Yoga for Chronic Pain: Part 2
A rounded yoga practice includes both stimulating and calming postures to tone and rebalance the ...
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The chakra system can be used as a guide to balance spiritual aspects of our wellbeing, whereby each chakra is associated with a certain location in the body, a spiritual meaning, and a functional purpose. We each tend to have one chakra that’s central to our truest self and a focus for staying in balance. However, if any one of the chakras is blocked, it disrupts balance and can affect overall health.
1. Which of these self-care, nurturing activities do you wish you had more time, money, or energy for?
a. More organic or healthy meals
b. Journaling
c. Time in nature
d. Working out
e. Creating: art, writing, painting, playing music, etc.
f. A tarot or oracle card pull
g. Meditating
2. What part of your life feels like the biggest struggle right now?
a. Work/job
b. Expressing and/or enjoying my sexuality
c. Personal growth/education
d. Relationships
e. Creative projects (lacking motivation and flow)
f. Making decisions
g. Everything! Not able to trust the universe or my higher power
4. Which mantra do you least resonate with right now?
a. “I am grounded and secure. My needs are always met.”
b. “I make pleasure a priority. I am passionate and expressive with my sexual needs.”
c. “I honor the call of my heart. My dreams matter.”
d. “I accept myself and love myself fully. Self-love is a practice I show up for daily.”
e. “I speak my truth, and allow others to do the same.”
f. “I am open to exploring the unknown. I trust the process.”
g. “I am a vessel for love and light. I am one with all.”
5. Which of these qualities do you feel the least often?
a. Grounded/Balanced
b. Sexy/Confident
c. Intuitive
d. Connected
e. Creative
f. Expressive
g. Peaceful
6. Which of these do you worry or wonder about the most?
a. Losing job and income or becoming homeless
b. Lack of sexual and/or creative energy
c. Being stuck in fear or paralyzed by choice; lacking courage to make a choice
d. Not feeling connected to others/lacking empathy or compassion
e. Inability to express self or speak my truth
f. Being misunderstood or not acknowledged
g. Having no sense of connection to the universe or my higher power
7. If a magic genie came and granted you one wish, what would bring you the most peace of mind?
a. Financial freedom
b. More passion/fulfilling sex
c. More confidence
d. True love
e. Success/recognition
f. Purpose
g. Wisdom and discernment
8. Final question, which color is your least favorite, or least present in your life (wardrobe/home, etc.)?
a. Red
b. Orange
c. Yellow
d. Green
e. Blue
f. Purple
g.White
You can determine which chakra is out of balance based on your answers. NOTE: It’s possible to have more than one imbalanced chakra. And at different times, you may have different outcomes. You can take this chakra quiz as many times as needed to determine the health and state of all seven chakras.
If the majority of your answers were ‘a’: Your root chakra (muladhara) is blocked.
This is the first chakra, located at the base of the spine. The root chakra symbolizes safety, survival, grounding, nourishment, and connection to earth energy. When it is blocked, it can manifest into arthritis, digestive issues, constipation, and bladder or colon problems. Emotional manifestations include feeling insecure about finances or basic needs and wellbeing.
When muladhara is in alignment and open, you feel grounded and secure, both physically and emotionally. Simple ways to bring it into balance include taking a shower or Epsom salt bath; grounding in nature; yoga poses such as Tree, Eagle, or Downward-Facing Dog; or mindful walking.
Affirmation: “I am grounded, safe, and protected. All my needs are met with grace and ease.”
Mostly b’s: Your sacral chakra (swadhisthana) is blocked.
This second chakra is in the lower abdomen. It governs your sense of creativity, expression, and sensuality and how you relate to other people. Having a blocked sacral can make you feel as if you are alone and not able to connect to others. You may feel as if you are stuck in a rut or unable to find lasting fulfillment, pleasure, or joy. You also might feel unsatisfied in your romantic relationships and friendships.
Issues with this chakra can manifest in problems with the associated organs, like urinary tract infections, lower back pain, and impotency.
Start to balance this chakra by taking on new creative projects or hobbies. Practicing mindfulness meditations, going into nature, journaling with self-reflective questions, and making pleasure a priority can help you balance this chakra.
Affirmation: “I am free to feel my feelings and show my passion for life and love.”
Mostly c’s: Your solar plexus chakra (manipura) is blocked.
