How to Know Which Chakra Is Blocked

Are you feeling off lately and you just can’t pinpoint why? Maybe you’ve been sick a lot, or things are just falling apart for no reason. It’s possible one of your chakras—the 7 swirling pools of energy in your body—is blocked or out of balance. Each chakra governs different spiritual, emotional, and physical aspects of your being, and identifying which one is giving you grief is the first step to turning things around. Read on to learn more about each chakra, how to know if it's blocked, and what you can do to open it and achieve balance.

Method 1

Method 1 of 7:

The Root Chakra

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About the Root Chakra: The root chakra is the foundation for balance among all your chakras. It’s a swirling ball or disc of red energy located at the base of your spine. It’s responsible for your sense of physical security and connects you to basic survival needs like food, water, and shelter. When it’s open and balanced, you feel sturdy, grounded, and safe.^{[1]XResearch source}
- The root chakra is red and related to the element earth.
- An open root chakra is important in unblocking your upper chakras.
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How to Tell if Your Root Chakra is Blocked: The root chakra is blocked by fear. When it’s blocked (underbalanced), you might experience anxiety, nightmares, spaciness, and an inability to take action. If it’s overbalanced (hyperactive), you feel an unhealthily strong connection to the physical world and creature comforts.^{[2]XResearch source}
- An overbalanced root chakra might manifest as an over-indulgence in food or sex, an unhealthy attachment to money and wealth, or an obsession with safety and security.
- A blocked root chakra might also cause physical ailments like issues with your colon and bladder that cause painful or frequent trips to the bathroom. Pain in your lower back, legs, or feet are common, as well as arthritis, osteoporosis, and even immune system problems.^{[3]XResearch source}
- Chakras become overbalanced when they compensate for blocked and underbalanced chakras elsewhere. Clear your other blockages to calm overactive chakras down.
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Remedies: Meditation and yoga are the best fixes for the root chakra. To meditate, find a quiet space, get in a comfortable sitting or lying position, and close your eyes. Send your breath and focus to the base of your spine and exhale your fears and insecurities. Then try grounding yoga poses like Mountain pose, Child’s pose, or Bridge pose.^{[4]XResearch source} You can also try:
- Positive affirmations like “I am safe in my body” or “I deserve to be safe.”
- Walking outside barefoot and feeling the earth, sand, or grass beneath your feet
- Wearing or holding red crystals like ruby or red jasper while you meditate
- Using cedarwood or cypress candles, incense, or essential oils
- Adding red produce and root vegetables to your diet like apples, beets, and radishes
- Wearing red clothes or accessories

Quiz

How.com.vn Quiz: What Chakra Do I Need to Balance?

Your spiritual energies can play a big part in how you feel day after day. Chakras are your body’s energy centers, and these spiritual wheels control your mood, energy level, and even your aches and pains. Balancing your chakras is especially important because a blocked or imbalanced chakra can throw off your whole day. So, how do you know which chakra needs healing? Take our quiz to find out!

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What do you struggle with the most?

Feeling insecure and frustrated with life. How do I know if I’m good enough?

Being confident in my opinions. It’s so hard to speak up sometimes!

Believing in others as well as myself. Trust is so difficult!

Being creative. I feel so blocked!

Method 2

Method 2 of 7:

The Sacral Chakra

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About the Sacral Chakra: The sacral chakra is the center for creative and sexual energy. It’s located over your sacrum (the triangular bone just below your lumbar vertebrae). This chakra is all about your emotions, sensuality, and your ability to be flexible and adaptable. When it’s open and balanced, you feel passionate, fulfilled, joyous, and friendly.^{[5]XResearch source}
- The sacral chakra is orange and connected to the natural element of water.
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How to Tell if Your Sacral Chakra is Blocked: An unbalanced sacral chakra can send you on an emotional rollercoaster. It’s blocked by stress or emotional conflict and causes big, rapid mood swings when it’s overbalanced. When it’s underbalanced, you feel a lack of creative energy, emotional instability, and a general disinterest in things that normally bring you happiness.^{[6]XResearch source}
- Severe physical symptoms might include sexual dysfunction as well as hormone or fertility issues. You might also feel addictive tendencies towards sex or substances like drugs and alcohol.^{[7]XResearch source}
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Remedies: Practice creative activities to stimulate this chakra. Things like painting, creative writing, going to see a live play, or playing a musical instrument will unblock it and get your energy back. Meditation is also very effective. Close your eyes and visualize a swirling ball of orange energy between your tailbone and belly button.^{[8]XResearch source} You can also try:
- Yoga poses like Knee-to-chest, Frog pose, or Cobra pose
- Drinking lots of water or going for a swim
- Wear or hold orange crystals like bloodstone, garnet, or carnelian during meditation
- Burning scents like grapefruit, orange, or jasmine
- Adding orange produce to your diet like oranges, carrots, and sweet potatoes
- Wearing orange clothes or accessories

