Yoga Therapy and The Chakras

The chakras are believed to be energy centers in your body that can affect your physical, emotional and spiritual wellbeing. Yoga therapy is a way to connect deeply with yourself, your body and your chakra energy.

“Chakra” in Sanskrit means wheel or cycle

My yoga therapy practice is body based. That means you use your body to connect deeply with your self. The sensations you notice in your body while you are deeply settled in a yoga pose are used to draw you deeper into yourself and to connect deeply with your self. In this embodied state you start to notice feelings, emotions, thoughts or memories. This gives you a whole new insight into yourself and your life. An insight into what might be holding you back from achieving your goals, what is truly making you sad, why you feel so stuck or dissatisfied. If we use our body rather than relying on our mind (our story), we have a new way figure out what is going on. 

How do the chakras relate to yoga therapy?

As a Phoenix Rising (PRYT) yoga therapist, I like to incorporate the themes of

• embodiment,

• awareness,

• acceptance,

• choice,

• discernment,

• truth,

• truth in action, and

• flow

into my sessions. These work particularly well in group sessions as a series to build upon.

As you can see below the PRYT yoga therapy themes tie in pretty well to the chakras.

Root Chakra

I am safe

Root chakra is the first step on the journey of personal development and relates to embodiment and befriending your body.

Sacral Chakra

I am creative

Sacral chakra is the dwelling place of your self and relates to self-awareness.

Solar Plexus Chakra

I am strong

Solar plexus chakra is the center of your personal power. This chakra govern identity, as well as personal freedom, choice, and authenticity. Self-love, self-acceptance, and acknowledgment of your worth are related to this chakra.

Heart Chakra

I am loved

The heart chakra is associated with unconditional love, compassion, and joy. It is the source of profound truths that cannot be expressed in words.

Throat Chakra

I am truthful

The throat chakra is concerned with your ability to speak your truth and is therefore truth in action.

Third Eye Chakra

I am insightful

The third eye is the chakra of your intuition. Discernment comes from a balance of intellectual reasoning combined with your intuition and gut instincts. Discernment is your ability to perceive what is true.

Crown Chakra

I am divine

On an emotional level, the crown chakra generates devotion, inspirational and prophetic thought, mystical connections, and transcendental ideas. Opening of the crown chakra brings bliss and therefore relates to flow.

Yoga therapy, the chakras and self care

Although in my sessions I don’t prescribe yoga poses for blocked or imbalanced chakras I do like to draw on yogic philosophy and teachings. Here is a fun list of 7 self-care ideas related to your chakras for you try. Start at the root and do one each weekend.

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