced characteristics - Good health, vitality, energetically grounded, comfortable in body, stability, right livelihood, prosperity, sense of trust in the world, feeling of safety and security, ability to relax and be still.

Deficient characteristics - fear; anxiety; resistant to structure; anorexic/underweight; spacey-flighty-vague; disconnected from body; restless; financial difficulties; disorganized; difficulty manifesting.

Excessive characteristics - heavy/sluggish/slow; resistant to change/rigid boundaries; obesity/overweight; material fixation/greed/hoarding; workaholism; excessive spending.

Affirmations - "I am willing to accept myself and others"; "I am grounded and connected to the earth"; "I am open to trusting myself"; "I am ready to release old habits that no longer serve me".

Asanas - deep squat, cobblers, chair, standing poses, locust, child's pose.

Balancing Activities for deficiency: garden, hike, bike, make something, grapple with something heavy, go into nature.

Balancing Activities for excess: eat less, sleep less, work less, do less! Play more, laugh more, move more!

Svadhisthana
Second Chakra
"Moving"

Meaning – sweetness		Location – lower abdomen
Element - water		Sense - taste
Food - liquids		Challenge - guilt
Color – orange		Balancing Color - blue
Addiction - sex, work, sugar, relationships		Glands - ovaries/testes

Energy connection to the body – Sexual organs, large intestines, lower vertebrae, pelvis, hips,
bladder, kidney, bodily fluids.

Mental/Emotional/Energetic issues – Second chakra energy is about pleasure. Once survival needs are met we turn to pleasure. This energy is about tuning in and finding connection especially as we use sexual intimacy to blur our physical boundaries and connect with another. Where healthy pleasure brings peace and contentment, denial of pleasure leads to overindulgence and addiction.

Contributors to imbalance – Denial of feelings, sexual abuse, emotional abuse, neglect, coldness, rejection, religious or moral severity, physical abuse, alcoholic families, unplanned pregnancy.

Physical Malfunctions – Reproductive issues, spleen/urinary system, menstrual or sexual dysfunction, impotence, low back pain, knee trouble, sciatica, lack of flexibility, deadened senses, loss of appetite for food, life, sex.

Balanced Characteristics – Emotional intelligence, enjoys pleasure, nurture others and self, healthy boundaries, embraces change, passionate.

Deficient characteristics – Rigid in body & attitude, fear of change, frigidity, fear of sex, poor social skills, emotional numbness, denial of pleasure , excessive boundaries, lack of desire, passion, excitement, insensitive, boredom, moodiness.

Excessive characteristics – Sexual acting out, sex addiction, pleasure addiction, addiction to stimulation, excessively strong emotions, ruled by emotions (hysteria, bi-polar mood swings, crisis junkie), excessively sensitive, emotional, poor boundaries.

Affirmations – " I am alive and joyful"; "I am in the flow of my life"; "I am in tune with my emotions"; "I am able to surrender my fears".

Asanas – seated forward bends, camel, eagle, seated hip openers, goddess pose.

Balancing Activities – drink lots of water, bathe, swim, increase flexibility (take a yoga class!), dance, feel pleasure, experience emotion, become flexible in your attitudes, increase sensuality by tuning into your senses - color, texture, smell, sound, flavor, etc.

Anahata
Fourth Chakra
"Loving"

Meaning – unstruck		Location – heart
Element - air		Sense - touch
Food - green vegetables		Challenge - grief
Color – green		Balancing Color - red
Addiction - nicotine, marijuana		Glands - thymus

Energy connection to body – heart, lungs, diaphragm, chest, thymus, circulatory system, shoulders, arms, hands, ribs, breast.

Mental/emotional/energetic issues – The fourth chakra is the bridge between the upper and lower chakras-it is the space from which we give and receive love; inviting us to expand beyond the self and find union with another--the heart speaks of "we" rather than "me". Fourth chakra energy is about finding balance--mind/body, self/other, light/shadow/, masculine/feminine. The result of this balance is peace. To open the heart is to feel compassion and empathy for the self and others. Embrace the healing power of forgiveness as opposed to human justice.

Contributors to imbalance – rejection, constant criticism, loss, grief (own or parents), despair, jealousy, shyness, resentment, disengaged, unemotional, dependent, sorrow, betrayal, sexual/physical abuse, divorce, cold environment.

