According to Buddhist/Hindu teaching, all of the chakras should contribute to a human's well-being. Our instincts would join forces with our feelings and thinking.
Some of our chakras are usually not open all the way (meaning, they operate just like when you were born), but some are over-active, or even nearly closed. If the chakras are not balanced, peace with the self cannot be achieved.
Read on to discover the art of becoming aware of the chakras, as well as a very reliable technique designed to open them.
Open the Root Chakra:
This chakra is based on being physically aware and feeling comfortable in many situations, being represented by the color red. If opened, you should feel well-balanced and sensible, stable and secure. You feel present in what is happening right now and very connected to your physical body.
If it's under-active, you tend to be fearful or nervous and easily feel unwelcome.
If it's over-active, you may be materialistic and greedy. You feel as if you should be secure and are unwelcome to a change.
Use the body and become aware of it. Do yoga, walk around the block, do some manual house-cleaning. These activities let your body become known to you and will strengthen the chakra.
Ground yourself, this is a method that should help you connect with the Earth and feel it beneath you. There are many sources that will teach you how to accomplish this. After grounding, sit cross-legged and relaxed. Allow the tips of your thumb and index finger to touch gently, in a peaceful motion. Concentrate on this chakra and where it's located.
Silently, yet clearly, chant the sound "LAM." All this time, let yourself relax, still thinking about the chakra, its meaning, and how it does or should affect your life. Keep doing this until you are completely relaxed. You may have a "clean" feeling, that can be felt in all chakras.
Visualize a closed red flower, now picture a very powerful energy radiating from it, making it slowly opening and showing four red petals full of energy. Control your breath and allow yourself to experience it.
Open the Sacral Chakra:
This chakra deals with feeling and sexuality, being represented by the color orange. When open, your feelings are released with liberty and are expressed without you being overly emotional. You would be open to affinity and also being passionate and outgoing. Sexuality would be no issue.
If it's under-active, you tend to be emotionless or impassive, not very open to anybody.
If it's over-active, you tend to be sensitive and emotional all the time. You may also be very sexual.
Sit on your knees, with your back straight, but relaxed. Lay your hands in your lap with your left hand underneath the right, palms up, on top of each other. The left palm should touch the knuckles of the right hand, while the thumbs connect gently.
Concentrate on the Sacral Chakra and what it represents and locates.
Silently, yet clearly, chant the sound "VAM." Always being in a relaxed state, still thinking about the chakra, it's meaning and how it does or should affect your life. Keep doing this until you are completely relaxed.
Open the Navel Chakra:
This chakra encircles confidence, especially when in a group, represented by the color yellow. When open, you should feel in control and have a good feeling of dignity in yourself.
If it's under-active, you tend to be passive and indecisive. You could be frequently apprehensive and this doesn't reward you.
If it's over-active, you tend to be imperious and aggressive.
Sit on your knees, with your back straight but relaxed. Put your hands on your stomach, slightly below your solar plexus. Let the fingers meet at the tips, all pointing away from you. Cross your thumbs and straighten the other fingers.
Concentrate on the Navel Chakra and where it's located, at the spine slightly above the navel. Silently, yet clearly, chant the sound "RAM."
Always allowing yourself to be relaxed, continuing to think about the chakra, it's meaning and how it does or should affect your life. Keep doing this until you are completely relaxed.
Open the Heart Chakra:
This chakra is all about love, caring, and endearment, being represented by the color green. When open, you seem to be compassionate and friendly, always working in amicable relationships.
If it's under-active, you tend to be cold and unfriendly.
If it's over-active, you tend to be so "loving" towards people that you suffocate them and you could be seen as selfish for it.
Sit cross-legged. Place your left hand on your left knee and your right hand on your chest, above your heart.
Concentrate on the Heart Chakra and where it's located, at the spine, level with the heart. Silently, but clearly, chant the sound "YAM."
Always relaxed and thinking of the chakra, it's meaning and how it does or should affect your life. Keep doing this until you are completely relaxed.
Open the Throat Chakra:
This chakra is based on self-expression and communication, being represented by the color of light blue.
When the chakra is open, expressing yourself is easy and art seems to be a great way to do this.
If it's under-active, you tend not to speak too much, so you are classified as shy. If you lie often, this chakra can be blocked.
If it's over-active, you tend to speak so much, it may annoy people, causing a bad balance on speaking/listening.
Once again, sit on your knees. Cross your fingers on the inside of your hands, allowing the thumbs to touch at the tops pointing them upwards.
Concentrate on the Throat Chakra and where it's located, at the base of the throat. Silently, but clearly, chant the sound "HAM."
As always, keeping your body relaxed, thinking of the chakra, it's meaning and how it does or should affect your life.
Keep doing this for as long as you feel right.
Open the Third Eye Chakra:
Like its name, this chakra deals with insight and is represented by the color indigo.
When open, you have excellent clairvoyance and tend to dream a lot.
If it's under-active, you tend to rely on other people rather than yourself. Relying on beliefs too often, you also tend to be confused most of the time.
If it's over-active, you tend to live in a world of imagination all day long. In the extremes, you could suffer from frequent daydreams or even hallucinations.
Sit cross-legged. Place your hands on the lower part of your chest area. The middle fingers should be straight and touching the tips, pointing away from you, while the other fingers are bent and touch at the two upper phalanges. The thumbs should point towards you and meet at the tops.
Concentrate on the Third Eye Chakra and where it's located, a little above the center of the two eyebrows. Silently, but clearly, chant the sound "OM" or "AUM."
Always relaxing your body, this should come a bit naturally after all this time. Continue to think of the chakra, it's meaning, and how it does or should affect your life.
Open the Crown Chakra:
This is the seventh and most spiritual chakra, represented by the color purple. It encircles a sense of wisdom and being one with the universe. When this chakra is open, prejudice disappears from your "To do list" and you seem to become more aware of the world and it's connection to yourself.
If it's under-active, you tend to not be very spiritual and may be quite rigid in your thoughts.
If it's over-active, you tend to intellectualize things all the time. Spirituality seems to come first in your mind, and if you are really over-active, you may neglect your bodily needs (food, water, shelter).
Sit cross-legged. Lay your hand on your stomach. Allow the pinkies to point up and away from you, touching at their tips, while the remaining fingers cross with the left thumb underneath the right.
Concentrate on the Crown Chakra and where it's located, at the very top of your head. Silently, but clearly, chant the sound "NG".
Your body should now be totally relaxed, and your mind should be at peace. However, do not stop concentrating on the Crown Chakra. This meditation may be longer or shorter, depending on yourself.
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Notes: Do not use this meditation for the Crown Chakra if your Root Chakra is not stable or open. Before dealing with this last chakra, you need a strong foundation first, which the Root exercises will present to you.