What is a Chakra?

The word chakra comes from the Sanskrit word for “wheel” or “disk,” and, as part of ancient Vedic healing practices and techniques—many of which endure today—yogis have worked with the chakra system for thousands of years. That’s because in Ayurvedic medicine, illness is seen as an energy blockage anchored in one or more of the chakras. Other healing modalities, such as acupuncture, also acknowledge the blocked flow of energy as a root cause of disease and pain. In fact, Western allopathic medicine is one of the few traditions that does not locate energy blockages in order to alleviate pain and suffering in the body, mind, and spirit.

Once you identify the chakra of origin for any of your current challenges, you can establish a plan to shift and move the energy, allowing the chakra to function normally and realigning it once again with the other energy centers. From there, physical healing—which may seem to be a spontaneous miracle, but is rooted in the alchemical transformation from within—can begin to unfold. Your entire life can change. It all begins with knowledge and choosing to say yes to a new way of thinking about your life, your health, and your happiness.

For example, experiences of war in your genetic line can manifest as Root Chakra imbalances around safety. You may not inherit the physical experience of war, but you can inherit the energy imprint of it. If you wonder why you came into this life feeling unsafe and unable to rest, you may not have a single physical symptom—but your feelings may indicate that something is off balance. If you can address these feelings, which precede physical pain and disease, much healing can be accomplished.