A chakra is a focus of energy that spins like a wheel, according to Indian religious tradition. There are seven main chakras that are talked about most often, and each one is linked to different parts of the physical body. Energy flow to the chakras can influence everyday life — spiritually and physically. Chakras work both independently and together.

In a perfect world, each of your chakras works equally well. That way, energy can easily flow from one chakra to another. But if any of your chakras are either overactive or underactive, you may experience spiritual, emotional, and/or physical problems.

Below are some quick notes about each chakra, including their location and how an imbalance in that chakra can affect you.

Root Chakra

The Root Chakra is located at the base of the spine. It is related to our basic survival instinct, confidence, feeling grounded, and how we deal with conflict. Signs of root chakra imbalance include anger issues, fear, insecurities, abandonment issues, indecisiveness, depression, anxiety, addictions, phobias, obsessions, weight issues, hemorrhoids, arthritis, constipation, lower back pain, and knee troubles.

Sacral Chakra

The Sacral Chakra is located in the lower belly (below the naval). It is the seat of our emotional connections. It is related to our desires, creativity, sexuality, imagination, relationships, intimacy, nurturing, pleasure, and how we deal with money issues. Signs of a sacral chakra imbalance include a tendency to blame others; feelings of guilt; eating disorders; dependency issues; problems with money, sex, power, control, creativity, and morality; low back pain; sciatica; obstetrical/gynecological problems; pelvic pain; libido issues; and urinary problems.

Solar Plexus Chakra

The Solar Plexus Chakra is located in the upper belly (above the naval and below the breastbone). It is is related to ego, personality, self esteem, assertiveness, gut instinct, motivation, competence, and the desire to succeed. Signs of an imbalance in the solar plexus chakra include fear, hate, indifference, feeling stressed, self-loathing, need for power, fear of rejection, over-sensitivity to criticism, indecisiveness, poor digestion, ulcers, diabetes or hypoglycemia, arthritis, liver malfunction, pancreatitis, anorexia/bulimia, cirrhosis, and colon disease.

Heart Chakra

The Heart Chakra is located in the middle of the chest. It relates to the principle of universal love and self love, which includes kindness, forgiveness, hope, unity consciousness, emotional balance, and empathy. Signs of a heart chakra imbalance include despair, hate, envy, fear, jealousy, anger, heart disease, asthma, lung and breast cancers, pneumonia, and upper back/shoulder problems.

Throat Chakra

The Throat Chakra is located at the neck above the collarbone. It relates to how we maintain authentic relationships, how we express ourselves to others, and how well we listen to what others have to say. The throat chakra governs sound, self-expression, honesty, processing information, and divine guidance. Signs of a throat chakra unbalance include being shy or egoic; feeling disempowered; addiction; mouth ulcers; swollen glands; thyroid dysfunctions; voice problems; and gum or tooth problems.

Third Eye Chakra

The Third Eye Chakra is located in the middle of the forehead above the eyebrows. It relates to spiritual awareness, psychic power, and intuition. It integrates the analytical left brain with the artistic right brain. The third eye chakra is associated with wisdom, discernment, insight, clarity, imagination, dreams, ideas, reasoning, perception, connection with the higher self, and telepathy. Signs of a third eye chakra imbalance include confusion, lack of judgment, passive aggressiveness, nightmares, headaches, eye problems, lack of focus, forgetfulness, strokes, seizures, blindness, deafness, learning disabilities, and depression.

Crown Chakra

The Crown Chakra is located at the top of the head. It relates to enlightenment, cosmic consciousness, and our connection to Source (or the Divine). Crown chakra qualities include intuitive knowing, faith, values, humanitarianism, meditation, spiritual development, selflessness, and universal higher consciousness. Signs that there may be an imbalance of the crown chakra include lack of purpose; close mindedness; bigotry; apathy; depression; diseases of the muscular system, skeletal system, and the skin; chronic exhaustion; sensitivity to light and sound; and multiple sclerosis.

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