The third chakra is located in the upper abdomen near the stomach. This chakra is where your gut instincts and sense of self originate. When you go through a difficult or traumatic situation, the coping skills you develop to get through it may cause disruptions in manipura. When blocked, you might feel uncomfortable in your own skin and suffer from low self-esteem or shame. It can manifest as an inability to set or maintain boundaries, or as codependency, lack of self-control, depression or anxiety, and even addiction.
When the energy of your solar plexus chakra is balanced, criticisms and problems are easier to handle, and you have control over your emotions and your thoughts. Open things back up by visualizing what it would look like to love yourself unconditionally, journaling on your best qualities, or repeating positive affirmations. Crystals such as amber, citrine, golden or honey calcite, and yellow sapphire can help balance your solar plexus.
Affirmation: “I am enough just as I am.”
Mostly d’s: Your heart chakra (anahata) is blocked.
Your fourth chakra is located near your heart. It is connected with love, relating, and compassion. When out of alignment, you may feel lonely, insecure, or isolated. Those with a blocked heart chakra might find it difficult to be vulnerable around others, may be avoidant and detached in relationships, or be fiercely independent in their nature. Heart chakra imbalances can manifest as heart problems, asthma, and weight issues.
You can balance this chakra by learning to trust your heart and feeling lovable. Practice self-love and daily self-care with Epsom salt baths, journaling on qualities you like about yourself, heart-opening yoga poses, crystals like rose quartz or citrine, and guided meditations focused on self-love.
Affirmation: “I am compassionate with others and myself. I show up for me.”
Mostly e’s: Your throat chakra (vishuddha) is blocked.
Your fifth chakra is located at the throat. This chakra is connected with all things expression and governs how you share your message and perspective with the world. Are you speaking your mind and sharing your voice with the world? If this chakra is blocked, chances are you’re not. Voice and throat problems as well as any problems with everything surrounding that area, such as the teeth, gums, and mouth, can indicate a blockage.
[Read: “Balancing the Throat Chakra for Neck and Shoulder Pain.”]
When in alignment, you will speak freely and from an empowered place. You will also listen with compassion and feel confident when you speak because you know you are being true to yourself with your words. Open it back up again with stream-of-consciousness journaling, start that book you’ve been intending to write, get out and peacefully protest for a cause you’re passionate about, sing or write songs, and express yourself more openly with others.
Affirmation: “I express myself clearly and fully. I live in my truth and communicate my true self to others.”
Mostly f’s: Your third-eye chakra (ajna) is blocked.
Your sixth chakra is located between your eyebrows on your forehead. It evokes intuition, extrasensory perception, and inner wisdom. It is considered the chakra of enlightenment and represents the connection to your life’s purpose and spirituality. When it’s blocked, you may lose your sense of direction in life and become stagnant. You may find you are frequently sick, suffer with insomnia, or develop high blood pressure.
When this chakra is open, it is thought to help keep all the other chakras open and to bring bliss and enlightenment. You can balance this third-eye chakra by embracing compassion and forgiveness, focusing on healthy eating, and doing some form of energy healing, such as aromatherapy, reiki, or sound therapy.
Affirmation: “I use discernment and connect to universal source energy. I am a vessel for love and light.”
Mostly g’s: Your crown chakra (sahasrara) is blocked.
Your seventh and final chakra is located at the crown of the head. It is the gateway to advanced spiritual wisdom. It also connects us to the wider universe. Having a wide-open crown chakra is rare because it is considered enlightened and all-knowing. A blocked crown chakra can limit spiritual growth and cause isolation and emotional distress. Feeling disconnected spiritually or lacking clear direction are signs this chakra could be blocked. If unchecked, it can manifest into thyroid and pineal gland disorders, recurring headaches, migraines, depression and insomnia.
[Read: “11 Ways to Decalcify Your Pineal Gland for Wellbeing.”]
Balancing the crown chakra is possible with meditation. Try visualizing a brilliant white or violet light pouring into the top of your head, washing away any blockages. You can also use tools like tarot cards or oracle cards. Healing crystals can also aid in removing blockages and amplify healing energy. Diamond, quartz, amethyst, and other white or purple stones can be supportive in balancing the energy.
Affirmation: “I am one with the divine.”
How’d you do? Keep learning and explore the emotional map of the chakra system.
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