Activate Your 7 Chakras with Yoga: Poses, Breathwork & Benefits Explained

Importance of Chakras In Our Body

Our body is more than just muscles and bones; it is also the storehouse or vessel of energy, where we can harness infinite powers. This energy flows through seven major points, known as chakras, and when these chakras are balanced and activated, it leads to a more profound sense of well-being. But the question arises: how do these chakras activate? Yoga is the answer to activating the chakras of one’s body and offers numerous benefits.

From the forming root asanas to breathwork and meditative focus, yoga offers you a powerful tool to awaken these energy centres, which benefits not only your physical body but also balances your mind.

There are seven chakras, located in specific points along the spine, from the base to the crown of the head, which influence our different emotions, organs, and bodily functions.

When all your chakras are balanced and aligned, you will feel more vibrant, emotionally balanced, and have mental clarity. On the opposite side, if any of these chakras are blocked, then you will feel emotional instability or a feeling of being off.

The Role of Yoga in Chakra Activation

Yoga serves as a bridge, playing a vital role in activating and balancing the health of the seven chakras. Each chakra is located along the back spine, which governs our mental states, emotional patterns, and physiological patterns. Although targeted yoga postures are beneficial, we can also apply physical stimulation to the areas to promote good energy flow and break down any tension.

However, it’s not just about physical postures; practicing pranayama breathing is also an essential part of activating the chakras.

What Happens When Yoga Meets the Energy Centres of Our Body?

Have you ever felt physically drained and mentally foggy at times, without knowing the actual reason? The answer may be hidden much more than on the surface. According to ancient yogic practices, the seven energy channels, which are centred around the chakra, are each responsible for our health and consciousness. Let’s know the real secrets and powers of the seven chakras and how yoga poses can help you in activating these chakras.

Benefits of the Seven Chakra Activation to Our Body

1. Root Chakra (Muladhara)

The root chakra, known as Muladhara, is the first of the seven main chakras, situated at the base of the spine and associated with the earth element. It is known to be associated with feelings of stability, security, and a sense of being grounded.
If balanced correctly, the root chakra will make you feel safe, strong, and confident about yourself.

Also, some of the specific yoga poses that help in activating these chakras are listed below

1- Tadasana Pose
2- Malasana Pose
3- Warrior Pose
4- Chair Pose

Also Read – Tadasana – Top 5 Excellent Health Benefits

Benefits of Activation

1. Improved in lower body health, which supports the base of the spine, strengthening our legs and lower back, and reducing pain
2. It will help in enhancing your safety and security in your life.
3. A deeper connection to the outer world, which is our mother nature.

2. Sacral Chakra (Svadhisthana)

The sacral chakra is also known as the swadhisthana, which is located in the lower abdomen and governs our feelings, desires, and pleasure. It is also known as the emotional engine of the human body’s energy system and the second chakra of the seven chakras in the human body.

Recommended yoga poses to open the sacral chakra

1. Goddess Pose
2. Utkata Konasana
3. Pigeon Pose
4. Wide-Legged Forward Bend Pose
5. Triangle Pose

Also Read – Top 7 Health benefits of Trikonasana (Triangle Pose)

Benefits of Activation

• It unlocks your creative energy.
• Helps in restoring sensuality and pleasure
• Deepens intimacy and connection
• Helps in awakening emotional intelligence
• Helps in sparkling passion and zest for life

3. Solar Plexus Chakra (Manipura)

The solar plexus, also known as manipura, is located in the upper abdomen and is connected with the fire element, meaning power, self-esteem, and confidence. When properly balanced, it fosters a sense of inner strength and the ability to achieve goals. If unbalanced or blocked, then it can lead to low self-esteem, self-worth, and difficulty making decisions.

Some recommended yoga poses to help activate the manipura chakra

1. Boat Pose
2. Bow Pose
3. Classical Forward Bend
4. Half Spinal Twist Post
5. Upward Plank Pose

Also Read – The Health Benefits of Navasana ( Boat Pose)

Benefits of Activation:

• It will affect your metabolism rate, hence improving your digestion.
• It also improves organ function, like the liver, kidneys, and adrenal glands.
• Increased in self-confidence and spiritual growth

4. Heart Chakra (Anahata)

The heart chakra is also known as the anahata, which is located in the centre of our chest near the heart and is connected with love, compassion, empathy, and connection. A balanced heart chakra gives you the feeling of love, joy, peace, and a sense of wholeness, whereas an unbalanced heart chakra can lead to emotional and physical issues.

