CHAKRAS

Chakras are spinning vortices of energy which form the basis of an ancient Indian approach to healing and balancing our mental, emotional, spiritual and physical selves. Traditionally, chakras are depicted as sacred lotus flowers and each one resonates at a different frequency. Chakra comes from the ancient Sanskrit word for wheel or disc and each chakra is associated with an organ or endocrine gland in the body as well as with a colour and a sound.

1st Chakra - Root: base of spine; adrenals; colours red, black, brown; physical energy, self preservation, survival and grounding.

2nd Chakra - Sacral: lower abdomen between the naval and pubic bone; ovaries and testes; colour orange; vitality, creativity, sexuality, desire and emotions.

3rd Chakra - Solar Plexus: between the bottom of the ribcage and the navel; Pancreas; colour yellow; personal power, will and self esteem.

4th Chakra - Heart: centre of the chest: thymus; colours pink, green, gold; love, compassion, forgiveness.

5th Chakra - Throat: base of throat; thyroid, thymus, parathyroid; colour blue; communication.

6th Chakra - Brow (third eye): centre of forehead; pitiutary; colours indigo or violet; intuition, imagination, clairvoyance.

7th Chakra - Crown: just above the top of the head; pineal; colours white (clear), gold, rainbow; knowledge, enlightenment, understanding, transcendent consciousness.

Please note that some sources favour purple, violet and indigo for the crown and dark blue for the brow. We prefer to use quartz, rainbow moonstone, azeztulite or apophyllite for the crown and amethyst, sugilite or iolite for the third eye.

Recommended reading: Hazel Raven's 'Crystal Healing - A Vibrational Journey Through The Chakras', Liz Simpson's 'The Book Of Chakra Healing', Ruth White's 'Working With Your Chakras'.