Chakras, meridians, and energy centers may once have ranked pretty high on the woo-woo scale. But today, chakras have gone mainstream, baby. All types, from Gwyneth Paltrow to Dr. Christiane Northrup, are touting the benefits of well aligned chakras.

We all want to be well aligned, right? But what are chakras, really? Where are chakras? And how the heck do you get them aligned?

While I am certainly no chakra expert, I have read my fair share of energy balancing info. The following is a basic introduction to chakras, a starter on getting balanced, and how to learn more.

Chakras are energy centers throughout the body. Visualize seven spinning discs of energy positioned along the spine, from tailbone to crown of head. Each chakra has its own unique color and corresponds to mental, emotional, and physical states. Say you are having throat pain or trouble voicing your opinion. This would be a throat (or fifth) chakra imbalance.

How to Balance Chakras: A Beginner’s Guide

First chakra // Also called the root chakra, it is positioned at the base of the spine, is red in color, and corresponds to the first three vertebrae, bladder, and colon. The first chakra is linked to feelings of security and basic survival needs. When balanced we feel safe and one with the earth. When out of balance we feel insecure and untethered. To balance: dance, walk outside barefoot, wear red, eat red and spicy foods, do a tree pose.

Second chakra // Also called the sacral chakra, it is positioned between pubic bone and naval, is orange in color, and associated with sexual organs, reproductive organs in women, and lower abdomen. This chakra is linked to feelings of desire and creativity. When in balance we experience feelings of pleasure, well-being, creative expression, and abundance. To balance: wear orange, eat orange fruits, hip opening poses, partake in a creative activity (painting, writing…).

Third chakra // Also called the solar plexus chakra, it is positioned between naval and breastbone, is yellow in color, and related to the digestive system, liver, gall bladder, and pancreas. The third chakra is responsible for our self-esteem and will. When in balance we feel confident and powerful. To balance: Wear yellow, eat yellow fruits and vegetables, try something outside your comfort zone, get physical exercise.

Fourth chakra // Also called the heart chakra, it is positioned in the center of the chest, is green (or pink) in color, and corresponds to lung, heart, arms, hands, and circulatory system. The heart chakra is related to feelings of love, joy, and inner peace. It is the middle chakra, linking the three lower (physical) chakras with the three upper (spiritual) chakras. To balance: honor your emotions, wear green, eat green foods, spend time in nature, do something loving, practice forgiveness.

Fifth chakra // Also called the throat chakra, it is light blue in color, and related to throat, thyroid, neck, jaw, and mouth. This chakra connects us to our self-expression, communication, and personal truth. To balance: Sing, hum, chant, drink water, wear blue, speak your truth, get a neck massage, actively listen.

Sixth chakra // Also called the third eye chakra, it is positioned at the center of the brow just above the eyes, is indigo, and related to the eyes and brain. The sixth chakra is associated with intuition. When in balance we feel imaginative, clear-headed, and decisive. To balance: Wear indigo, eat dark chocolate, dark berries, and foods high in Omega-3s, use your imagination, take a walk at night.

Seventh chakra // Also called the crown chakra, it is positioned just above the head, is purple in color, and connects us to spirit. When in balance we are enlightened and experience a strong spiritual connection. There are no physical ailments associated with the seventh chakra. To balance: Meditate, lose your ego, love, prayer.

There you have the chakras in a nutshell. As you can imagine, there is much more to each of them. For an in depth look at each chakra and diagnosing any imbalance read “Wheels of Life” by Anodea Judith, Ph.D. One of my favorites for women working with chakras is by Dr. Christiane Northrup, “Women’s Bodies, Women’s Wisdom.” And The Chopra Center holds a wealth of information on chakras and keeping them healthy.

Noticing which areas of the body are off kilter can be very helpful in identifying unbalanced energy. Not quite sure? Take a chakra test to see which of your chakras are open and which need some work.

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Always trust your gut. It knows what your head hasn’t figured out yet. ~Unknown

We are programmed, here in the West, to run to our physician whenever we aren’t feeling well. Of course, there are times this is warranted. But many times our gut is trying to tell us something.

By gut I mean our intuition. You’ve heard the term trust your gut? Listening to our bodies and inner wisdom can go a long way toward maintaining balance and good health.

What is Intuition?

So how do we tap into this inner wisdom? What if ours isn’t speaking very loudly? What if we can’t hear it at all?

You know how you just knew that your aunt was going to call, or were thinking about an acquaintance only to run into them later the same day? That’s not a coincidence, it’s your intuition. Sure, some are more open to their inner wisdom than others. But the good news is we all have to ability to get in touch with our intuition.

How to Tap Into Your Intuition

You likely won’t be surprised to learn that meditation is one very effective way to get in touch with your inner wisdom. Remember, this does not have to be a rigorous practice. There are many ways to meditate. The idea is to get quiet and listen to your inner voice.

Another way to get in touch with your body and intuition is by balancing your chakras. Intuitive, Jill Willard, offers a great chakra balancing breakdown on GOOP. Read it to find out how to open your third eye.

And finally, just do it. Stop writing it off as a coincidence or imagination. If you feel strongly about something it is likely for good reason. That stomach keep nagging you or just feeling off? Pay attention, dig into it, see if you can put your finger on what’s happening in your body or if your aches and pains are physical signs of stress.

Change Your Mind, Change Your Health

Did you know that our emotions can play out in physical ways? Louise Hay’s book “You Can Heal Your Life” has a super useful and comprehensive list of physical ailments and their emotional counterparts, along with healing mantras for each. I refer to this list regularly and it is amazing how often it is spot on. For instance, say you have lower back pain. The probable emotional cause is fear of money or lack of security. Have an earache? This represents anger and not wanting to hear what is going on around you.

Our emotions are ruled not so much by what is actually going in our lives as our perception of what’s going on. Our thoughts. This quote by my favorite Ayurvedic, Monica Bloom, tells the whole story — If you want to change your body, you must first change your mind.

Whoa! That’s deep. But what, exactly, does it mean?

Monica explains that our health is largely due to the decisions we make. What we eat, how much we exercise, our stress patterns, are all governed by our thoughts. Which, though it sometimes seems otherwise, we have control over.

Reigning in our thoughts and making good choices leads to better health. Sure, none of us are perfect and we all go overboard in one area or another. That’s where balance comes in. Have a margarita and three cupcakes on Saturday? Clean up your act on Sunday. This is life after all, and if cupcakes make you happy, then have one once in a while. Just remember, cupcakes everyday won’t make you so happy.

Go deep, get in touch with your intuition and what it is telling you, stop ignoring your own inner voice. What it has to say is important to your health, wellbeing, and happiness.

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