There is a rainbow glowing within your body. Seven spinning energy centers, known as the chakras, follow the line of your spine up to the crown of your head. Each one has its own special function and also connects to emotions, thoughts, aspects of the physical body, and beyond. And the chakras are also interconnected with each other.
Although the chakras are not technically part of the Reiki tradition, Reiki can be used to heal the chakras (as with most everything else!). This article gives a brief overview of the main chakras and then some ideas for treating them with Reiki.
The Chakras
Chakra means “wheel” in Sanskrit. There are 7 main chakras in the body, as well as minor ones in each internal organ, in every joint, on the soles of the feet, and on the palms of the hands (1). Energy emanates from each chakra.
Some people also believe there are chakras above and below the physical body. The Earth Star Chakra is about 12 inches below your feet. It connects you to Mother Earth, the bones of the ancestors, gems, minerals, and the collective consciousness (2). The Soul Star Chakra is about 12 inches above the top of the head and connects you to the stars, other dimensions, spiritual development, soul strength, inspiration, and courage (2).
The Root Chakra
The Root Chakra represents security, survival, vital energy, and trust. It relates to the Earth and the material world, stability, and the power to succeed. It is located at the base of the spine and opens downward. The Root Chakra is represented by the color red and is associated with the sense of smell and the Earth element.
In the physical body, the Root Chakra relates to everything solid- bones, teeth, blood, cell multiplication, etc. It's also associated with suprarenal glands, adrenalin, and noradrenalin. (3)
The Root Chakra spins to the left in females and to the right in males (3), though some sources say all chakras spin clockwise (1). Below, I will discuss how the spinning direction affects the way Reiki is applied.
The Sacral Chakra
The Sacral Chakra is connected to primal feelings, flow in life, sensuality, sexuality, creativity, and enthusiasm. It is located in the upper part of the sacrum and opens forward. It is represented by the color orange and is associated with the sense of taste and the water element.
In the physical body, the Sacral Chakra is connected to the pelvic area, reproductive organs, kidneys, bladder, and all liquids (blood, lymphatic fluid, digestive secretion, etc). It's also associated with reproductive glands, ovaries, prostate glands, testicles, estrogen, and testosterone.
The Sacral Chakra spins to the right in females and to the left in males.
The Solar Plexus Chakra
The Solar Plexus Chakra represents the unfolding of a person’s personality, becoming one’s true self, influence, power, strength, self-esteem, willpower, and growing through experience. It’s located about 2 fingers above the navel and opens forward. It is represented by the color yellow and is associated with the sense of sight and the element of fire.
In the physical body, the Solar Plexus Chakra is connected to the lower back, abdominal cavity, digestive tract, stomach, liver, spleen, gall bladder, and autonomic nervous system. It's also associated with the pancreas (liver) and insulin (gall bladder).
The Solar Plexus Chakra spins to the left in females and to the right in males.
The Heart Chakra
The Heart Chakra is connected to love, compassion, sharing, empathy, selflessness, devotion, kindness, and healing. The Heart Chakra connects the physical and spiritual worlds, as well as the upper and lower chakras. It’s located in the center of the chest and opens forward. It’s represented by the color green typically, though also connected to the colors pink and gold. The Heart Chakra is associated with the sense of feeling and the air element.
In the physical body, the Heart Chakra is connected to the upper back, heart, rib cage, chest cavity, lower lungs, blood, circulatory system, skin, and hands. It's also associated with the thymus gland.
The Heart Chakra spins to the right in females and to the left in males.
(There are journals available for each chakra in the shop)
The Throat Chakra
The Throat Chakra represents communication, creative self-expression, openness, expansiveness, independence, inspiration, truth, and access to the subtle levels of being. It’s located between the collarbone and the larynx and opens forward. It’s represented by a light blue color and is associated with the sense of hearing and the ether element.
In the physical body, the Throat Chakra is connected to the lungs, bronchials, esophagus, vocal chords, throat, nape of the neck, jaw, and jowls. It's also associated with the thyroid gland, parathyroid gland, and thyroxine.
The Throat Chakra spins to the left in females and to the right in males.
