Chakra Intro & How incense can unblock your chakras

Ever been merrily going about your day and suddenly you get the hint of an aroma that triggers a memory from your past? For example, Target Sunscreen will forever remind me of Hawaii. There is also a particular brand of hairspray I associate with a school camping trip.

**Disclosure: This post is sponsored by Natural Scents Chakras Incense Sticks. Links in this post may be affiliate links.

Whether it’s grandma’s perfume or ocean breeze, scents and smells are everywhere. I’ve personally been using incense and essential oils for years. Recently, I’ve been using Chakra Incense sticks during my meditation and yoga.

What’s a Chakra?

The word Chakra means “wheel”.  There are seven main chakras in the body. Starting at the base of the spine, and ending at the crown of the head. Each one relates to an area of the body. The belief is that energy travels up the spine through these chakras, bringing balance and harmony.

As the energy is traveling upward imagine the chakras as a series of locks. If the chakras are all open then the energy flows freely. Conversely, if a chakra is blocked then we manifest physical and emotional traits relating to that chakra. Throwing us out of balance and harmony.

Even if you think this is a little ‘out there’, each chakra is located physiologically at areas of the body with a LOT going on (plexuses, glands or organs). There is so much about the human body we still just don’t fully understand, and I’m not one to dismiss something just because I don’t fully understand how it works. I know that when I have an attitude of gratitude my mood improves, so why would other areas of my emotional and physical state be different?

7 Chakras & Unbalanced Chakras?

We have seven chakras in the body, each serving a specific purpose and having its individual qualities. Yoga teachers are taught how each chakra affects us emotionally and physically. Some physical or emotional issues can be attributed to blocked chakras. They can even get blocked by us not doing work on our own self-study. Afraid to speak up for yourself? You may end up with laryngitis (this happened to a friend of mine!).

The 7 Main Chakras

1. Muladhara – Root Chakra – Red
2. Svadisthana – Sacral Chakra – Orange
3. Manipura – Solar Plexus Chakra – Yellow
4. Anahata – Heart Chakra – Green
5. Vishuddha – Throat Chakra – Blue
6. Ajna – Third Eye Chakra – Indigo
7. Sahasrara – Crown Chakra – White/Violet

Having a creative block? Maybe check your Root and Sacral chakras. While these are linked to primal and sexual energy, they are also twinned with creativity. If something is ailing us, we can use asana and meditation to unblock the chakras. We could also combine it with Eastern medicine, like aromatherapy, to help balance ourselves.

Why Chakra Incense?

There are so many ways to influence the chakras be it asana, meditation, sound healing, scents, or more. While I do like essential oils, my skin is fickle and prone to react. Plus, the oils can get slippy when combined with a yoga mat. You can balance chakras with yoga poses, but if you’re already feeling down or blocked sometimes you need a little extra. If I need a double whammy I’ll use chakra incense as a booster to asana.

Just as each chakra has a color and anatomical properties, it is also believed that each has a scent, element, physiological and psychological properties. It’s no surprise then that incense sticks specific to the chakras exist to make our lives easier.

Using Incense to Unblock the Chakras

Personally, I use these during yoga/meditation, or instead of air freshener. I’ve been feeling a little under the weather lately, plus the fires in Southern California have everyone here feeling like we’re in survival mode, so I’ve been focusing on the lower 2 chakras. The first chakra relates to roots and primal energy. A lot of primal survival energy has been stirred up with friends being evacuated from their homes. Balancing this chakra should bring about level-headedness. The second chakra could also be related to “digging deep” to recover from a loss. This one also relates to the water element and bodily fluids and as my health issue is kidney related I tend to do a lot of work on the 2nd chakra.

Sometimes I simply light the incense in the house while I do chores, or write on the computer (like now). Other times I use it while I’m doing asana, it really helps just connect a little deeper to your practice, especially in meditation.

Chakra Incense Stick Review

The folks at Natural Scents were kind enough to sponsor this blog post so it’s only fair to review their Chakra Incense sticks. The ones I’ve personally been using and shown throughout this blog post. An Ayurvedic doctor uniquely blends each of the Seven Chakra incense sticks. They are 100% natural, meaning there are no nasty chemicals like charcoal and other accelerants. Scents include Patchouli, Jasmine, Ylang Ylang, Bergamot, Sandalwood, Rose, Frankincense, Peppermint, Sage, and Lotus. Every packet is color-coded, so you’ll know exactly which one to reach for!

Each 11 inch stick last 60 minutes. And fills the room with the perfect aroma for your entire Yoga, Reiki or Meditation practice.  The pack also includes a wooden incense catcher. This allows you to burn your first stick the moment you receive your set. These are my prefered holders as they catch the ash from the incense stick. Which means less mess. And an easy clean up!

Every 50 gram and 20 stick packet includes a FREE insert with overview and description of the Chakra, and a Mantra. Overall it’s a perfect gift to someone who does yoga or meditation. Kinda handy for the holiday season coming up.

Questions

• Do you believe in the chakras?
• Which of the scents would be your favorite?
• Do you prefer incense or oils?