So, What is a Chakra?

"Chakra" is a Sanskrit word (an ancient Eastern Indian language) meaning "wheel" or "circle." According to the principles of Quantum Physics, everything is made up of energy and information, and that is an excellent way to describe your Chakras. See your Chakras as seven spinning disks stacked up and evenly spaced along your spinal cord, from the base of your spine to the top of your head. While they are not part of your physical body—you cannot see or touch them—your Chakras do have an enormous effect on your nervous and endocrine systems, as well as other processes in your body, such as breathing and digestion.

Each disk reflects a different color and each is packed full of a specific type of resonating energy and the information that serves to maintain that energy. The clockwise rotation action of all of the Chakras in this stack, or energy pathway, helps to distribute energy throughout your entire body. This is accomplished by way of your nervous and circulatory systems so that all of the organs, tissues and cells receive and benefit from each Chakra's energy vibrations.

 Balanced Chakras create a free-flowing energy network in your body that promotes physical and mental health, vitality, and harmony, as well as spiritual and psychic awareness and evolution. From balance comes:

1^st Chakra:  A sense of being grounded or connected to the physical.

2^nd Chakra:  The ability to feel your emotions and to use them as the guiding sensors that they were meant to be.

3^rd Chakra:  A profound sense of personal power that propels you forward in all of your endeavors.

4^th Chakra:  Through the twin powers of love and forgiveness, the joy of experiencing true, unconditional love.

5^th Chakra:  The capability to effectively communicate, and to hear and speak your truth.

6^th Chakra:  The art of reasoning and unlimited access to imagination and intuitive insight.

7^th Chakra:  The profound wisdom that comes from being plugged into your Source and connected to the Universe.

 Sounds like a perfect system, doesn't it? And it is unless one or more of the Chakras is out of alignment, causing the spinning action to be counterclockwise, erratic or shut down completely, affecting a Chakra's—and your physical, mental and spiritual—vitality levels.

What is the Chakramid?

The traditional way of looking at the Chakras is represented by an outline of a standing or sitting human form studded with seven circles in a rainbow of colors lined up through its middle.  It is a very effective way to graphically depict the seven major energy centers in our bodies, but maybe it is time to look at Chakras in a new, expanded way.

 While a pyramid suggests mysticism and mystery, the Chakramid, (or Chakra Pyramid) offers understanding and clarity. The form itself is steeped deep in Ancient history, but the components in it—a square and triangles—are simple, contemporary shapes.

The "form" aspect of the Chakramid shows the Chakras as a definite structure with its cubed base planted solidly and squarely on the ground and its steep slopes ascending upward to a point or pinnacle. It is interesting to note that the shapes that make up a pyramid have seven sides—four on the square base and three on its triangular sides—and that there are seven major Chakras or energy centers in the body.

The Chakramid groups the chakras into two "Power Packs."

The first Power Pack is represented by the base of the pyramid, and each of its four corners embodies one of the four elements—earth, water, fire and air—which correspond with the elements associated with the first four Chakras. This Power Pack deals with our bodies from the chest down and it focuses on our physical, outer energies.

The second Power Pack, signified by the pyramid's three triangular sides pointed upwards, focuses on our inner energy. The form of the triangles symbolizes the three elements of sound, light and thought, corresponding with the last three Chakras. The 5^th, 6^th & 7^th chakras are often referred to as the "Golden Triangle," which is illustrated by the outline of a golden triangle shape at the tip of the Chakramid. The Golden Triangle is the way of one's spiritual passage and each level in it gets smaller and smaller, as it gets farther and farther from the physical, until you reach the barely visible tip and beyond.

But it is important to consider the way that the triangles are positioned in the pyramid, perfectly seated and squared on the base, with their steep slopes coming to a point, demonstrating that a stable, balanced foundation is needed to properly support them. The point of the triangle can be likened to the summit of a mountain and the ascension of it leading to a higher plane, or the inner, Higher Self.

There are several other correlations with our Chakras that lend themselves to our pyramid representation. The colors associated with the Chakras are like stair steps on our Chakramid. The slowest (or lowest) vibration frequency and longest wavelength color—red—is at the base; and the fastest (or highest) frequency and shortest wavelength color—violet—is at the point of the Chakramid. The same observation is true of the frequencies of the sounds that are linked to the Chakras. Also, the first three Chakras deal with the physical world, and they are the biggest, most visible part of the Chakramid. The forth Chakra begins the transition to the inner, spiritual realms (that you don’t see), and the last three get smaller and smaller and less visible until you reach the barely visible tip and beyond to infinity.

These are just some of the reasons why the Chakramid is the perfect way to illustrate one's ascent to the Higher Energy Self through the art and act of working with and balancing the Chakras. Balanced Chakras remain clear and open conduits for receiving, assimilating and circulating energy throughout our entire bodies.

What Blocks a Chakra?

Imagine a dam blocking the flow of water. That is exactly how Chakra energy is dammed up, as well. Each pent up, unreleased or held-in emotion, such as fear, anger, resentment, or guilt, adds to the barriers that block the flow of energy from the Chakra pathway. An unfulfilled need for love and nurturing, especially as a child but also in adult years, can inhibit Chakra energy flow, too. These energy blocks can either severely stem the flow or build up to the point where they completely close off the energy that we receive from a specific Chakra.

Chakra closures tend to occur from the top down as each particular type of energy is blocked.  For many of us, when we are children, parental, caregiver or society's poo pooing of anything that smacked of the supernatural—spirits, visions or hearing the unseen—shut off the 7^th, 6^th and 5^th Chakras. Then as we grew and experienced pain or disappointments, such as broken relationships, failures, or demands to conform, depending on how we handled these issues, all but the first two Chakras could have been closed. And even then imbalances or distortions in 1^st and 2^nd Chakras might be hampering their free flow of vital energy to us.

When our Chakras are out of alignment, severely blocked or closed off completely, physical illnesses or mental health issues may occur. The flip side of this is that the same results can manifest when too much energy is released from a particular Chakra. Very often these ailments or disturbances are temporary, but they can persist and develop into chronic conditions. That is why a balanced Chakra system is so important.

So it is easy to see how a Chakra gets blocks and how that impacts us. Now the question is, how do we open a closed Chakra?

How Can You Unblock a Chakra?

The good news is that there are innumerable ways to unblock and rebalance your Chakras, clearing and revitalizing them. Some of the tools that are available to you are controlled deep breathing, meditation, prayer, color and sound therapy, yoga, reflexology, healthy diet, exercise, gemstones, crystals, flower essences, essential oils and journaling, to name just a few. Put a strong desire and a clear intention at the top of your list and you will find the perfect way that resonates with you.

A resource section [Coming Soon!] on this website will assist you in exploring the Chakra clearing options that appeal to you. The list will be continually updated.

© 2009-2010 Mary Jo Shaffer
Excerpt from the book, Rainbow Eyes: CHAKRAMID Reflections. In this tale of one woman's journey to chakra energy awakening, you will learn about your Chakras in an entertaining, informative fantasy format. In contrast to Alice going down a rabbit hole, our tale follows Jessica as she journeys up the CHAKRAMID…in an elevator! Read more...

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Other Article Resources

To learn more about balancing your chakras, we suggest that you also read:

Wheels of Life, by Anodea Judith, Ph.D.

True Balance, by Sonia Choquette, Ph.D

Anatomy of the Spirit, by Caroline Myss, Ph.D.

Color and Crystals: A Journey through the Chakras, by Joy Gardner-Gordon