What is a chakra and why do they need healing?

This is a question I pondered up until pretty recently. After getting tired of hearing about the chakra system in yoga classes and retreats and nodding along like, “oh yes, mhmm,” but having no idea what they actually were, I bought a course and dived into learning.

Let’s make this simple: chakras are energy centers that run through the body from the base of our spine to a crown chakra over our heads, and are characterized by 7 colors. They have masculine and feminine energies to them (and when in balance, all people do as well although society doesn’t do a good job of fostering this). We carry our sense of security, desires, sense of purpose, voices, and self worth in our chakras, and so much more.

The chakra system is traceable to one of the most authoritative Hindu texts, the Vedas, from the second millennium BCE, and is present in Tantric Buddhism as well. Whenever a belief system has survived for that long, I have to laugh when people label it as ‘new age.’

So why do chakras need healing? Everyone has suffered heartbreak, felt like they weren’t enough, lacked confidence, been unable to speak up for themselves, and felt disconnected at some point in life. Maybe you feel one or all of those things right now.

Chakras do not just exist in our bodies, though. They exist on our planet, too. These Earth chakras, which are major power points of the planet, mimic the chakra points in our bodies. Therefore, it is believed that when we spend time in these places, the frequency of the energy in our bodies becomes aligned with the energy of the chakras, resulting in a powerful spiritual experience.

The Earth’s chakras are very similar to energy vortexes, which I discussed in a recent post. The only difference between the two is that an energy vortex can be any location on Earth where there exists a greater quantity of energy than normal, while the Earth’s chakras are specifically the most powerful of the energy vortexes on Earth. Though a chakra’s location is sometimes up for debate, there are some locations everyone seems to agree on while some have multiple possibilities. In those cases, multiple options are noted. Here are the seven Earth chakras around the world:

Table of Contents

The root chakra, located at the base of the spine, is what grounds us. It’s symbolized by a lotus with four petals and is red in color. When the root chakra is in balance we feel safe, strong, and committed. When out of balance, we feel unsafe and avoidant of conflict.

The root chakra of the Earth is widely believed to be located at Mount Shasta in Northern California. Rising out of forests and meadows, Mount Shasta is known for its natural beauty and powerful spiritual presence. The still-active volcano is one of the highest peaks in the Cascade Range.

This chakra is regarded as the base or root of the Earth’s energy, regulating universal life and acting as a geyser of upward energy. It makes sense that the root chakra lies at Mount Shasta, as Native American tribes have historically believed that the volcano could be the center of the Universe or even the birthplace of the Creator.

The sacral chakra, located in the pubic area, governs our emotions, creativity, and ability to enjoy life. When it’s in balance, we feel joy and are able to produce our greatest gifts. We feel connected to life, with a sense of being on an adventure. When out of balance, we can feel closed off.

Earth’s sacral chakra lies at Lake Titicaca, which is intersected through the middle by the Peruvian-Bolivian border. The lake is home to Isla del Sol, or Island of the Sun, a Bolivian island which was once home to the Incas, who considered the lake sacred. What’s more, an archaeological team found an ancient temple completely submerged in the lake.

Lake Titicaca is said to embody both masculine and feminine energies, thereby making itself representative of sexuality as the sacral chakra. This chakra is believed to regulate all species on Earth and their evolutionary processes.

The solar plexus is another name for the house of the soul. Located in our stomach area and yellow in color, the solar plexus is about integrity, having a higher purpose, and is the seat of confidence in one’s life path. This is where we manifest from.

Earth’s solar plexus chakra is a dual chakra, said to lie at two massive rock formations called Uluru and Kata Tjuta. (The two are about 18 miles apart.) Rising several thousand feet out of the Australian desert, the rock formations play an important role in local Aboriginal groups’ ancient wisdom and creation stories.

The solar plexus chakra has to do with wisdom and processing emotion, acting as a makeshift umbilical cord to the planet and maintaining life all around the globe.

