The three lower chakras are part of the chakra system consisting of seven chakras. Each chakra has a special function with unique techniques and practices it responds to. In this article you will find expertly researched information on the lower chakra’s function, where they are located and their power. You will learn how to open and balance them. It also lays out the signs to to look for if they are blocked.
What are the Lower Three Chakras?
Root Chakra is also known as muladhara chakra is located at the base of the spine at the perineum. It is linked to our basic needs of food, shelter and safety.
Sacral Chakra is also known as Svadhisthana chakra is located below the navel. It is linked to sexuality, pleasure and joy.
Navel Chakra also known as the manipura or solar plexus chakra as the latter name suggests in is located in the solar plexus region. It is linked to our power of will, ability to make decisions and our physical and emotional identity.
Significance of the Lower Three Chakras
The lower chakras are our first personal power centres.
They are the base from which we operate and govern our basic emotional, physical needs and they hold sway over our connection to the physical world.
The three chakras lay the foundation from which we begin to open and balance the other four of the seven main chakras.
When they are balanced we feel secure, grounded and ready to take action.
Signs of Balanced Chakras
Root Chakra
You feel safe
You have robust physical health and strength
You feel grounded and centred.
You have an overall sense of well being
Sacral Chakra
You have nurturing mutually beneficial relationship with others
You have a compassionate and nurturing relationship with yourself.
You are creative
Navel Chakra
You have inner strength
You are motivated and action orientated
You have healthy self confidence
If any of the chakras are out of balance you will lack the above qualities and generally feel unmotivated, have low confidence and feel isolated.
If you have physical and mental issues it is likely all or some of your lower chakras are also blocked and out of balance.
Ways to Balance and Open Your Lower Three Chakras
These basics will also help balance the other chakras in the chakra system…
Have a healthy whole food diet,
Do physical exercise. Martial arts like boxing and BJJ benefit these chakras as they help us deal with our most basic fears.
Have positive people in your life.
Be creative and try new things.
Spend time in nature, the three chakras are connected to the natural world.
There are specific poses and breathing you can do when you practice yoga. As well as essential oils, meditation, affirmations, visualisations and crystals you can use for balance and chakra healing.
Specific Ways to Balance Each Chakra
Yoga Poses
Root Chakra
Do poses that ground you. Examples are tree pose, mountain pose, child’s pose and corpse pose.
Sacral Chakra
Choose poses that express creativity and have an open energy that encourages emotional balance. Examples are bound eagle pose, cobra pose, pigeon pose and goddess pose.
Navel Chakra
Do poses that strengthen your will and body. Examples are warrior pose, bow pose and cobra pose.
Breathing Exercises
Root Chakra
Breathing exercises that ground you are alternative nostril breathing and cooling breath.
Sacral Chakra
For the second chakra exercises that open your creativity are Victorious breath (ujjayi breathing) and skull shining breath (kapalabhati).
Navel Chakra
A breathing exercise that makes the will strong and ignite the third chakra is bellows breath.
Essential oils
Root Chakra
The essential oils that help you balance your root chakra are sandalwood, cedarwood and frankincense.
Sacral Chakra
Essential oils that will help you feel comfortable in your body to express healthy sexuality and experience joy are patchouli, yang ylang, sweet orange and rose.
Navel Chakra
Oils that will that will help you feel comfortable in your skin so you can be confident without arrogance are rosemary, vetiver, spearmint and petitgrain.
Use these oils during mediation, yoga practice and when doing your breathing.
Crystals to Balance and Open the Chakras
Root
The root chakra is about your sense of safety. Crystals that will clean and balance this chakra are black obsidian, garnet, red jasper and tigers eye.
Sacral
The crystals that balance the second chakra by helping us appreciate our connection with others and our body are orange calcite, peach aventurine, sunstone and carnelian.
Navel
The crystals that will provide confidence and enthusiasm and open and balance this chakra are yellow jasper, lemon quartz, amber and golden heliodor.
Mediation for the Lower Chakras
Meditation practice for the lower chakras is a mixture of breathing, visualisation and repeating a mantra.
