The Shocking Truth about Chakras

Most people would look at you funny if you mentioned the word Chakra a few years back.  It was practically unheard of in the Western culture before the New Age movement.  Some people today still look at you funny when you mention it.  And still others will start to look over their shoulder for the devil, convinced you are in some kind of cult.  But there is really nothing weird or frightening about Chakra Work.  It has become pretty widely excepted in almost every religion, is very relaxing, and is a very old and respected healing practice.

Chakra work is a very subtle form of healing that had its origins from the rishis, a group of holy men and seers from ancient India.  The intent of this practice is to focus on your body's energy centers and get them to harmonize.  The body has seven primary chakras and they are called The Root Chakra, The Sacral Chakra, The Navel Chakra, The Heart Chakra, The Throat Chakra, The Forehead Chakra, and The Crown Chakra. 

Each primary corresponds to a different color and some people who practice this healing art use crystals that correspond to the different colors in meditation.  The colors are red, orange, yellow (yellow-gold or gold), green, sky blue, violet blue, violet (white or gold) respectively.  Crystal healing, an art that uses different colored crystals and mineral for healing, is just one aspect of Chakra work.  Other aspects that have incorporated Chakras are yoga, aromatherapy, and psychotherapy, to name a few.

I started working with Chakras many years ago.  I learned about the therapy from some friends that were studying Reiki.  During my teen and young adult angst years, I learned a little more when I went to a local Pow-Wow.  But most of my knowledge of this beautiful art has come from a few books and the practice. 

Doreen Virtue came out with a book several years back called Chakra Clearing.  I like this book a lot because it is an easy read, small (which makes it portable) and the exercises can be done within a few minutes.  That's a plus when you are caring for little ones.

This book is a good start, however, I have recently come across another book that is gaining my attention.  I'm finding it a little hard to put down, actually.  It is called A Handbook of Chakra Healing: Spiritual Practice for Health, Harmony, and Inner Peace by Kalashatra Govinda.  This book is quite extensive.  It starts out with the history of Chakras, then delves into each primary, and finally offers an array of meditations and exercises you can do.

Chakra work is not hard, it can be quite easy.  Yes, there is a bit of work involved, hence the word.  You do have to find time to meditate, and sometimes you need to hold an image in your head.  Now, I know some of you out there are shaking your head and saying, "Sure, Kim, how can I maintain a thought during a fibro fog filled day!  I'm lucky if I even know my name on those days!"

Yes, those days are tough, but not impossible-- even when meditating-- if you find ways to cheat.  I've discussed cheating a few times in this blog, as well as my books so I won't bore you to tears with a ton of details.  What I will say is that you can use props in order to focus on an image.  This is why crystals have been used so frequently with Chakra therapy.  Crystals come in many different shapes and colors.  Some are even mentioned in the book as good tools for your meditations. 

Crystals are pretty common today and can be found at any New Age shop.  You can also find them at places like the Rain Forest Cafe.  When shopping for a crystal, make sure it is a good size for your purposes, first.  Next, hold the crystal for a few minutes.  If it doesn't feel right, i.e. there are too many sharp edges, or you get weirded out by it, try another piece from the same collection.  Sometimes it's the piece, not the crystal itself, that can make or break your decision.

There is another way to obtain crystals that I often find fun and cheap.  The crystals are free this way, but it can take a lot longer to build a collection.  Hiking trails are a great way to get crystals and you get a little fresh air and exercise in the process.  You may not find EVERY crystal you had hoped for, but it sure is fun trying.

I'm by no means done with the book, I just started it yesterday, so I won't go into any of the meditations that the book has to offer just yet.  I'll save that for another blog. 

Stay fabulous!
Love and friendship,

KimberleyChakra Clearing (Book & CD)

Popular Posts