The heart chakra, which is green in color and located at the heart center, is where healing takes place. It’s our center of love, connectedness, and forgiveness. When out of balance we feel closed to love and hold grudges, when in balance we see the good in everyone.

Also a dual chakra, the heart chakra is located at Shaftesbury and Glastonbury, two towns in Southern England which are only about 30 miles apart. (According to some, the heart chakra may also expand to include Stonehenge.) Stories from across traditions meet at this location, from the tales of King Arthur and Avalon to the legends of Joseph of Arimathea after the resurrection of Jesus.

The heart chakra, fittingly, deals with love and healing. Therefore, it is interesting that the combination of Glastonbury and Shaftesbury has long been believed to represent the joining together of the ideas of love — Glastonbury — and will — Shaftesbury.

While Glastonbury and Shaftesbury are the most agreed-upon location for the Earth’s heart chakra, some also look to Hawaii’s Haleakalā volcano to be the heart chakra, and with good reason: the energy at the top of the volcano gives off the same frequency as the beating of the human heart.

The light blue throat chakra projects the truth outwardly but also inwardly. This is where we find the confidence to speak our truth, and to express creativity without fear of judgement, or even seeking and needing approval. When in balance, we value truth for truth’s sake alone.

The throat chakra, too, is not just one location, but a combination of three important sites: the Great Pyramid of Giza in Egypt, Mount Sinai, also in Egypt, and Jerusalem’s Mount of Olives. Two of these locations — Mount Sinai and Mount of Olives — are important places in the Bible. Interestingly, connecting the three locations on a map forms almost a perfect right triangle.

The throat chakra symbolizes voice and communication. Some consider the unrest in the Middle East to be “the cries of the mother,” or Earth’s way of calling out for help.

The third eye chakra is dark blue in color and located on the forehead, just above and right between our two physical eyes. This is where we create our own reality through our beliefs and whatever we choose to see in the world. When out of balance, we can feel overstimulated and clouded with thoughts that don’t feel like our own. In today’s world which is so full of information and outrage porn, the third eye can come out of balance easily. Meditation and allowing stillness can be very helpful for bringing it back into balance.

The third eye chakra is the only chakra which can shift locations on the Earth, supposedly due to the rotation of the Earth on its axis. Also referred to as the Aeon Activation Center, the chakra is believed to move every aeon, or new age. This chakra is also said to coordinate with constellations. According to astrology, we are currently in the Age of Aquarius, which determined that the third eye would be in line with the heart chakra in England. When we move into the next astrological phase (The Age of Capricorn), the chakra is expected to shift to Brazil. Astronomers estimate each astrological age to last approximately 2,100 to 2,500 years.

The third eye chakra provides strong recognition and awareness, as well as clear thinking and vision, by bringing together rational knowledge and intuition.

The seventh chakra, which is purple in color and sits above the head, like a crown, is our connection to higher guidance. It’s where we feel connected to the cosmos, are open to seeing signs and finding meaning in seemingly random things. While most people are not as connected to this chakra (realistically, most people rarely make it past the first two), this is where we feel connected to the Universe.

It is only fitting that the crown jewel of the Himalayas serves as the crown chakra. Reaching almost 22,000 feet tall, Mount Kailash is often called the “roof of the world,” and is considered to be the most sacred mountain in the Himalayas. Kailash is also the location for the annual Scorpio full moon.

The crown chakra’s power lies in its spirituality. Mount Kailash serves as a powerful connecter to something greater than oneself, both physically — because of its grandeur — and non-physically — because of its sacredness. So holy is the mountain to Tibetans that even attempting to climb it is considered an offense to the realm of spirituality.

Though the Earth’s chakras are not exactly something that you can see, or prove with hard numbers, I find it interesting that so many cultures value these areas for different reasons. Just like the energy vortexes around Earth, if you’ve felt it, then it would come as no surprise that others would have felt it too, and may even consider it sacred.