What is Chakra Yoga?
The concept of Chakras is rooted in ancient traditions of Hinduism but is also found in Buddhism and has made its way into spiritual traditions such as yoga.
According to the concept, the physical human body does not only consist of bones, muscles, organs, and skin. It’s rather made up of various layers of energy fields surrounding the physical body. These layers are said to form the so-called subtle body, which is also called the energy body. ‘Subtle’ in this context means ‘that what is most delicate’, ‘that what is most refined’.
The word Chakra is an old Sanskrit word and can be translated as ‘spinning wheel’. According to yogic beliefs, the human body has seven Chakras, which can be thought of as intersections of different energy channels. The life force, called Prana, travels through these channels or Nadis.
The mind is projected in these wheels, which allegedly determines the way you experience reality based on your emotions and fears, desires and aversions. It’s also said to manifest physical symptoms, which we will explore below.
Consequently, each Chakra is responsible for different behaviors and values in life, such as security, communication, compassion, and love. They’re also said to regulate various bodily systems and senses. Every Chakra is also associated with one of the Five Elements of Nature and represented by a color of the rainbow.
If energy is blocked in one of the Chakras – due to bad habits or inhibiting environmental factors – this can result in emotional, mental, or even physical imbalances. These, in turn, may even become apparent in symptoms like anxiety, lethargy, digestive or other health issues.
This is where yoga comes into play: A well-rounded Chakra yoga practice is specifically aimed at unblocking the Chakras so that the energy, i.e. your prana, can move freely through the body. This practice can include specific asanas, Pranayama, mudra, and meditation practices to purify and balance either all the Nadis and Chakras or only those that need to be restored.