Some of the recommended yoga poses that help you in the activation of the heart chakra are

1. Chakasana pose
2. Ustrasana pose
3. Fish pose
4. Bridge pose
5. Anahatasana

Also Read – The Health Benefits of Matsyasana (Fish Pose)

Benefits of Activation

• Helps in self-acceptance and self-love
• Helps in improving your relationship with others
• Support emotional stability
• Clarity of mind improves your decision-making.
• Sensations of warmth and heat

5. Throat Chakra (Vishuddha)

The throat chakra, also known as the vishuddha chakra, is the fifth chakra in the body and is located near the throat area. The throat area is associated with communication, self-expression, and truth. A balanced throat chakra supports our ability to speak, listen, and express ourselves authentically. If this chakra is not balanced correctly, then it creates difficulty in expressing oneself to others, shyness, and social anxiety.

Recommended yoga poses for activation of the throat chakra

• Sarvanasna
• Plough Pose
• Fish Pose

Benefits of Activation:

1. A balanced throat chakra gives you enhanced clarity, confidence, and focus
2. Help in speaking without any fear.
3. Opening up more to others, as well as listening, becomes easier.

6. Third-Eye Chakra (Ajna)

The third eye chakra, also known as the ajna, is located between the eyebrows and plays a role in enhancing our imagination, intuition, power, and spiritual growth. It is believed that if this chakra is opened, it will help to reach a higher consciousness.
When balanced correctly, it provides clarity and a connection to one’s wisdom.

Recommended Yoga Poses to Activate the Chakra:

1. Garland Pose
2. Humble Warrior Pose
3. Wide-legged Forward Bend
4. Downward-Facing Pose

Benefits of activation of the Third Eye Chakra

1. This chakra will help in increasing our intuitive power
2. Will deepen our self-awareness
3. It will help in building a stronger connection with yourself
4. It will reduce mental fog and help bring better clarity
5. Sharpen our minds and improve concentration.

7. Crown chakra (Sahasara)

The crown chakra, also known as sahasrara, is located at the crown of the head and is the highest chakra in the human body system, as it is linked to the universe. The crown chakra is the ultimate reaching position where our self-ego and infinite soul meet, as it is the cycle of life, death, and higher awareness that begins.

Recommended yoga poses for the activation of the crown chakra

1. Headstand
2. Rabbit pose
3. Lotus pose
4. Sukhasana

Benefits of Chakra Activation:

1. It will help with sound sleep
2. Mood stabilisation
3. Helps in inner peace
4. It will enhance intelligence and intuition

Other Yogic Practices to Support the Chakra Alignment

Besides the yogic posture for activating the chakra, there are some other techniques for activating it.

1. Mantra Chanting

Mantra chanting also plays a crucial role in activating the seven chakras due to the vibrational sound effect created during the chanting process. From the Muladhara Chakra to the Crown Chakra, sounds like ‘vammm’ or ‘omm’ chanted correctly produce a vibrational sound if we focus on each chakra one by one.

2. Pranayama (Breathwork)

Pranayama is a breathing practice that focuses on the breath and plays an important role in activating the chakras of the human body by purifying the flow of breath. Breathing exercises such as anulom vilom, bhastrika, and ujjayi are all types of pranayama that one can practice to activate the chakras in the human body.

Also Read – Unlock Your Inner Calm: The Power of Anulom Vilom Pranayama in Modern Living

3. Guided Meditation and Visualization

Meditation is yet another powerful tool that helps activate the seven chakras in the body, as it brings focused attention, visualisation, and energy to each centre of the chakra.

What happens to the body when this chakra is blocked?

There are seven chakras in the body; if one of these is blocked, one can experience physical, emotional, and mental disturbances because each chakra governs specific organs and emotions. When the energy cannot flow through this chakra, the areas correlated with it are affected. For example, if the root chakra is blocked, then one can experience fatigue, anxiety, or instability.

Also Read – The 7 Chakras and How do they Influence Your Life

Conclusion

To experience complete well-being, activating and balancing the seven chakras through yoga is important, as the human body is not only a system of organs and tissues, but it also sets a framework that is governed by these energy centres, each influencing specific aspects of our physical, emotional, and mental clarity. When these are balanced by doing regular yoga poses, pranayama, mantra chanting, and meditation, the benefits to us are infinite.

Yoga practice plays a crucial role in activating the chakras because it provides movement that targets specific areas of the body.