Physical Malfunctions – cardiac problems, hypertension, stroke, respiratory ailments, asthma, allergies, upper back and shoulder problems, bronchial pneumonia, sunken chest, breast cancer.

Balanced characteristics – compassionate, loving, empathetic, altruistic, able to give and receive love, feel unity with others, able to let go, truly feel power of prayer emanating from center.

Deficient Characteristics – anti-social, withdrawn, cold, critical, judgmental, intolerant of self or others, fear of intimacy/relationships, narcissistic, lack of empathy.

Excessive Characteristics – codependent (focusing too much on others), poor boundaries, demanding, clinging, jealous, pleaser/martyr.

Affirmations – "I am able to give and receive love"; "I am trusting, open and grateful"; "I trust my heart".

Asanas – seated spinal twists, cobra, upward facing dog, backbends (increase energy) forward bends (decrease energy).

Balancing Activities – pranayama (breath work), practice acceptance of self and others, work on forgiveness, work on gratitude, give to others, practice random acts of kindness, eat veggies. Increase air element in home - use ceiling fans; keep space uncluttered, add curtains, use objects in pairs.

Vissudha
Fifth Chakra
"Expressing"

Meaning – purification		Location – throat
Element - sound		Sense - hearing
Food - blueberries, blackberries		Challenge - lies
Color – blue		Balancing Color - orange
Addiction - smoking, inhalants, exercise junkies		Glands - thyroid/parathyroid

xEnergy connection to body – throat, thyroid, trachea, esophagus, parathyroid, hypothalamus, mouth jaw, teeth, shoulders, arms, hands.

Mental/emotional/energetic issues – The fifth chakra is the "bottleneck" of the energy body. As energy moves up the fifth chakra refines that raw, base energy for consciousness filtering it so the mind isn't flooded with unnecessary stuff. As energy flows down the limitless is filtered into images then words--thankfully expressing only a small amount of what goes through the mind. These refinements and filters involve an inner struggle that brings knowledge of the power of choice. This chakra is ruled by sound--vibration, rhythm, music, voice, words, communication. To open here is to find resonance and harmony--unity with all things.

Contributors to imbalance – lies, mixed messages, verbal abuse, constant yelling, excessive criticism (blocks expression), secret/threats for telling, authoritarian parents (don't talk back), alcoholic/chemical dependent family (don’t talk, trust/feel).

Physical Malfunctions – disorders of throat, ears, voice, neck; tightness of the jaw, TMJ, dental problems, skin irritations, attention disorders, stuttering.

Balanced characteristics – resonant voice, good listener, good sense of timing and rhythm, clear communicator, lives creatively.

Deficient Characteristics – fear of speaking, weak voice, difficulty putting things into words, introverted, tone deaf, poor rhythm, secretive.

Excessive Characteristics – too much talking, gossiping, stuttering, inability to listen or be quiet, poor auditory comprehension, interruptions, dominating voice, inability to keep confidences.

Affirmations – "I hear the voice of my soul", "I am able and willing to speak my truth", "I am able to celebrate the beauty in my life".

Asanas – reverse plank, neck and shoulder rolls, shoulder stand, fish.

Balancing Activities – chant, make noise, sing, be silent, listen to or create music, write in a journal, hang wind chimes, filter nise pollution with drapes, fabrics, carpets to reduce noise.

Ajna
Sixth Chakra
"Intuition"

Meaning – to perceive and command		Location – forehead, brow, third eye
Element - light		Sense - sight and seeing
Food - greens, green drinks, teas		Challenge - illusion
Color – indigo		Balancing Color - deep yellow
Addiction - shopping, possessiveness, cultish behavior		Glands - pineal

Energy connection to body – the brain and neurological systems, pituitary and pineal glands, eyes, ears, nose face, sinuses, central nervous system, lymphatic and endocrine system.

Mental/emotional/energetic issues – intelligence, emotional intelligence, self evaluation, truth, feelings of adequacy, and openness to ideas of others, ability to learn from experience. Psychological characteristics that combine what we know with what we believe to be true (facts fears personal experiences and memories etc.) Inability to see the big picture or separate fact from fiction.

Contributors to imbalance – What you see, doesn’t go with what you are told…invalidation of intuition. Psychic occurrences, ugly or frightening environment (war zone/violence). Illusions of separateness.

Physical Malfunctions – Headaches, migraines, sinusitis, brain tumors, stroke, blindness, vision problems, learning disabilities, anxiety disorders, nightmares.

