Close your eyes and take deep breaths, sitting in the lotus position. Your instructor makes some promises of balancing and enhancing existence. Soft music plays in the background. That’s the Be Well Academy chakra balance shop for you.
Chakras are the body’s energy switches. Imagining them as wheels whizzing around so we can move forward cheerfully. There are seven major chakras in all and each corresponds to a different aspect of physical and emotional health. If these chakras are not balanced we may feel out of sorts -even ill.
You will learn in a class on chakra balancing how each of these energy centers should be aligned. And this isn’t just superstitious and malarkey. To live more fully but with less stress it is crucial that your physical waking self be balanced.
During a class, what happens? First off, lots and lots of meditation. If you haven’t meditated before, don’t worry about it. The idea is to imagine the color of each chakra and where it’s sited on your body. The red colour at the base of the root chakra symbolizes stability and grounding.
Breathing exercises may also be a feature of your class. Imagine breathing in optimism while breathing out stress is something you will learn. This is simple and practical; it helps shift blocked energy.
Yogic poses are most often a part of the program. Each pose is aimed at particular chakras; they may open up like so many flowers turned to face their sun. For your solar-plex chakra you might think the warrior’s pose is a good idea, while for an overactive Crown chakra child’s pose might be recommended.
Finally, you get to be bathed in sound! That means instruments such as singing bowls or wind chimes, which vibrate at frequencies corresponding to each chakra. Sound waves can be used to give your whole spirit a comfortable rub-down.
The first time I took a class–quite a new development for me, really–I entered with a skeptical heart. However, as I went through the day in class I became more and more relaxed until surprising pleasure made itself known. I had what I would describe as “new sensations”-perhaps tingling, perhaps warmth coming from inside me — that seemed wholly foreign.
The most important point to remember? There are no short cuts in this. You have to stretch out over time, and be amenable to shifts.
People often want to know: Do I have to believe anything to join these classes? Must I know yoga or meditation already? And–the answer, without reservation, is yes! This form of self-exploration welcomes in anyone without expecting or judging on any level.
Should you choose not to attend group sessions– perhaps because you value your privacy at home more than public events– don’t worry, there is a wealth of online resources. These will offer guided meditations specifically geared to chakra work and videos illustrating how to sequence your yoga for each of the energy centers.
Why not give it a go? The only person keeping you from finding out is yourself.