TIME TO spring clean your chakras

They’re the energy centres that link body and soul. In a fascinating new book, GEORGIA COLERIDGE shows you how to harness their power to transform your life

ARE you the sort of person with a head full of great ideas that somehow never quite materialise? Or perhaps you are deeply cynical about spiritualism and roll your eyes at the mere mention of mindfulness? Are you a magnet for everyone else’s woes?

You might put these peccadilloes down to personality, but our rapidly growing interest in yoga and the Eastern practices of yogic thinking has thrown the role of chakras onto centre stage.

We have hundreds of chakras all over our body, from the palms of our hands to the soles of our feet.

The Sanskrit word chakra translates as ‘wheel’ and, when they spin, they draw energy in and out of our body, moving it around our body, too. When energy is flowing properly, you feel rooted, connected and joyful; when one or more of them is blocked or weak, you might feel listless, frustrated or depressed.

I have been studying healing for more than 30 years and regularly work with clients to help clear their chakras, allowing their energy to flow. Read on to find out how you, too, can unblock yours . . .

THE CHAKRAS

THERE are seven key chakras that run up the centre of our body: the base chakra, which sits at the base of the spine, keeps the body strong and grounded; the sacral chakra, in the lower belly, nourishes creativity; the solar plexus chakra, in the upper abdomen, fires motivation; the heart chakra, in the centre of the chest, nurtures love; the throat chakra inspires communication; the third eye chakra, just between the eyes, looks after intuition; and the crown chakra, at the top of the head, helps the spiritual side of your nature to shine.

The key to chakra harmony is checking each of the seven key chakras and taking steps to clear any blockages to ensure a clear pathway between them.

STAY GROUNDED BY GETTING ON TOP OF DOMESTIC CHORES

THE root chakra keeps us grounded, so that we feel comfortable in our own skin. It is a solid base for the other chakras and, when it is in perfect balance, you should feel confident and physically strong.

An over-developed base chakra can be too much of a good thing, though, as you become set in your ways. Your family and colleagues might see you as a dependable rock, but secretly find you dull, with no spark to lighten your common sense and practicality.

However, even a robust base chakra can be damaged by traumatic events such as bereavement, job loss, money worries or serious illness.

Boosting it can give you more energy and stability in every area of your life.

Boost it by:

SORTING out your home. Domestic happiness strengthens your base chakra. Fix DIY, get on top of cleaning, sort clutter, tackle bills.

THINKING red. This chakra is linked to the colour red, so wearing red clothes and eating red food such as peppers, tomatoes and berries can act as a strong visual cue to ground yourself.

GETTING physical. Exercise is great for the base chakra. Eat well and get lots of sleep. Take a yoga class, book a massage and go for a health check, especially if you have problems with your feet and legs.

EMBRACE JOY AND ACCEPT CHANGE

THE sacral chakra helps you to find joy in life and accept change.

When it’s working well, you will feel energetic, optimistic and enthusiastic for new experiences. It can even help you find fun in routine chores.

Get too busy and it can become overloaded. A weak or blocked sacral chakra can make it hard to process strong emotions — things build up and feel overwhelming.

You may end up cold and distant, fearful of change and joyless.

Boost it by:

PAMPERING yourself. Being kind to your body is a good way to connect with your sacral chakra, so book a manicure or blow-dry.

THINKING orange. Look out for satsumas, apricots, peaches, sweet potatoes and butternut squash in your food and add spices such as turmeric and paprika.

PRIORITISING fun. Watch comedies, meet your warmest friends, hang out with small children or friendly dogs. And remember to smile. A lot.

DOING whatever it takes to boost your creativity and joie de

vivre. Visit a gallery, sign up for an art class, place flowers around your home and use your best china!

TURBOCHARGE YOUR POWER

YOUR solar plexus chakra holds the key to a strong sense of purpose. It’s the rocket-booster that fuels willpower, vitality and self-confidence.

It also controls gut intuition, so you can make decisions fast.

At full power, this chakra gives you tremendous drive and a natural air of authority.

Even the strongest solar plexus chakra can get knocked back by unexpected failure (for example, a business collapse, accident or relationship break-up).

You can swiftly spot this in someone who is uncharacteristically timid, struggling to make decisions or anxious and work-obsessed.

The fast pace of modern life also means this chakra can easily go into overdrive.

Boost it by:

STANDING tall. People with self- confidence tend to stand up straight, while people without tend to fold at the solar plexus and buckle in the middle. Strengthen your chakra by striking a powerful ‘Wonder Woman’ pose.

Stand with your feet firmly on the ground, head up, shoulder blades pulled down and hands on your hips. Studies show this pose can calm stress hormones and boost your testosterone.

THINKING yellow. The colour of sunshine is most likely to make us feel happy. So pick fruit such as bananas and pineapples and have a sunnyside-up egg for breakfast.

STRENGTHENING your gut. If abdominal muscles are weak, try Pilates or yoga, or do sit-ups.

SPENDING time outside in the sunshine. This chakra is connected to fire. If you lack motivation, sunlight will boost energy levels and vitamin D.

OPEN YOUR HEART AND FEEL THE LOVE

AS YOU might expect, the heart chakra radiates love and compassion. When it works well, you are warm and positive and see the best in everyone. You don’t play mind- games and swiftly move beyond surface chit-chat to form strong, intimate relationships. A strong heart chakra will protect you from being manipulated, too. If your heart chakra is too open, you might find yourself at the mercy of other people’s emotions. Too much empathy leaves you burnt out. Tricky parents, school bullies, the end of a relationship or a bereavement can all damage your heart chakra. It can become closed, so it doesn’t suffer further. Poor self-esteem is a sure sign of a heart chakra in distress.

