For thousands of years, Eastern medicine — including Ayurveda and Traditional Chinese Medicine — has recognized humans as a whole, inseparable combination of body, mind, and soul.
According to Hindu and yogic traditions, we have an energy system where prana — our vital force — flows to all parts of our body. This theory asserts that within this system are larger energy centers where a higher concentration of arteries, veins, and nerves exist. These locations are called chakras.
Chakras, meaning "wheels" in Sanskrit, are pools of energy with specific vibrations and colors that influence different physical regions of the body and emotional and spiritual well-being. Even though it's said we have 114 of these centers spread throughout our body, there are seven major chakras:
- Root chakra: located at the base of the spine
- Sacral chakra: found in the navel region
- Solar plexus chakra: situated in the belly button area
- Heart chakra: located at the center of the chest
- Throat chakra: comprises the shoulder and neck areas
- Third eye chakra: found between the eyebrows
- Crown chakra: resides at the top of the head
In this guide, you'll learn how to clean chakras, the importance of chakra cleansing, and how to balance your own chakras.
At the very end, you'll find a simple but powerful chakra clearing meditation that can relieve stress, help you feel grounded, and align your energy.
Let's get started!
What Blocks Chakras?
Many factors contribute to a blocked chakra, and you might be surprised to learn that they are quite similar to those linked to physical disease.
For example, eating processed foods and not exercising may compromise the proper functioning of your energetic system. Likewise, holding on to painful emotions and old beliefs that keep you stuck and unable to move forward can block your chakras and create stagnant energy.
Here are some examples of energy-dense emotions and their corresponding chakras:
- Root chakra: Fear, trauma, eating disorders
- Sacral chakra: Emotional instability, addictive behaviors, fear of change
- Solar plexus chakra: Bullying, lack of self-worth, mental, emotional, sexual, or physical abuse
- Heart chakra: Stress, emotional pain, grief, unhealed emotional wounds, overthinking
- Throat chakra: Low self-esteem, self-expression issues, fear of speaking your truth
- Third eye chakra: A closed mind, blind obedience, not questioning your reality
- Crown chakra: Overactive ego, deeply rooted negative beliefs, lack of meaningful relationships
It's critical to identify and recognize these behaviors and patterns. When you do, you can focus on which energy centers you need to cleanse and begin to make positive changes.
What Is A Chakra Cleanse?
A chakra cleanse removes toxins from your chakra system to bring back balance. You can unblock and balance your energy centers using various chakra healing techniques. Meditation, yoga poses (also known as asanas), reiki, mindfulness, healthy eating, and healing chakra stones are powerful ways to cleanse your chakra system.
Closed or unaligned chakras can wreak havoc on you emotionally, physically, and spiritually. Keeping your energy flowing through clear and unobstructed paths is crucial to experience vitality, high energy levels, and a healthy appetite for life.
It's believed that a blocked chakra stops the flow of energy, affecting you both psychologically and emotionally. If left unattended or unresolved, these issues could develop into physical symptoms that might lead to more significant health issues.
The Seven Chakras: Clearing Chakras For Beginners
In this section, you'll learn how to clear chakras, their mantra sounds (which will be useful for the chakra cleansing meditation), and dietary considerations to keep your energy flowing and your chakras nourished. You'll also find a list of specific healing crystals that help unblock and balance each particular chakra. Of course, always consult your physician before making any changes to your diet.
Root Chakra (Muladhara)
The root chakra is associated with your survival instincts and how you connect with your physical body. It is the first chakra.
- Color: Red or black
- Element: Earth
- Mantra: Lam
- Root chakra cleansing foods: Root vegetables like potatoes, beetroots, carrots, radishes, onions, parsnips, and garlic are considered nourishing sources for your first chakra. Protein-rich foods such as meat, eggs, nut butter (peanut butter), tofu, and soy products are also energetically grounding choices. Red-colored foods such as red apples, tomatoes, pomegranates, and strawberries also work well with your root chakra's vibration.
