Chakra Healing for Vibrant Energy: Exploring Your 7 Energy Centers with Mindfulness, Yoga, and Ayurveda - Softcover

Fondin, Michelle S.

Softcover

ISBN 10: 1608685349 ISBN 13: 9781608685349

Publisher: New World Library, 2018

Synopsis

Tap into your body’s vital source of energy and wellness

Positioned along the spinal axis, from the tailbone to the crown of the head, the seven main energy centers of the body are called chakras. Author Michelle Fondin explores and explains each one in the seven chapters of this book, demystifying their role in facilitating healing, balance, personal power, and everyday well-being. She offers meditations and visualizations, yoga postures, breathing exercises, and Ayurvedic dietary practices to learn about and work with the chakras. You may choose to follow the healing practices for seven days, devoting one day to each chakra; for seven weeks, focusing on each chakra for a week at a time; or at your own pace, spending as long as you need on each chakra. Whether you are experiencing an illness brought on by imbalance, feeling sluggish because of seasonal changes, or simply wishing to deepen your study of the subtle body, you will find healing and rejuvenation while discovering the power of these vibrant energy vortices, your chakras.

About this title

About the Author

Michelle S. Fondin is the owner of Fondin Wellness, where she practices as an Ayurvedic lifestyle counselor and as a yoga and meditation teacher. She holds a Vedic Master certificate from the Chopra Center and has worked with Dr. Deepak Chopra teaching yoga and meditation. She lives in Herndon, Virginia.

Excerpt. © Reprinted by permission. All rights reserved.

Balancing Your Chakras

In each chapter, I will give you tools to balance each of the seven main chakras. Along with dietary recommendations, and areas to explore for emotional and spiritual healing, I have included yoga poses for each chakra, pranayama breathing techniques, a guided meditation, and thoughts to ponder for the day. You can also take your daily practice a step further and wear the color of the chakra you’re healing and carry with you throughout your day, the crystal or gem associated with the daily chakra.
And finally, it can be helpful to look at the ailments for each of the chakras. When I was ill with thyroid cancer, my healing ultimately took place when I took a good look at the fifth chakra. I believe all diseases are messages from the body indicating that something is off. In looking at diseases you might be experiencing, you can take a deeper look by knowing which chakra is out of balance. Taking medicine, removing a tumor, or even an organ or body part might be necessary to stop the spread of the disease, but it won’t help you get to the root of it. Considering the “why” is important in complete and total healing. Sometimes you don’t get an answer. But often you do. Through chakra balancing you learn to listen to your intuition, that still small voice inside of you, and you will have an inner knowing of how to heal.
One: The Root Chakra
Muladhara: Root
Element: Earth (Prithivi)
Color: Red
Mantra sound: LAM
Our journey begins at the base of the spine with the first chakra, muladhara. The word muladhara means “foundation or base” and comes from the two Sanskrit words mul meaning “base” and adhara, which means “support” or “foundation”. This is the first of the three elemental or material chakras in the body. Whilst it is associated with us being in our most basic state, it is no less important than the other chakras on our journey. In fact, it is by far the primary and fundamental chakra we must balance in order to enjoy our time here on earth.
The element of muladhara is earth or prithivi in Sanskrit. We are bound to earth through gravity. This is the thickest and most dense chakra of the seven. Everything we do to remain on earth is found here. Think of the word “survival”. We must find shelter, eat, sleep, and procreate. We must protect our environment, including nature and Mother Earth. We must find jobs, do work, and make money to fulfill our needs. We must obey the laws of nature, our environment, and society.
In the body, the first chakra is located in the middle of the perineum and includes the coccyx, the pelvic plexus, the base of the spine, and the first three vertebrae. The sense associated with the first chakra is the sense of smell and the sense organ is the nose.
The color we attribute to the base chakra is a deep color red. And the mantra or bija (seed) sound we can vocalize for the first chakra is LAM.

First Chakra Ailments
While the earth element rules the first chakra, the ailments that occur with imbalance resemble the same diseases or imbalances that occur with the Ayurvedic mind body type, Vata, which is not earth, but space and air. As you may deduct, the elements of space and air are polar opposites of the element earth. Therefore, healing can begin when you bring balance back to the earth element through proper grounding.
First chakra blockages may include constipation, hemorrhoids, sciatica pain, degenerative arthritis, knee troubles, anorexia nervosa or other eating disorders, anxiety disorders, fears, nightmares, and psychosis. Obesity would be the only ailment, in this list, caused by an excessive amount of the earth element.
First Chakra Energy: Solid Like a Rock

