The seven main chakras are the foundation of physical, mental, emotional, and spiritual health and well-being. Open and balanced chakras absorb the universal earth energy which flows throughout the body to nourish the entire being. Each chakra resonates with a specific color and corresponds to particular glands, organs, and bodily systems as well as being associated with individual character traits and emotions.
Traditional Indian holistic detoxification practices assist in cleansing, opening, and empowering our chakras to detoxify our overworked organs, relieve our mental stress, and release our negative thought processes to promote a healthy body, tranquil mind, and balanced emotions.
Chakra Healing Foods
The vibration of particular natural foods resonates harmoniously with the vibration of each chakra to nourish, cleanse, and purify the body.
Follow the chakra cleansing diet for six weeks to experience mind, body, and spirit detoxification:
- Root chakra foods include pomegranates, beetroots, parsnips, kidney beans, cashew nuts, yams, and fresh ginger root; they assist with feeling physically and emotionally secure.
- Sacral chakra foods include papayas, mangoes, pumpkins, red lentils, brazil nuts, sweet potatoes, and fresh turmeric root; they assist with creativity and the manifestation of desires.
- Solar Plexus chakra foods include bananas, yellow courgettes, yellow split peas, sunflowers seeds, cornmeal, and fresh dandelions; they assist with courage, confidence, and innate power.
- Heart chakra foods include gooseberries, seaweed, green lentils, pumpkin seeds, avocados, buckwheat, and rosehip tea; they assist with self-love, compassion, and forgiveness.
- Throat chakra foods include blueberries, figs, almonds, pine nuts, sprouted legumes, quinoa, and fresh ginger root tea; they assist with self-expression and communication.
- Brow chakra foods include plums, blackberries, raisins, pecans, walnuts, sprouted legumes, sesame seeds, and juniper berries; they assist with innate wisdom and intuition.
- Crown chakra foods include purple grapes, currants, purple onions, purple cabbage, purple potatoes, and purple basil; they assist with the connection to the divine.
Eat mindfully and aim to include one or two foods daily, from each group which will encourage intuitive eating.
Chakra Cleansing Mudras
Mudras balance the elements to regulate the energy flow throughout the chakras. The detoxification mudra assists in cleansing the physical, mental, and emotional body to increase the vital energy.
To practice the detoxification mudra:
- Place your thumb on the inside edge of the third joint of your ring finger.
- Relax and extend your remaining fingers.
- Practice two times a day for thirty minutes each, for six weeks.
Chakra Awakening Yoga Asanas
Specific asanas stretch, strengthen, and oxygenate the spine to clear stagnant and congested energy; it opens, aligns, and empowers the chakras to stimulate the detoxifying organs and glands.
Practice the following asanas for a few minutes each on an empty stomach, for six weeks:
1. The Parsvakonasana (Extended Side Angle Pose)
This asana stimulates the liver and gallbladder.
- Stand with your feet wide apart and turn your left foot out.
- Bend your left knee and lower your left thigh until it is parallel to the floor.
- Bend from the waist towards your left thigh and place your left hand beside your left foot.
- Distribute your weight evenly.
- Extend your right arm over your head to form a straight line from your right ankle to your right fingertips.
- Bring your awareness to your breathing and relax in the posture.
- Release and repeat on the other side.
2. The Parsvottanasana (Intense Side Stretch Pose)
This asana stimulates the kidneys.
- Stand with your arms stretched out to the sides.
- Join your palms behind your back and place the outer sides on your upper spine.
- Step your right foot back and out to the side a little.
- Bring your upper body down towards your left knee.
- Distribute your weight evenly.
- Bring your awareness to your breathing and relax in the posture.
- Release and repeat on the other side.
3. The Jathara Parivartanasana (Belly Twist Pose)
This asana stimulates the intestines.
- Lie on your back with your arms out to the sides and palms facing down.
- Keep your shoulders relaxed and bring your knees to your chest.
- Gently drop your knees to the right.
- Bring your knees back to your chest.
- Gently drop your knees to the left.
- Bring your knees back to your chest.
- Keep your knees together and movements controlled.
- Repeat twelve times on each side.
4. The Parighasana (Gate Pose)
This asana stimulates the lymph glands.
- Kneel on the floor and extend your right leg out to the right.
- Place your right heel in line with your left knee.
- Distribute your weight evenly.
- Place your right hand on your right leg with your palm facing upwards.
- Raise your left arm over your head towards your right foot.
- Bring your awareness to your breathing and relax in the posture.
- Release and repeat on the other side.
Detoxification of our body, mind, and spirit is a gradual process. Traditional Indian healing practices gently awaken and purify our chakras to open our awareness and intuition; it also assists us in releasing our physical impurities, negative habits, and unhealthy emotions.