Chakra Balancing Dangers
by Diane Linsley
Chakras can suffer from either deficiency or excess. Working with
the chakras means focusing on them with the intention to balance
their energy. This article explains why this is a dangerous practice
and what you can do instead.
Have you ever tried warming your hands by focusing on them? You
can actually increase the blood flow and nerve impulses to any part
of your body by focusing on it. Placing a hand over the area and
imagining healing energy coming out of your hand can intensify the
effect. This can be beneficial for the body, but I don't recommend
using this or any other modality to stimulate the chakras.
Chakra Balancing Warnings
Stimulating the chakras can cause serious problems. I'm speaking from my own experience, as well as that of clients and friends. In my early forties, I did chakra chants until all my chakras opened, one by one, over a period of a year. The end result was a kundalini awakening, which was more than I had bargained for. I got severe energy sickness, and it took a long time to recover.
Having open chakras is not as fun as you might imagine. It makes you extremely sensitive to energy. If you are already an empath, imagine your empathy being multiplied by 10. Is that really what you want?
There are benefits, of course. It makes me a highly aware coach who can usually feel what is going on with a client - even before they show up for the coaching call. But it's not fun. For the first year after my chakras opened, I had difficulty going out in public because I could feel the feelings of everyone around me. I once experienced a sensation like being punched in the stomach when I walked past a man in the grocery store. Apparently, there was something going on with his solar plexus or his physical stomach. It left me nauseated for an hour.
Another time, a friend whom I hadn't seen in months came to visit. From the moment she walked into my house, I started experiencing pain in my root chakra. After we chatted for a while, I finally told her about the pain and asked her what was going on. She revealed that she recently had surgery in her female parts, and it was still sore. No kidding - I was feeling seriously sore, too.
Some people call it a gift. Others call it a curse. I've learned to accept it as my reality and work with it. I approach it the way I approach everything in my life, including my chronic pain and illness. I pray for God to turn everything in my life to good, especially the difficult things.
The Safe Way to Balance the Chakras
Is there a safe way to balance the chakras? Yes, but it requires a shift in perspective. First, you have to give up the idea of working directly on the chakras. That shortcut approach usually backfires. If you want to be safe, then neither you nor any other person (i.e., energy healer or Reiki practitioner) should be messing with your chakras.
I no longer do any type of chakra stimulation. But I sometimes do a chakra check-up, which consists of quickly scanning through the chakras, paying attention to the thoughts and feelings that arise as I think about each one. This can lead to insights about what aspects of my life are out of balance.
Rather than trying to change my life by changing my chakras, I work on changing my life first, which naturally balances the chakras.
The upper chakras are the most sensitive and the most likely ones to cause problems when stimulated, especially the sixth and seventh chakras. Robert Bruce says that most people in the modern world have an excess of energy in the upper chakras because of computer work, and they have a deficiency in the lower chakras because they don't spend enough time outside in nature.
Reiki and Energy Work Dangers
What about having a "professional" work on your chakras? I've had experiences with that, too.
During the year before I was diagnosed with Graves disease in my mid forties, I was having periodic episodes of hyperthyroidism. I thought it was a problem with my energy, so I went to a Reiki healer. It seemed to help at first, but the problem kept coming back until it became very serious. By the time I finally got a diagnosis from an endocrinologist, my case was life-threatening. Thankfully, I made a full recovery with the help of drugs to shut down the production of excess thyroid hormone, along with herbs and a special diet, which I still follow to keep the problem from coming back.
I had a client who dated a man who called himself an energy healer (anyone can do that). He did lots of things to her, including messing with her chakras. This led to a severe emotional breakdown bordering on psychosis. It took more than a year for her to recover.
Chakra work should be avoided by anyone who has a history of psychosis, schizophrenia, or other mental or emotional problems. People who are energy sensitive should also be very cautious.
After these warnings, if you still decide to do chakra balancing, at least use some precautions. If you experience any discomfort, either physical or emotional, stop immediately.
Mental symptoms can be hard to identify. I visited with a friend whose energy healer had been working on her chakras. I immediately sensed a new energy imbalance in her system (it wasn't there before). She was extremely agitated, but she didn't recognize this as a negative symptom because she was endorphinated out of her head.
When the brain is very stressed, it releases endorphins to cover up the pain. Endorphins are the body's natural pain relievers. This type of high can potentially end in a crash, leading to long-term symptoms like anxiety or depression. The endorphin high can also cause someone to become addicted to the energy work, which is good for the practitioner's pocketbook, but not good for the client.
If you experience any side effects, stop immediately and ground yourself in the physical world. Focus on physical exercise, and eat a well-balanced diet with healthy snacks between meals to make sure your brain has plenty of glucose to function well. I follow the dietary advice in Anthony William's books. Robert Bruce recommends eating meat for grounding. Don't fast.
