According to Ayurvedic medicine, the body contains seven key energy centers known as chakras. It translates to “wheel” as this is how the vortices of energy have always been depicted. These chakras are vital for keeping your life force energy flowing freely throughout your body. This is often called prana, or sometimes qi (chi) depending on who you ask.
By understanding our internal energy system, we can align these energy centers and live a life of health, balance, and harmony. If you find yourself constantly getting ill, or feeling drained and fatigued for no apparent reason, then it’s likely that your chakras are out of sync. There are more specific ailments that can arise as a result of chakra imbalance too, but we’ll mention them below.
So if you’re wondering how to open the chakras then you’ve come to the right place. We’ll walk you through each chakra one by one so that you can learn the art of chakra healing. Crystals and chakras go hand in hand, and you can even use essential oils too. A crystal’s vibration and an essential oil’s scent can both be used to maintain balance in your inner energy system. This is part of the holistic approach which suggests that absolutely everything is connected.
Read on to find the perfect oils and chakra stones to help you harmonize your energy.
Root Chakra
Other names: Muladhara, Base
Location: Base of the spine
Color: Red
Element: Earth
Physical Association: Bones, skeletal system, teeth, large intestines, kidneys, blood
Root chakra crystals: Black Tourmaline, Black Obsidian, Hematite, Garnet
Essential oils to bring balance: Patchouli, Vetiver, Fir, Spruce, Cypress
Affirmations: I am grounded, safe, and secure.
The root chakra is the place where the kundalini energy is said to reside. As the first chakra, it’s the gateway for energy to pass into you from the earth. This is why the feeling of being centered is associated with this chakra. Think of it as the foundation for everything above. If it’s not secure and sturdy, it can cause the higher chakras to fall into misalignment.
The chakra healing crystals for the base are usually red or black. Often, they’re protective stones such as black Tourmaline and black Obsidian. These filter in the energy you receive from your surrounding environment, ensuring that negative energy is kept out. Other root chakra stones like Hematite, tend to be powerful grounding crystals. Just holding them in your hand makes you feel a deeper connection to the planet. Combining these stones in your crystal altar or jewelry has the best effects on your root chakra.
The best essential oils for the root chakra are those that have earthy fragrances. Patchouli’s relaxing and grounding effects make it ideal for stress-relief. Its immunity-boosting properties prevent you from taking on toxic energy from those around you. You’ll drift off to sleep much easier when you mix this oil with a carrier and apply it to your skin. Fatigue will be a thing of the past.
Sacral Chakra
Other names: Svadhisthana, Navel
Location: Two inches below the navel
Color: Orange
Element: Water
Physical Association: Reproductive organs, kidneys, bladder, large intestine
Sacral chakra crystals: Carnelian, Topaz, Orange Calcite, Sunstone
Essential oils to bring balance: Ylang-Ylang, Jasmine, Orange, Neroli, Cardamom
Affirmations: I am passionate and emotionally open.
According to qigong, a millennia-old system for mapping out the body’s energy and how to work with it, the sacral chakra is home to the body’s most powerful energy storage center. The energy here is warm and welcoming, crucial to understanding others through empathy and compassion.
Sacral chakra stones are great for stimulating the sexual organs and reigniting passion into stagnant relationships. Their hot and fiery energy tends to spark creative ideas and enhance endurance. When crystals are used to balance the sacral chakra, you’ll be buzzing with energy that you can direct towards various outlets.
Essential oils that help you open up emotionally are best for this chakra. Ylang-ylang is our top choice. It also affects the root and heart chakra, but its soothing floral scent makes it perfect for the sacral chakra. Working as a natural aphrodisiac, it stirs your sexual organs and increases libido. Mix it with a carrier oil and apply it directly to your skin to relieve stress and anxiety, lower fatigue, and help with insomnia.
Solar Plexus Chakra
Other names: Manipura
Location: Above the navel but below the sternum
Color: Yellow
Element: Fire
Physical Association: Digestive system, stomach, liver, gallbladder, pancreas, small intestine, metabolism
Solar Plexus chakra crystals: Citrine, Tiger’s Eye, Pyrite
Essential oils to bring balance: Lemon, Spearmint, Elemi, Cardamom, Petitgrain
Affirmations: I can achieve anything I set my mind to.
The solar plexus chakra, when activated, becomes the driving force that guides you towards your purpose. It tunes you into what you truly desire and helps you understand that the keys to success are already in your hands—they’ve always been there. When driven to succeed, your radiant energy will be felt by everybody you come into contact with. Take responsibility for where you are so that you can get to where you want to be.
The chakra-cleansing crystals for solar plexus tend to be yellow gemstones that enhance motivation, determination, and confidence. They are brilliant success stones and are often used to attract abundance. Citrine is a great example. It’s a money stone that fills you with joy, optimism, and positive energy. Wear Citrine to bring the solar plexus chakra into balance and attract money, success, and happiness.
Lemon essential oil is a good choice to revitalize the mind, body, and spirit. It fills you with extra energy so that you feel super productive. This well-known fragrance purifies the body and fills you with peace. It’s great for boosting the immune system and relieving the sensation of nausea. Apply it topically or ingest a few drops with lukewarm water to relieve constipation in the morning.
