Chakra meanings and impact on our health are energy centers linked to various body parts, glands, colors, planets, sounds, and scents. We feel happy and have good health when the chakras are in equilibrium. When they go out of balance, they respond to our negative emotions and thoughts and start to unbalance our life. Therapies based on the chakras may improve health.
There are four main chakras in Buddhism. Hinduism has seven in many different variations. Energy channels are said to connect these seven chakras. Numerous holistic medicinal philosophies have been impacted by the idea of chakras, including yoga, Ayurveda, and certain contemporary therapies like The chakras are energy centers linked to various body parts, glands, colors, planets, sounds, and scents..
How do Chakras Work?
Chakras are viewed as the body’s energy centers in both Hinduism and Buddhism. They identify the locations where spiritual energies converge. The English term “wheel” is the Sanskrit word “chakra.” According to an overview of the history of chakras published in 2019, this alludes to the manner that chakras resemble spinning wheels or discs. Energy conduits that allow the energy to go from one area to another are located in between these wheels.
The idea of chakras is related to the traditional Hindu notions of a material and spiritual body. The subtle body, which includes the mind and emotions, is made up of energy and is invisible whereas the physical body is made up of mass and is visible. In this philosophy, the subtle body’s spiritual or mental energy affects the physical body and vice versa. This implies that a person’s total health and well-being can be influenced by the condition of their chakras.
The Chakras Body Location
Most people think that the chakras run the length of the spinal column, from the top to the bottom. Depending on the tradition a person practices, there are different numbers of chakras. There are hundreds of energy centers, according to certain traditions, but only a select number are crucial. The seven-chakra system is the most well-known model in the West.
The Origin of Chakras
The Vedas, which are historic Indian books that outline the yoga philosophy, include the earliest written mention of chakras. The Vedas are thousands of years old, however their exact age is uncertain. The idea of chakras has changed over time, influencing diverse Buddhist and Hindu faiths as well as medical practices. They are a part of the Tantric school of thought.
Early in the 20th century, occultists, and spiritualists in Europe published publications on many topics related to Tantra, including chakras. These writings serve as the foundation for modern Western knowledge of chakras.
It appears that Western philosophers of the 20th century are to blame for the correlation between chakras and the hues of the rainbow. Since then, chakras have also been linked to various:
- metals
- horoscopic signs
- herbs or foods
- minerals or crystals
- the tarot
The Western chakra system is a term that describes a relatively new way of thinking about chakras. It has since influenced several New Age complementary medical techniques, including crystal healing and homeopathy.
The Seven Hindu Chakras
Hindu philosophy names seven main chakras in addition to several smaller chakras. The principal ones are:
Muladhara (root chakra): This chakra is located between the genitalia and the anus at the base of the spine. It allegedly affects basic desires for eating, sex, sleep, and self-preservation.
Svadhisthana (sacral chakra): This chakra, which is situated in the pelvis, has an impact on controlling emotions and wants.
Manipura, or the navel chakra, is located immediately below the navel. Digestion and the capacity to process life’s experiences are aided by this chakra’s strength.
The anahata (heart chakra) is situated in the center of the body and is responsible for facilitating the experience of unconditional love.
Vishuddha (throat chakra): This chakra, located at the base of the throat, is responsible for authenticity and self-expression.
The third eye chakra, or ajna, is the seat of inner wisdom and consciousness and is situated between the eyebrows.
Crown chakra (Sahasrara): This chakra, which lies right above the top of the head, is responsible for fostering a more enlightened outlook on life.
The African or Kemetic Perspective of Chakras or Aritu
Egyptians have used the Kemetic Aritu (chakra) sound healing system for thousands of years. It is an old African healing technique. Based on the idea that the body is made up of seven energy centers, or aritu, which control the movement of energy throughout the body, this potent system was developed. Each aritu is linked to facets of our bodily, emotional, and spiritual selves. Examined are the many Kemetic names and explanations for each Aritu in this blog post.
