July 9, 2007
Fabulous Finds: "Soleful" Purpose"Chakra" Khan
by Megan Southwick
Understanding the chakras eludes many people in much the same way as the similarly named singer (That hair! That voice! All that spandex!). For a long time, I was one of those people…confounded by the mystery and even a little bit skeptical. But after a bad relationship and subsequent rounds of the more conventionally accepted treatments for depression (including, but certainly not limited to, therapists and their pills), I decided to seek some avenues I had previously rejected. The world of alternative therapies beckoned.
First, there was music and gentle meditation, which were soothing and helpful. Then, after a bit of crystal therapy, I was emboldened by my progress and took a deeper look at chakrology, something I had previously brushed off as way too new-age. To my surprise, much of what I read actually made sense and wasn’t too far off from some of my current beliefs. I already knew that something inside was off-kilter, out of balance. And while the good doctor’s drugs could probably bring some balance to my life, I was loathe to rely on medicines for balance. The idealist in me believed I could do it on my own and I started exploring my chakras.
In a nutshell, for those of you who might be new to this concept, the word “chakra” comes from the Sanskrit for “wheel” or “disc.” Our bodies have seven major chakras aligned along the spinal column, each signifying a basic energy center.
They are:
• Root for survival instincts
• Naval where our emotions and sexuality lie
• Solar, representing our personal power and sense of self
• Heart for social identity and self acceptance
• Throat for communication and creativity
• Brow (also known as the third eye), which manages our psychic abilities
• Crown, which affects our conscious and spiritual connections
Bringing the chakras into alignment and balance is the core of healing. When in 
balance and functioning properly, your chakras are open, rotating and absorbing energies from the universe. As a result, you feel happy, healthy and whole. At times, certain chakras may be closed and unable to draw in the necessary energy. This can throw all the chakras out of balance, resulting in excess feelings of listlessness, depression, fear and doubt.
So, I began with basic clearing exercises…imagining each chakra as a filter, but one that needed to be replaced. (Don’t laugh…My chakras appeared to me like the HEPA filters in my vacuum!) In my mind’s eye, I cleaned and replaced each “filter,” giving me a clean slate. By removing all of the junk (negative thoughts, impressions, etc.), I was prepared to re-energize my chakras. Even the simple act of clearing out that negativity lifted a weight, one that I hadn’t even realized was there and one that I certainly never thought I had the power to get rid of.
The next step was to picture each of the chakras as healthy, balanced and whole…my solar plexus chakra, radiating a brilliant sunshine-y yellow…my heart chakra activated, spinning healthily in a clockwise direction…my crown chakra, a smooth pinwheel with a loop of white light moving through it. You get the picture. Amazingly, I came out of this meditation with a complete sense of calm. I was composed, my previously overwhelming sadness lifted, and most importantly, I no longer wanted to swan dive over Niagara Falls! (Okay, I never had that particular fantasy, but pushing the ex-boyfriend over, maybe…)
And so, the chakra mystery was cleared. Not only that, I found myself free from pharmaceuticals for the first time in two years. No more crazy side effects, no more feeling dependent. As with everything in life, balance is the ultimate goal. (Did you hear that, Ms. Khan? Maybe a little less Aqua Net next time.)
If you’d like to learn more, two of my favorite books are “Your Aura & Your Chakras: The Owner’s Manual” by Karla McLaren and “Wheels of Life: A User’s Guide to the Chakra System” by Anodea Judith, both available at www.amazon.com. You can also get great information on www.eclecticenergies.com, where you can even take a chakra test to learn the state of your own chakras.
