BLOG 162: THIS IS HOW FACE YOGA CAN HELP ALIGN YOUR 7 CHAKRAS

If you’re interested in yoga or its sister science, Ayurveda, you’ve likely already heard of the chakras. These are wheels of energy located in our bodies. There are seven main chakras, which run up the midline of our bodies from the base of our spines to the crown of our heads.

Understanding of the chakras originated in India thousands of years ago and they are mentioned in the ancient Vedic texts. 

I’ve used my knowledge and understanding of the chakras to heal myself for many years. But I’ve felt called to dive deeper in the last few years, especially since I’ve done my Reiki training. Working with the chakras really encourages you to take a holistic approach to health and wellness and encourages you to take the time for self-care – both things I am passionate about.

In this blog post, I’m giving you a quick introduction to the seven main chakras and how you can balance them, including some tips on which Face Yoga techniques can help with each chakra. 

This won’t be a super in-depth look at the chakras – it’s a big topic! But it should give you a starting point. I’ll also suggest some other resources you can look at if you’d like to dive deeper, including my on-demand online masterclass which takes you on a journey through the seven chakras, using skin lifting Face Yoga moves.

WHY IS IT IMPORTANT TO BALANCE YOUR CHAKRAS?

When your chakras are aligned and in balance, it allows energy (also known as prana in yoga or Qi in Traditional Chinese Medicine) to flow freely through your body. You’ll enjoy good health, feel a sense of wellbeing, and everything in your life will feel like it is in balance.

However, our chakras can become blocked, underactive, or overactive. When this happens, we can experience physical, emotional, and mental issues.

An unbalanced chakra can also impact our lifestyles, relationships, and businesses or careers.

So, balancing the chakras is vital to avoid and heal issues we’re experiencing in our lives. It is also a deeply relaxing practice that helps us become more aware of ourselves and our needs.

HOW CAN WE BALANCE THE CHAKRAS?

There are lots of different things we can do to bring our chakras back into balance. I’m going to quickly run through each of the seven main chakras and suggest affirmations, crystals, and essential oils you can use to help balance them.

Each chakra also corresponds to a colour. One way to help bring a chakra back into alignment is to focus your attention on the location of that chakra and then visualise a ball of glowing light in the colour that corresponds to it.

1. ROOT CHAKRA

The first chakra is the root chakra. Found at the base of our spines, it is all about feeling grounded, stable, and secure. The colour of this chakra is red.

Black tourmaline is a great crystal to use for the root chakra. You can place it on your pubic bone or beneath a pillow that you sit on. 

I like to use sandalwood for this chakra. I also like to focus on posture – place your feet on the ground and imagine that you have roots growing down into the earth. Lengthen up through your whole spine, imagining that you have a string running up your spinal cord and out through the crown of your head, pulling you upwards. Relax your shoulders and bring your chin parallel with the floor.

A great affirmation for this chakra is “I am grounded, secure, and stable.” Repeat it three times, ideally while looking in the mirror.

There’s also a strong relationship between this chakra and the jaw. You might notice that when your hips are tight, your jaw is often tense too, and vice versa. So, face yoga techniques that target the jaw are perfect for this chakra.

2. SACRAL CHAKRA

The sacral chakra is found just below your belly button. Its colour is orange, and it is all about creativity, pleasure, and your connection to the divine feminine.

I like to use sunstone for this chakra, although some people find it too masculine, so it depends on how well you connect with it. Ylang ylang is a great essential oil to use.

My favourite affirmation for this chakra is “I am creative and worthy”. Repeat it three times.

In Traditional Chinese Medicine, the area of the face that corresponds with the colon and small intestine is the lip area. Since these organs also relate to the sacral chakra, focus your face yoga practice on exercises and massages for the lips and mouth.

I also really like one of the cards in Rebecca Campbell’s Starseed Oracle deck for this chakra. It’s the one called 7 Star Sisters.

3. SOLAR PLEXUS CHAKRA

The third chakra is all about confidence, purpose, and stepping into your personal power. It’s located between your belly button and your breastbone, and its colour is yellow.

