Feeling a little off lately? You’re not alone. If you’ve ever practiced yoga or Tai Chi, or explored the healing arts, chances are you’ve come across the concept of chakras — according to ancient Asian traditions, chakras are powerful energy centers that influence everything from your mood to your physical well-being.
The good news? According to ancient traditions, balancing the energy in your chakras is possible, and it can transform how you feel physically, emotionally, and spiritually. Many helpful exercises have evolved from these ancient energy principles, and you can find them today in a variety of wellness practices, including Body & Brain Yoga Tai Chi. You may want to explore chakra energy balancing, see how it feels, and decide for yourself if you want to add it to your self-care. You may find that the process of learning how to balance your internal energy can improve your mind-body connection and unlock a stronger sense of inner peace.
In this guide, we’ll explain what chakras are and show you simple, effective ways to bring your chakra energy into balance. From mindful movement to meditation, you’ll discover how to balance your chakras and start feeling more grounded, energized, and whole.
Chakra balancing, yoga, and other traditional energy self-healing techniques should be considered complementary to Western medical treatments, not a replacement. If you have an acute or chronic health problem, consult your health care provider before beginning any exercise program.
The term chakra means ‘wheel’ or ‘disc’ in Sanskrit and refers to internal energy centers in the body. The concept of chakras originated in India from Hindu healing philosophies and was carried to the Far East with the spread of Buddhism, chakras were believed to be central to physical, mental, and spiritual health.
The concept of chakras has some similarity to the energy centers and meridians identified in traditional Chinese and Korean medicine, used today in acupuncture, acupressure, and other energy therapies. In East Asian practice, the three primary energy centers, called dantian in Chinese or dahnjon in Korean, appear to overlap with the 2nd, 4th and 6th chakras, although the underlying concepts are not the same; chakras are described as having energy exchange functions, while dantians/dahnjons are more often described in terms of energy storage.
There are seven chakras in the body, starting from the top of the head to the base of your spine:
When your chakras are opened or balanced, energy can flow freely throughout the body, maintaining harmony. But when you are experiencing a blockage in one or more of your chakras, you could notice dysfunction in the body and mind.
Imagine a river flowing toward the ocean. The river starts on the mountain and must overcome obstacles to reach the ocean.
There are many bends in the path, with trees falling across the river. Rocks block the path and prevent the river from flowing, leaving only a trickle to finally reach the sea. Many areas are left in drought because they were unable to receive the water needed. It is not a healthy landscape.
Now imagine that same river with an unobstructed path. The water rushes down the mountain, through the hills, and across the plain to the basin.
Of course, some water is used along the way, but much more water can reach the ocean. Now the water cycle can begin again, without fear of drought or flooding.
Now imagine the flow of energy in our bodies is like this, with a circular internal flow.
We know from modern Western medical research that stress can interfere with healthy circulation, causing problems such as increased clotting, high blood pressure, and hormonal imbalances.
The corollary belief from ancient Eastern traditions is that stress can interrupt the flow of our internal energy, causing energetic “blockages” which interrupt the flow of energy so that our bodies cannot function properly. This view of internal life energy is shared across many ancient traditions, including in the Hindu and Buddhist concepts of chakras, and in East Asian wellness practices like Tai Chi.
According to the tradition of energy chakras, we can restore circulation and balance by removing energetic blockages.
Note: If you know that you have high blood pressure or other verified blood circulation problems, ask your health care professional if you can safely explore chakra balancing or other traditional energy wellness practices as a complementary way to achieve your health goals while continuing prescribed care.
Sometimes we just feel like our energy is “off,” even though we have no diagnosed illness or disease. Paying attention to our bodies, we may sense that there’s something we need to address, but we may not know why or how.
Could your body be telling you there is an interruption in one or more chakras, preventing energy from flowing correctly?
According to ancient tradition, if your chakras are blocked, you could potentially notice or experience feelings like:
Turn your attention inward and listen to what your body is telling you. Then you can focus on restoring balance and unblocking your chakras.
Imagine feeling your absolute best. Your chakras are balanced, and you are functioning at your highest potential. This is your peak state.
According to ancient tradition, when your chakras are balanced, you may feel a stronger sense of vitality, wellness, and connectedness.
Once you understand how important energy is to your wellness, you may want to try clearing and balancing your chakras.
According to chakra traditions, most people have chakra imbalances that can obstruct the optimal flow of life energy. Bringing balance to your chakras allows your energy, or life force, to flow through the body without restriction. You can develop energetic balance in your chakras through the practices of yoga and meditation.