The energy of the first chakra is vital to our existence. It’s a downward energy that grounds us and gives us stability. In your body, first chakra energy gives you your bone structure, feet, legs, and the large intestine to digest your food. Everything we eat comes from the earth and its energy. The homes we build and the structures we enjoy, such as libraries, movie theaters, and skyscrapers, all come from first chakra energy. Gravity keeps us in communion with our planet. The art of manifesting emanates from acceptance of our material existence.
Tamas is the type of energy that rules muladhara. Tamasic energy is slow, dull, inert. The Ayurvedic dosha that dominates the first chakra is Kapha, which is comprised of the elements of water and earth.
An overabundance of tamasic energy can make a person sluggish, lazy, overweight, and complacent. However, tamas is necessary when a pregnant woman grows a baby. She needs to be grounded, slow down, take more naps, reduce her activities, and eat more food. The same goes for the seasons. Winter is a tamasic season where nothing appears to be going on and nature seems dormant. Animals hibernate. Grass and trees stop growing. But this period of rest is necessary for the outburst of activity in the spring.
Kapha energy is similar to tamasic energy. A healthy Kapha person is grounded, slow, methodical, humble, and down-to-earth. Babies go through a Kapha phase to be able to experience life on earth fully and to grow properly. The two sense organs of Kapha are the nose and the mouth (tongue: taste). All babies first experience the world by putting things in their mouth. Babies sleep more than older children and adults. They are drawn to and fascinated by nature and the earth’s elements. They are thus, perfect expressions of fully embracing earth energy.
Adult Kapha types, who are living in balance, are peaceful people to be around. They are loving, affectionate and kind. The solid foundation they have gives comfort to others by being the stable pillar to lean upon.
Living Life in the First Chakra: Security

In each of the chakras, there is a difference between embracing and accepting the energy and gifts from each chakra, and living solely from that chakra. As you awaken to the limitations in each chakra, you are driven to discover ways to operate from different levels of consciousness. It’s human nature to want to explore and grow. However, not everyone operates from this level of thinking. Many people accept limitations as hard boundaries and don’t seek to move beyond them. In the event that you’re ready to extend beyond the limitations of your chakras, it’s important to understand what living at the level of each chakra looks like.
People who live in first chakra energy are in survival mode. Their basic emotion is fear. They are only concerned with security and how to obtain it. The part of the brain responsible for survival is the brain stem or medulla and the limbic system comprised of the amygdala and the hippocampus. Fight-flight is a primitive response hardwired in these parts of the brain. The response of fight-flight is a reaction to fear and a need for survival. In animals the onset of these events help the animal determine if he will fight a predator or run away. Fight-flight is a chain reaction that begins in the amygdala. It includes a release of stress hormones, such as cortisol, adrenaline and noradrenaline. Your heart races, blood pressure goes up, your blood platelets get sticky, your immune system becomes suppressed, blood is shunted away from your digestive organs and moved toward the limbs, you sweat and you feel compelled to either run or fight.
This primitive response to real and present danger is useful sometimes. Let’s suppose your small child runs into the street after a ball, you must have quick energy to run after him to save him from a moving car. Or if you’re driving and another vehicle suddenly pulls out in front of you, you need fight-flight to slam on the brakes. However, it becomes not so useful when your life isn’t in danger and you’re responding to fear and not reality. People who live solely from the first chakra respond to fear most of the time. Their motives are fear of lack, fear of loss, fear of not enough and the “What if” syndrome.
First chakra people would rather stay in a dissatisfying job than risk losing job security or a steady paycheck. They are not often leaders, but followers with blind obedience. They fear standing out from the crowd and would rather blend in.
The need to fight for security can be seen in the job choices a first chakra person might choose. He might choose to be a soldier or police officer to ensure security of his city or country. They constantly seek favor and acceptance from their superiors and work hard to serve them. First chakra people strive for rewards while greatly fearing punishment. While they obey and look up to authority, they are often harsh with people under them.
Trust is a big issue for first chakra people. We learn trust in the first two years of life through the care of our parents and caretakers. If the care was consistent, loving, and present, we developed trust in others and in our environment. Through trust we develop the value of hope. However, if we were in homes where a parent was absent, or our needs were delayed or not taken care of properly, we learned to distrust that others or our environment would provide for us. Those stuck in the first chakra seems to be constantly working out trust issues and that is why they are fearful.

Recognition of First Chakra Limitations

The first way to move beyond a limitation is to recognize it. As I pointed out, each thing in life has its strengths and weaknesses. That is the nature of duality. The muladhara chakra keeps us rooted to the earth. It allows us to fully enjoy our earthly existence and manifest our desires into material objects. Muladhara is solid, thick, dense, and real.
The flip side of muladhara is excessive fear that leads to worry, anxiety, and lack of trust. You can feel the weight of the gravitational pull downward and feel burdened and heavy. In an effort to ground yourself, you can overeat leading to being overweight or obese, which doesn’t lead to healthy grounding but to disconnect from your body.
A person’s whose foundation is shaky may feel that they never have enough or that what they do have will be taken away. They will hoard material goods and pile them up in their homes. They will be stingy or miserly with their money.
Think of the principle of survival of the fittest. When working the first chakra at its limitations, that is what we feel.

