Our Chakras, Our Health

Many Eastern religions teach the existence of 7 energy centers that are vertically aligned, running from the base of our spine (the 1st Chakra) to the crown of our head (the 7th Chakra).

Each Chakra is related to specific organs in our body, emotional issues and dysfunctions and ultimately our health. Chakras are also described as areas where our emotions manifest in our bodies. In other words, trauma, if not dealt with, can cause a disturbance in the strength or vitality of our Chakras and this may lead to disease.

According to Dr. Christiane Northrup, in her book, Women's Bodies, Women's Wisdom, the three lower Chakras are inextricably linked in women. Focusing here will likely offer the most promise as we try to balance and heal our everyday lives.

The First Chakra

Our 1st or root chakra is located at the base of our spine and serves to ground us to in this world. It is the foundation of our emotional health. Body parts and organs associated with this chakra include our legs, feet and bones, rectum and immune system.

We get our grounding or rooting primarily from our family and the society we belong to. This may include being part of a religions or other group. Here we see family traditions and inclusion in the group as being important in maintaining balance in the 1st chakra. When things are out of balance, from a health standpoint, it is not uncommon to see physical ailments related to this chakra.

What does 1st chakra energy feel like? It's the kind of emotion that you experience when you listen to our national anthem or participate in the birth of a child. It's that touchy feely energy of belonging to something or someone larger than yourself that evokes a sense of pride and belonging.

To gain insight and sensitivity about our 1st chakra, it is helpful to examine our family and societal beliefs and traditions to determine if they are in sync with the way we currently live our life. If they are not then we need to see how best to address these inconsistencies so that this chakra remains in balance.

The Second Chakra

The 2nd chakra is located in the belly area, about 2" below our belly button. This chakra is all about personal relationships, power, sex and money - everything we own.

The organs associated with the 2nd charka include our sex organs (uterus, ovaries, and pelvis), large intestine and bladder.

While the 1st chakra is about being part of the group, the 2nd chakra is about forming relationships with those who support us. It is also about releasing the people in our lives that stunt and inhibit our growth.

When our energy is not flowing in this area of our body, gynecological problems may result, including fibroids, diseases of the ovaries and other pelvic disorders.

The Third Chakra

The 3rd chakra builds on the first two chakras and is about our sense of security, self esteem and ability to make decisions for ourselves. The strength of the 3rd chakra directly affects our ability to project our will into manifestation.

This chakra is located in the belly at the Solar Plexus - in the pit of our stomach. It is our core and where our gut instincts originate. Organs associated with the 3rd chakra include the abdomen, stomach, kidney and adrenals.

Blocked energy in the 3rd chakra will often result in disorders of the stomach. Fear of taking risks as well as confronting others are common signs of 3rd chakra imbalance.

Our first three chakras are considered to be our primal chakras - they help to keep us alive and are connected to our daily existence. Understanding this link and examining our own lives in relation to these energy centers or chakras is critical to our overall health and well being.