Method 3

Method 3 of 7:

The Solar Plexus Chakra

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About the Solar Plexus Chakra: The solar plexus chakra is your center of power, confidence, and self-esteem. It’s located near your belly button and helps you be decisive and use your personal power for good. When it’s open and balanced, you feel self-confident, assured in your abilities, strong-willed, and determined.^{[9]XResearch source}
- The solar plexus chakra is yellow and represented by the element of fire.
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How to Tell if Your Solar Plexus Chakra is Blocked: This chakra is blocked by low self-esteem or self-trust. When it’s underbalanced, you feel lots of self-doubt, have trouble making decisions, and struggle to be your most authentic self. When it’s overbalanced, your ego becomes hyperactive and you might become power-hungry or self-absorbed.^{[10]XResearch source}
- A blocked solar plexus chakra wreaks havoc on your digestive system. You might experience a chronic upset stomach, nausea, bloating, heartburn, or even ulcers.
- Weak core muscles, pain in your middle back, or general fatigue might also indicate a blocked solar plexus chakra.^{[11]XResearch source}
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Remedies: Emphasize core-strengthening yoga moves for this chakra. Spinal twists, Warrior pose, and Bow pose are all great moves. Other core-intensive workouts like pilates or gymnastics work too. Digestive issues can be fixed by adding yellow produce like bananas, apricots, squash, or corn to your diet.^{[12]XResearch source} Other remedies include:
- Meditating and picturing a yellow ball of energy beneath your navel
- Playing with fire (safely) by lighting a bonfire, cooking over an open flame, or soaking up the sun
- Holding or meditating with yellow crystals like tiger’s eye or yellow calcite
- Scents like lemon, ginger, or peppermint from candles, incense, or essential oils
- Wearing yellow clothes and accessories

Method 4

Method 4 of 7:

The Heart Chakra

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About the Heart Chakra: The heart chakra is your center of love, compassion, and forgiveness. It’s located in the center of your chest along your spine (not over your actual heart) and is the crossroads between your lower physical chakras and your upper spiritual chakras. When it’s open and balanced, you’re able to give and receive love freely, make connections, and balance self-care with care for others.^{[13]XResearch source}
- The heart chakra is green and is associated with the element of air.
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How to Tell if Your Heart Chakra is Blocked: The heart chakra is blocked by neglecting strong, personal relationships. When it’s underbalanced, you feel emotionally closed off, a fear of betrayal, anger, bitterness, isolation, and a lack of empathy. If it’s overbalanced, you become codependent in your relationships, needy, jealous, or possessive.^{[14]XResearch source}
- You might experience heart problems like an elevated heart rate, or painful or weak lungs. Pain in your upper back and shoulders is common, as well as tension in the wrists and arms.^{[15]XResearch source}
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Remedies: Repeat positive affirmations about love to yourself, like “I am open to love” or “I forgive myself and others.” Say them out loud, or meditate on them silently. These affirmations set your intentions toward love and help you break old patterns that kept your chakra blocked.^{[16]XResearch source} Also try:
- Meditating and visualizing a green ball of swirling energy in the center of your chest
- Investing time into the people and activities you love
- Yoga poses like Cobra, Bridge, and Supported Back Bend
- Wearing, holding, or meditating with rose quartz, green calcite, or jade stones
- Burning essential oils, candles, or incense scented like rose, lavender, or sandalwood
- Eating leafy green foods like spinach or broccoli
- Wearing green clothes and accessories

Method 5

Method 5 of 7:

The Throat Chakra

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About the Throat Chakra: The throat chakra governs your ability to communicate. It’s located at the base of your throat and is your center of self-expression and speech. When it’s unblocked, you can easily communicate how you feel to others. You’re also able to fully listen to and understand others.^{[17]XResearch source}
- The throat chakra is blue and related to the element of space (ether).
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How to Tell if Your Throat Chakra is Blocked: The throat chakra is blocked by lies and miscommunication. When it’s underbalanced or closed, you experience anxiety during conversations, an inability to speak your mind, and difficulty being honest to yourself and others. When it’s overbalanced, you become extra chatty, overbearing in conversation, and overly critical of others.^{[18]XResearch source}
- Physically, you might feel a frequent sore throat or stiffness in the neck and shoulders. Hormonal issues in your thyroid gland might occur, and tension headaches are common.^{[19]XResearch source}
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Remedies: Cozy scarves, hot herbal teas, and nourishing soups soothe the physical pain in your throat when this chakra is blocked. Yoga poses that bend and stretch the neck are also helpful. Try moves like Shoulderstand, Plough pose, Cat-Cow, or Upward-Facing Dog.^{[20]XResearch source} Other remedies include:
- Meditation while visualizing a blue ball of energy in your throat
- Wearing, holding, or meditating with blue gemstones like turquoise, aquamarine, or lapis lazuli
- Burning oils, incense, or candles scented with frankincense, geranium, sage, or eucalyptus
- Eating nutritious blue foods like blueberries or blackberries
- Wearing blue clothes and accessories

