So much of our human experience is connected to energy. Whether we are aware of it or not, our bodies are major conduits of life force energy, or prana. In fact, according to the ancient Upanishad texts, we are thought to have over 72,000 unique energy lines – or nadis – constantly flowing throughout our energetic bodies.
Nadis are our portals to the greater human energy field – through them, we take in energies from our external environment and process them through our internal energy channels. Chakras – or wheels of spinning energy – are concentrations of this vital life force energy within the body that are created where these nadis overlap and cross.
While ancient eastern mystics knew there to be hundreds, possibly even thousands, of chakras located throughout the energy body, our contemporary view of chakras focuses on just seven. Starting at the base of the spine and extending all the way through the crown of the head, the seven main chakras all work together to keep the energetic body operating and regulated.
When our chakras aren’t functioning properly, communication between them can become blocked. These blockages provide direct insight into how well we harmonize with our environment, both internally and externally. Through our chakras, we gain vital knowledge about our health, wellbeing, and just how balanced we are in general. When our chakras are balanced, we are able to live our lives freely and openly. When they are out of balance, we must do our part to heal them.
Crystals and the Chakras
Sometimes we need to enlist the support of tools to balance our chakras and energies. One incredibly powerful healer and energy source are crystals. Creating a single crystal requires an unimaginable amount of energy–millions of years of heat and pressure, in fact. Crystals impact and influence us by communicating with our own energy field. They receive and reflect our energy based on their own unique properties. Crystals and the chakras are energetic symbionts; a connection to the greater energy field and establish our place within it.
Through tools like crystals, we can tune into the health and vitality of the chakras and bring them back into alignment. Working with crystals and the chakras highlights just how deeply interconnected we are with everything around us. From them, we can gain crucial insight into our personal energies – how we are reflecting stories about our own lives and refracting them back into the world.
How Crystals Heal
Crystals have long been regarded as a source of power. No matter what size they are, crystals possess an aura of mystery and authority. Working positively with the energy of crystals and chakras can bring your unique essence back online. Through it, you can come closer to the physical, mental, and emotional balance you are seeking in your life and embody your true, authentic self.
It’s important to remember that working with crystals and chakras will look different for each and every person. The only important piece is your level of awareness. Whether you choose to work with crystals, meditate, or a combination of both, bringing the chakras into balance will lead you to live the fullest, most expansive expression of who you are.
One way to tap into a crystal’s healing power is by placing the crystal over an appropriate chakra for about 15 minutes to rebalance the energy center. Holding the crystal in your hands, feel into the vibrations radiating into your being. Focus your attention on the crystal and say “I dedicate this crystal to my highest good and the highest good of all others. I ask that its power be activated now to work in harmony with my own intentions.”
To expand your consciousness with high-vibration crystals, either place a crystal on your third eye or crown chakra and sit there holding the stone. Breathe gently and focus your awareness on the crystal. Do not try to see or experience anything, just let the process unfold.
Crystals for Each Chakra
Crystals and the chakras are most commonly related through their vibrations–working with the vibratory power of crystal energy is an effective way to reset and open the chakras. Regularly cleansing and reenergizing your chakras through the power of crystals helps maintain your energy at optimum levels and stimulates your personal power.
There are different crystals associated with each chakra and using them as an energy source through methods such as meditation is incredibly purifying. For a well-balanced crystal healing or meditation, choose a crystal known to possess similar properties as the chakra you are focusing on and take a few moments to attune to the crystal.
The Root Chakra (Muladahara)
The root chakra sits at the base of the spine and is known to embody a red-ish hue. Picture yourself sitting in a cross-legged position on the floor, now imagine your sit bones extending deep into the earth below you, creating the very roots that make up the foundation of your life. These roots represent all the things in your life that bring you security, the various pieces that ensure your survival such as food, shelter, water, and sleep.
A root chakra that is in balance gives you vibrant energy, physical health, and feelings of stability. Symptoms of a root chakra that is out of balance include feelings of fear, anxiety, and insecurity. To bring root chakra into balance, try working with a Red Jasper or Smoky Quartz stone.
The Sacral Chakra (Svadhishthana)
The sacral chakra is located in the lower abdomen and womb and possesses an orange color. The sacral chakra is all about our ability to experience pleasure in all forms–our joy, our desires, all the things that make us feel good. Translated from Sanskrit, svadhishthana literally means “sweetness”; the health of our sacral chakra determines to what extent we are able to experience the sweetness of life. It determines how free we feel to express ourselves creatively, how satisfied we are with our lives, and how we relate to the world around us.
When operating in balance, the sacral chakra is the doorway to a joyful, creative life. You are open to receiving all of life’s sensory pleasures, not just those of a sexual nature. A healthy sacral chakra allows you to live life to the fullest. It allows you to fully engage with the world around you, translating and integrating the sensory experience of your life into your energetic body. To restore the sacral chakra, try using a Carnelian crystal or Cherry Tanzberry Quartz.
