The 3 Chakras To Balance To Banish Chronic Stress

Our chakras, the spinning energy centers aligned from the base of the spine to the crown, are believed to be connected to our physical bodies through our vital life force, also known as chi, prana, or mana (via WellBeing). When our chakras are balanced, we feel vibrant and healthy — both emotionally and physically. When they are out of alignment, we are less able to cope with life's challenges and may feel lethargic, irritable, or hopeless.

If you're experiencing chronic stress and your attempts to alleviate it don't really seem to make much of a difference, you may have a chakra imbalance. Perhaps you've been making mindless mistakes, catching colds repeatedly, or feeling an overall sense of "blah." When the vital life force isn't free to flow through the chakras due to misalignment, then we cannot exist harmoniously, which can be super stressful (via Chopra). Here are the three chakras you need to balance to banish that chronic stress.

It seems only natural that in order to balance the body, mind, and spirit, we would need to begin with the foundation: the root chakra. The first chakra is associated with our primal drive for survival. Our relationship with our family, money, nourishment, safety and shelter all stem from the root chakra (via WellBeing). The grounding energy of a balanced root chakra will help you feel part of the world and that you belong. An ungrounded root chakra is imbalanced and activates the body's fight or flight responses. 

To balance the first chakra, we must ground ourselves. Earthing (walking barefoot on the ground), eating root vegetables, and practicing yoga poses which focus on the strength of the legs and core, are a great place to start. You could also try gardening, wearing red (the color associated with the root chakra), and practicing alternate nostril breathing (via Chopra).

The second chakra represents pleasure and creativity. Blockages of the sacral chakra could manifest as pain in the hip area, creative blocks, and reproductive issues. The sacral chakra is associated with the element of water and is deeply tied to our emotional state (via Chopra). Poor boundaries are a significant indicator of a blocked sacral chakra, and if you find yourself absorbing other people's stress, it's likely time to balance the second chakra. 

To align the sacral chakra, visit bodies of water and swim. Nature is deeply healing for this kind of imbalance — and be sure to hydrate also. Journaling, art therapy, and crafting are a few of the other wonderful avenues to bring harmony to the sacral chakra. Orange is the color associated with this chakra, and wearing more of it will likely be healing (via Chopra). Working with the sacral chakra will help you tap into limitless creativity and gain insight into your default reactions and most intense feelings (per Yoga Journal). 

The last chakra to align in order to balance chronic stress is the solar plexus. This chakra is all about our relationship with ourselves. When it's out of alignment, you may find yourself having difficulty following through with your goals and commitments, experiencing low self-confidence or, reversely, an inflated ego, and possibly struggling with slow metabolism (via WellBeing). If we allow these feelings to fester, they can and will have an impact on our other chakras and, by extension, our physical and emotional states.

To balance the third chakra, connect with its element: fire. You could do this by lighting candles or holding a bonfire ceremony during meditation as you focus on the solar plexus chakra. Wearing the color yellow is also healing, as is getting plenty of sunshine. Sun salutations in your yoga practice will also help align the solar plexus — in addition to all other poses which promote healthy digestion (via Chopra).