Chakras & Crystals | DIY Energy Work
What are Chakras? In Sanskrit, ‘Chakra’ literally means ‘wheel’ and refers to the spinning centers where energy tends to gather within us. Everything is energy and energy is everything- including us! But that energy has to go somewhere. It has to be doing something- so it tends to pool together in several centers along the body. These energy centers connect the subtle body (the part of us that is not fixed on planes of the physical world, time, or space) with the physical body (regulated by time and space- also referred to as fixed or temporal consciousness). Some ancient texts show hundreds of Chakras but primarily there are seven. Each of the seven major Chakras are physically located at points along the body that correlate to a major nerve plexus and endocrine gland.
**SIDE NOTE: QUICK CHAKRA ACTIVITY:
If you are in a hurry and need to quickly balance your energy centers to get a boost for your day, a simple activity is to take a stone for each chakra (or a single Clear Quartz point in a pinch- Clear Quartz resonates with all seven centers but most people find the most balance from using seven different stones- follow your instinct here), and hold it while taking deep breaths and speaking the associated affirmations:
- Root(base of spine) 'I accept all of the abundance in my life. My energy is grounded and I am secure.’
- Sacral(just below belly button) 'I am creative and open to receive all that life offers.'
- Solar Plexus(behind cartilage at bottom of breastbone) 'I fully enjoy everything I do, I value and trust myself. I am a powerful being.'
- Heart(center of chest) 'I love myself and I deserve love. My emotions are balanced.'
- Throat(center of throat) 'I express my feelings easily and freely, I am calm and confident.'
- Third Eye(center of forehead above eye brows) 'I listen to my intuition and trust that my life is unfolding as it should.'
- Crown(top of head) 'I am guided by my inner wisdom and connected to the divine.'
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**And now back to the more in depth info on Chakras and Crystals:
Seven energy centers regulating the different aspects of what it means to be a human. I know it seems a little complex...but that's because it is! We are complex, multi-dimensional beings and it's no wonder that the way our energy works is complicated. Bare with me though...
Each Chakra is generally associated with a different aspect of humanity (survival, fear, growth, etc) based on the unique frequency it oscillates at.
Consider the color spectrum for a moment. Each color is a different frequency. Red is a fast- moving up, down, up, down quickly. Blue, on the other hand, is much slower up...down...up...down. The way that our eyes see color is by distinguishing between the different frequencies.
When white light passes through a prism, it splits into the seven colors we see in a rainbow. Similarly, it could be said, that the human body is like the prism and the seven Chakras are like the seven colors of a rainbow. Each color is something different but they are all colors. Each Chakra represents a different aspect of ourselves and when they are seen together, they are the human experience.
Like all matter, Crystals give off their own unique frequencies. However, Crystals are special in that their atomic structure forms so organized that their frequencies are extremely balanced. They have the lowest state of entropy (the rate at which something breaks down) out there! Crystals are incredibly harmonic- naturally. So when an unbalanced Chakra interacts with the balanced energy of the Crystal that is always operating at the desired frequency, it can influence that Chakra. Like a hug from a friend when we are feeling down or like a deep breath when we are feeling overwhelmed, the unbalanced Chakra can be pulled back into optimum frequency when interacting with the right Crystal.
It's pretty amazing stuff. So here's the break down of each Chakra:
1. Root (base of spine) 'I accept all of the abundance in my life. My energy is grounded and I am secure.’
Survival, health, abundance, connections to the Earth, moving forward in life.
Red Jasper, Carnelian, Black Tourmaline, Obsidian, Citrine, Aragonite, Copper, Garnet, Onyx
2. Sacral (just below belly button) 'I am creative and open to receive all that life offers.'
Connection to other people, creativity, energy storage
Carnelian, Yellow Jasper, Tiger’s Eye, Orange Calcite, Sunstone, Zircon
3. Solar Plexus (behind cartilage at bottom of breastbone) 'I fully enjoy everything I do, I value and trust myself. I am a powerful being.'
