the care and keeping of your chakras

Let’s get the basics out of the way first: What are Chakras?

My favorite description of Chakras comes from my childhood show Avatar: The Last Airbender. In it, Avatar Aang (the only person on the planet who can control all 4 elements) is guided to Guru Pathik, who tells him that in order to unlock “The Avatar State”, Aang must first be able to unblock and balance his Chakras.

There are 7 major Chakras, each with its own color, sound/ Chant, alignment in the body, and emotional association. Below is a helpful chart.

MORNING ROUTINES

1. Gentle morning stretches:

Often times we stay sleeping up until the very last moment before we need to get up in the morning. Try setting your alarm 5 or 10 minutes earlier and begin your morning with some gentle stretching, it can even be while you’re still in bed. This is a great way to connect your mind and body as well as to get the energy flowing smoothly. this gives your body time to wakeup without the shock of “get up and go, go, GO!!”.

2. Morning mantras:

Pick out a mantras that speaks to you, and recite it in the morning. You can do this with your eyes closed, open, or looking in the mirror.

3. Music:

Play some Reiki or Chakra playlists while you’re getting ready or driving in the car. I have found some really great playlists on Spotify under the account “hay shakti”, particularly their “Open Heart Chakra” and “Solar Plexus Activation” playlists.

4. My personal favorite: Jewelry!

You can either wear a particular piece of jewelry that has crystals for each of the 7 Chakras in it, or, you can choose a specific crystal to wear or keep in your pocket/ bra (ladies I’m looking at you *wink wink*) that aligns with the Chakra you specifically want to aid or work with that day. An easy way to determine what Chakra a crystal is good for is by matching the colors.

For Example: Garnet = Root, Carnelian + Sacral, Citrine = Solar Plexus, Peridot = Heart, Sodalite = Throat, Amethyst = Third Eye, selenite = Crown

If you’d like, I highly recommend either:

  1. Go to Youtube and watch the clip of the Avatar The Last Airbender where they discuss Chakras. ( I believe there’s one posted under the title, “How To Open Your 7 Chakras As Explained In a Children’s Show”

  2. Watching the entire show (in your own time), Avatar The Last Airbender. You can find it on most streaming platforms.

So now that you have a basic overview of the Chakras, now let’s find out some easy, every-day ways to care for your Chakras.

EVENING ROUTINES

  1. Journaling/ Word Vomit:

One of the number one challenges we face at the end of the day is detoxing from the *ich* we’ve collected. I find a great way to get the words/thoughts/emotions out of my head/off my chest is by getting them down on to paper. This is also a great mindfulness exorcise as it allows us to see our words and reflect back on them. Option: if you don’t like writing, typing is a great alternative.

2. Cleansing:

When the *ich* just feels like it’s stuck to you, a shower, bath, or energetic cleansing will go a long way to helping you feel less bogged-down. Signs/Symptoms that you need an energetic clearing: you feel heavy, dull, not-your-self, or just off. Water is a source of powerful cleansing magick. If you don’t want to shower or take a bath, you could alternatively use either a smoke-cleansing using your favorite herbs ( I particularly enjoy juniper, pine, rosemary or lavender). Neither of those your style? You can take a spray bottle, fill with water, and include 6-10 drops of your favorite essential oils. [You can also find some wonderful “aura cleansing” sprays ;) ]

3. Tea!:

No really. “ If you are cold, tea will warm you; If you are too heated, tea will cool you; If you are depressed, it will cheer you; If you are excited, it will calm you.” ~ William E. Gladstone

It doesn’t matter what kind or how you like to drink it, drink a cup of tea and breathe.

4. Meditation:

Always a classic, meditation. There are so many wonderful apps, playlists, and Youtube videos that range from soothing music to guided meditations. I recommend taste testing a little bit of everything to find what works best for you.

I think perhaps the key to any spiritual practice is to not panic. Hehe, sounds kinda funny to say but in all honesty I think the major pitfall I commonly see is someone panicking thinking they have to learn absolutely everything all in one go and then expect themselves to be masters the first time they try it. Can you imagine expecting yourself to run a marathon without training before hand? I believe it is taken for granted that Intuition, Divination, and Spirituality are muscles that have to be worked at; it’s not ones we often find ourselves using in our day to day life, especially if we weren’t raised that way. Be patient with yourself, enjoy the journey. We’re all so busy running to and from all the different chores and responsibilities we have in life; spirituality should be an escape from that, a time where we allow ourselves to slow down briefly and enjoy the moment.

As always, come by Kalypso’s to find help and inspiration for the right crystals and Chakra-friendly items you need for the care and keeping of your Chakras.

Om,

~Bijan