The Importance of Chakra Colors and How to Harness Their Energy

On your path of spiritual growth, you’ve probably come across the concept of the chakra system and chakra colors. More people are becoming aware that wellness goes much further than just mental and physical health. Balancing your energetic body is just as essential.

According to yogic tradition, the human body is made of channels and energy centers through which prana, or life force, flows. These energy centers are called chakras.

Even though there are 114 pools of energy distributed throughout all areas of the body, seven major chakras are believed to influence your physical, mental, and spiritual well-being. Each energy center is associated with a different color, sound, and vibration, as well as specific organs and body parts.

The reason why each chakra is associated with a specific color is because of its unique vibration. Every energy center possesses its own pulse, density, frequencies, and wavelengths. 

For example, the color red has the longest waves, which means it vibrates at a lower frequency. On the other hand, violet is said to have the shortest wavelengths, thus reaching the highest frequency of all seven chakras.

Once you identify the signs and symptoms of a possible blocked or unaligned chakra, knowing about its color can help you select the best tools to harmonize your energy.

One of the easiest ways to support your overall well-being is by using chakra healing gemstones. Chakra healing therapy asserts that when you pair specific colored stones with their corresponding chakra colors, you magnify the power of the crystal and increase the chances of removing stagnant energy.

Below, you'll learn about the seven chakras and their meaning, as well as their colors. You’ll also discover how you can use this knowledge to choose colored stones that enhance your energetic equilibrium.

Chakras and Their Colors

When there’s a block in one of your chakras, it can disrupt the flow of energy. Left untreated, this can lead to emotional, spiritual, and even physical imbalances. Learning more about how chakra energy works is crucial to identify, remove, and prevent possible blockages. Also, understanding the power of chakra colors can help get your energy moving in a healthy and vibrant flow. 

Red: Root Chakra

The red chakra or root chakra — Muladhara in Sanskrit — is located at the base of your spine. Although most commonly associated with the color red, it’s also tied to the color black. This first chakra is the energy that grounds you into your physical body and the earth. An open root chakra gives you a sense of security, stability, and belonging — emotions that relate to your basic sense of survival. 

The red color is seen as the densest of all the chakra colors and represents life force, vitality, and courage. It’s often used to signify danger and to evoke primal elements such as blood, and the bond to the planet.

Red is the most stimulating and vibrant hue of all chakra colors. It’s known to awaken feelings of safety and confidence, both in your relationship with the world and yourself. Well-balanced root energy sets a solid foundation for all the other chakras in your system.

In chakra healing practices, the red color is often associated with reducing inflammation at a physical level. It’s also believed to help manage bone marrow issues, as well as kidney stones, constipation, colitis, and conditions affecting the hips, legs, and feet.

Red-colored stones that may balance the root chakra include:

• Hematite: Dispels negativity and grounds the spirit
• Red agate: Promotes vitality and helps reorganize feelings
• Black tourmaline: Repels psychic attacks and transforms dense energy into good vibes

Orange: Sacral Chakra

If the root chakra is all about the physical dimension, Svadhisthana, or the orange chakra, is focused on your emotional and creative side. The second chakra is located in your navel area, and its vibration emanates joy, enthusiasm, and passion. It’s also the center of your sexual energy.

An open sacral chakra is said to stimulate a healthy attitude about sexuality, tantra, and kundalini energy. When it's well-balanced, you're able to build more authentic and loving relationships and spark your curiosity and appetite for life.

The orange color is created by mixing red and yellow, a combination of the grounding powers of the root chakra and the empowering energies of the solar plexus chakra. It's the color of vitality, strength, and creation.

The sacral chakra is also often referred to as the reproductive chakra. During crystal healing therapy sessions, orange-colored stones are commonly used to help alleviate problems related to menstrual flow, premenstrual syndrome, prostatic and testicular diseases, ovarian cysts and endometriosis, and disruptions in adrenals and glands.

You can harness the highly energetic vibes of this hue by wearing orange-toned clothing, using visualization techniques with the color orange, picking orange-hued home decorations, or carrying a beautiful healing stone.

Some sacral chakra options include:

• Carnelian: Restores motivation and gives courage
• Orange jade: Removes creative blocks and enhances positive thinking
• Tiger's eye: Releases anxiety and boosts confidence in decisions

Yellow: Solar Plexus Chakra

The Manipura or yellow chakra vibration encourages you to tap into your personal power and confidence. Situated in your belly button region, it's considered the center of your willpower and is closely linked to how much you feel in control of your life.

Yogic tradition believes that the third chakra serves as powerful storage for energies, both positive and negative. As such, it's imperative you keep this energy center open, clear, and balanced. A well-nourished solar plexus can lead to a strong sense of self-worth and self-esteem.

The yellow color is associated with sun, warmth, and positivity. Harnessing its power can enhance your concentration, intellect, and the desire to leave your mark in this world. If your motivation to start something new needs a boost, wear something yellow or hold on to a solar plexus chakra stone.

On an energy-healing level, this stimulating color is said to have a positive impact on your nervous system (especially during depressive or anxious states) as it teaches you to see the brighter side of things. It's also used in color therapy to manage conditions affecting the liver, pancreas, and gallbladder, and to provide some relief for those who have diabetes and peptic ulcers.

Yellow mood-boosting crystals include:

• Citrine: Repels negative thoughts and attracts prosperity
• Rutilated quartz: Enhances creativity and cleanses the aura
• Amber: Eases fears and phobias, and clears the mind

Green: Heart Chakra

The green chakra, or Anahata, is the fourth chakra in your energetic system. Contrary to what you might believe, it's found in the center of your chest, not in your heart.

