The chakras
1 The root
The root chakra is red and is located at the base of the spine. Its function is that of grounding, physical survival and stability. When the root chakra’s blocked, it manifests as anxiety and jitteriness. You might experience frequent daydreaming, trouble concentrating or a spaced-out feeling. In colour therapy, red is the colour of life force and our connection to the earth. It penetrates deep into the aura and physical body, providing a solid, grounding energy.
2 The sacral
Located between the base of the spine and the navel, the sacral chakra is orange and governs the emotions of desire, pleasure, sexuality and creativity. When these energies are out of balance, you may suffer from issues such as addiction and over-indulgence. On the other hand, an underactive sacral chakra could lead to a lack of passion, creativity and joy. Thus, healing through orange cultivates a happy medium between enjoyment and over-indulgence. “On the mental side, orange is brilliant for creativity and thoughtfulness,” says Sharon Sinclair, alternative healer and owner of mindful business consultancy, Chandramala, in Cape Town. “It energises the body and stimulates feelings of socialness.”
3 The solar plexus
The solar plexus chakra is yellow and is known as the powerhouse of the ego. It sits between the navel and the sternum and is the source of all our power. When energy isn’t flowing freely through this chakra, it causes a lack of selfconfidence and self-worth. People with a weak solar plexus may possess a pessimistic and victim mentality. However, the stimulating properties of yellow – confidence, communication and willpower – help to open it up. “Yellow’s great for helping with confrontation and commitment issues.”
4 The heart
The heart chakra is the centre of love, compassion and kindness, and has a green vibrational light. In terms of the chakra, blockages may amount to having issues in your interpersonal relationships, being emotionally distant and irritable. Green can be used to re-energise the heart chakra stimulating empathy, compassion, self-love and sociability. An effective way to do this is to spend time in nature.
5 The throat
The throat chakra is a calming turquoise-blue. With properties of being pure, soothing, and tranquil, this energy influences the way we communicate, listen and interact with others. It clears the mind and allows us to express ourselves thoughtfully. Blue can be used to charge the throat chakra at times when communicating effectively is vital, such as during a job interview or when giving a speech. On a physical level, blue energy is said to strengthen the voice and heal ailments such as laryngitis.
6 The brow
Also known as the third eye, the brow chakra is indigo and is located on the forehead, slightly above eye level. It’s the centre of spirituality and influences your intuition, inner vision and wisdom. Your dreams and ambitions, as well as recollections of the past, are stored in this chakra. When there’s a blockage in this region, problems such as selective memory, lack of foresight and depression may manifest. Research in psychology has shown that indigo strengthens the right brain and increases our intuition and insight. Using indigo in conjunction with other spiritual practices can, therefore, help alleviate these issues.
7 The crown
The seventh and final chakra is the crown chakra, located at the top of the head. It’s associated with the cerebral cortex, and governs your ability of perception, understanding and storage of information. It mirrors the symbolism of violet, which conveys intuition, perception, integrity and wisdom. Violet can be used to stimulate these qualities and physically strengthen the relevant parts of the body.