Whether you’re a beginner yogi or have been practicing yoga for many years, you will most likely be familiar with chakras. In almost every yoga class, your yoga teacher will likely talk about chakras one way or another. If you’re completely unfamiliar with chakras, don’t worry as we will guide you through everything there is to know! You’ll feel like a complete pro during your next yoga practice. In this blog, we will talk about what chakras are, how you can align and balance them and finally we’ll share yoga poses for each of the seven chakras. 

What are the 7 chakras?

Let’s begin with the most basic question: what on earth are chakras? If you’re new to yoga, this might sound extremely spiritual and frankly, it is. The meaning of Chakra is “wheels” and it refers to energy points in your body. Although scientific research on chakras is limited, they are believed to be energy centers in your body that correspond to specific nerve bundles and internal organs. These energy points can be blocked which can cause you to feel sluggish, stressed or insecure and it can even cause you physical pain.

There are seven main chakras that run along your spine. While there are believed to be over a hundred different chakras throughout your body, these seven are the most important and are most referred to when talking about chakras in general. Yoga is believed to help open up your chakras. If you’re curious about yoga for chakras, definitely keep on reading. 

Yoga poses for 7 chakras

If your chakras are blocked, yoga can help to unblock them. Read along to learn more about the best yoga poses to balance your chakras. 

1. Root chakra (red)

The root chakra symbolises our foundation and gives us a feeling of being grounded. It sits at the base of our spine and when it’s open, the root chakra gives you confidence while when it’s blocked, you may feel threatened, as if you’re standing on unstable ground.

Best yoga pose: Mountain pose. Stand up straight with your feet slightly apart. This pose helps you to connect to earth through all four corners of our feet which will give you a sense of being grounded. 

2. Sacral chakra (orange)

Next in line, there’s the sacral chakra which is aligned just above the root chakra, in the lower abdomen. This chakra helps us to understand our own emotions and is in charge of creativity and sexual energy. When your sacral chakra is blocked, you might feel as if you have a lack of control and feel generally unhappy.  

Best yoga pose: Butterfly pose. Sit down on the ground and bring the soles of your feet together. The butterfly pose targets the entire hip area and opens inner thighs, back and hip flexors.

3. Solar plexus chakra (yellow)

In the upper abdomen, you’ll find the solar plexus chakra which is responsible for your personal power. When this chakra is opened, you’ll be more confident and have a better self esteem. Blockages in the third chakra are often experienced through digestive issues like ulcers, heartburn, eating disorders, and indigestion.

Best yoga pose: Bow pose. Lie on the ground on your stomach. Reach back with your arms and grab both of your ankles. This yoga pose focuses on strength, confidence and power.

4. Heart chakra (green)

Your heart chakra is located at the center of your chest, just above the heart, and helps you to feel love and compassion. When the heart chakra is blocked, it makes us feel lonely, insecure and isolated. 

Best yoga pose: Tree pose. Stand up straight and place the sole of one foot on your knee. Keep your balance and hold this pose. The tree pose helps to balance your heart chakra.

5. Throat chakra (blue)

The throat chakra is connected to communication and helps you to speak and listen with compassion. It also helps you to speak confidently. When blocked, it might be more difficult to express yourself verbally. 

Best yoga pose: Wheel pose. If your throat chakra is blocked, the wheel pose can help you to balance it. This is an advanced yoga pose so if you’re new to yoga, we recommend the seated cat-cow pose instead.

6. Third eye chakra (indigo)

The third eye chakra, also known as the brow chakra, is located in between your eyes. Blockages in the third eye chakra can be noticed as headaches, loss of concentration, trouble with sight and hearing problems. 

Best yoga pose: Pigeon pose. Start in downward dog pose and slowly move one knee forward and bend it in front of you. Sit up straight and deeply inhale. The pigeon pose is great to stimulate circulation which helps to balance the third eye chakra.

7. Crown chakra (violet/white)

At the very top of your head and also your spine, you’ll find the crown chakra. The crown chakra might be the most important one as it’s connected to all the other chakras. A person with a blocked crown chakra might come across as narrow-minded, skeptical, or stubborn. 

Best yoga pose: Balancing butterfly. This yoga pose requires concentration, peace and balance – perfect to align your Crown Chakra.

It’s important to keep your chakras aligned and balanced. If you feel like your chakras are blocked, we recommend learning more about how you can balance your chakras.