The Root Chakra, also known as Sefkhet Aritu, is situated where your legs converge. It is related to the moon and those who are between the ages of 0 and 7. It has to do with our foundation and our capacity to look after ourselves. This center is inhibited when we experience difficulties managing our personal demands or maintaining stability. This center can become clogged and result in an unstable existence if we experienced problems between the ages of 0 and 7.
Right beneath the navel is the Sacral Chakra, also known as the Tekh Aritu. It is connected to our ability to reproduce and to create. If you experienced abuse, sexual assault, or a loss between the ages of 7 and 14, your Tekh center might be shut down. Your sacral center is obstructed if you are extremely sexually active or never feel comfortable having sex.
Under the ribs is where the Solar Plexus Chakra, also known as the Ob Aritu. This is the dwelling place of fire, drive, and vital energy. Your source of inspiration and enthusiasm. It is connected to the period between the ages of 14 and 21, when you should have a lot of personal drive and motivation. Your Ob aritu center is obstructed if you are aware that you need to take action but are stalling, being hesitant, or delaying it. The Solar Plexus chakra is blocked if you feel worn out or lack the vigor to enjoy life.
In the exact middle of your chest is the Heart Chakra, or Khapera Aritu. It sits in the middle of the lower and higher selves. It is related to feelings, relationships, self-love, and love for others. The age range connected with it is 21 to 28. You ought to have gained knowledge of self-love and unconditional love from others throughout this time through your interactions with them as a parent or partner. Your heart is blocked if you have stopped feeling emotions because you do not want to continue to be harmed. Your heart is blocked if you have gone through so much that you are no longer even aware of it.
The Throat Chakra, also known as the Sekhem Aritu, is just where your neck’s soft area is. The Sekhem arit center focuses on your capacity for intelligent and truthful communication. We should have perfected the ability to express ourselves with clarity, love, and truth by the time we are between the ages of 28 and 35. This arit center becomes unbalanced if we do not stand up for ourselves, if we suppress our emotions, or even if we speak excessively. People with an imbalanced throat center are also those who gossip and speak without pausing.
First (Third) Eye, at the center of our forehead is where the chakra, or Mer Aritu, is situated. It is the birthplace of our psychic abilities, dreams, and dreams. Ages between 35 and 42 are related to the Mer aritu core. We ought to have developed a trusting relationship with our intuition by this point, making it easier for us to follow its lead. This chakra area may be obstructed if we have problems falling asleep or making choices. This art center is obstructed if we don’t trust either ourselves or other people. It can only be turned on via personal development and growth.
On the top of our heads is the Crown Chakra, also known as the Ikh Aritu. It is the location of spiritual connection, elevated consciousness, and enlightenment. We shall activate this arit center and achieve true enlightenment if we have successfully completed our tests and acquired the necessary knowledge while we are between the ages of 42 and 49. Most people in this age range or older who have not attained inner peace, who moan and behave cranky all the time, or who never seem to be happy, have a blocked Crown chakra. They either failed to live up to their purpose and divine mission or failed to learn the lessons they were meant to learn, which is why their spirit was never truly at rest. In either case, each of us is trying to learn more about ourselves and get better. We will not be at peace as we age if we forget this and allow ourselves to get cozy and complacent.
Health and Chakras/Aritu Chart:
ARITU: CHAKRAS: | SEKFKHET ROOT | TEKH SACRAL | OB SOLAR PLEXUS | KHEPERA HEART | SEKHEM THROAT | MER THIRD EYE | IKH CROWN |
CENTRAL ISSUE | Survival | Sexuality Emotions | Will Power | Love Relationships | Communication | Intuition Imagination | Spiritual Connection Awareness |
GOALS | Stability, Trust, Grounding, Physical Health | Fluidity, Feeling pleasure | Vitality, Self-esteem, Purpose, Strength of will | Balance, Good relationships, Compassion | Clarity, Creativity, Resonance | Physic ability, Accuracy, Clear vision | Wisdom, Knowledge, High consciousness |
AGE RANGE | 0 – 7 years | 7 – 14 | 14 – 21 | 21 – 28 | 28 – 35 | 35 – 42 | 42 – 49 |
ORIENTATION | Preservation | Gratification | Definition | Acceptance | Expression | Reflection | Knowledge |
INSIGHTS | To be here To have | To feel To want | To act | To love and Be loved | To speak and Be heard | To see | To know |
IDENTITY | Physical | Emotional | Ego | Social | Social | Archetypal | Universal |
Other Possible Names of Kemetic Aritu
Sahu: The Sahu aritu is at the base of the spine and is associated with our primal instincts and our connection to the earth. It governs our sense of security, stability, and groundedness.