Heart Chakra
Other names: Anahata
Location: Center of the breastbone
Color: Green or Pink
Element: Air
Physical Association: Heart, lungs, circulatory system, shoulders, upper back
Heart chakra crystals: Rose Quartz, Green Aventurine, Malachite, Amazonite, Rhodochrosite
Essential oils to bring balance: Pine, Neroli, Rosewood, Lavender
Affirmations: I am loving and lovable.
The heart chakra is the center of love in the body. It’s arguably the most important chakra in the modern world because of our lack of love on a global scale. An open heart empowers us to understand others and realize that we’re more alike than we might think. It’s the key to compassion and it’s necessary to be in touch with our hearts for us to experience a healthy relationship.
Heart chakra stones are usually green or pink, like the color of the chakra itself. They often have soothing and gentle energies; Rose Quartz, green Aventurine, and Rhodochrosite are perfect examples of this. They help heal emotional pain and encourage us to trust again. But there are other heart stones, like Malachite, which give tough love instead. They don’t mess around and cut right through the fluff to the root cause of your heart issues.
Pine essential oil is a brilliant scent for the heart as it can remove emotional blockages and help you move on with your life. It carries with it the air of forgiveness. Use a diffuser oil and inhale the fragrance to receive its pain-relieving properties.
Throat Chakra
Other names: Vishuddha
Location: Neck
Color: Blue
Element: Ether
Physical Association: Throat, neck, teeth, gums, ears, thyroid glands
Throat chakra crystals: Aquamarine, Turquoise, Kyanite, Apatite, Blue Lace Agate
Essential oils to bring balance: Lavender, Frankincense, Peppermint, German Chamomile
Affirmations: I follow my wildest dreams.
The throat chakra is the bridge between the spiritual chakras and the mind/body chakras. When open, it empowers you to articulate information from the divine consciousness of the crown chakra in such a way that other people can easily comprehend it. Use your voice to speak freely and truly.
Throat chakra stones are almost always blue and come with somewhat soothing vibes. Turquoise’s energy resonates well with the throat chakra and it brings with it a moral message of justice. It promotes equality for all and is a fantastic stone for democracy.
Lavender is excellent for helping you see your true self with greater clarity. Its floral scent will help you overcome your fear of speaking so you can express your true desires to the world once and for all. Lavender is brilliant for people who suffer from sleep disorders and is a great fragrance to inhale to help you relax before bed. It’s the best headache cure; just mix it with water or carrier oil and apply it to the area in pain. Keep away from sensitive areas.
Third Eye Chakra
Other names: Ajna, Brow
Location: Center of the forehead in between the eyebrows
Color: Indigo
Element: Light
Physical Association: Eyes, face, brain, lymphatic system, endocrine system
Third Eye Chakra crystals: Lapis Lazuli, Labradorite, Celestite, Fluorite
Essential oils to bring balance: Sandalwood, Clary Sage, Lemongrass
Affirmations: I’m constantly aware of the bigger picture.
The brow chakra is known as the seat of intuition; you can access insight from beyond the five senses here. It promotes higher awareness and enables you to see the bigger picture. With a broader perspective, everything starts to make sense and you can start to see the everyday synchronicities of the universe at play.
Third eye chakra crystals are almost always mind-expanders. They present a different perspective which blows everything you thought you knew out the window. They open up the doorway to higher consciousness so that you can access pure truth in its raw form. Lapis Lazuli is particularly great as it also stimulates the throat chakra, enabling you to process these truths and vocalize them for others.
As for essential oils, choose one that relates to wisdom. Sandalwood is an excellent pick for its clarity-inducing properties. The aroma helps you realize your true self and transcend the ego-driven “I”. It brings tension levels down, especially after a long day’s work, and it’s known to increase concentration, memory, and dream recall. Mix it with lavender and rub it on your third eye to gain the maximum benefit.
Crown Chakra
Other names: Sahasrara
Location: The top of the head
Color: Violet
Element: Consciousness
Physical Association: Head, aura
Crown chakra crystals: Clear Quartz, Amethyst, Selenite
Essential oils to bring balance: Rose, Cedarwood, Lime, Helichrysum
Affirmations: I am a source of the divine and I live in the present moment.
The crown chakra is the one to rule them all. It’s the energy center that accumulates all the divine wisdom from higher levels of consciousness. Like how the root is connected to the earth, the crown is connected to the higher realms. It supports and maintains the flow of energy throughout the entire body.
Crystals for the crown chakra tend to be some of the most powerful in all the mineral world. Their energy contains a bright light, mirroring the one within us all. Clear Quartz and Selenite are particularly powerful chakra-cleansing crystals. Selenite is often used to cleanse other crystals because of how powerful it is. Amethyst is an intuition-enhancing gemstone that is key in learning how to open your third eye too.
For a mind-expanding essential oil to accompany your healing crystals, try rose oil. It activates both the crown and the heart chakras and is known as a very strong aroma that can relax the body with just one whiff. Use it to guide your meditations through the gateway to enlightenment. It’s excellent at soothing migraines and putting a stop to headaches. Blend it with another oil such as jasmine, and apply it directly to your head. As always, avoid sensitive areas and don’t over-apply them.
Warning: With all the essential oils mentioned above, it’s strongly advised to contact your healthcare provider for more detailed information about if and when you should use them, particularly if you’re pregnant, nursing, or taking prescribed medication.
When choosing essential oils and crystals for chakras, follow your intuition. Have a good rummage around. Hold the stones in your hand and see how they feel. Do you notice a spark? Smell a few different oils before deciding on which one works for you. Take your time with it and have fun.