Balanced characteristics – perceptive, imaginative, good memory, able to remember dreams, visualization, think clearly, at the top of our game, trust inner wisdom, think symbolically, connect with intuitive powers, comfortable detachment from worldly goods. Can sustain a vision of wholeness for all, “know the unknowable” your truth.

Deficient Characteristics – insensitivity, poor vision, poor memory difficulty seeing the future or imagining alternatives, lack of imagination, denial, can’t see what is going on, hard to remember dreams, only one right way, intellectual stagnation.

Excessive Characteristics – hallucinations, delusions, obsessions, nightmares, difficulty concentrating, confusion.

Affirmations – “ I am united w/the vibration of the infinite”, “I am seeing and thinking clearly”, “I am one with the infinite “ , “I am balanced and strong”.

Asanas – gazing(dristi), eye exercises, closed eyes, spinal twists and yoga mudra.

Balancing Activities for Deficiency – ournaling, dream journaling, awareness of coincidences , visualization, exposure to light, dress colorfully, use contrasting colors, get outside.

Balancing Activities for Excess – meditate, enjoy and or create beauty, create art, monochromatic tones soothe.

Sahasrara
Seventh Chakra
"Union"

Meaning – thousand fold		Location – crown of the head
Element - thought		Sense - spiritual connection
Food - none, fasting		Challenge - attachment
Color – violet		Balancing Color - pale yellow
Addiction - material acquisitions, hallucinogens		Glands - pituitary

Energy connection to body – entry point for human life force. This force nourishes the mind and spirit. Highest energy center in both physical location and rate of vibration. The energy influences the central nervous system, muscular system and the skin.

Mental/emotional/energetic issues – issues ability to trust life, values, ethics, courage, humanitarianism, selflessness, faith, inspiration, spirituality, devotion, great knowledge, deep understanding, inner wisdom and a connection to the highest state of enlightenment and spiritual growth. Union with the highest self and with the divine. Mystical realm.

Contributors to imbalance – Withheld information, education the blocks curiosity, forced religiosity, invalidation of ones beliefs, blind obedience, no right to think or question, misinformation, lies spiritual abuse.

Physical Malfunctions – coma migraines, brain tumors, amnesia, cognitive delusions, skin problems, sensitivity to light, sound, environment, cranial and cerebral illnesses, diseases of the musculoskeletal system, chronic exhaustion.

Balanced characteristics – ntelligent, thoughtful, aware, open-minded, able to question, having spiritual connection, wisdom, broad understanding, fulfillment of ones destiny, sense of bliss.

Deficient Characteristics – spiritual cynicism, learning difficulties, apathy, closed-minded, depression, materialistic, ethical and moral beliefs weak, disconnected from life and nature.

Excessive Characteristics – over intellectualism, spiritual addiction, unquestioning adherence to religious dogma, rigid beliefs, confusion, disassociation from body, living in your head.

Affirmations – “I am balanced between earth and heaven”, “I am at peace with myself”, “I am empowered by the strength of my body", “I am”.

Asanas – inversions, yoga mudra, downward facing dog, rabbit, head stand.

Balancing Activities for Deficiency – meditate, pray, learn create, use brain power, define beliefs and values, live consciously, aware of surroundings (neat/clutter).

Balancing Activities for Excess – meditate, experience beauty, create art, abstain from food, work talking etc., breathe, have sacred space, view night sky.

(The following information comes from the book "Love is the Earth")

Crystals are the blossoms of the mineralogical portion of the earth; the recognition of the beauty and loving energies of these forms can greatly enhance ones personal development.

Crystals have been used and/or revered since the dawning of civilization. The energies of the mineral kingdom are "universal energies". Hence when one contacts and is willing to receive this energy, and begins to exercise personal creativity via exercise of the "Higher Will", one can contact and synthesize the energies from which the entire universe is comprised. This is the reason that crystals and other minerals are so very powerful and also why their powers must only be used through the highest consciousness of the individual.

Right intention during the use of the mineral further stimulates the melding of one's personal energy with that of the mineral kingdom, furthering the propagation of the light, the love, and the "good of all".

The consciousness of the planet is leading humanity to the re-discovery of an ancient and forgotten healing art in which the utilization of crystals is prominent.

