The 7 Chakras

Base Chakra - located at the base of the spine.  Has the element of earth and is associated with survival, our security financial/home.  Colour Red

Sacral Chakra - located in the lower abdomen.  Has the element of water and is associated with emotions and sexuality, our relationships with others.  Colour Orange

Solar Plexus Chakra - located around the belly button.  Has the element of fire and is associated with personal power and will and self esteem our relationship with self.  Colour Yellow

Heart Chakra - located over the sternum.  Has the element of air and is associated with love.  Colour Green

Throat Chakra - located in the throat.  Has the element of sound and is associated with communication and creativity. Colour is light blue.

Third Eye Chakra - located in the centre of the eyes.  Has the element of light and is associated with clairvoyance, imagination, intuition, creativity.  Colour is dark blue.

Crown Chakra - located in the centre of the head.  Has the element of thought and is associated with connecting to your higher power, knowledge and understanding.  Colour is Purple.

Every Chakra has a link to certain body system processes and endocrine glands.  They also reflect particular aspects of the personality. A Chakra becomes dysfunctional when it is closed or blocked due to unexpressed emotions, personality problems or discordant environmental energy.

Relief of emotional distress comes from removing blockages and rebalancing the Chakra system.  This will also help promote self-awareness, alleviating many physical conditions, including headaches, stomach and digestive ailments, breathing difficulties, nervous system disorders, hormonal imbalances and prolonged stress and depression.

An example to show how the Chakra's effect us is taken from the book, "Wheels of Life" written by Judith Anodea. "Take for example, the emotional experience of fear, related to the first or base chakra.  Fear affects our body in certain ways.  We feel butterflies in our stomach, our breath is short, and our voice and hands may shake.  These physical characteristics betray our lack of confidence in dealing with the world, and may lead others to treat us in a negative way, perpetuating our fear.  This fear may have its roots in an unresolved childhood experience, yet rules our behavior.  To work with the chakras is to heal ourselves of old constricting patterns lodged in the body or the mind, or habitual behavior."

Crystal therapy, massage and mediation are just some of the methods used to cleanse and balance the chakras.  When choosing a healer chose one that feels right for you as each healer has their own techniques for freeing an individual's chakras whether they be blocked or unbalanced or contain stagnant energy.