Understanding the 7 Chakras: Colours, Meanings, and How to Balance Them for Optimal Health

Understanding the 7 Chakra’s: Colours, Meanings, and Ways to Keep Them Balanced to Achieve Optimal Health

Classic Indian concepts have bestowed upon us a very important understanding that is imperative for our physical, emotional, and spiritual well-being. The 7 Chakra’s are linked to a specific colour, a specific part of the body, a set of physical and emotional issues, and food types that may help us work towards balance and an energy level for that chakra. It actually helps us reduce disharmony and create a balance in our life.

Chakra Origins

The concept of the 7 Chakra’s appears first in early Hinduism, at least from the time of the Vedas, some of the most ancient Indian texts recorded between 1500 to 500 BCE. The nature and functioning of such energy centers are described in greater detail in the Upanishads. In Buddhism, there are also discussions of chakras and their tantric traditions. Chakra is a term that means “wheel” or “disk”; it is a term of Sanskrit that describes a spinning source of energy found in the body of a human being.

The 7 Chakra’s, Auras Layers and Connections: Lets explore the significance, and practical tips for maintaining balanced 7 chakras to enhance your physical, emotional, and spiritual well-being.

Root Chakra (Muladhara)

Color: Red

Meaning of the Colour: Red symbolizes vitality, grounding, and survival. It is the color of energy, passion, and action.

Location on the body: Base of the spine

Associated Body Parts: Spine, legs and feet, colon, and adrenal glands

Some Physical Problems from its Blockage: Chronic fatigue, lower back pain, immune disorders, problems with legs and feet

Balancing Foods: Root vegetables: beets, carrots, potatoes; proteins: beans, tofu, eggs, meat; red fruits: apples, strawberries, pomegranates.

Interesting Facts: The root chakra corresponds to needs on the most primitive level for survival such as food, shelter, and safety. Balancing this chakra is done through Hatha Yoga with some grounding exercises.

Sacral Chakra (Svadhisthana)

Colour: Orange

Meaning of the Colour: Orange is considered the color of creativity, sexuality, and enjoyment. It presents courage, joy, and warmth.

Location on the body: Lower abdomen, two inches below the navel

Associated Body Parts: Sexual organs, kidney, bladder, circulatory system

Some Physical Problems from its Blockage: Sexual dysfunction, urinary problem, kidney issues, emotional fluctuations.

Balancing Foods: Orange foods (oranges, mandarins, mangoes), nuts and seeds, especially almonds and walnuts, sweet fruits in general like melons, papayas, and spice like cinnamon

Interesting Facts: This chakra rules one’s emotion, desire, and creativity. The Sacral Chakra can be balanced through dance, creative arts, and meditation.

Solar Plexus Chakra (Manipura)

Colour: Yellow

Meaning of the Colour: Yellow: It’s for intellect, energy, and confidence. It promotes clarity, wisdom, and self-esteem.

Location on the body: Upper abdomen, in the stomach area.

Associated Body Parts: Digestive system, liver, pancreas, stomach

Potential Illness from Blockage: Digestive complaints, diabetes, liver complaints, chronic fatigue, stress

Balancing Foods: Yellow fruits and vegetables such as bananas, lemons, corn and yellow peppers; grains such as oats, spelt, and brown rice; legumes like lentils and chickpeas

Interesting Facts: The Solar Plexus Chakra is where personal power and will originate. Some activities or practices for this chakra would be core-strengthening, realigning exercises, martial arts, positive affirmations.

Heart Chakra (Anahata)

Colour: Green

Meaning of the Colour: Green represents love, compassion and healing. It is the balancing, harmonizing and growth colour.

Location on the body: Center of the chest

Associated Body Parts: Heart, lungs, circulatory system, shoulders, arms

Potential Illnesses from Blockage: Heart conditions, respiratory illness, high blood pressure, AIDS

Balancing Foods: Green vegetables (spinach, kale, broccoli, peas), green fruits (kiwi, green apples, avocados), herbs (basil, thyme, cilantro)

Interesting Facts: Heart Chakra acts as a bridge or connector between the lower three physical chakras and the higher three spiritual chakras. The best activities to open this chakra are those related to compassion, mostly compassion meditation, among others, like more breathing exercise. Other great remedies include several heart-opening yoga poses.

