For almost a thousand years, our scriptures have described the human body as more than just muscles, organs, and bones. Apart from this, there is also a flow of energy in our bodies that directly influences our feelings and consciousness. It influences our behaviour, our emotions, our mind and how we interact with people. The centre of this system is the chakras, the spinning wheels of the body. It is the centre of energy in our body that regulates our prana, or life force. So, to keep everything in balance, we need to practice yoga poses for chakras.
Powerful Yoga Poses to Balance 7 Chakras
When the chakras in our body are opened, we tend to move freely, think and act freely, and feel mental stability and better health. But if these chakras are blocked, they result in stress, hormonal fluctuations, and physical discomfort. There are 7 chakras, and each of them is connected to a particular area of our body, connected to human psychology and personal growth. Performing yoga asanas helps in balancing these chakras.
Each chakra responds to yogic movements differently. Yoga poses to unblock energy centers help in stimulating the energy and removing blockages. Doing yoga is very different from a workout session; awareness of breath, intentional movement, and presence of mind are what make yoga a different, transformative experience. It not only tones your body and transforms your muscles but also helps to harmonise your emotions and spiritual energy.
The 7 chakras in yoga are:
- Root Chakra (Muladhara)
- Sacral Chakra (Svadhisthana)
- Solar Plexus Chakra (Manipura)
- Heart Chakra (Anahata)
- Throat Chakra (Vishuddha)
- Third Eye Chakra (Ajna)
- Crown Chakra (Sahasrara)
1. Root Chakra
The root chakra is the foundation of the chakras, located at the base of the spine, and represents stability and our connection with the outside world. It governs our most basic needs, like food, shelter, survival, and safety, just like the roots of a tree define how big and strong the tree will be over time.
It is believed that any disturbance in this chakra makes the person worry more about survival and safety and may also lead to disturbed digestion and a weak core. If this chakra is balanced, it will make you more emotionally secure, grounded, and confident. It makes you feel stable and safe even after all the challenges life throws at you.
The disturbance in this Chakra may also lead to feeling unstable and insecure, and you may also experience anxiety, restlessness, and a fear of change. You may also feel physical discomfort, like pain in the lower back, legs, or feet, due to a disturbance in this chakra.
To restore the balance of the body, various yoga postures that help in grounding can be practised. The yoga postures that help with this chakra usually emphasise slow and steady movement with deep breathing. The postures focus more on present movement and establishing a link between your body and mind, and not just to increase flexibility.
Easy Yoga Poses to Balance the Root Chakra
Tadasana (Mountain Pose)
This pose helps to strengthen the connection between your feet and Earth through alignment and encourages stability. This pose helps you feel safe and secure.
Malasana (Garland Pose)
This pose helps strengthen your lower back, opens your hips, and grounds you to the Earth. This also helps to encourage a sense of humility within. It helps to realise tensions in the lower body over time.
Vrikshasana (Tree Pose)
Also known as the tree pose, this helps to maintain a steady balance. The pose helps to develop focus and inner stability.
If you perform these asanas, you will form an energetic foundation for your system that helps you heal and feel safe.
2. Sacral Chakra
The sacral chakra is related to emotions, creativity, and relationships. This chakra represents survival and stability, and the ability to experience life to the fullest. Once the chakra is balanced, you tend to feel that your emotions are more open and your creativity is more inspired. You can actually express passion, joy, and affection without any fear.
You’ll also feel that your relationships will feel more natural, and you tend to give and receive more emotional support. This chakra gives direction to our emotions, feelings, and creativity. Any imbalance in this chakra leads to emotional challenges, and some end up feeling numb and disconnected from everyone, while some may feel overdependent on relationships and mood swings.
The chakra is related to the water element, and asanas related to fluid movement, hip opening and flexibility help in stimulating this chakra. The yogasanas help in removing the tightness of the hips, as they’re known to store all the emotional tension of the body.
Sacral Chakra Healing Yoga Positions
Bound Angle Pose (Baddha Konasana)
This yoga asana helps directly in opening the hips and pelvis. It helps to stimulate your lower abdominal regions, promoting relaxation and a release of emotions.
Low Lunge (Anjaneyasana)
This pose helps in stretching the hips and thighs while opening up the front body. This asana also encourages stimulation in the lower abdominal regions, helping to release our emotions and increase flexibility.
3. Solar Plexus Chakra
Manipura is located in the upper abdomen near the stomach area and is also associated with willpower, confidence, and discipline.
This helps our mind to take actions on our behalf, pursue our goals, and develop a strong sense of identity.