One of my favourite ways to align the solar plexus chakra is using a breathing exercise I call “in, in, out.” To do it, take two short inhales through your nose and then one longer exhale, also through your nose. This is great for calming worry and anxiety – emotions many of us feel in our guts.

Yellow topaz is a lovely stone to use for the solar plexus chakra and I also love rosemary essential oil for this chakra.

One affirmation to use for this chakra is “I am confident”. Again, repeat this three times.

As for face yoga, Traditional Chinese Medicine tells us that part of the cheeks relates to the stomach area. So, cheek lifting massage, exercises, and acupressure are great for indirectly balancing the solar plexus chakra.

I also love Tammy Stone Takahashi’s book, Yoga Healing Love, which starts with poems to help you align your chakras. Her poem for the solar plexus chakra is especially wonderful.

4. HEART CHAKRA

Located in the centre of your chest, the heart chakra’s colour is green. It will be no surprise to learn that this chakra is focused on compassion, love, empathy, and relationships – including the relationship you have with yourself.

Lion’s Breath is beautiful for aligning this chakra. To do it, bring your hands up by your face in loose fists. Close your eyes and mouth as you inhale through your nose. Then, exhale forcefully through your mouth as you stick out your tongue, making a “ha” sound. Open your eyes and hands as you exhale.

Rose quartz is one of the best crystals for this chakra. Use rose essential oil too.

Use the affirmation, “I am love” for the heart chakra.

In Traditional Chinese Medicine, the area across the eyebrows and forehead corresponds to the heart. Focus your Face Yoga practice here to bring this chakra into balance.

5. THROAT CHAKRA

The throat chakra is about speaking your truth and being authentic to who you are. Its colour is blue and a great stone to use is turquoise – I like to wear it on a pendant to keep it close to my throat.

Frankincense is a wonderful essential oil for the throat chakra. I also like to use a breathwork technique called “Chin Lock Breath”. Inhale through your nose and pause for a moment, dropping your chin down towards your chest. Hold there, then exhale as you come back up. Do this up to five times.

It won’t surprise you to find the best face yoga techniques for the throat chakra are ones which target the front, sides, and back of the neck.

I also love the Forge Don’t Follow card from the Starseed Oracle pack for the throat chakra.

6. THIRD EYE CHAKRA

Located between your eyebrows, the third eye chakra is about intuition, wisdom, and connection with your spiritual self. Its colour is purple, but you can choose the shade you most resonate with – some people feel drawn to a violet purple, others to a darker shade.

Amethyst is one of the best crystals for this chakra and I also love lavender essential oil – sprinkle a few drops on your pillow or in your bath.

Use the affirmation, “I am intuitive” to align this chakra and connect with your inner knowing.

This chakra is found directly on the face, so we work with it a lot in face yoga. Use acupressure and techniques that massage on or over the third eye point.

I also recommend the book Chakras by Thimela Garcia – turn to page 290 when you are working with the third eye chakra. 

7. CROWN CHAKRA

The final chakra is the crown chakra, found at the top of your head. Its colour is white, and it relates to your connection with a higher power – whatever that might mean to you.

For this chakra, I love to do a variation on the HA breath. Start with your arms by your sides, then sweep them up as you inhale. Bring your hands together in prayer position above your head, reaching towards the sky. As you exhale, bring your hands down through all the chakras, visualising a bright white light coming down through your head and into your body, following your hands.

Use clear quartz and peppermint essential oil for this chakra, as well as the affirmation “I am connected”.

In face yoga, head massage techniques are beautiful for balancing the crown chakra. I also love the poem for this chakra in Yoga Healing Love.

LEARN MORE

This has been a pretty quick gallop through the seven main chakras, but it has hopefully given you some tips and ideas for how to start bringing your chakras into alignment.

If you’d like to dive deeper, my two-hour online masterclass on face yoga and the chakras is now available on-demand via my shop. You get lifetime access to the masterclass, and it is a perfect excuse to set aside two hours to pamper and care for yourself.