Chakra Healing for Vibrant Energy. Michelle S. Fondin

from not properly processing and digesting emotions and experiences. These toxins result in blocking the energy flow of the chakras.

      Blocks can be spiritual in nature. They can come from outside spiritual forces or from within. If we refuse to honor the spiritual side of who we are, we block the higher chakras. Being spiritually rigid and strict can also restrict the flow of energy. Remember, whether the forces are external or internal, without your conscious awareness they can create harm.

      Blockages can also come from our karma. The word karma in Sanskrit literally means “action.” In life we perform actions that are good or nourishing, bad or harmful, or neutral. An example of a good action might be giving money to charity. A bad action might be intentionally lying or deceiving. A neutral action might be making the bed (which, if you dig deeper, can also be considered a good action, depending on the circumstances). In the East, certain religions and philosophies adhere to the principle that we accumulate karma throughout lifetimes, and we carry it forth into our current life. The definition of karma, in this sense, assumes a belief in reincarnation and asserts that karma is not simply the action performed but also the consequences of that action. Good karma carried forward can give us favor in our current lifetime. Bad karma is a debt we must repay in this or future lifetimes.

      Whether or not you believe in reincarnation or the explanation of karma, you can learn to appreciate and grasp the concept. Have you ever heard anyone say that they constantly suffer from bad luck? The bad luck may be more about paying back a karmic debt of which they aren’t even aware. You’ve surely heard the adages “What goes around comes around” and “You reap what you sow.” These expressions explain the essence of karma. Often, in our minds, karma has negative connotations. But note that you can accumulate good karma through good actions or service to others.

      Finally, the blocks can be energetic. I explained a little about energetic blockages when I spoke about my astrological chart. We are a part of this earth, our solar system, and the universe. The influence of the earth’s energy and elements, as well as of the energy of the sun, moon, and planets in our solar system, is strong and undeniable. Ayurveda, the five-thousand-year-old medical system from India, recognizes these energetic forces and acknowledges them as a means of healing. You can learn more about Ayurveda by reading my book The Wheel of Healing with Ayurveda: An Easy Guide to a Healthy Lifestyle. Ayurveda works on the principles of the five elements — space, air, fire, water, and earth — which work together to create the three doshas, or mind-body types, of Vata (space and air), Pitta (fire and water), and Kapha (water and earth). These elements and mind-body types are relevant in recognizing energetic blocks within your body and the chakras. This awareness will give you more tools toward your healing of the chakras and provide a superspeed highway to creating energy flow.

Awareness

      In any spiritual practice, awareness is the first key to awakening. When you come out of a holiday, realize that you can’t fit into your jeans, and get on the scale, you become aware that you may need to lose weight. Without this awareness, you will do nothing to change. Awareness means coming out of the dark and stepping into the light. Most often awareness is for our greater good at the time it’s revealed to us. Yet we are sometimes afraid of what we might find. Awakening can mean we find ourselves in a place where we don’t want to be. Awareness can mean we now see the mess we must clean up. Sometimes our friend awareness comes as a slap on the face that doesn’t feel too good. Then our friend denial comes in and coaxes us back to what feels good but may not be right.

      You are human. You have a physical body, an emotional body, and an energetic body. You are also a spirit with a spiritual existence that is currently bound by a body. Awakening can come only when we accept the entire package. Yet our other friend, the mind, also comes in and tries to convince us that one way is better than another. For example, the mind tries to say, “If only you had better parents, you might be in a better financial situation.” Then the ego comes along and adds its two cents: “Yeah, and if your boss treated you better, you might have gotten that raise you deserve.” So all these parts create who you are, and balance comes from accepting every part.

      As you work through the chakras, things will come up. Grievances, hurt, past afflictions, and present discomforts will arise and make themselves known to you. This is a good thing and what you want for healing. You certainly don’t have to accept them right away. Just make yourself aware of them. Notice them. Say hello. Watch them as you would a movie on a screen. Sometimes awareness alone will heal that which ails you.

Balancing Your Chakras

      Your exploration of healing through the chakras can add a layer of beauty and depth to your health and well-being. Imagine choosing a wedding cake. You could probably get by with a yellow cake and white frosting. But the beauty comes in when a pastry chef infuses chocolate ganache into the center, layers the cake in creative ways, and adds intricate decorations to each layer and an eye-popping topper. You then have a work of art to display at your wedding rather than a plain single-layer cake. The intricacy of that wedding cake mirrors the depth of layers in a marriage and the magic of its beginning at the wedding celebration.

      The layers of your health are no different. You can focus on the physical body and have allopathic or Western medicine fix it when something goes wrong. Or you can focus on preventive health through diet, exercise, yoga, meditation, and other healing practices such as emotional and spiritual healing.

      I will give you tools to balance the seven main chakras, with one chapter devoted to each chakra. For each of the chakras I provide descriptions of pranayama (breathing) techniques and yoga poses. You can check out demonstrations of all of these on my YouTube channel: www.youtube.com/c/Michelle FondinAuthor. While healing your chakras, practice these poses once in the morning and once in the evening. I have also included dietary recommendations, a guided meditation, thoughts to ponder for the day, and other areas to explore for emotional and spiritual healing, with practices such as prayer, visualization, and chanting. I also offer suggestions for taking your energetic healing a step further through work with colors and gems: you can wear the color of the chakra you’re healing, and carry with you throughout your day the crystal or gem associated with that chakra.

      Through these practices you can heal your chakras in seven days. You can repeat these seven days every week for a year, going deeper into your awareness and healing each week. Or you can take seven months and dedicate your practice to one chakra for each month. Or you can go at your own pace, spending more time on certain chakras than others, as needed. There is no single best way to go about this healing practice. I know that many of you are good, disciplined students and will try to do every single suggestion in each chapter. Instead of attempting to do everything in one day, see which healing practices call to you most, and try those first. If you let it, your intuition will guide the way.

      As with the practice of yoga asanas, you don’t need to adhere to any particular religion, sect, or spiritual belief to heal with the chakras. You only need to be open to your body’s inner wisdom and the energy field that surrounds you. Now is the moment you might ask, “How do I tune in to my energy field?” The answer is, you are already tuned in to your energy field.

      Have you ever walked into a room filled with tension and felt that the air was so thick you could cut it with a knife? Or have you felt a rush of energy when walking into a sports stadium or rock concert? You’re perceiving energy all the time, but you’re not often aware that you’re aware.

      Expanding your perception is something that happens naturally as a result of spiritual practice. As you go through life on this physical plane, you get accustomed to a narrow vision, seeing only things that are in your pathway. We all do this, as it’s a way our brains filter out the “noise” to get us through our days without getting distracted all the time. However, it’s not so useful when it comes to your health and well-being. A broadened perspective is an asset and will allow you to notice subtle changes in your body.

      Body awareness, mindfulness, and learning how to direct your thoughts