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A Yoga New Year’s Resolution: Tap Into the Power of the Chakras

Yoga | Yoga for Beginners

The New Year has arrived and you need an added boost of inspiration and energy. Look no further than your Chakras, the seven energy centers located along the central channel of your own body. When one of these chakras is out of balance you may notice that certain parts your life also experience imbalances. Derived from the Sanskrit word for “wheel”, these energy centers have specific properties and when brought into balance help us to put our very best selves out into the world. With this chakra meditation we will explore the qualities of each of the chakras and a practice for balancing them.

The Practice

  1. Come to a comfortable seat
  2. Place one hand on the heart and one hand on the belly. Breathe deeply in and out of both of these areas. Notice that as you inhale and exhale, the breath energetically moves energy up and down the central channel of the body. Within that central channel lie the chakras.
  3. Bring the thumb and forefinger to touch, placing the backs of the hands on the top of the knees. At the base of the spine where the tailbone and sitting bones converge, imagine a warm red light. This is the root chakra and it embodies our sense of safety and security. Allow the breath to feed this chakra. Expand the light on the inhale and concentrate it on the exhale. The mantra, or sound, associated with this chakra is LAM. Say this mantra aloud 3 times.
  4. Now move to the pelvis area and image a bright orange light. This chakra houses our likes and dislikes as well as our sense of creativity. Expand the light on the inhale and concentrate it on the exhale. The mantra associated with this chakra is VAM. Say this mantra aloud 3 times. Focus your attention on the navel area and imagine a yellow light there. This chakra governs our sense of empowerment and confidence. Expand the light on the inhale and concentrate it on the exhale. The mantra associated with this chakra is RAM. Say this mantra aloud 3 times.
  5. Draw your internal gaze to the heart and imagine a green light there. This chakra is related to our sense of compassion and unconditional love. Expand the light on the inhale and concentrate it on the exhale. The mantra associated with this chakra is YAM. Say this mantra aloud 3 times.
  6. Place a blue light at the throat, near the jugular notch. This chakra is involved with our ability to communicate. Expand the light on the inhale and concentrate it on the exhale. The mantra associated with this chakra is HAM. Say this mantra aloud 3 times.
  7. At the center of the forehead, envision a violet light. This chakra gives us the knowledge of self-realization. Expand the light on the inhale and concentrate it on the exhale. The mantra associated with this chakra is KE-SHAM. Say this mantra aloud 3 times.
  8. Having balanced the chakra up the central channel, we arrive at the crown on the head. Here there is a bright white light that radiates upward to connect us to Universal Wisdom. Expand the light on the inhale and concentrate it on the exhale. The mantra associated with this chakra is OM. Say this mantra aloud 3 times.
  9. Remain comfortably seated for a few minutes and take in the silence left in the wake of this chakra meditation, feeling all of these energy centers open and balanced, ready to support us as we move forward in our lives.
  10. To reground the energy, make a fist with the right hand and wrap the left hand around that fist. Place it just below the navel and fold forward with a straight spine, feeling the energy root back down into your body and into your living.

This chakra meditation can be practiced in its entirety or you can focus on just one chakra that needs attention. For example, if you feel that you are having a challenge communicating properly, you could focus on the throat chakra. There is a lot of information in this meditation so if you have questions, please email me at christa (dot) avampato (at) gmail (dot) com and I’ll be glad to help!

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