If the chakra is balanced, you tend to feel more capable of making your decisions and more motivated and confident.
People with a stronger Manipura have a clear sense of purpose and high self-esteem, and they would go out of their comfort zone willingly.
If this chakra is blocked, you’d have self-doubt and feelings of anxiety, and you might also struggle with either indecisiveness or being highly dominant. Any asanas that activate core muscles help in the flow of this chakra in the body.
Poses that Help Balance the Solar Plexus Chakra
Boat pose (Navasana)
This pose engages your abdominal muscles and requires both strength and focus. This helps in building up your confidence and inner strength.
Plank pose (Phalakasana)
This is a foundational pose that helps in strengthening the entire body while targeting your core. Doing regular planks can help in increasing discipline.
4. Heart Chakra
Anahata is located in the centre of your chest and represents love, empathy, emotional balance, and compassion for others.
If your heart chakra is balanced, you’ll be feeling more compassion and love for others and yourself.
This helps in building meaningful relationships and approaching everyone with kindness and understanding.
Any kind of unresolved trauma, emotional pain, or grief can block this chakra, making you trust people less, feel lonely, and be emotionally guarded.
It mainly includes yoga asanas that help in opening up your chest and expanding your lungs. These asanas are known to release emotional tension that’s stored in your chest.
Heart Chakra Yoga Poses for Beginners
Camel Pose (Ustrasana)
This posture stretches out your chest, shoulders, and abdomen, stimulating your heart centre. It allows you to be vulnerable and release your emotions.
Bridge pose (Setu Bandhasana)
This pose strengthens your back and opens up your chest while also helping with increased blood circulation. For this reason, the pose is also preferred by many to correct bad posture and realign the spine. Beyond the physical, this pose is known to promote the feeling of trust, hope, and emotional balance, making it a vital practice for your heart center.
5. Throat Chakra
Vishuddha is the chakra that governs our speech, truth, and self-expression. It is located in the centre of the throat and helps to express what we truly are from within. When this chakra is balanced, communication flows naturally from you, and people are actually able to see you honestly while also being empathetic. This chakra helps you to communicate your ideas, opinions, and true feelings without the fear of being judged.
Blockage in this chakra makes it difficult for the person to communicate and express their thoughts freely without the fear of being judged.
While some people may talk less due to the fear of being underheard, others may talk excessively while hiding their true selves. Neck stiffness, tightness in the jaw, and voice-related discomfort are the results of this chakra being imbalanced. Remedies like mantra chanting and yoga poses can help to open up this chakra.
Poses that help balance the throat chakra
- Matsyasana (Fish Pose)
- Sarvangasana (Shoulder Stand)
- Halasana (Plow Pose)
6. Third Eye Chakra
Ajna is located between the eyebrows at the centre of the forehead, which is associated with intuition and mental clarity.
It enhances our ability to understand a deeper meaning of life by governing our imagination and creativity. When this chakra is balanced, it helps you to have a stronger intuition and clearer thinking.
You’ll be able to trust your inner self, have a broader perspective, and seek your own guidance. If this chakra is blocked, it sometimes leads to a lack of focus, and you’ll find it difficult to trust your gut.
Sometimes people with a blocked Third Eye Chakra rely too much on logic and tend to ignore their inner voice, and may also struggle with overthinking.
Yoga poses to open the third eye chakra
- Balasana (Child’s Pose)
- Adho Mukha Svanasana (Downward-Facing Dog)
- Dolphin Pose
7. Crown Chakra
Sahasrara is the chakra located on the top of the head, representing your spiritual environment and awakening.
Unlike other chakras, this one is related to the understanding of the supreme lord. You’ll experience a deep sense of consciousness, peace, and understanding that your crown chakra is balanced.
You’ll have a feeling of purpose, unity, and acceptance with the outside world and will end up feeling spiritually awake.
Blockage in this chakra makes you feel lost and lack purpose in life.
Yoga Poses to Activate the Crown Chakra
- Padmasana (Lotus Pose)
- Sirsasana (Headstand)
- Savasana (Corpse Pose)
Final Words
If you are seeking spiritual connection, inner awareness, emotional well-being, physical stability, and mental balance, you must practice yoga poses for chakra. The poses to open 7 chakras are a lifesaver and can be beneficial in the long run.
By now, you must be aware of all the yoga asanas you can perform to activate each of your chakras. If one were performing these asanas on a daily basis, they would see a significant change in their body, mind, and emotions. To take this practice even further and master these techniques, you can explore our 100 hour Yin Yan Course for a deeper transformation.
Which yoga sequences for chakras did you find the most interesting? Let us know.