Throat Chakra (Vishuddha)

Colour: Blue

Meaning of the Colour: Blue in relation to the Throat Chakra symbolizes communication, expression, and truth. It covers calmness, clarity, and serenity.

Location on the body: Throat

Associated Body Parts: Throat, thyroid gland, vocal cords, mouth

Potential Illnesses due to Blockage: thyroid problems, a sore throat, mouth ulcers, speech problems

Balancing Foods: Blue and purple fruits (blueberries, blackberries, grapes), liquids (water, herbal teas, coconut water), sea vegetables (nori, kelp, dulse)

Interesting Facts: The Throat Chakra is the chakra of expression of thoughts, body feelings realization and pure communication realization through meditating and practicing singing, chanting or journaling.

Third Eye Chakra (Ajna)

Colour: The colour of this chakra is indigo.

Meaning of the Colour: It represents intuition, insight, and imagination. It is connected to understanding profoundly and being spiritually aware.

Location on the body: Forehead or between the eyes (brow area)

Associated Body Parts: Eyes, Forehead, Brain, Pituitary gland

Potential Illnesses from Blockage: Headache, lack of vision, sinus problems, sleeplessness

Balancing Foods: Fruits that have very dark colour, purple colour vegetables, chocolate, food with lavender flavor

Interesting Facts: The Third Eye Chakra is believed to be the chakra of intuition and perception. It is balanced well with meditation, visualization, and awareness of breathing.

Crown Chakra (Sahasrara)

Colour: Violet or White

Meaning of the Colour: Violet or white does signify spiritualism, enlightenment, and higher state of consciousness. It means purity, wisdom along with transcend.

Location on the body: Top of the head

Associated Body Parts: Brain, nervous system, pineal gland

Potential Illnesses due to blocking: Neurological disorders, migraines, depression, cognitive issues

Balancing Foods: Light-coloured foods such as garlic, ginger, onions, mushrooms, herbal teas, fasting, detoxifying foods

Interesting Facts: Crown Chakra is the connection that binds us to the divine and the universe. Balancing of this chakra can be maintained by performing activities such as praying, meditating, and acts of goodwill.

 

The Importance of Keeping Your 7 Chakra’s Balanced

Balancing your 7 chakras points to the balance of a healthy lifestyle. When the 7 chakras are open and balanced, the energy will flow normally in the body, promoting physical, emotional, and spiritual well-being. Many physical and emotional problems arise from blocked or imbalanced chakras. Apply these methods to keep your chakras balanced:

Meditation – Meditation helps one allow the mind to settle. This coupled with adjustment in the body’s chakras, create a balance and harmony

Yoga – The Yoga asanas and practices give activation and balancing of the chakras. They bring energy flow in the body.

Breathing Exercises – Pranayama and other breathing practices align the chakras in their clearing and balancing by regulating the flow of prana, or life force energy.

Energy Healing – Examples include the usage of Reiki, Qigong, and acupuncture used to clean blockages and balance their chakra system.

Positive Affirmations – Positive affirmations can therefore also reprogram negative thought patterns while promoting chakra balance.

Healthy Lifestyle – Balanced meals, regular exercise, and proper rest contribute to an overall healthy and balanced chakra system.

Foods – Consuming foods that relate to each chakra is believed to energize and balance specific energy centers.

Conclusion

With the realization of the 7 chakras and their importance, you can therefore take proactive measures to positively maintain balance and harmony in life. Understanding the colours that relate to each chakra, along with their linked body parts and potential illnesses from imbalances, allows you to take timely action. Additionally, knowing which foods will support each chakra allows you to further enhance your overall well-being. From the above, many practices will work in the balance of these 7 chakras, like meditation, yoga, meditation, energy healing, and even mindful eating.