- Root chakra herbs and spices: Chives, cayenne, paprika, pepper, and horseradish
- Essential oils: Sandalwood, rosemary, and clove
- Root chakra cleanse crystals: Black Tourmaline, Obsidian, Ruby, Red Agate, and Hematite
Sacral Chakra (Svadhisthana)
Your second energy center, or Svadhisthana, or sacral chakra, is associated with your emotional and creative side. It's also where your sexual energy — also known as kundalini — is generated and stored.
- Color: Orange
- Element: Water
- Mantra: Vam
- Sacral chakra balancing foods: Orange-hued fruits like mango, passion fruit, peaches, oranges, and apricots are all nourishing examples that can support and balance this chakra. Other functional foods include carrots, sweet potatoes, orange peppers, salmon, and coconut water. Nuts and seeds such as walnuts, almonds, and sesame seeds are especially beneficial for this energy center.
- Sacral chakra herbs and spices: Cinnamon and vanilla
- Essential oils: Ylang-ylang, neroli, sandalwood, and jasmine
- Sacral chakra healing crystals: Orange Calcite, Carnelian, Goldstone, and Red Aventurine
Solar Plexus Chakra (Manipura)
Manipura is all about tapping into your personal power and self-esteem. The chakra is associated with your ego and willpower.
- Color: Yellow
- Element: Fire
- Mantra: Ram
- Solar plexus chakra balancing foods: Complex carbohydrates like oats, rice, spelt, and beans are said to be excellent foods to nourish your solar plexus chakra. Flax seeds and sunflower seeds also support this energy center, while dairy products such as milk, cheese, and yogurt can keep the third chakra energy unblocked. Yellow foods like bananas, corn, squash, and lemons can be very beneficial for Manipura.
- Solar plexus herbs and spices: Black paper, mint, chamomile, cumin, fennel, turmeric, and ginger
- Essential oils: Spearmint, cedarwood, mandarin, and rosemary
- Solar plexus chakra healing crystals: Amber, Citrine, Tiger's Eye, Topaz, and Rutilated Quartz
Heart Chakra (Anahata)
The heart chakra is associated with your self-esteem and self-love vibrations. It connects your lower chakras with the higher chakras. An open Anahata encourages healthy emotional sharing with others and unconditional love for yourself and all living beings.
- Color: Pink or green
- Element: Air
- Mantra: Yam
- Heart chakra cleansing foods: Leafy greens such as kale, spinach, and Swiss chard are fantastic functional foods to keep the Anahata balanced. Other green-colored foods like broccoli, cabbage, celery, zucchini, peas, cucumber, avocado, limes, and kiwis are great choices to support the heart chakra's optimal energy.
- Heart chakra herbs and spices: Basil, cilantro, parsley, thyme, and green tea
- Essential oils: Lavender, mandarin, frankincense, melissa, and neroli
- Heart chakra healing crystals: Rose Quartz, Malachite, Rhodochrosite, and Unakite
Throat Chakra (Vishuddha)
The throat or blue chakra is associated with your ability to communicate and express yourself. An open Vishuddha teaches you to take responsibility for your life and encourages you to speak your truth.
- Color: Blue
- Element: Akasha or Ether
- Mantra: Ham
- Throat chakra cleansing foods: Foods believed to support the proper function and vibration of Vishuddha include water, natural fruit juices, herbal teas, and coconut water. Blue-colored fruits such as blackberries, blueberries, and plums are also beneficial to the throat chakra. Some say fruits that grow on trees, like pears and apples, may also help keep this communication center clear.
- Essential oils: Chamomile, bergamot, peppermint, and geranium
- Throat chakra healing crystals: Sodalite, Apatite, Lapis Lazuli, Chrysocolla, and Turquoise
Third Eye Chakra (Ajna)
The third eye chakra is where your subconscious and conscious mind meet. When this chakra is unblocked and active, you can reach deeper into inner wisdom and get important insights about who you are and what you want in life.