Boost it by:

BEING grateful. A gratitude diary is one of the easiest ways to open up your heart chakra. Make a

list of anything you like or are grateful for, however small: sunlight through green leaves, a smile from a checkout lady, your train arriving on time.

EATING your greens. Make a point of choosing a wide variety of green vegetables and salad ingredients, as well as green fruit such as apples and grapes.

LOOSENING your shoulders and upper back. Stand up tall, circle your shoulders and swing your arms — particularly after a difficult day.

EXERCISING outdoors. This chakra is also in charge of your lungs, so aerobic exercise is beneficial. Double points if you exercise among green leaves and grass!

OPENING your heart. Smile, say ‘thank you’ or compliment someone. You’ll feel better and may cheer them up, too. If your heart chakra is open, remind yourself you are not responsible for everyone else’s problems.

SPEAK UP AND EXPRESS YOURSELF

YOuR throat chakra amplifies your ability to express yourself effectively, without fear. It is also about effective listening — to your inner voice and to others.

When your throat chakra is balanced, communication comes naturally: you have no trouble telling a friend how you feel or speaking up at a meeting.

Someone who has an overactive throat chakra can be maddening. They might think of themselves as a good communicator, but not realise — or care — how unbearable they sound.

However, for most people, this chakra needs opening up. If it’s blocked, you might let others talk over you. You might find you bite your tongue and can suffer repeated sore throats.

Boost it by:

SEEING the dentist. The throat chakra governs neck, throat and shoulders, mouth, teeth and ears, so book a dental appointment and get your hearing tested to make sure these areas are healthy.

EASING neck muscles. When these are tight, energy flowing between your head and body — and through your throat chakra — can become sluggish, so move your head in a big circle and roll your shoulders.

THINKING blue. Look out for darker blue food, such as plums and blueberries. Or use blue plates and pale-blue glasses.

FINDING your voice. Join a choir, or sing along to the radio.

CHANTING. You may have done this in a yoga class, and it is ideal for people who think they can’t sing because you only hold one note. Sit cross-legged and start a long ‘O’ sound at your base chakra, allowing your attention to travel up your spine.

When you get to your throat, close your lips and hum an ‘M’ sound, until you reach the top of your head. The vibration is good for all your chakras and you’ll help connect the flow of energy between body, neck and head.

TAP IN TO YOUR SIXTH SENSE

THE third eye chakra, between and just above the eyebrows, governs intuition, insight and vivid imagination.

When it’s working well, you can see clearly where you are going without letting other people cloud your vision.

It also releases your sixth sense and when the third eye is open, you are more likely to receive and understand messages via clairvoyance (seeing with your inner eye), clairaudience (hearing with your inner ear), or even telepathy.

If your third eye chakra is overdeveloped, you might feel overwhelmed or overly superstitious. But when it is balanced, it helps keep you in touch with reality, by allowing you to access the logical and intuitive sides of your brain, take in information and see the big picture.

The third eye can remain closed in people who were brought up to be practical. This can make it difficult to be properly creative and you might find yourself being unfairly dismissive of other people’s opinions.

Even if your lower chakras are strong, without a good third eye chakra, you might feel a lingering sense of emptiness.

Boost it by:

PLANNING. When your third eye is working well, you know life’s path. But if your long-term plans feel hazy, make a vision board. From magazines, cut out pictures and phrases that inspire you and use this to focus your intention.

Imagine yourself at your funeral, seeing friends and family giving eulogies. What do they say? What else would you like them to say?

THINKING purple. Look out for deep-purple vegetables, such as aubergines and red cabbage, or fruit, such as blackberries, blackcurrants and black cherries.

KEEPING a dream diary. Write down what you see in your dreams and look it up in a dream dictionary. There may be several interpretations — many of them wild and wacky — but strengthen your third eye by letting your mind play with elements that might just make sense to you.

SPOTTING coincidences. If there’s a song running around your head, notice what the words are saying — it might, in some way, be meaningful.

LISTENING to your hunches, for example over a health issue, and getting it checked out. If you suspect your third eye is overdeveloped, try the exercises for the lower chakras to ground you.

NURTURE YOUR SPIRITUALITY

THE crown chakra, at the top of your head, connects us with ‘sacred energy’ and makes us aware of our own spirituality.

When your crown chakra is spinning well, the world can seem glorious. You might find meaning in many of the things you do and have a deep sense of trust that a higher power is looking after you.

People with an overdeveloped crown chakra have their head in the clouds and might find ordinary life challenging.

But the crown chakra is more likely to be underpowered. If it’s weak or damaged, you could well feel uninspired and life may seem flat and meaningless.

Boost it by:

STARTING at the bottom. The best way to support your crown chakra is first to strengthen and stabilise the others.

THINKING white. The crown chakra is pure white, so every time you eat white food such as rice, fennel or cauliflower, it’s a reminder to focus on this area.

LOOKING after your scalp. Focus attention on the top of your head — for example, with rhythmic brushing of your hair or an Indian head massage.

GETTING outside. Exercise outdoors and be aware of sunshine or rain on your head.

AIMING high. Climb a hill so you can see for miles, stare at a sky full of stars, or get up before dawn to watch the sunrise.

MEDITATION or mindfulness is extremely good for the crown chakra because it helps you focus on one thing at a time.

ADAPTED by Louise Atkinson from The Chakra Project by Georgia Coleridge (Aster £16.99). To order a copy for £13.59 (20 per cent discount), visit mailshop.co.uk/books or call 0844 571 0640. P&P free on orders over £15. Offer valid to Monday, April 16, 2018.