Method 6

Method 6 of 7:

The Third Eye Chakra

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About the Third Eye Chakra: The Third Eye or brow chakra is your center of intuition and perception. Located in the center of your forehead, it allows you to see through any illusions that separate you from the real world. When it’s balanced, you can easily see through mental blocks and have a razor-sharp mind.^{[21]XResearch source}
- This chakra is indigo or purple and correlates to the element of light.
- This chakra is considered the most important one because of its power to connect to your intuitive wisdom.
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How to Tell if Your Third Eye Chakra is Blocked: The Third Eye is blocked by illusion and emotional conflict. The most obvious symptom of blockage is the inability to connect to or trust your own intuition. If the Third Eye is underbalanced, you try to intellectualize everything, become distrustful or fearful of the process of life, and have anxiety over the future. An overbalanced chakra causes an overactive imagination.^{[22]XResearch source}
- Headaches, dizziness, and brain fog are common physical symptoms of a blocked Third Eye. You might also experience insomnia or a noticeable disruption in your sleep patterns and have trouble recalling your dreams.
- In some cases, a blocked chakra can cause increased sensitivity to light.^{[23]XResearch source}
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Remedies: Meditation is the best remedy for a blocked Third Eye. After you’re settled in a comfortable position with your eyes closed, turn your eyeballs upward to look toward your Third Eye. Picture an indigo ball of energy swirling behind your forehead. You might even feel a tingling sensation on your forehead while you focus.^{[24]XResearch source} Other fixes include:
- Yoga poses with the forehead down on the mat or balancing poses
- Wearing, holding, or meditating with purple crystals like amethyst, fluorite, or quartz
- Burning essential oils, candles, or incense scented with rosemary, frankincense, or vetiver
- Eating purple produce like grapes, eggplant, purple carrots, cabbage, or dates
- Wearing indigo clothes or accessories

Method 7

Method 7 of 7:

The Crown Chakra

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1
About the Crown Chakra: The crown chakra is your center of enlightenment. It sits on top of your head and is your connection to your highest self, the universe, and the divine. When perfectly balanced, you have a consciousness of pure awareness and feel connected to something larger than yourself.^{[25]XResearch source}
- This chakra is violet or white and correlated to the elements of thought or cosmic energy.
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How to Tell if Your Crown Chakra is Blocked: The crown chakra is blocked by an over-attachment to the material world. When it’s underbalanced, you feel apathetic, listless, and like you don’t have a direction or purpose in life. An overbalanced crown chakra is rare, but manifests as feeling greed that can never be satisfied, arrogance, and a disconnection from other people and the universe.^{[26]XResearch source}
- Feeling unstable in your body is a physical sign of a blocked crown chakra. You might also feel low energy and a general low ability to function.
- Headaches and trouble with coordination or balance are common too.^{[27]XResearch source}
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Remedies: The best fix for a blocked crown chakra is to open and balance the 6 chakras beneath it through meditation, yoga, and other remedies. Few people can open this chakra completely (but that doesn’t mean you can’t improve it!). Reconnecting with your innermost self and spirituality through meditation, deep breathing, and silence also helps rebalance this chakra.^{[28]XResearch source} You can also try:
- Inverted or upside-down yoga poses like Headstand, Handstand, or Downward Facing Dog
- Spending time in nature, sunlight, and fresh air
- Spending time with loved ones and enjoying your human experience^{[29]XResearch source}
- Wearing, holding, or meditating with clear quartz or purple amethyst
- Burning scents like frankincense, juniper, or myrrh
- Wearing violet or white clothes and accessories

Expert Q&A

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Question
How do you choose crystals to balance and unblock your chakras?
Emily Christensen
Spiritual Advisor & Founder of Rainbow Raaja
Emily Christensen is a Shamanic Spiritual Advisor, Reiki Master, and the Founder of Rainbow Raaja based in Southern California and now King County, Washington. Emily has over six years of experience as a Massage Therapist and in using tarot cards, crystal therapy, light work (reiki, light codes, energy therapy), and shamanic healing. She received Reiki Master training from the Hands on Healing Institute. Emily is also a certified Bodywork Therapist by the California Massage Therapy Council and an Ordained Shamanic Minister with the Universal Life Church.
Emily Christensen
Spiritual Advisor & Founder of Rainbow Raaja
Expert Answer
A practitioner chooses crystals based on the ailments or blocks and whether the crystal feels responsive to the blockage. Keep in mind that all crystals are unique, and will do different things when it can be of use. The key is learning and practicing to connect with the life force of the crystal and allowing it to guide you.
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Warnings

There isn’t scientific evidence to prove these remedies will fully heal any emotional or physical problems. If you’re experiencing severe or prolonged pain or mental health struggles, visit a doctor or counselor for medical advice.
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