Exercises for Chakras in Your Body

The seven main chakras in your body correspond with your nervous system, which runs along your spine. They also correspond with different levels of consciousness, your physical body's functions, sound vibrations and different colors. Exercising your chakras improves your physical health, as each chakra helps sustain the health of the organs with which it corresponds. Exercising chakras can also bring about emotional calmness, enhanced intuition and peace of mind.

Your seven chakras run from your tailbone along your spine to the top of your head. They're like vortexes of energy through which you can channel earthly or cosmic energy. Each has a different energy field or vibration and its own role.

Chakra exercises aim to open the chakras if blocked, heal them by clearing out negative energy and balance them by making sure no chakras are significantly stronger or weaker than the others. Some of your life experiences that have created inner conflict or stress become energy blockages in your chakra systems. Clearing these negative energies out improves your physical, emotional and mental health. When your chakras are balanced, you'll feel grounded, loving and in-tune with your emotions, your intuition and the divine.

Alternate-nostril breathing is one breathing technique to balance your chakras by clearing negative energy. For another breathing exercise, breathe normally with your eyes closed and your awareness on your breath. At the same time, visualize a golden light lowering from above into your body through your seventh chakra at the crown of your head. When the light gets to the bottom of your spine, exhale and send the light up and out through your arms and seventh chakra.

Physical exercises, such as yoga and strength training, can help open your first three chakras. For your first chakra, do reclining bound angle pose, corpse pose and child's pose, which are grounding poses that promote surrender to gravity and the earth. Second chakra yoga poses, like cow face pose, pigeon pose, bound angle pose and open angle pose, improve your adaptability and receptivity, according to "Yoga Journal." Any exercise or physical activity that strengthens your abs will help open your third chakra. Breathing through your lower abdomen using your diaphragm muscles helps open the third chakra, so keep your focus on this type of breathing when exercising or practicing yoga.

Sit up tall in a chair with your feet on the floor and arms relaxed by your sides. Breathe slowly and deeply for a few minutes with your awareness on your breath. Next, focus your awareness on your first chakra; visualize a red spinning wheel or vortex. Visualize yourself inhaling and exhaling red energy. After you've done this for a few minutes and feel comfortable, move to the second chakra and repeat. Continue doing this for each of the chakras.