The Solar Plexus Chakra (Manipura)
The Solar Plexus Chakra is where we derive our sense of self and personal autonomy. Commonly associated with a bright yellow color, the third chakra is located directly in your naval center–the same place as your gut intuition. The solar plexus is your source of strength, willpower, and individuality. It governs your ability to confidently and courageously engage with the world around you. Your distinct source of personal power allows you to live life freely and authentically, unburdened by feelings of doubt and inadequacy.
Your will is strong and personal to you and can be harnessed in any direction you want. It is an infinite source of power and we have the ability to harness that power toward any life we wish to create. A strong solar plexus chakra allows you to co-create with the universe and live the life that is both best for you and for the highest good of all. To strengthen your connection to your solar plexus, consider using the power of Citrine or Pyrite.
The Heart Chakra (Anahata)
The Anahata space is the place from which all else flows. Located in the center of the chest and embodying an emerald green hue, it is quite literally the center of life, the place where the energy from all nadis converge. The Anahata space serves as our energetic gatekeeper–the center of our being and consciousness. Yes, it is associated with love, but not just the romantic type. It involves our love of life, our connection to the love that is all around us.
The chief operating force of the heart chakra is equilibrium. The Anahata space is the product of everything inside of you. As the body is constantly recalibrating its energies, the heart space is where everything meets. It is where all aspects of our being come together to find calm and balance. From this place, we care for ourselves fully and completely and are able to extend this care to those around us. To bring work on bringing equilibrium to the heart space, use a crystal with loving energy such as a Rose Quartz stone.
The Throat Chakra (Vishuddha)
Vishuddha, located in the throat, is the chakra responsible for passing information between all of the upper and lower chakras. Located in the throat area and blue or turquoise in color, this narrow space actually has quite a big role to play. It is the direct connection between the upper and lower triangles of our chakras–the bridge between our manifestation and liberation channels.
The throat chakra is mainly associated with communication and the ability to create and express freely. A clear throat chakra allows us to be masters of non-attachment. We are able to let things go, forgive and move forward, and surrender our preferences to outcomes. On the other hand, a blocked throat chakra will leave us vulnerable to intense feelings of guilt and shame making it difficult to remain in the present moment.
Vishuddha translates to mean “purification.” When this space is closed, it becomes a poison trapped in the body; when it is open, it is able to cleanse and energy flows freely. We are able to confidently share our voice with the world. Crystals are excellent tools for purification. To work on cleansing and opening up the throat chakra, try a Lapis Lazuli stone or any kind of blue-colored stone.
Third Eye Chakra (Ajna)
The third eye chakra, Ajna, is our source of intuition and spiritual awakening. It usually has a purple-ish or bright indigo color. When the third eye chakra is activated, we have reached a level of awareness where the passive world around us falls away and we are able to find unity. The Sanskrit meaning of Anja implies that true command of self comes from overcoming the illusion of duality and surrendering to the guidance from within.
The driving force of the third eye chakra is light. It is the chakra of illumination, allowing us to see and experience life through a heightened level of awareness. We are able to transform our consciousness through the activation of this energy–detach from the perceived suffering around us and find inner calm and peace. For a well-balanced third eye chakra, try working with the power of an Amethyst crystal.
Crown Chakra (Sahasrara)
The crown chakra, the seventh and final energy center of most contemporary chakra systems, is the most ethereal and transcendent of all the chakras. Located on the very top of the head, it is our direct connection to the divine. The Sanskrit name for the crown chakra is Sahasrara which translates to “thousand-petalled” referencing the infinite number of petals associated with this particular chakra. Let that sink in for just a moment, our crown chakra is our source of beautiful, infinite life.
Through Sahasrara, we are connected to everything in existence–the crown chakra illuminates, awakening us to the idea that we are in fact connected to everything in the universe–all is one. The crown chakra represents enlightenment or our most heightened level of consciousness. Through the crown chakra, we are able to find transcendent awareness, liberating ourselves from the cycles of life and death that plague our external world and connecting directly with source and spirit.
An activated crown chakra can bring us to a state of superconsciousness by which we are able to receive downloads and special nuggets of information from the universe we wouldn’t otherwise be open to receiving. To foster a connection to your crown chakra, try any clear colored crystal, namely Clear Quartz or Golden Healer Quartz.
Recharge Your Crystals
Crystals must be activated and purified to bring their full power to life and must also be regularly cleansed to maintain that power. The more often you use your crystals, the more energy they collect. In fact, crystals pick up energy from anyone who handles them as well as from the environment around them, so cleansing before and after use is always recommended.
The sun and the moon are both great ways to purify your crystals. A full moon is an excellent opportunity to recharge your crystals – placing them outside in the moonlight under a full moon will not just clear but supercharge your crystals as they soak up the awesome power of the moon’s energy. As long as your crystal isn’t too sensitive to light, you can also place them in direct sunlight as another way to cleanse your stones. In addition, running water is also said to neutralize gems, so if your crystals are water safe, try putting your stone under a cool stream of water for a few minutes to wash away any unwanted energies.