7 Chakras and Their Meanings & Blockages

July 8, 2022

Chakra (cakra in Sanskrit) means “wheel” and refers to energy points in your body. They are thought to be spinning disks of energy that should stay “open” and aligned, as they correspond to bundles of nerves, major organs, and areas of our energetic body that affect our emotional and physical well-being.

There are seven main chakras situated along the spine, from the base of your spine to the crown of your head.

1. Crown Chakra

The crown chakra is linked to every other chakra (and therefore every organ in this system), and so it affects not just all of those organs, but also our brain and nervous system. It is considered the chakra of enlightenment and represents our connection to our life’s purpose and spirituality.

Those with a blocked crown chakra may seem narrow-minded, skeptical, or stubborn. When this chakra is open, it is thought to help keep all the other chakras open and to bring the person bliss and enlightenment.

2. Third Eye Chakra

The third eye chakra is located between the eyes, on the forehead. It is considered the chakra of intuition and imagination. It is also said to be responsible for all things between you and the outside world, serving as a bridge between the two.

People who have trouble listening to reality (who seem to “know it all”) or who are not in touch with their intuition may also have a block. When open and in alignment, it’s thought that people will follow their intuition and be able to see the big picture.

3. Throat Chakra

The throat chakra is located at the throat and is connected to our ability to communicate verbally.

Blocks or misalignment can also be seen through dominating conversations, gossiping, speaking without thinking, and having trouble speaking your mind. When in alignment, you will speak and listen with compassion and feel confident when you speak because you know you are being true to yourself with your words.

4. Heart Chakra

The heart chakra is located at the center of the chest, just above the heart. This chakra is the seat of balance, and it is characterized by emotions of love, attachment, compassion, trust, and passion.

People with heart chakra blocks often put others first, to their own detriment. It’s the middle of the seven chakras, so it bridges the gap between our upper and lower chakras, and it also represents our ability to love and connect to others. When out of alignment, it can make us feel lonely, insecure, and isolated.

5. Solar Plexus Chakra

The Solar Plexus Chakra is located at the upper abdomen, in the stomach area. It said to optimize our personal power so that we can navigate our lives with strength and determination.

An imbalance of the solar plexus chakra can manifest physically as digestive problems, liver problems, or diabetes. On an emotional level, one might struggle with depression, lack of self-esteem, anger, and perfectionism.

6. Sacral Chakra

The Sacral Chakra is located just below the belly button and just above the pubic bone. Its attributes include the basic need for sexuality, as well as creativity and self-worth. When balanced, it makes one feel more vibrant, happy, positive, satisfied, compassionate, and intuitive.

When the sacral chakra is imbalanced, a person may feel emotionally explosive and irritable, sense a lack of energy and creativity, feel manipulative, or obsessed with sexual thoughts.

7. Root Chakra

The Root Chakra is located at the base of the spine, in the tailbone area. Its energetic function is to help us maintain a sense of being grounded and inner stability.

When this chakra is out of balance, a person starts feeling unstable, ungrounded, lack of ambition, lack of purpose, fearful, insecure and frustrated.