Hetep: The Hetep aritu is in the lower abdomen and is associated with our reproductive organs and our ability to create and manifest. It governs our creativity, sensuality, and fertility.
Sekhem: The Sekhem aritu is in the solar plexus and is associated with our willpower and sense of personal power. It governs our confidence, self-esteem, and ability to act.
Ankh: The Ankh aritu is in the heart and is associated with our ability to love and connect with others. It governs our relationships, compassion, and empathy.
Ma’at: The Ma’at aritu is in the throat and relates to our ability to communicate and express ourselves. It governs our authenticity, honesty, and self-expression.
Ka: The Ka aritu is in the third eye and is associated with our intuition and psychic abilities. It governs our insight, imagination, and spiritual awareness.
Ba: The Ba aritu is located at the crown of the head and is associated with our connection to the divine. It governs our spirituality, wisdom, and transcendence.
Chakra believers contend that an individual’s health may be compromised by abnormalities in their chakras. For instance, a person’s capacity for managing emotions or digestion may be impacted by an imbalance in the navel chakra. A variety of chakra-based therapies, including:
- Ayurvedic treatment, which could suggest changes to one’s food and way of life
- Yoga, including using particular poses to encourage energy flow
- Using meditation to picture clearing the chakras
- Reiki is a type of energy medicine
Chakras Tonal Sounds
Many online or physical establishments that sell singing bowls will describe what chakra they believe a specific singing bowl is best suited to work with. You might be given the option to buy an allegedly “attuned healing singing bowl set” that corresponds with a chakra sounds chart even if you travel to India, Nepal, or Tibet.
Most Eastern sellers of singing bowls are not familiar with the idea of the Western musical scale or connecting particular notes to chakras. The “authentic” Tibetan sound healing masters will impart a method that uses the modern scale’s frequencies in conjunction with the Western musical scale. Additionally, the “authentic” technique used to put the bowls around the participant’s torso is nothing more than a mixture of consonant Perfect Fifth intervals. It is suggested by a distinct “Ayurvedic” system that the chakra sounds and notes have a different relationship. This resembles the chromatic scale that musicians are familiar with. However, the majority of these so-called “authentic” tutors have no idea how to construct a series of Perfect Fifth intervals and do not appear to care that there are twelve notes present, not just seven.
If we arrange singing bowls for chakra healing in the order of Perfect Fifths, it should look like this:
F2, C3, G3, D4, A4, E5, B5
The feet or first chakra is where the singing bowl with the note F2 (F of the second octave) is placed. The second chakra is next to the singing bowl tuned to the note C3, which is C in the third octave and forms a Perfect Fifth interval with F2. The solar plexus chakra is the location of the G3 note singing bowl, which is the following Perfect Fifth. The note D4 singing bowl is placed next to the heart chakra, the note A4 singing bowl is placed next to the throat chakra, the note E5 singing bowl is placed next to the third eye chakra, and the note B5 singing bowl is placed next to the crown chakra. As you can see, the Perfect Fifths sequence begins with the note F2 and progresses all the way to the note B5. The most popular notes to find large antique bowls are F2 and G2.
