As part of our yoga and mind-body wellness series, were are taking all about chakras. This post is a general overview of the 7 chakras and their meanings, locations, chakra colors, healing, and a handy chakra chart. 

A graphic of a sitting person with the 7 Chrakas and chakra colors shown over the body. Text overlay reads "7 main chakras for beginners"

If you’ve attended yoga classes, you’re probably familiar with the terms “third eye” and “root.” Yogis often talk about grounding down through the root or focusing on the third eye. However, there is so much more to know about chakras, and this knowledge can help deepen your yoga practice, mindfulness, health, and wellness in general. 

Let’s take a look at the 7 chakras, where they are on the body, what they symbolize, and the chakra colors. This article is an easy-to-understand overview of chakras for beginners. We will go over each of the chakras in greater depth in future posts. 

What is a Chakra? 

The word Chakra, also spelled Cakra, means “wheel” in Sanskrit and refers to the main energy points on the body. The chakra system was first written about in the Vedas, sometime between 1500-500 B.C., in India.  

Though some yogic texts say there are 88,000 chakras, there are 7 major chakras that are typically referenced. These seven energy centers follow along the spine from the top of the head (crown chakra) to the tail bone (root chakra). As the name (wheel) suggests, it’s thought the chakras are spinning wheels of energy. 

Each of the 7 chakras has its own symbol (a lotus flour with varying numbers of petals) and associated color, gemstone, and more. 

Chakras can be thought of as portals through which energy is exchanged between the physical body and the universe. Bridging the gap between physical and spiritual, understanding the 7 chakras can help with healing and growth. This concept is an integral part of yoga, and the two have always been intertwined. 

Are Chakras Real? Everything is Energy. 

If that all sounds a bit out there to you, you’re not alone. Let’s look at this scientifically. Both energy and the power of mindfulness have been studied and explained by science. 

As Albert Einstein said “Everything is energy and that’s all there is to it. Match the frequency of the reality you want, and you cannot help but get that reality. It can be no other way. This is not philosophy. This is physics.”

Chakra work for physical, emotional, and spiritual healing has been utilized my many cultures for centuries. According to the book Chakra Healing, by Margarita Alcantara, “many physical symptoms are expressions of what hasn’t been addressed in the energy body.” 

If you’ve ever experienced a stress-induced headache, emotional heartache, or nervous upset stomach, you’ll understand how intertwined energy and our physical bodies really are. 

Symptoms of Chakra Imbalance 

You may be wondering, “how do I know if I have a chakra blockage?” Athena Perrakis writes in her book, The Ultimate Guide to Chakras, that common symptoms of a chakra blockage include sluggishness, sadness, or inability to sleep through the night. 
Movement (a mindful walk or yoga) and meditation are great ways to assess our energy and get in touch with any areas that feel out of balance. 

Chakra Healing

In Ayurvedic medicine, illness is viewed as an energy blockage in one or more of the chakras. We’ve talked about Ayurveda in our New Moon Rituals, Moon Water, and Food Combining articles. Other Eastern medicine techniques such as acupuncture are rooted in the belief that energy blockages can cause imbalances in the mind, body, and spirit.  

As quantum mechanics has proven, energy is never at rest. The idea of chakras is that ideally, energy should flow easily between chakras. 

Healing a chakra blockage begins with mindfulness and awareness of the imbalance. Yoga and meditation are some of the best ways to get the energy flowing efficiently once again. The meditations and yoga poses will vary depending on the chakra. 

The 7 chakra colors and meditations.

The 7 Chakras and Chakra Colors

The 7 chakras are represented by chakra colors and locations on the body. In addition, there are crystals or stones and essential oils that can assist in the healing of each chakra. 

7. Crown Chakra (Sahasrara) 

Located at the tip-top of your head, the crown chakra is your energetic connection to the Divine/God/Spirit/Universe. When your crown chakra is in balance, you feel connected to the world around you. 

  • Location: Top of head 
  • Color: Violet 
  • Crystals/Stones: Amethyst, purple fluorite, selenite, charoite 
  • Essential Oils/Herbs: lavender, palo santo, pink lotus, St. John’s Wort, frangipani 
  • Mantra: I understand and am connected 

6. Third Eye Chakra (Ajna) 

The third eye is where intuition, vision, and insight sit. A third eye blockage can feel like confusion and lack of clarity, while balance brings greater consciousness and wisdom. 

  • Location: Directly between the eyes 
  • Color: Dark Blue
  • Crystals/Stones: Lapis Lazuli, azurite, blue aventurine, labradorite, tanzanite
  • Essential Oils/Herbs: Cypress, juniper, mugwort, mandrake root, blue lotus 
  • Mantra: I see 

5. Throat Chakra (Vishuddha)

Centered over your physical throat lies the Throat Chakra. This energy point embodies what and how we communicate. Are you able to communicate your truth and wisdom in an authentic and kind way? 

  • Location: Throat 
  • Color: Light Blue 
  • Crystals/Stones: Aquamarine, turquiose, amazonite, angelite 
  • Essential Oils/Herbs: Elderberry, eucalyptus, geranium, lemongrass, sage, bay laurel
  • Mantra: I speak 

4. Heart Chakra (Anahata) 

Resting over your physical heart, the Heart Chakra regulates your energy flow. It holds on to heartache and love and has a great ability to heal (and love) yourself and others. 

  • Location: Center of chest 
  • Color: Green
  • Crystals/Stones: pink tourmaline, rose quartz, ruby, rhodochrosite
  • Essential Oils/Herbs: bergamot, cacao, cardamom, cilantro, jasmine, lavender, rose, thyme
  • Mantra: I love

3. Solar Plexus Chakra (Manipura)

The powerful Solar Plexus Chakra is connected to confidence and empowerment. A blockage here can manifest as feeling powerless or superior. 

  • Location: Upper abdomen 
  • Color: Yellow 
  • Crystals/Stones: Citrine, amber, golden calcite, pyrite, tiger’s eye, yellow aventurine 
  • Essential Oils/Herbs: anise, cinnamon, cumin, grapefruit, juniper, lemon, Lilly of the valley, mint, neroli, tea tree, turmeric 
  • Mantra: I do 

2. Sacral Chakra (Svadisthana) 

Sitting between reproductive organs, the sacral chakra represents creativity, life, passion, and desire. 

  • Location: Lower abdomen 
  • Color: Orange 
  • Crystals/Stones: Orange carnelian, orange calcite, peach moonstone, sunstone, Goldstone
  • Essential Oils/Herbs: blood orange, cinnamon cassia, fennel, ginger, vanilla, ylang-ylang  
  • Mantra: I feel 

1. Root Chakra (Muladhara) 

The center of stability and grounding, the root chakra sits at the base of your tailbone. It’s the balance point between above and below, and a blockage can make all aspects of life feel unbalanced and/or unsafe. 

  • Location: Base of spine
  • Color: Red
  • Crystals/Stones: Red aventurine, red jasper, onyx, black tourmaline 
  • Essential Oils/Herbs: allspice, cayenne, cedarwood, clove, dandelion, nutmeg, rosemary 
  • Mantra: I am