The Third Eye Chakra
The Third Eye Chakra is connected to intuition, development of the inner senses, mental powers, perception, manifestation, and the link between the inner and outer worlds. It’s located one finger above the nose in the center of the forehead, approximately 2 fingers deep into the head and it opens forward. It is represented primarily by the color indigo, although yellow and violet can also be related to the Third Eye Chakra. It is connected to all of the senses, including extrasensory perception, but is not associated with an element.
In the physical body, the Third Eye Chakra is connected to the cerebellum, ears, nose, sinuses, eyes, part of the nervous system, and face. It's also associated with the pituitary gland (hypophysis) and vasopressin.
The Third Eye Chakra spins to the right in females and to the left in males.
The Crown Chakra
The Crown Chakra represents a connection to the divine, spiritual wisdom, union with the Universal being, universal consciousness, and enlightenment. It’s located at the center of the top of the head and opens upward. It’s represented by violet, white, and sometimes gold. It does not have an associated sensory function or element as it transcends this sort of perception. (3)
In the physical body, the Crown Chakra is connected to the cerebrum and cranium. It's also associated with the pineal gland (epiphysis) and serotonin.
The Crown Chakra spins to the left in females and to the right in males.
Interested in Learning more about the Chakras and balancing them?
Check out Katia's book, Balancing the Rainbow Within: Your Daily Chakra Journey Guide
Treating The Chakras With Reiki
You may want to give Reiki to each of the chakras in turn. I usually move from crown to root with this method by treating each chakra with both hands (5). The Crown Chakra opens upwards so both hands are placed on top of the head. The back of the Third Eye Chakra is on the back of the head near the nape of the neck so one hand goes there and the other goes on the forehead at the front opening of the Third Eye Chakra. For the Throat Chakra, one hand is on the front of the throat and one hand is on the back of the throat. For the Heart Chakra, both hands can be on the front at the heart center or one hand in front of the heart center and one on the back. It’s the same for the Solar Plexus, Sacral, and Root Chakra- One hand can be placed on the front of the chakra and one on the back, or both hands can be on the front of the chakra (particularly if you’re treating a client who is lying down). The Root Chakra can also be treated with one hand hovering below the torso since the chakra opens downward. The Root Chakra can also be treated anywhere on the legs or feet because it extends into these parts of the body.
To transition from chakra to chakra with this method, move from one chakra to the next chakra by moving the lower hand first, pausing with one hand on each chakra for a couple of breaths, and then moving the higher hand down to meet the lower hand on the new chakra.
One hand on the Heart Chakra and the other on the Sacral Chakra can be very soothing. You may be intuitively guided to connect any of the chakras to each other. Many of the chakras have relationships with other chakras that may call to be connected or healed.
If part of the physical body is ailing, the related chakra can also be treated. The pain may be manifesting in the physical body because of another issue related to the chakra or in the aura(1) (Aura issues may also be related to the chakra since the aura expands away from the body in layers that correspond to the chakras, with the Root Chakra layer closest to the body, expanding all the way out to the layer of the aura that corresponds with the Crown Chakra).
If someone shares with you a particular emotion (or another attribute related to the chakra) that they want to turn up or turn down you can treat that chakra specifically by sending it Reiki energy, either where it's located in the body or with beaming. The Reiki will know what the chakra needs and where to go.
You can apply Reiki energy to a chakra in a circular motion in the direction that the chakra spins to enhance the functionality of the chakra if it needs a boost or turn it down by giving Reiki in the opposite direction if the chakra is overactive.
You can also do Byosen scanning of the chakras and treat the ones that feel different in any way.
You may see colors when you give Reiki or talk to someone about giving them Reiki. This can also be related to which chakra needs treatment. Glaring bright colors usually indicate an overactive chakra and dull or dim colors are usually underactive.
In treatments, I like to hold one of the recipients' hands at a time with both of mine to treat the palm chakras. Recipients often report feeling supported and loved during this part of the treatment.
Each joint also has a chakra that can be treated with both hands or with a treatment moving down the body with one hand on each joint. For example, you could treat shoulder and elbow, then elbow and wrist.
Of course, all of these ideas can also be applied to your self-Reiki sessions too! As a self-study, you may also want to take time to write about your findings with each chakra and how your relationship with each one develops as you routinely give it Reiki. Notice how this chakra work manifests elsewhere in your life as well.
Treating The Chakras With Reiki Symbols
Each of the symbols plays a unique role in balancing and healing the chakras since each symbol and each chakra have their own unique functions.
