5 Myths About The Chakras
Hello dear friends!
To celebrate the release of my brand new book, Self-Care & The Chakras, I thought I’d do a blog on something chakra related. There is a LOT of information out there on the chakras, so I debated…
Should I give some healing tips? Already in the book.
Should I talk about the energy body as a whole? Already in the book.
Should I discuss how chakra balancing can help our wellbeing? That’s in the book too!
As I started promoting my new book, I noticed that there are many people out there that don’t know what the chakras are, or have only a limited idea of them. I also noticed that several people had things totally backwards about how chakras work. Now, I know that this way of thinking about the energy body is still growing in the West, and there aren’t very many good, clear authorities on the matter. I certainly don’t fancy myself an expert, but I figured I’d take this opportunity to dispel some of the common myths that I hear about the chakras. As a Reiki Master and health coach, I am a firm believer in the power of chakra wisdom to change our lives. But we have to start by clearing the air!
So, here goes!
Here are the top five myths that I've heard about the chakras:
1. They don’t exist
You don’t have to be all hippie woo-woo to believe in the chakras. Trust me. Coming from a research science background, there was no denying that we all have an energetic component to our bodies. After learning about the chakras, I finally had some words and symbolism to describe this energy. Each chakra corresponds to a major nerve center in the body, and they also correspond to stages of development, similar to the theories of Freud or Erikson.
2. There are only seven
In much of the Western world, we think of there only being 7 chakras, and granted, I only cover these main 7 in my book. However, it’s important to know that there are many more, both inside and outside of the body. Like the yogic idea of “nadis,” there are dozens of other, smaller chakras in our bodies. There are also many layers of energy surrounding us, which are also considered to be chakras.
3. An open chakra is the best chakra
* Cue buzzer sound * I couldn't disagree more! There is a lot of talk about “opening” the chakras, and while this is helpful for some people, it’s not a good idea in all cases. What we want is a balanced chakra, not necessarily a wide-open or clamped-shut chakra. In my book, I go over some signs that indicate whether your chakras are too open (overactive), too closed (underactive), or blocked. There are downsides to an overactive chakra!
4. Chakra healing is quick and easy
Oh man, if I had a dollar for every time I saw this idea perpetuated online. I won’t lie to you, friends- healing your chakras is neither easy, nor quick. Yes, there are many wonderful tools, like crystals and essential oils that you can use for your energy body, but if you don’t dig deep and do the work as an ongoing practice, you probably won’t get far. Our chakras hold a lot of stubborn things like past traumas, limiting beliefs, childhood patterns, past life karma, and loads of difficult energies. Healing is possible! It just requires some diligence, and often the help of other practitioners.
5. Chakras are sources of energy
Think of a whirlpool. This whirlpool is not in and of itself, water, but is a vortex of water. The same applies to the chakras- these are not sources of energy, they are areas where energy converges and moves. Chakras are 3-dimensional spinning balls of energy that both emit and absorb energy from the world around us. To enliven and flush our chakras, we need to call upon outside sources, like channeling Reiki energy, grounding earth energy, or pure Spirit energy.
When I first came upon the idea of chakras, I can tell you I believed every one of these things! But after working with them for a few years, and after learning Reiki, it became much more clear. The chakra system is simply a way of describing the energy body- that is, the subtle flux that underlies all of our emotional, mental, and physical experiences.
So what do you think, friend? How many of these myths have you heard?
Want to go deeper into your healing practice? Check out my book, Self-Care & The Chakras, right here!
Much love, as always…
~ Hoping you feel as well as possible ~