Sitting on the physical ground outside is very helpful. After my kundalini awakening, my nervous system was overwhelmed. It was the middle of winter, but I was burning up from the overload of energy flowing through my body. So I went outside and sat on the ground in the snow until I felt better. Then I took a 6-month break from all meditation and energy work. Kundalini awakenings are rare, but now you know what to do in case it ever happens to you.
The Seven Chakras
Here are descriptions of the seven chakras with their locations and functions. The color of the chakra is given for visualization, along with the vowel sound for chanting. This is for information purposes only.
I've made it clear that I don't recommend stimulating the chakras with any method. However, you might like to know what each chakra does so you can see where your life is unbalanced and make changes in your lifestyle that will lead to a more balanced chakra system. Healing means addressing the issues in your physical life, not trying to take a shortcut by stimulating the chakras directly.
First Chakra - Also known as the root chakra. It is located at the base of the spine in the pelvic or perineal region where your body sits on your chair. The root chakra grounds and connects us with the energy of the earth. It is associated with survival, safety and financial security.
Imbalances in the root chakra can manifest as survival fears, eating disorders, financial problems or greed. A healthy, well-balanced root chakra helps us feel safe and secure in the world.
The color of the first chakra is red. The vowel sound is "Uh."
Second Chakra - Also known as the sacral chakra. It is located in the center of the lower belly, about three inches below the navel. The second chakra is associated with emotions, sensuality and creativity. It gives us the desire to seek pleasure, express our feelings, and connect with others.
Imbalances in the second chakra can lead to addictions, codependency, overwhelming emotions, or being disconnected from our emotions and our sensuality. When the second chakra is healthy, we feel a passion for life, we can express our creativity, and we can create satisfying relationships.
The color of the second chakra is orange. The vowel sound is "Ooh."
Third Chakra - Also known as the solar plexus. It is located about 3 inches above the navel. The solar plexus is associated with personal power, responsibility and independence. It is the energetic center of identity and self-esteem.
Imbalances in the solar plexus can manifest as being helpless or irresponsible, trying to control others, or lacking motivation and purpose. When the third chakra is healthy, we feel empowered to make decisions, assert ourselves in the world, and motivate ourselves for success.
The color of the third chakra is yellow. The sound is "O" (the long vowel sound).
Fourth Chakra - Also known as the heart chakra. It is located in the center of the chest. The heart chakra is associated with compassion, love and gratitude. It is the energetic center of our ability to love others and ourselves, to forgive and to empathize.
Imbalances in the heart chakra can manifest as jealousy, codependency or withdrawal. A healthy heart chakra enables us to see and feel the beauty all around us. It's the bridge between the upper and lower chakras, connecting the spiritual and earthly energies. It helps us transcend the separate ego.
The color of the fourth chakra is green. The sound is "Aah."
Fifth Chakra - Also known as the throat chakra. It is located at the center of the neck. The throat chakra is associated with expression, communication and creativity. It helps us discover our vocation and fulfill our life purpose.
Imbalances in the throat chakra can manifest as a fear of speaking, poor listening skills, or talking too much. Other signs of imbalance are lying, gossiping, or being unable to fulfill our true calling in life. When the throat chakra is healthy, we can speak our truth and express ourselves.
The color of the fifth chakra is blue. The sound is "I" (the long vowel sound).
Sixth Chakra - Also known as the third eye or brow chakra. It is located on the forehead, between the eyebrows. The brow chakra is the center of intuition, imagination and psychic perception. It enables us to access mystical states and intuitive wisdom.
Deficiency in the brow chakra can manifest as lacking clarity or imagination. An excess of brow chakra energy can manifest as being stuck in illusions and disconnected from reality. A healthy brow chakra helps us gain clarity, see the big picture, and envision our future.
The color of the sixth chakra is violet-purple. The sound is "A" (the long vowel sound).
Seventh Chakra - Also known as the crown chakra. It is located at the top of the head. The crown chakra gives us access to higher states of consciousness. It liberates us from limiting beliefs, and it expands our awareness.
Deficiency in the crown chakra can result in cynicism, close-mindedness, and disconnection from Spirit. An excess of crown chakra energy can cause spiritual obsessions and disconnection from the body. When the crown chakra is activated, we experience being fully present and even blissful.
The color of the seventh chakra is white. The sound is "E" (the long vowel sound).
Here's a Calling Back Your Energy meditation. I believe this one is safe. It's my most popular meditation on YouTube. I've also had a lot of positive feedback from clients. It shouldn't overstimulate the chakras.
Be well,
Diane Linsley
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