7 Wheels of Light- Chakra Study at Ramapo College of NJ

Svadhisthana Chakra/2nd Chakra 

     Chakra is a Sanskrit word that means wheel of light. Long ago in India it was realized that we have many chakras or you can call them energy centers within the body. The great sages suggest there are 7 chakras for us to be concerned with. Imagine them as 7 wheels of rainbow colored light that run up our spine and towards the crown of our head. When our chakras are open and balanced a smooth flow of energy runs through us. This leads to good health. When the chakras are blocked or closed disease sets in.

     This post is my gift of chakra online notes and art I created for the Ramapo College of New Jersey 200hr Yoga Teacher Trainees to enhance their understanding of our energy body. There's so much more to understanding and balancing the chakras but I feel gazing into this art and reading through each chakra's Sanskrit name, color, emotional, mantra and physical associations are a great way to start the healing and balancing process.

     Muladhara Chakra means our Root Chakra. This 1st Chakra is red in color and found within the base of our pelvis. It governs emotions related to our survival. Think our fight or flight instinct. Our money, home and family sits within this center. It is blocked or closed when our survival needs are not met. We can spend a lot of time stuck in this center. To heal and open it we must ground ourselves. Take off your shoes, feel the earth and do your yoga practice. This consistent grounding work will assist you in developing a firm foundation to grow from. The mantra is LAM. Its element is earth and its glandular association is with the adrenals. The sound of the drums strengthens this center.

Affirmation- "I am safe."

     Svadhisthana Chakra meaning the sweet abode of self is our 2nd Chakra. It is orange in color and located between our reproductive organs and sacrum. It houses our feelings of pleasure and creativity. When you love yourself and I mean really love yourself, you can feel pleasure. When you feel pleasure, you can create anything you want such as a relationship, cook a delicious meal to decorating a room. Finding self love, pleasure and being creative will balance your 2nd Chakra. What closes it is living a life of dislike and following someone else's lead. The mantra is VAM, its element is water and its glandular association is the testes, gonads and ovaries.


Affirmation- "I feel pleasure and I create."

     Manipura Chakra, meaning city of the shining jewel, is our 3rd Chakra. It sits within our navel and its color is yellow. It is where our ego, our power,  is born. Our will to do anything comes from this center. Fire is its element and it is related to everything we digest from food to emotions. Our gut knowing can be called our second mind. This center is blocked or closed when we consume unhealthy food or stay in a job or relationship we no longer vibe with. To heal this center be true to your wishes and reach for your dreams. The mantra is RAM and its gland is the pancreas and spleen.


Affirmation- "I am powerful."

     Anahata Chakra, meaning unstruck sound (the sound of two forces that don't touch) is the 4th Chakra. Green in color it resides within the center of our chest. It is where we learn to balance loving ourself and others. The first three chakras were self serving. The 4th chakra brings us out of ourselves and into a relationship with others. It is blocked when we are guilty and question ourselves for doing this or that. How to heal it is to be open. To equally receive and give love. To serve others and mean it. Its mantra is YAM. Its element is air and the gland it is associated with is the thymus gland. The sound of the piano and stringed instruments like the violin soothe this chakra.

Affirmation- "I am love."

     Visshuda Chakra, means clear, is the 5th Chakra. This chakra is blue in color and resides within the throat. It governs our speech. Do you speak too little or too much? Both are not good. You need to balance your speech to have a healthy throat chakra. Lying to others and lying to yourself by not saying what you mean closes the throat chakra. Listen to yourself and listen to others. This will help you purify your speech heal your throat chakra. The mantra is HAM. The element is ether. Its glandular association is with the thyroid.

Affirmation- "My words are blessings."

     Ajna Chakra, means "I see" and "I command." It is the 6th Chakra and is commonly referred to as the third eye because it sits at the center of the brow line. It is the purple colored chakra that brings us out of the senses and into a higher realm of our consciousness. It is the center from where our beliefs are born. It is blocked or closed when we see things in one way or it's the highway. To heal and open it you must sit in your own truth and see beyond the Maya which is a Sanskrit word which means the illusions of the world. This helps you to understand why things are the way they are. The mantra is OM. The sound of the flute eases this chakra and the glandular association is the pineal gland.

Affirmation- "I understand and see the truth."

     The Sahasrara Chakra, means the crown chakra, it is the 7th Chakra. Its color is white and it resides on top of the head. When this chakra is open there is no black and white. There is no duality. There is only ONENESS and pure connection to everything. When this chakra is blocked or closed let's just say your WIFI is not working. The mantra is OM and ringing bells soothes this center. The glandular association is the pituitary gland.

Affirmation- "I am peace."