Scientifically Knowledge about Chakras
The presence of chakras in the spiritual sense is not supported by any scientific data. Some experts, particularly those who specialize in the neurological system, contend that they actually correspond to physical bodily parts. The brain and spinal column of a human, which both include nerves, make up the nervous system. These nerves exit the spine in groups called plexuses and connect to various parts of the body. The central nervous system may correspond to the major chakras, which run the length of the spine. Their relationship to particular health factors may be related to various nerve plexuses.
For instance, a 2017 study, states the inferior hypogastric plexus, which transmits signals to the rectum and reproductive organs—two of the processes this chakra is intended to affect—might be connected to the root chakra. This could help to explain how the chakra system evolved to reflect what is currently known about the human body. But not everyone agrees with this interpretation, and specialists should carry out more rigorous investigation.
The Therapies Based on Chakras
Because chakra-based therapies focus on certain chakras, there is no concrete proof that they are effective. However, a lot of folks discover benefits from using them. Given the paucity of experimental studies on the topic, it is challenging to understand why this is the case. Chakra-based remedies are valued in many studies, but few really provide evidence that they are effective.
For instance, a 2021 study evaluated the chakras of patients receiving acupuncture treatment. The authors found that 89% of the participants’ chakra meridians were devoid of energy. According to the study, this increases the likelihood of developing severe COVID-19.
However, the study did not examine whether chakra-based therapy may be used to cure or prevent COVID-19, and neither did the study’s participants have the disease. Instead, individuals experienced a variety of typical but unrelated symptoms, including anxiety, back pain, and knee pain. Chakra-based therapies may be well-known from the standpoint of Western medicine for a number of reasons. For instance, they might encourage well-being and help relaxation.
Meditation
A common component of chakra unblocking is meditation. According to research can be beneficial to both mental and physical health. These advantages include:
- Lowering anxiety
- Alleviating despair and anxiety
- Bringing down blood pressure
These effects appear to be present in many forms of meditation, including chakra-based meditation. There were 223 people that signed up for various chakra-based meditation methods in a 2020 study. Participants noted increases in their assessment of their health as well as broad decreases in anxiety. The study does not indicate that chakras are the cause of the gains because it did not compare these outcomes to a control group.
Relaxation
Numerous chakra-focused therapies have calming effects. Yoga, for instance, combines exercise with deliberate breathing, which may assist to relax the nervous system. Reiki, meditation, and other techniques might have comparable results. Health generally improves when the relaxation response is activated, especially for those who are frequently stressed.
Feeling of Contentment
The state of one’s mental or physical health may be impacted by their spiritual well-being. For instance, an investigation conducted in 2019 indicated that older Taiwanese persons who reported spiritual well-being had lower depression scores and greater ratings of perceived well health. The participants claimed that they used breathing exercises and relaxation methods to enhance their spiritual health. These two are also advantageous to your health.
Contrarian Effect
Chakra-based therapies may potentially enhance wellbeing due to the placebo effect. When someone thinks that a treatment will be effective and have a positive outcome, they are in this situation. This does not imply that the advantages are unreal because placebos can reduce symptoms. Although there is still much to understand about how this works, if someone finds something beneficial and it has no negative side effects, it might be a useful component of their self-care.
Final Thoughts from Doc T Elliott
A spiritual idea known as chakras is used in several major religions and alternative medical procedures. They are said to be energy wheels that indicate where the life force crosses. In Hinduism, one of the ways to achieve spiritual enlightenment is by working with or conquering these chakras.
Despite the lack of strong scientific evidence, there are a variety of techniques that individuals employ to balance or unblock chakras that have been proven to have positive effects on health. Yoga and meditation, for instance, can assist the nervous system unwind, which may have an impact on a number of medical disorders. Chakra-based therapies can support medical care and give patients a sense of calm and well-being. They do not, however, serve as a substitute for medical care.
In my sound healing work and practice it is important to keep your chakras or aritu open and flowing. Using sound, from vibrations and frequencies work well to unblock these energy channels throughout your body. Also, working with Reiki practitioners can be very helpful. Keep working toward a better quality of life in your health and well-being. Peace and Blessings!