To experience dis-ease and/or disorder in one's life, is to experience a total or partial disconnect from wholeness, a loss of awareness of the innate and universal source of perfection. The members of the mineralogical kingdom have been used for centuries to act as catalysts and to assist one in becoming re-united with that source.

Chakra Stones

Root Chakra ~ Garnet
Garnet is a "stone of health", extracting negative energies from the chakras and bringing the energy to a beneficial state. It can help to change ones world by increasing awareness and allowing for manifestation. It has also been known as a "stone of commitment" - to propose to others and to ones self. It can activate and stimulate the will...the will to live, to survive and to manifest. The garnet balances and stimulates the development and movement of the kundalini. It stimulates from the base and the crown chakras to provide for free flow of movement, via the spinal column and the inner pathway of light, helping to distribute the appropriate amount of energy to each portion of the body. The garnet provides a protective influence and a calming stable vitality during use.

Sacral Chakra ~ Carnelian
Carnelian increases ones perception and awakens ones inherent talents. It is used to produce inspiration from and connected-ness with the spiritual worlds. Carnelian protects against envy, fear, and rage and helps to banish sorrow from the emotional structure. It helps promote and awareness of the association between the emotional state and the inner condition of the self. It provides for a stable energy in home. The message of carnelian is that since on is love, there is nothing to do but offer the love…each offering of love brings and exponential increase in the quality of love returned. Carnelian can help to increase physical energy (including sexual energy), personal power, creativity and compassion.

Solar Plexus ~ Citrine
Citrine is one of the two minerals on the planet which does not hold and accumulate negative energy, but dissipates and transmutes it, working out problems on both the physical and subtle levels. Citrine activates, opens and energizes the navel and solar plexus chakra, increasing personal power, creativity and intelligent and decisive choices. It stimulates both mental focus and endurance. Citrine also increases self esteem and optimism. It can help one to release fear. It promotes radiance from within, encouraging a happy disposition. It positively influences the areas of education, business pursuits and interpersonal relationships.

Heart Chakra ~ Green Aventurine
This mineral is used at the heart chakra to both activate and clear. Green aventurine helps heal emotional pain and fear by dissolving blocks. It is also an excellent protector of the heart chakra, providing for a shield to block any “tapping-in” of ones energy. Aventurine provides fro balancing of the male/female energies. It has been used in rituals of the medicine wheel, to show the spirit guides the connection with the healing light of the heart. In these ceremonies it is held at the heart of each participant: it has been reported that during contact with the spirit guides, the participants have felt a “wash of love” fall around them.

Throat Chakra ~ Blue Lace Agate
Blue lace agate is useful for balancing the energy of the body, mind, emotions and spirit. It has been successfully used to provide a pathway or receiving clear thought transmissions…messages from ones higher self. It promotes attunement as it assists in the clear examination of one’s self, clarifying issues relevant to wones well being. Blue lace agate provides for perceptiveness in situations and awakens ones inherent talents. It helps stabilize the aura when used in conjunction with a clear, pure, intention, can help one to reach extremely high spiritual spaces.

Third Eye Chakra ~ Amethyst
Amethyst is a “stone of spirituality and contentment”. It balances the energies of the intellectual, emotional and physical bodies and provides a clear connection between the Earth plane and other worlds. Amethyst is also known as a “stone of meditation”. It is excellent at creating a calm and peaceful energy, helping one enter and maintain that state. Amethyst also helps clear away unproductive and unkind vibrations. It enhances spiritual insight and intellectual reasoning. Amethyst can be used to facilitate both speaking with and receiving information from the spiritual and other worldly masters and healers. Psychic abilities and intuition can be stimulated and amplified by the use of this mineral.

Crown Chakra ~ Clear Quartz
Quartz is said to bring the energy of the stars into the soul. These crystals can be used to amplify both body energy and thoughts. Quartz provides for clarity in ones thoughts and in the manifestation of thoughts to matter. The natural tendency is for harmony, and it is recognized as a “stone of power”. The quartz crystal is the connection between the physical dimension and the dimensions of the mind. In early times, when all things were thought to be conscious parts of a greater living consciousness, the quartz crystal was believed to synchronize the individual and the total consciousness with that of the heavens and the advanced life-forms. The quartz crystal provides for purification of the physical, mental and spiritual bodies. It helps release negative perspectives and judgments. Quartz can be used to stimulate positive thoughts and feelings. It can further enhance the flow of, and can direct ones positive thoughts and feelings toward the “light, love and harmony of the planet”.