About two years ago I took one of the most life changing classes ever. It was called Esoteric Acupuncture and was taught by Dr. Mikio Sankey. His work is extensive and intricate and I came away with many newfound tools and treatment strategies, but my biggest takeaway was the world of the chakras! We learned how to diagnose and treat using this ancient system and I am forever changed. 

 The chakras are extensive and much like TCM, we could spend our whole lives studying them and never know all there is to know. Both systems are ancient, we’re talking 4,000 + years old, and whereas TCM grew out of China, the chakras have evolved out of India. The chakras are considered to be a complex and a thorough philosophical model of the universe, but we most commonly think of them as energy centers in or around our body. 

Much like Qi, the invisible vital energy that is the foundation of Chinese medicine, the chakras are also not physical entities. They cannot be held or touched, yet their presence and effect they have on the body have been studied and proven time and time again.

Let’s talk about some of the incredible ways to use the chakras as a conduit for your healing journey. 

1. Understand them 

I gave you a short 3 paragraph brief, brief, brief synopsis of this complex system, but the best way to really dive in is to study, read, and understand them. There are so many resources out there, you could simply do a google search and find content that could very well keep you busy for days! One of my go-to books for chakra study is Eastern Body, Western Mind by: Anodea Judith. In addition, I highly recommend working with a practitioner who is well versed with the chakras, oftentimes reiki practitioners will use them as a part of their treatment. If you couldn’t tell, I love working with them via acupuncture, coaching, and yoga. If we don’t already work together, click here to schedule a free consult call! 

2. Look at you own past traumas and life events 

The chakras develop during different stages in our lives. By understanding the connection between this and when your own trauma (however large or small) took place, you can begin to understand yourself in a very deep way. Knowing this you can dive into work on a specific chakra or multiple chakras to reprogram the circumstance. Below is a list of the ages the 7 main chakras develop, as a jumping off point. 

 Root (Muladhara): womb - 12 months 

Sacral (Svadhisthana): 6 months - 2 years  

Solar Plexus (Manipura): 18 months - 4 years  

Heart (Anahata): 3 - 7 years  

Throat (Vissudha): 7- 12 years 

Third Eye (Ajna): Adolescence 

Crown (Sahasrara): Adulthood 

 3. Do a chakra meditation 

If you’re not familiar yet with which ones specifically need balancing in your body, a nice way to develop your understanding and grow your awareness is to do a meditation that works with them all. The more familiar you are with them, the more you will be able to pick out your patterns, tendencies, and areas of imbalance. I highly recommend this meditation by Jason Stephenson , it is just right for bedtime! 

 I’ve noticed a continued interest from this community every time I mention the chakras on social media or in an email, so this is not the last chakra post to come out. In the meantime, download your free chakra e-book here!

Here’s to alignment & abundance,