The Basics of Chakras

    It seems like where ever you go these days, you hear that same word over and over again.....CHAKRAS.  Your yoga instructor told you that one of your chakras needed opening.   The owner of a new age store suggested a certain stone would boost one of your chakras.   Dr. Oz did a whole show on chakras and what foods to eat to enhance each chakra. What do they all know that we don't know???    Do they have some type of x-ray vision to see these magical chakras that I didn't even know were there?   What exactly is a chakra??
       
   A chakra is an energy center in our body.  We have 7 main chakras that line up the middle of our body along our central nervous system and each chakra correlates with a major endocrine gland.  Chakra in Sanskrit means "spinning wheel".  Our chakras spin clockwise when they are healthy, open, and functioning properly.   Energy or Chi, moves through these chakras and flows throughout our whole bodies.  Think of how our blood flows through our veins and arteries.  Energy flows through its own channels called meridians or nadi's to all of the chakras within our body.  We have minor chakras in all of our organs, joints, palms, and soles of our feet as well.  That's a whole lot of chakras!
   
   The problems we deal with on a daily basis, such as pain, headaches and anxiety occur when our chakras become congested, depleted, or blocked.  Sure, you could take a Tylenol or a Xanax and mask your pain or anxiety, but that wouldn't get down to the root of the problem.  It only puts a bandaid on the situation.  Over time, that congested energy becomes a long lasting physical problem in our body that can become a serious illness or disease.
 
   So what can you do to open your chakras and keep them healthy and energized.  Yoga is the most common example out there.  The different postures you hold in a yoga class is designed to open the different chakras.  Meditation can also help in balancing and opening your chakras.  5 minutes of quiet time is a great way to start off if you are a newbie to meditating.
   
   The most effective way to open and balance your chakras would be to receive hands on energy work.  Healing Touch is one of the most widely recognized and regulated forms of energy work.  Practitioners have to go through 5 Levels of training, a one year mentorship, and certification guidelines to get their title.  Even better, most Certified Healing Touch Practitioners are Nurses!  Who better to help you find your way to wellness.  For more information about Healing Touch or to schedule an appointment, check out my site.   www.healingnurses.com