Try these Body & Brain Yoga Tai Chi yoga exercises for balancing your chakras and improving your internal energy flow:
To further your learning and deepen your understanding of how your chakras work, you can attend a class or schedule a private consultation with a Body & Brain Yoga Tai Chi instructor. Our experienced instructors can help you gain insights and learn methods to develop a balanced flow of energy.
Tapping is a type of ancient Asian acupressure that has grown in popularity in recent years. This traditional healing art involves applying gentle pressure to energy points and meridians in the body to help release energy blockages. A modern version of tapping called “Emotional Freedom Technique,” which involves tapping acupressure points in the head and upper body, is in common use by mental health practitioners.
As a traditional mind-body practice, one of the purposes of tapping is to bring your attention to points on your body where energy may feel blocked or needs to be balanced. As you are tapping your chakra points, for example, you are making the opening of an energy pathway possible.
Try this simple body tapping routine, meant to stimulate energy flow throughout your body:
If you want to focus on a specific chakra, you can facilitate unblocking by tapping just that particular chakra.
If you’ve ever experienced stiff muscles or joints, you already know how stiffness can negatively impact how you move, as well as how your body feels and what kind of mood can result. In the chakra tradition, stiffness in the body is attributed to “blocked energy,” which can be reduced by stretching, as in some yoga practices.
Modern studies have shown that stretching exercises can create improved circulation and flexibility. There is also scientific evidence that stretching may cause improvements in internal flexibility, including inside our circulatory system.
Ancient wellness traditions as well as modern science tell us that the body is not meant to be tight or restricted. Stretching helps you to lengthen and loosen the body so blood, air, and energy can move freely.
Try this easy sequence of stretches to start your day feeling more at ease as you move:
You can learn more stretches to unblock chakras and improve your flexibility by attending a Body & Brain Yoga Tai Chi yoga class, in person or online. Body & Brain instructors are extremely knowledgeable about chakras and energy flow and can offer you guidance for your unique body.
Breathing exercises (also called breathwork) are essential for moving energy. In the chakra tradition, regular practice of slow, intentional breathing can stimulate energy flow while gradually bringing a sense of inner calm.
Modern research shows that incorporating just ten minutes of breathwork into your day can reduce stress, relax your body, and support healthy circulation. There are many kinds of breathwork to explore, seated, standing, or lying on a mat.
Try following this breathing exercise video, and notice how you feel before and after:
The ancient practice of meditation allows you to bring your focus inward. Breathwork and visualization can be combined with some meditation forms to help you increase your awareness and sense any energetic blockages you may be experiencing.
Many studies have shown the mental and physical benefits of meditation, including stress reduction, improved blood circulation in the brain, reduced blood pressure, and improved breathing.
There are numerous ways to meditate, standing, sitting, lying down, or in motion. One of the simplest ways to learn meditation is jigam, a Korean-style meditation technique focusing on the sense of energy in the palms in order to calm brain busyness. Check out this video:
Is sitting still just too hard for you? Then you might want to try a moving meditation. Follow this video to see if Qigong movements help you calm your brain:
Once you’ve learned the movements and breathwork, try it without the voice instruction, connecting your mind with your body in slow motion. Notice if you feel an inner calm when you finish your practice.
Sound is an underrated tool for balancing chakras. You can use specific frequencies, instruments like singing bowls or chimes, or even your own voice to generate vibrations that align your energy. In chakra tradition, each energy center responds to a particular tone or sound, and humming, chanting, or listening to frequency-based music can encourage release and balance.
The sounds of Nature can also be a soothing aid to energy balancing and meditation, as in this example:
Once you have discovered how to balance all your chakras, you will want to find a regular practice to help keep your internal energy flowing.
In Body & Brain Yoga Tai Chi classes, we apply the principle that what happens to the body affects the mind and spirit, and vice versa. When we move with purpose and flow through movements that are designed to open our minds and bodies, we can also create openness in our chakras.
Meaningful movements allow more of your energy or life force to flow throughout your body. Yoga incorporates many of the exercises and techniques recommended for balancing chakras. The gentle flow of movements and intentional breathing work to bring your focus to your body and what it needs.
Attending and maintaining a regular yoga practice can help you to keep your chakras balanced and your energy flowing.
Balancing your chakras is a practice, as chakra balancing is not permanent. Anytime you start feeling the effects of blocked chakras, it is a good idea to balance them.
Developing an awareness of your internal energy flow and bringing balance to your body’s energy should be a regular practice. Body & Brain Yoga Tai Chi instructors can help you understand how to balance your chakras and improve your flow.
From private consultations to expert-led classes, online sessions, workshops, and retreats, we can help you better understand your energy, identify your needs, and help you restore balance to your body and spirit.
Join us today and let our experienced instructors help you find the best method for you to maintain the flow of energy you need to live your best life.