How to Unblock Chakras: Beginner’s Guide to Chakra Meditation & Affirmations

Have you experienced stubborn fatigue, low mood or consistent emotional instability? While it may seem normal, these emotions could point to a more serious problem deep within the energy body: blocked chakras. Residing in the astral body (energy body), chakras are energy centers that are responsible for our physical, emotional and spiritual well-being. Just like the heart pumps blood to other organs in the body, so chakras spread prana, or life-force energy, to these vital regions, ensuring good emotional and physical health. 

Learning how to unblock chakras is therefore critical for the healthy functioning of the mind, body and spirit. But healing chakras is not as simple as treating a headache or a swollen ankle as chakras do not exist in the physical body, so we cannot see or touch them. Instead, we have to use holistic practices like meditation, mudras, affirmations or chanting to activate and stabilize these swirling wheels of energy. Whether you’d like to help others find stability or want to gain control of your own life, chakra balancing can help you tap into unknown energy, awaken mental control, and gain optimal physical health. 

Below, we explore the 7 chakras, the effect of a blocked chakra on the body, as well as how to unblock chakras with meditation and affirmations. Ground your sitting bones into the earth, clear your mind and let’s dive into chakra balancing.

What Is a Blocked Chakra?

Chakras move at a particular frequency to spread prana in a local region. Each chakra is surrounded by a certain element, like the Root Chakra is surrounded by the earth element. When the element around the chakra becomes blocked, it restricts the movement of the chakra causing it to slow down. When the chakra movement slows down, it does not spread enough prana in the local region, causing numerous problems to arise.

What Does a Blocked Chakra Feel Like?

Blocked chakras can manifest themselves in different ways. You could experience an emotional imbalance through negative feelings of insecurity, loneliness, and greed, or physical issues like headaches, indigestion, and colon problems.

Sometimes, it can be difficult to determine if your Third Eye Chakra is imbalanced, or you’re just dehydrated. Fortunately, blocked chakras have telltale signs that you can easily pick up with active awareness. It’s also wise to familiarize yourself with the location of each of the 7 chakras in the body, as the area of your issue can usually be linked to chakra that resides there. A blocked Third Eye Chakra, for example, is located in the middle of the brain between the eyebrows, and can cause physical problems like regular headaches, blurry vision, and eye strain. 

Ultimately, if you’re feeling off, emotionally unstable or disconnected from the world around you, it’s usually a sign that there is a blockage or imbalance in your energy system. By being aware of your body and taking notice of sudden changes in your mood, you can determine which chakra is blocked and clear and balance it with regular practice.

What Causes Chakras to Become Blocked?

There are many reasons why a chakra can become blocked, but the most common cause is an unhealthy lifestyle. Too much stress, negative thinking, a lack of physical exercise, not enough sleep and an unhealthy diet are all leading contributors of a blocked chakra. And at the same time, too much of something good can also cause an imbalance in the energy body with an equally harmful effect on your health and well-being.

One or all of these factors can cause your chakras to enter into either a hypoactive or hyperactive state. When hypoactive, your chakra distributes an insufficient or reduced amount of prana to the area. A hyperactive or imbalanced chakra means there is too much energy flowing into that particular region, causing an imbalance in the entire chakra system.

Why Is It Important to Unblock Your Chakras?

The 7 chakras are strongly tied to the organs and glands that surround it. If just one chakra is hypoactive or hyperactive, it can have a ripple effect on the entire body, negatively impacting your physical, emotional and spiritual well-being. If not tended to, a blocked chakra may also lead to more serious physical illnesses and mental health challenges like depression or anxiety.

Knowing how to unblock chakras is therefore important to maintain good health and keep your energy body in check. When your chakras are clear and aligned, you are your best Self. You will naturally have a more positive outlook on life and feel more energized and confident. On the mat, you’ll also notice a healthy progression in your performance.

How to Unblock Chakras with Meditation and Affirmations

So, how do you unblock chakras? You can purge the 7 chakras in the body through chakra meditation, mudras, affirmations, pranayama and yoga poses.

Meditation for balancing chakras is similar to traditional meditation, except that your intention for the practice is to open and clear the body’s energy centers. You’ll focus all your attention on the blocked chakra and drive energy to the area using mantras, mudras and breathing techniques. Affirmations are positive phrases that can remove mental blockages and help you channel energy to where it's needed most.

Below, we explore how you can balance and clear all 7 of chakras in the body with meditation and affirmations.

1. Root Chakra – Muladhara Chakra

Root Chakra Meditation

Practice this grounding meditation to clear and realign the Root Chakra: 

1. Find a comfortable seated position, spine long and shoulders relaxed.
2. Close your eyes gently and take slow, natural breaths.
3. Bring your focus inwards, towards the Muladhara Chakra.
4. Chant the seed mantra for the Root Chakra – ‘Lam'.
5. Continue to chant for several minutes, focusing energy in the base of your spine.
6. Once unblocked, rub your palms together and place them over your eyes.