The symbols could be drawn onto the recipient's chakra, beamed to their body or chakra, or drawn into the hands of the practitioner to amplify the effects of the Reiki symbols on the session or the chakras especially. Below are some ideas for combining the chakras and Reiki symbols, though, of course, the possibilities are endless. Hopefully, these suggestions will help spark more ideas for your Reiki treatments!
Symbol 1 - Cho Ku Rei
As the Cho Ku Rei symbol is related to health on a physical level, it is most easily connected to the Root Chakra, Sacral Chakra, and Solar Plexus Chakra (1). However, since Cho Ku Rei also increases positive energy and power, it can also be applied to any of the chakras where amplification or growth is desirable. For example, Cho Ku Rei could be used to treat the Solar Plexus Chakra to increase personal empowerment or the Third Eye Chakra to amplify intuitive abilities. This symbol can also be used in a counterclockwise direction (the mirror image of the way it’s typically drawn) to help reduce the energy in an overactive chakra. This symbol can have a grounding effect (4) and is therefore also especially good for the Root Chakra.
As the protection symbol, it can also be used to help seal in the Reiki given to the chakras.
Cho Ku Rei can also be used to begin the session with a boost or seal the end of the session- both the Reiki session in full or a part of the session devoted to a specific chakra or the chakras in general.
Symbol 2 - Sei He Kei
The mental-emotional symbol can be used to help cleanse and align the chakras (1). It can help release negative emotions associated with any given chakra and help realign the energy in the form of a balanced chakra. It may be especially useful in treating the Sacral Chakra as it is the center of emotions, attachments, and addictions, the Heart Chakra as it relates to emotional connections in relationships, the Solar Plexus Chakra as it connects to emotions and mental habits connected to one's relationship with him/herself, or the Third Eye Chakra as it is connected to mental powers. These are just examples. The symbol could be related to each of the chakras in a myriad of ways!
Symbol 3 - Hon Sha Ze Sho Nen
The distance healing symbol can certainly be used to send distance Reiki to someone's chakras, from afar across time and/or space. For example, you could treat someone's Root Chakra in connection to a past traumatic event to help them feel stable, grounded, and secure in the present. Or the Heart Chakra could be treated in connection to a past relationship that ended poorly to help someone feel loved and open to receiving love in the present.
Since the name of this symbol means "pure consciousness" (6), it has a clear connection to the Crown Chakra and can be used to help the recipient connect with pure universal consciousness.
Symbol 4 - Dai Ko Myo
This empowering symbol connects the physical self, the higher self, and the universe. It can be used to treat any of the chakras since it holds great healing power. It may have a strong link to the Heart Chakra, which also connects the physical and higher self. It may also be linked with the Crown and Third Eye Chakras since these higher chakras connect the recipient to higher wisdom, oneness, perception, mental powers, and the connection between the inner and outer worlds.
Holy Fire Symbol
The Holy Fire symbol is also wonderful for working with the chakras! It can burn away negative attributes related to any over- or under-active chakra, replacing them with positive attributes and restoring balance and harmony. The Holy Fire symbol can also restore the physical body, so the symbol could be applied to the chakra that is related to any given body part. Since the Holy Fire symbol can restore emotions, the mind, and the spirit, it can be intimately related to any chakra since each chakra houses functions related to one of these levels of healing!
Conclusion
The chakras are beautiful energy centers in the body, spinning orbs of energy and light. They are connected to physical, emotional, mental, and spiritual aspects of the body. Reiki is perfect for treating them since Reiki energy heals on each of these levels. I invite you to experiment with mixing different Reiki methods, Reiki symbols, and chakras. The possibilities are limitless! If you try treating the chakras with Reiki, I'd love to hear how it goes!
Ready for more?
If you're ready to learn more about Reiki, check out my workshops, Reiki healing sessions, or virtual programs. I can't wait to share more with you!
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Resources
1 The Reiki Teacher's Manual by Tina M. Zion
2 The Ultimate Guide to Chakras by Athena Perrakis, Ph. D.
3 The Chakra Handbook by Shalia Sharamon and Bodo J Baginski
4 The Reiki Sourcebook by Bronwen and Frans Stiene
5 Reiki Fire by Frank Arjava Petter
6 The Healing Touch by William Lee Rand
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