Estimated reading time: 5 minutes
- What are chakras?
- The 7 chakras at a glance
- 1. Root chakra: safety and grounding
- 2. Sacral chakra: creativity and pleasure
- 3. Solar plexus chakra: confidence and willpower
- 4. Heart chakra: love and compassion
- 5. Throat chakra: truth and expression
- 6. Third eye chakra: intuition and insight
- 7. Crown chakra: spiritual connection
- How the chakras work together
- Simple ways to balance your chakras
- Chakras and tarot
- Frequently asked questions
- Begin with one chakra
The word chakra comes from Sanskrit and means "wheel." In yoga and many spiritual traditions, chakras are spinning centers of energy along the body, each linked to different aspects of our physical, emotional and spiritual life. The modern system of seven chakras, running from the base of the spine to the top of the head, has become one of the most popular frameworks for understanding wellbeing and personal growth. This beginner's guide explains the 7 chakras, their meanings, colors, locations and elements, and simple ways to support each one.
What are chakras?
Chakras are described as points where energy (called prana) gathers and flows. When they are open and balanced, energy is said to move freely and we feel grounded, creative, loving and connected. When one is blocked or overactive, we may feel stuck in that area of life.
The concept comes from ancient Indian traditions, especially tantric yoga texts, and was later adapted in the West into the seven-color system most people know today. Chakras are a spiritual and symbolic framework rather than a medical one: a way of reflecting on how we feel and where we need care.
The 7 chakras at a glance
| # | Chakra | Sanskrit | Location | Color | Element | Theme |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Root | Muladhara | Base of the spine | Red | Earth | Safety, stability, grounding |
| 2 | Sacral | Svadhisthana | Lower belly | Orange | Water | Creativity, pleasure, emotion |
| 3 | Solar plexus | Manipura | Upper belly | Yellow | Fire | Confidence, willpower, self-esteem |
| 4 | Heart | Anahata | Center of the chest | Green | Air | Love, compassion, connection |
| 5 | Throat | Vishuddha | Throat | Blue | Ether (space) | Communication, truth, expression |
| 6 | Third eye | Ajna | Between the eyebrows | Indigo | Light | Intuition, insight, imagination |
| 7 | Crown | Sahasrara | Top of the head | Violet or white | Thought / spirit | Spiritual connection, wisdom |
1. Root chakra: safety and grounding
The root chakra is your foundation. It relates to survival, security, home, money and the feeling of being safe in your body and the world.
- Balanced: grounded, secure, present, able to trust.
- Out of balance: anxious, insecure, restless, or stuck and resistant to change.
- Support it: walk barefoot outside, cook nourishing food, create routines, spend time in nature.
2. Sacral chakra: creativity and pleasure
The sacral chakra governs creativity, sensuality, pleasure and emotional flow. It is where you feel joy and let life move through you.
- Balanced: creative, playful, emotionally open, comfortable with pleasure.
- Out of balance: creative blocks, guilt around pleasure, emotional numbness or overwhelm.
- Support it: dance, make art, take a bath, try something new just for fun.
3. Solar plexus chakra: confidence and willpower
The solar plexus is your inner fire: self-esteem, personal power, motivation and the ability to act.
- Balanced: confident, motivated, decisive, able to set boundaries.
- Out of balance: low self-worth, indecision, or the opposite, a need to control.
- Support it: set small goals and keep them, get morning sunlight, practice saying no.
4. Heart chakra: love and compassion
At the center of the system, the heart chakra bridges the lower, physical chakras and the upper, spiritual ones. It is about love for others and for yourself, forgiveness and connection.
- Balanced: loving, compassionate, able to give and receive.
- Out of balance: loneliness, holding grudges, people-pleasing or closing off.
- Support it: practice gratitude, spend time with loved ones, write a forgiveness letter (you do not have to send it).
5. Throat chakra: truth and expression
The throat chakra governs communication, honesty and creative expression: speaking your truth and listening well.
- Balanced: clear, honest, good listener, expressive.
- Out of balance: difficulty speaking up, fear of judgment, or talking over others.
- Support it: journal, sing, have the conversation you have been avoiding.
6. Third eye chakra: intuition and insight
The third eye is the center of intuition, imagination and inner vision. Tarot readers often feel a special connection to this chakra.
- Balanced: intuitive, imaginative, clear-sighted.
- Out of balance: confusion, overthinking, disconnection from intuition.
- Support it: meditate, keep a dream journal, practice tarot or other reflective tools.
7. Crown chakra: spiritual connection
The crown chakra connects you to something larger than yourself, whatever that means to you: spirit, the universe, nature or a sense of meaning.
- Balanced: peaceful, purposeful, connected, open-minded.
- Out of balance: cynicism, feeling lost or isolated, or spiritual bypassing.
- Support it: meditation, prayer, time in silence, looking at the night sky.
How the chakras work together
The chakras are interconnected. The lower three (root, sacral, solar plexus) relate to the physical and personal; the upper three (throat, third eye, crown) to the mental and spiritual; and the heart unites them. A shaky root chakra can unsettle everything above it, which is why many practices start from the ground up.
Simple ways to balance your chakras
- Breathwork: slow, deep breathing calms the whole system.
- Movement: yoga, walking and dance help energy flow.
- Color: wear or surround yourself with the color of a chakra you want to support.
- Sound: chanting, singing bowls or music.
- Crystals: each chakra has traditional stones, such as red jasper for the root and amethyst for the crown. Our guide to crystals for tarot reading covers several of them.
- Reflection: journal about each area of life the chakras represent.
Chakras are a tool for self-reflection and wellbeing, not a substitute for medical or mental health care. If you are struggling physically or emotionally, please reach out to a qualified professional.
Chakras and tarot
A chakra tarot reading draws one card for each energy center, from root to crown, to show where your energy flows freely and where it needs attention. Our free Chakra Tarot reading does exactly this, and you can talk through your seven cards with our live reader.
Frequently asked questions
What are the 7 chakras?
The seven chakras are the root, sacral, solar plexus, heart, throat, third eye and crown chakras, running from the base of the spine to the top of the head.
Which chakra should I work on first?
Many practitioners start with the root chakra, because a stable foundation supports all the others. You can also focus on whichever area of life feels most out of balance.
What color is each chakra?
Root is red, sacral orange, solar plexus yellow, heart green, throat blue, third eye indigo and crown violet or white.
Are chakras scientifically proven?
No. Chakras come from spiritual traditions and are best understood as a framework for reflection and wellbeing rather than anatomy.
Begin with one chakra
You do not need to master all seven at once. Choose the chakra that speaks to you most right now, try one simple practice for a week, and notice how you feel. For a fuller picture of your energy, draw seven cards in our free Chakra Tarot reading.