Accepting First Chakra Gifts

We live on this beautiful, bountiful planet we call earth. Our planet is filled with lavish abundance. Our ability to experience this planet through our senses is what can make us appreciate the objects that this life has to offer. First chakra gifts tell us we our not in lack. All we have to do is look around and see the plentiful resources at our disposal. Nature brings us these free gifts we don’t have to pay for. There is enough for everyone.
While gravity can seem weighty. It’s necessary for us to live out our purpose in life. We need to dig our hands into the dirt (so to speak) and live in the here and now.

Healing the Muladhara Chakra

Daily affirmation: I am secure and grounded. My basic needs are met. I am fearless.

Healing in the first chakra comes with acceptance that you have a physical body and by learning to appreciate and love it. Many people look at their bodies as a hindrance to getting where they want to go. They say things like, “Oh, eating is such an inconvenience.” Or “If I didn’t have to go to the bathroom or sleep so much I could get more done.” Societal beliefs and norms have us believe that the body is designed to break down, experience disease and get worse with age. This is simply not true, those are just beliefs.
Women often have body image issues. They feel shameful or hate their bodies. They want their breasts to be smaller or bigger. They feel their thighs are too fat or their bottom is too thin. Men sometimes ignore the need to get a checkup or to hit the gym.
I recently had an Ayurvedic consultation with a client who has an inflammatory autoimmune disease. She was worried about taking Prednisone daily and wanted to get off it, but every time she tired she would experience the pain of her disease. In our consultation, I discovered her primary Ayurvedic mind body type was Vata and that she wasn’t eating but once a day and was barely sleeping. I explained to her that if she wanted her body to heal, she had to get back into her body. She’s a highly creative individual and loves her creative work. She embraces her space and air qualities so much that she lives daily in the ether and reinforces that by not eating or sleeping. Getting back into her body means she needs to take care of her body and do the grounding practices to feel she is living in her body. Then, and only then, will she be able to heal from her autoimmune disease.
Your beautiful body is comprised of the elements of the earth: space, air, fire, water and earth. You are a part of this amazing and miraculous existence. First, accepting your body as a vehicle through which you experience life is essential. Next, honoring your body by feeding it the proper foods, exercising it, and giving it adequate sleep shows you respect it.

Eating as a Sacred Act

In Western society, we don’t take the time to appreciate the food we eat daily. We often eat food on the go, eat in our vehicles, while walking, or skip meals throughout the day. The act of preparing food, serving it and eating it should be a sacred act. Our body is the only channel through which we enjoy our time on earth. Loving your body means appreciating its needs and benefiting from its strengths.
To reconnect with your body through the act of eating, commit to taking at least one meal in silence today. Shop for your food in gratitude and excitement at the prospect of sharing the gift of a meal with your body. Prepare the food with love. Take the time to smell your food and taste each and every bite. Be grateful to Mother Earth for providing you with the nourishment and sustenance you need to live.
Yoga Asanas and Pranayama Exercises to Heal the First Chakra

Practicing yoga is a great way to heal your chakras. To heal the first chakra, you will focus on grounding poses or any pose that engages the base of the spine and the area of the perineum.
Each of the chakras will have descriptions of the pranayama breathing techniques and yoga poses. You can check out demonstrations of all of these on my You Tube channel.
Dirgha: The Three-Part Yoga Breath

For the first chakra balancing you will focus on the tip of the nose with your eyes closed while practicing the complete breath. As you breathe, you will visualize your belly as a balloon. Inflate the balloon on the inhalation and deflate the balloon on the exhalation. The complete breath is done through the nose only with the lips closed. Begin the three-part breath by inhaling first from the lower belly below the belly button, then expanding to the mid-belly and then allowing the air to rise up into the chest. As you exhale, you will deflate the chest, then mid-belly and lower abdomen. Practice this breathing technique for three to five minutes.
Knee to Chest Pose: Pavanamuktasana

Lie flat on your back. Bring the right knee to chest while the left leg is still elongated on the floor. Clasp your hands below your right knee. Keep your head on the floor and inflate the belly, allowing it to puff out. On the exhalation, bend your elbows and bring your knee closer to the chest. Yo...

Edition details

• Publisher: New World Library
• Publication date: 2018
• ISBN 10: 1608685349
• ISBN 13: 9781608685349
• Binding: Paperback
• Language: English
• Number of pages: 224