The Chakra System

An Overview

Carrying on from the last blog about mind-body connection, which specifically focused on a foundational component of supporting the re-establishment of a healthy mind-body connection; Connecting to nature/Mother Earth, I want to delve into the 7 Chakra System and why having a basic understanding of this ancient philosophical concept can be so helpful for deepening our understanding of how we function.

I want to start off by mentioning that, I am not super well-read on the subject. The majority of my knowledge, while bolstered by books and articles, is intuitive and/or experiential which is why this particular model holds such meaning for me personally. Of course there are many others.

Texts and other resources are great, but I am a huge proponent of counselling 101; and the idea that we are each the expert in our own lives. What repeatedly sparks our attention or just feels right, are examples of how our intuition, the deeper part of us that knows what’s what, interacts with the world around us to guide us in the direction of what can be of most benefit. Of course, the wires can get crossed at points in our lives. Traumatic experiences, that disconnect us from our body/selves, can enact various coping mechanisms that become unconscious and habitual, and lead us down the wrong path. When we are dislodged from the core of who we are, our central navigation system is impacted. This is why having an understanding of the Chakra System can be so helpful.

What has helped me most, is not focusing on the spiritual component of The Chakra System but viewing it as a comprehensive way to categories interconnected aspects of the human experience. It is an ancient concept that underpins many long standing traditions, and thus carries a lot of weight (energy, conscious intention, belief etc).

We are complex creatures. Understanding our humanity is never going to be cut and dry but The Chakra System offers a comprehensive framework that sequentially categorises our experience of the world. Having a basic understanding of the seven chakras can direct us towards areas of focus that might be helpful to overcome certain issues, to recognise areas of imbalance in our body and lives, and take steps to lessen the repetition of behaviours that lead to less than desirable outcomes; bad habits, stagnation, perfectionism, unworthiness, dishonesty, avoidance, denial and overthinking, to name a few.

There are 7 Chakras in the system we are focusing on. Chakras are representative of energy centres in the body spaced along the spine from its base (the root chakra 🔴) to the top of the head (crown chakra 🟣). Each is associated with a different colour of the rainbow (or visible light spectrum) and a different sound frequency. Each chakra correlates to particular parts of the body, senses, food groups, elements and various other components of life/the world. Information which is easily accessible on the net.

This might all sound a little vague but the idea for this blog is to give a general overview. Each Chakra will be broken down and described in greater detail in future entries.

Moving forward, my intention is to write shorter, more to the point, posts. The idea being to develop an easy to digest resource that can be navigated intuitively. An introduction to concepts, ideas and scientifically backed info regarding diet, lifestyle and self-care practices. Anything really. The point is that the information will be categorised under this model.

Structure supports the human propensity to thrive in an organised environment. When something rings true, it resonates on a level deeper than conscious awareness, connecting to our inner knowing. Only you know what’s meant for you. A topic that will be explored in much greater detail in time.

I’m not exactly sure when I was first introduced to the idea of the Chakra System but for a long time, I considered the word “chakra” new-age jargon so didn’t pay it much mind. Then one day I happened upon an episode of Aligned Podcast with Aaron Alexander who was interviewing Anodea Judith. Anodea has been credited for bringing the idea of the chakra system to the West and putting a more modern spin on it, making it more digestible for those less inclined to delve into ancient spiritual literature (me for one). I bought one of her books that afternoon.

It only took reading the first couple of chapters of, Anodea’s book, “Wheels of Life” to recognise the uncanny parallels to what I had been going through. I put the book down, not wanting her wisdom to influence my ongoing experience and decided to use it instead as a reference/source of validation for what was unfolding for me (one that I would highly recommend if this topic interest you, keeping in mind there is a plethora of information available for free on the web). This introduction was enough to catapult me, more concretely, into my own journey through the chakra system. To streamline my healing and bring validity to pretty much everything I had been drawn to do to support me on that path (most of which specifically related to re-balancing the first (or root) chakra and grounding me into my body, a great place to start); Spending time in nature, gardening, permaculture, growing my own food, feeding myself with that nutrient dense homegrown produce, yoga, running, equine therapy, the connection I had developed with Pinot and Chester (my pups) and my determination to figure out how to communicate effectively with those closest to me. It also highlighted the areas of my life that I had been avoiding looking into; stagnation in relationships and unwillingness to open my heart, my inability to articulate myself effectively in certain situations. The list goes on. Something that added credence to it all was that my favourite colours, since childhood, had always been orange and green. The colours that correlate with the chakras most directly impacted by sexual trauma, the sacral and heart chakras. Just another example of how that deeper knowing is always there, under the surface, waiting to be tapped into. Reconnecting to our truth is just a matter of unravelling the layers we build up around us to protect us from experiencing hurt. Being hurt is an inevitability. It is an integral part of the human experience, from which we can heal and grow. Once we become equipped to deal with it, it’s not so terrible.

Something that we have in common, is that, at our core, we are strong and capable. Living in fear only serves to perpetuate itself and create more painful experiences. If life has taught me anything, it is that.

And on that note, before getting into the meat of the blog, this being the final part of the introductory series “The Interconnectedness of Things”. My next addition, as I gradually build this resource and my website, is going to be my “About Me” section, which is where I’m going to finally bite the bullet and share my story. The experiences, in my life, that caused the chasm between ’mind and body and set me on this path towards re-embodiment.

Thank you for your time and your presence, and for those who have been with me from the get go, your patience. FYI, for anyone that’s new here, It has taken about a decade for me to arrive at this point. New and old, your support is greatly appreciated.

💚