- Color: Indigo or violet
- Element: Light or a combination of all elements
- Mantra: Om
- Third eye chakra balancing foods: Purple foods such as blueberries, blackberries, purple grapes, purple cabbage, and eggplant are thought to clear and energize the Ajna. Raw cacao is also a superfood that deeply nourishes this chakra. It's rich in flavonoids and boosts serotonin, which can lower stress levels and fight inflammation.
- Third eye chakra herbs and spices: Poppy seeds
- Essential oils: Frankincense, clary sage, lavender, cypress, and juniper
- Third eye chakra healing crystals: Amethyst, Fluorite, Charoite, and Lepidolite
Crown Chakra (Sahasrara)
The last energy center is located at the crown of the head, where you connect with the universe and communicate with your higher consciousness.
- Color: White, purple, or multicolored
- Element: Thought or cosmic energy
- Mantra: Om
- Crown chakra cleansing foods: Contrary to the other chakras, it's believed that the Sahasrara benefits more from fasting and detoxifying. Fasting has a spiritual connotation in some Eastern religions, as the body flushes out toxins, negative energies, emotions, and old beliefs. Using essential oils, smudging herbs, or burning incense may be a great way to keep the crown chakra activated and balanced.
- Essential oils: Jasmine, jojoba oil, frankincense, lavender, and juniper
- Crown chakra healing crystals: Clear Quartz, Moonstone, Selenite, and Herkimer diamond
Let's see how to clear your chakra with meditation.
How To Cleanse Chakras With Meditation
Chakra meditation is a powerful way to cleanse and balance chakras. This practice is not only a trusted technique to unblock your chakra system, but it can also help you manage stress and anxiety.
You can do chakra cleaning meditation once a week to restore energetic balance or as part of deeper crystal healing therapy to treat deeper blockages and unaligned chakras.
Before you start, choose a quiet and comfortable place and read through the meditation guidelines:
- If you have your chakra clearing stones, lie down and position each crystal close to its respective chakra. If you don't have any crystals, choose a position in which you're most comfortable, either sitting or lying down.
- Close your eyes and take a deep breath. With each exhale, feel your body relaxing and becoming heavier. Feel the stress leaving every part of your body. Continue taking deep breaths until you're in a complete state of relaxation.
- Picture a beautiful and warm red light forming at the base of your spine, in the center of your root chakra. If you feel like it, take a deep breath and chant the “lam” mantra. If you have your root chakra crystal close, feel how its energy interacts with your base chakra. Let the vibrations of this red light, the mantra, and your healing stone unblock and clear any stagnant energy, unresolved emotions, and things that do not serve you anymore. Take all the time you need in this area. When you feel you've finished, move to the next chakra.
- Do this meditation for all seven chakras. Picture the light changing color as it moves from each chakra to the next. Stop at each one of them and take the time to tune in with your crystal (if that's the case). Feel the vibration of every energy center. Chant the appropriate mantra for each chakra. If you don't feel up for it, don't force yourself. This is your meditation practice, so do whatever feels comfortable.
- Once you have reached the crown chakra, say a little gratitude prayer, take a deep breath, and slowly start to regain awareness of your body, starting with your feet and moving upwards until you've reached the top of your head.
- Slowly open your eyes. Once you're ready, remove your gemstones and sit up. Make sure you cleanse your crystals after you complete your meditation.
Unblock Your Chakras and Feel the Energy Flow
Chakra cleansing is as vital to your overall well-being as taking care of your physical body. Your chakra system is an integral part of your multidimensional existence that needs to be nourished and nurtured. The more you tune in to it, the more sensitive you'll become to its needs and vibration.
Keep in mind that it takes more than just meditating or carrying your crystals with you to keep a healthy chakra system. Eating nutrient-rich foods, getting good-quality sleep, and giving your body some daily movement is undoubtedly a crucial part of keeping your body, mind, and spirit living well and thriving.
As always, this information does not substitute medical care or advice from your doctor. If you have any medical condition or food-related allergies, please exercise caution when applying these guidelines.