Personal power, emotional control, physical center
Citrine, Chrysoprase, Chrysocolla, Prehnite, Serpentine, Tiger’s Eye
4. Heart (center of chest) 'I love myself and I deserve love. My emotions are balanced.'
Safety, trust, risk-taking, love
Rose Quartz, Malachite, Chrysoprase, Sodalite, Aventurine, Jade
5. Throat (center of throat) 'I express my feelings easily and freely, I am calm and confident.'
Communication
Blue Lace Agate, Apatite, Aquamarine, Chrysocolla, Agate, Blue Quartz, Blue Calcite, Kyanite
6. Third Eye (center of forehead above eye brows) 'I listen to my intuition and trust that my life is unfolding as it should.'
Mind, thoughts, dreams, psychic ability
Amethyst, Lapis Lazuli, Labradorite, Sodalite, Bismuth, Celestite, Moonstone, Opal
7. Crown (top of head) 'I am guided by my inner wisdom and connected to the divine.'
Spirituality, connection, imagination, awareness
Clear Quartz, Amethyst, Fluorite, Diamond, Pearl, Spirit Quartz, Sugilite, Super Seven, Titanium Quartz
Having a baseline of information about the Chakras and their physical/metaphysical locations and associations is important for understanding how they affect our health and wellbeing. Similarly to how we can see and feel the effects of working out, eating right, and taking care of our physical bodies, caring for the wellbeing of our Chakras is important too. These energy centers need to be balanced and flexible enough to go with the flow of life. In addition to the uncontrollable aspects of life, there are many ways that the lifestyle choices we make can influence our Chakras and either help them remain balanced or throw them off. Sometimes they rebalance by themselves and other times they may need conscious effort to get them realigned. If you have been feeling off for awhile in one or more areas of life (maybe you feel lost or stagnant, uninspired, or even physically ill), it may be time to put some focus on balancing your Chakras. Crystals are a great way to do this. They don’t cost a lot of money and the ways that they can be used are virtually endless. 
Although many Chakra crystal sets available on the market focus on color therapy and offer stones for only their color association to the Chakras, it’s also important to note that Chakra healing with crystals has much more to do with the individual energy of each stone associated with each Chakra. For example, just because Carnelian is a common stone to use for the root Chakra, doesn't mean that you HAVE to use that stone and ONLY in its deep reddish orange coloring. Carnelian is an agate and actually ranges in color from brown and white to clear, orange, and red. The point is, there are many stones associated with each Chakra and you should always follow your intuition when it comes to picking the right stone for the right Chakra.
Once you have a set of stones for Chakra healing, there are a variety of methods to put them to good use. There's really no wrong way to do it as long as you are following your intuition and doing what feels right. Some great ways to use crystals to balance the Chakras include:
Meditation- Sitting in a calm space and meditating while holding one stone at a time and focusing on the associated Chakra. It may also be helpful to focus on the Chakra’s affirmation while doing this. For example, holding red Jasper in your hand, and saying (out loud or in your mind) 'I accept all of the abundance in my life. My energy is grounded and I am secure.’
Daily Chakra focus: Choosing a different Chakra to focus on each day, carrying the associated stone (in your purse, pocket, etc), and focusing on the affirmation throughout the day.
Chakra Lay Down: Lay down and place each stone on its associated Chakra, starting with the root and working your way up. Say the associated affirmation for each one as you go and try to imagine a white light cleansing and balancing each Chakra as you go. As an extra amplifier, you can surround one or more stones with four clear quartz points with the points facing in toward the stone.
Visual Balance: Place the seven Chakra stones in order on a shelf or other visual place in your home and periodically work through them in order, visualizing the associated Chakras becoming balanced and flexible.
Other: There are many other ways to use Crystals to balance the Chakras and, as always, you should go with what feels best to you. Some holistic healers advise the use of gem elixirs with Chakra stones but that is not something I personally advocate since it can be tricky (and even toxic) trying to keep track of what stones are appropriate for this practice. If this is something that interests you though, I urge you to do plenty of research first. 
Many of what ails us spiritually, emotionally, and even physically, can be resolved when we balance our Chakras. And not because this eliminates the problem necessarily, but rather, helps to clear our minds and point us in the right direction for self healing. Your attitude toward holistic healing can have a major impact on how well it works- if you are a constant skeptic, it may take some time to work through those blockages. Always be gentle and patient with yourself. Healing doesn't happen overnight and the results you do see will only remain if you accept that you are a multi dimensional being of light who is capable and deserving of living a life filled with happiness.
As always, if you have questions, I am here to help. Email me with any questions or comments you might have at contact@crystalsandcreations.com
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