Sit or lie in a comfortable position. Breath deeply and gently and focus on the chakra you want to balance and open.
Visualise the colour (see below) of the chakra and imagine the colour gently expanding. Repeat the mantra (below).
Root
Colour: Red
Mantra: Lam
Sacral
Colour: Orange
Mantra: Vam
Navel
Colour: Yellow
Mantra: Ram
A powerful guided mediation you can try is the Yoga Nidra.
Signs of Blocked Lower Chakras
Root
Because this chakra is linked to your safety and security, when it is blocked you feel anxious, uncertain and you find it hard to trust yourself and others.
You have low energy levels and find it difficult to concentrate, so you will find it a challenge to complete daily tasks.
Without a strong root chakra you do not feel grounded and you feel uncomfortable in your physical body. This can not only mean you feel disconnected from yourself but also others.
Sacral
A low libido. You lose or of have little interest in sexual activity. And you may also experience feelings of guilt and shame about your sexual desires.
You will have a lack of inspiration and creativity when your second chakra is blocked. You will find it difficult to express yourself.
As this chakra is associated with emotions, when it is blocked you will experience emotional instability, mood swings and find it difficult to manage your emotions.
You may experience reproductive health issues, such as menstrual problems and fertility.
When this chakra is blocked it leaves a void as you find it difficult to experience pleasure and joy in life. A person will try to fill this void with addictive behaviors such as over eating , substance abuse and compulsive behaviour.
Navel
When this solar plexus chakra is blocked it can cause low self esteem and a lack of confidence. This leads to self doubt and the inability to set boundaries and assert yourself.
You will experience issues such as bloating, gas and other digestive issues.
You will lack self control and have difficulty in making decisions. This will make you feel powerless. We become depressed and have anger issues when we feel powerless.
As this is also called the power chakra, you will lack motivation and struggle to set goals and lack the energy and drive to achieve them.
Which Chakra Should You Focus On?
When building anything you want to focus on the foundations and make sure they are strong.
As the first chakra is at it’s most fundamental level about safety and survival this is where you want to focus your energy on initially.
When we have our basic fears and anxieties catered for we can look towards our other aspects.
It is tempting to jump to the “higher” fancy sounding chakras and what they have to offer. This is a mistake. It is better to see the chakras as part of a whole rather than separate. Each one is important and valuable.
As they are connected, opening and balancing the first chakra will impact the highest third eye chakra and crown chakra’s as well as the rest of the seven major chakras. There is also an overlap with the poses and breathing – they work on several levels, although the main focus might be on a specific chakra.
Does Reiki Balance the Chakras?
As chakras are energy centers in the body and the Japanese art of reiki is used to heal the energy in the body, going to a reiki practitioner maybe beneficial.
When you go to a reiki practitioner they will use hand positions to target specific areas of the body including the chakra points.
The practitioner will transfer energy to the blocked areas to promote healing and release on a physical, emotional and spiritual level.
People respond differently to a reiki session. Some will feel profound energetic shifts other feel nothing. You may find you have try a few different practitioners to find one who is a fit for you. Even then there is no guarantee you will feel anything. Not all of us have the budget to shop around.
Make sure you go to a qualified practitioner who has experience and a good reputation.
Conclusion
We call them “lower” this does not mean lesser or inferior. These three chakra’s when balanced and open give us energy, health and vitality. They bring us joy and connection with ourselves, others and nature.
When they are not balanced we lack ambition and drive. We won’t set goals and go for what we want. Our relationships suffer and we experience physical and mental health issues.
Yoga poses, breathing, meditation, crystals and essential oils are ways to open and balance them.
Be consistent and patient when you practice. Although you will feel some benefits immediately, the deeper healing and well being comes in time.
Make sure what ever practice you choose it will fit in with your life style and is something you will stick to. I find it beneficial to have a system in place I follow regularly.
For example yoga in the morning and breathing exercises and chanting in the evening. Even simply doing daily breathing exercises while holding the crystal for the chakra will bring amazing benefits.
Whatever you do, enjoy it and know you are contributing to the balance and well being of others when you improve yourself.