When this energy center is open and balanced, it can kindle feelings of healing, compassion, and empathy. When prana is flowing clearly, the heart chakra supports your self-love, self-esteem, and helps you accept yourself and others just as they are. Your ability to give and receive love is enhanced, as well as your capacity to stay true to yourself.

It's not a coincidence that along with being one of the most soothing and healing colors, green is also the one mainly associated with nature. It's a symbol of health, life, growth, and integration among all living things. 

Chakra energy healers use green-hued gemstones to treat allergies and heart-related problems, and some even believe that these powerful tools can help boost your immune system. Green is a balance between warm and cold colors, just as the heart chakra is the one that bridges the gap between the first three earthly energy centers (also known as the lower chakras) and the spiritual chakras (or higher chakras). 

Along with green, pink is the most common color associated with the Anahata, and some of the most potent crystals used to bring balance to this pool of energy are:

• Rose quartz: Restores harmony and trust in relationships
• Rhodochrosite: Improves self-worth and encourages positivity
• Malachite: Protects from harmful energies and helps to cope with change

Blue: Throat Chakra

Vishuddha, or the blue chakra, is also known among the holistic community as the communication center. When the throat chakra is energetically balanced, it can awaken your capacity for creative expression, encouraging you to speak your truth and engage in an open dialogue. It encompasses both the throat and the shoulder region.

The fifth chakra's theme is not only about self-expression — it also encourages you to listen actively and to be sensitive about others' communication needs. Energy healers claim that an active blue chakra is a powerful way to cleanse your emotional baggage. This might explain why you always feel better after opening up about an issue that has been weighing on your mind and messing with your emotions.

By speaking your truth, you can purify many of the harmful and dense emotions you might have been carrying inside. You can let go of the things that don't bring you joy anymore and move forward towards a more vibrant and thriving self.

During crystal healing therapy, the blue color is used to help treat tooth pain, hearing problems, headaches, lung issues (such as bronchitis or asthma), sore throat, and jaw tension. Research shows that this color evokes feelings of calm, truth, clarity, and bliss. If you're having a stressful time, take a stroll by the sea or a lake, so you absorb all the soothing and calming vibrations that this color delivers.

If you feel like you need some supporting energy to develop your communication skills, consider getting one of these wonderful gemstones in various hues of blue:

• Aquamarine: Cools fiery temperaments and heals emotional trauma
• Apatite: Encourages self-expression and reduces fatigue
• Sodalite: Supports rational thinking and helps verbalize feelings

Indigo: Third Eye Chakra

The third eye chakra, or Ajna, is usually represented by the indigo color, even though sometimes it can be depicted in purple. Many believe that by opening this energy center, you'll have complete access and control over your entire chakra system. Also known as the brow chakra, it's located between your eyebrows, on the top of your nose bridge.

A well-balanced sixth chakra is said to awaken your ability to sense beyond the physical realm and connect with your higher consciousness. 

This chakra is dominated by rationality and the capacity to see things as they are, without getting overwhelmed by your emotions. Its vibration can encourage you to dig deeper and connect with your inner wisdom, allowing you to grasp meaningful insights and tune into your intuition.

Without a doubt, the indigo or purple color is most often associated with holistic and spiritual matters. It symbolizes the esoteric, the realization that there is more to you than just your physical body, and the ability to connect your inner and outer realities.

Chakra healing therapists commonly rely on purple and indigo gemstones to alleviate symptoms of an unbalanced or blocked third eye, such as headaches, migraines, short- and long-sightedness, sinusitis, and glaucoma.

Third eye chakra balancing crystals include:

• Amethyst: Natural tranquilizer and intuition enhancer
• Fluorite: Increases concentration and helps in decision-making
• Lepidolite: Releases old beliefs and reduces stress

Violet: Crown Chakra

The Sahasrara — also known as the crown chakra — is the last energy center in the chakra chart. It's located at the top of the head and is commonly associated with violet, white, and sometimes gold.

The seventh chakra has the highest vibration of all chakras. It’s considered the transcendental energy center where you connect with the divine and all things in the universe. It’s believed that when the crown chakra is active, universal energy enters your system and awakens your desire to evolve — you become aware that all existence is connected and you’re a part of it.

All the colors associated with this chakra symbolize purification, mystery, spiritual power, and awakening. Transparent stones are commonly used to heal and open this chakra as they represent an open mind, body, and soul ready to understand the universal truths. They're also used to cleanse other crystals and open all chakras.

Crown chakra colors are fundamental during crystal healing therapy to help bring relief to headaches and mental confusion, guiding people towards their life purpose.

 Powerful crown chakra crystals include:

• Selenite: Clears confusion and supports good judgment
• Clear quartz: Protects against negativity and amplifies intentions
• Amethyst: Soothes the nervous system and balances mood swings

Chakra Colors: Balance Your Energy and Restore Harmony

Learning about chakras is an essential step towards understanding your energy system and its possible blockages. Furthermore, when you understand the connection between chakras and their vibrational colors, you can choose the appropriate chakra healing stones to help you balance your mind, body, and soul.

If you're overly stressed and nervous, opt for soothing colors like green or blue, which help balance the heart and throat chakras. If you've got the blues, boost your mood and fuel your optimism by wearing red, orange, or yellow to activate your root, sacral, or solar plexus chakras, respectively. When you feel like connecting to your spiritual side, add a dash of violet or gold to your day.

Whichever chakra colors you use, you’re sure to unlock the door to your higher consciousness and to the energy that permeates the entire universe.