Root Chakra Affirmations

When your Root Chakra feels blocked or out of balance, repeat the following affirmations to yourself:

• The earth provides a safe place for me.
• I have abundance in my life.
• I love my body and trust its wisdom.

2. Sacral Chakra – Svadhishthana Chakra

Sacral Chakra Meditation 

This meditation practice encourages your mind to focus on the positive and discard the negative. It’ll also help you drive life force energy to the Sacral Chakra. 

1. Come into an easy seated position, grounding your body into the mat.
2. Relax your shoulders and as you breathe, bring your attention to your Sacral Chakra.
3. Chant the Svadhishthana Chakra mantra ‘Vam’ for 5-15 minutes.
4. Notice the vibrations enter your sacrum as you channel energy here.
5. To complete the meditation, rub your palms together and place them over your eyes

Sacral Chakra Affirmations 

Some affirmations that clear and heal the Sacral Chakra include:

• I am fulfilled in my passions.
• I embrace change as a healthy part of life.
• I have an abundance of creativity. 

3. Solar Plexus Chakra – Manipura Chakra 

Solar Plexus Chakra Meditation 

Practice this centering meditation to clear the Solar Plexus Chakra: 

1. In a sitting position, lengthen your spine and loosen your shoulders.
2. Close your eyes and take relaxed breaths.
3. Connect to this Chakra with the chant – ‘Ram'.
4. Meditate and chant for 5-15 minutes, feeling fire energy move just above your naval.
5. To finish, rub your palms together and cover your eyes.

Solar Plexus Chakra Affirmations 

Release blockages in the Solar Plexus Chakra by repeating affirmations like:

• I honor the power within me.
• I am open to new ideas.
• I don’t seek the approval of others. 

4. Heart Chakra – Anahata Chakra 

Heart Chakra Meditation 

This meditation sequence can help restore proper energy flow to the Heart Chakra: 

1. Come into an easy seated position and ground your sitting bones into the earth.
2. Relax your eyes and breathe naturally, lengthening your spine.
3. Connect with the Heart Chakra by repeating the mantra – ‘Yam’.
4. Feel the heart region open and energy begin to pulse here.
5. After 5-15 minutes, rub your palms together and gently rest them over your eyes.

Heart Chakra Affirmations 

Affirmations can pulse positive energy in the Heart Chakra and purge negativity. Some examples of positive Heart Chakra affirmations include:

• I value love above attachment.
• I am worthy of love.
• I love all beings equally. 

5. Throat Chakra – Vishuddha Chakra 

Throat Chakra Meditation 

Chakra meditation calms the mind and helps us connect with our inner truth. Practice this easy meditation sequence to unblock the Throat Chakra and flow positive energy here:

1. Find an easy sitting position, back of the neck is long and shoulders relaxed.
2. Rest your hands on your legs and breathe naturally.
3. Close your eyes and connect to the Throat Chakra, at the base of the throat.
4. Chant the Throat Chakra mantra ‘Ham’ repeatedly for several minutes.
5. Then, rub your palms together and cover your eyes to complete the meditation.

Throat Chakra Affirmations 

To bring balance to the Throat Chakra, repeat affirmations that speak to truth, open communication and authenticity. Here are a few examples: 

• I hear and speak the truth.
• I communicate with respect and courage.
• My voice is necessary.

6. Third Eye Chakra – Ajna Chakra 

Third Eye Chakra Meditation 

1. Sit in a comfortable meditative pose with your spine elongated.
2. Close your eyes and focus all your energies on your Third Eye.
3. Connect to your Third Eye Chakra, behind your eyes in the center of your brain. 
4. Chant mentally the mantra 'Om' slowly with full awareness.
5. Repeat the chanting for 5-15 minutes, or for as long as you feel comfortable.
6. End by rubbing your hands together and placing them over your eyes.

Third Eye Chakra Affirmations 

Repeat these affirmations to activate the Third Eye Chakra and bring harmony to the body and mind:

• Ego doesn’t cloud my thinking.
• I am open to my inner wisdom.
• I can manifest my vision. 

7. Crown Chakra – Sahastrara Chakra

Crown Chakra Meditation  

This simple Crown Chakra meditation will help you align and open the Sahastrara Chakra, promoting gratitude, compassion and connection to your true Self:

1. Relax in a comfortable sitting position with your back straight and hands resting on your knees.
2. Shut your eyes and take easy, natural breaths.
3. Visualize the lotus petals of your Crown Chakra unfurling and chant the mantra ‘Aum’ deep from the lower belly.
4. Open your eyes after 5 to 10 minutes and sit quietly for some time.

Crown Chakra Affirmations 

If you lack inspiration or have self-destructive tendencies, these positive affirmations can open the Crown Chakra and promote divine energy:

• The world is my teacher.
• I am guided by a higher power.
• I am guided by inner wisdom. 

Final Thought

If practiced regularly, these chakra meditations and affirmations can bring balance to your entire energy system and help you become healthier and happier. You are unlikely to see results immediately, but remember that with all yoga practices, patience, commitment and constant practice is key to success.