Since our energy is aligned with our bodies, emotions, and behaviors, we can easily assess what chakra we need to work with by observing emotional states, behavioral patterns, health issues, and physical symptoms. In our article, "How Opening Your 7 Chakras Can Transform Your Mind, Body & Spirit", we explained what the chakras were all about and how aligning and opening your chakras is the key to finding inner peace, ultimate happiness, and eventual enlightenment.
When we suffer illnesses that affect our physical bodies, we likely experience symptoms that go along with that sickness. This cause and effect experience works no different when it comes to our 7 chakras. The guide below will help you discover which of your chakras may be blocked or imbalanced.
THE IMBALANCED ROOT CHAKRA
Root Chakra GIFGiphyEmotional Symptoms of the Blocked Root Chakra
If fear in anyway is holding you back to the point where you are stagnant or unable to progress in any area of life, than you may have a blockage in your root chakra. If fear surrounding money, lack, debt, or financial security overwhelms your spirit, it is definitely time to ground your root chakra.
If you are feeling uptight, insecure, or out of place in your surroundings, this is also a symptom. If you are uncertain about the things you want for your life, the actions you must take, and are anxious about making concrete moves to elevate your experience, then working with your root chakra will lift you out of this blockage.
Behavioral Symptoms of the Blocked Root Chakra
If you are feeling antsy, unable to sit still, or focus on a task at hand, your root chakra is not engaged. If you go from one goal or desire to the next, without fully accomplishing said goal or achievement, your root chakra may not be balanced.
Having issues with non commitment in relationships and platonic friendships are an indication that you might have issues sticking to your word or feeling unsettled.
Feeling lazy, unmotivated, and refusing to follow up, is definitely a symptom of a blockage in your root chakra.
Physical or Health Symptoms of the Blocked Root Chakra
Certain eating disorders are a direct manifestation of a wounded root chakra. If you are unable to keep food down, or lacking a consistent appetite altogether, this could be helped by working with the root chakra. Constipation, flatulence, large intestine, enzyme deficiencies, issues with your reproductive sex organs, and digestive upsets are most definitely a manifestation of a blockage in your root chakra.
If you are experiencing discomfort or recurring pain associated with your feet, knees, legs, bones, joints, lower back, and any issues from the base of your spine and down, working with your chakra can aid in healing your symptoms.
THE IMBALANCED SACRAL CHAKRA
Holistic Healing Affirmation GIFGiphyEmotional Symptoms of the Blocked Sacral Chakra
If you are feeling that you are not important, or that nobody loves you, or truly cares about you, this indicates an imbalance in your sacral chakra. If you have a hard time intellectualizing how you are feeling, or are consistently on an emotional roller coaster, there is definitely a blockage in your sacral chakra. Negative self-talk, guilt, and repressed emotions are other red flags.
If you struggle with being creative, free, and happy, opening and balancing your sacral chakra will remedy many of these issues. Lastly, if emotional issues surrounding sex, sexuality, and intimacy stunt your ability to express yourself fully in these ways, you have a sacral chakra issue on your hands.
Behavioral Symptoms of the Blocked Sacral Chakra
If you have a propensity towards toxic or dysfunctional relationships with other people, either platonic, or romantic, this is a big red flag! If you find yourself doing a lot of emotional labor without reciprocation, there is most definitely a wound in your sacral chakra.
If you continue to revisit the same negative or unpleasant situations, relationships, and experiences, you will need to get your sacral chakra in order.
Sexually, if you consistently have a negative relationship with intimacy, and/or unfulfilling, painful, or dull intercourse, your sacral chakra is begging you to adjust.
Physical or Health Symptoms of the Blocked Sacral Chakra
Low sex drive/libido, erectile dysfunction, the inability to get naturally lubricated within your vagina, gynecological cysts, or fibroids, irregular menstrual cycles, infertility, impotence, constipation, urinary issues, any problems with your kidneys are all physical symptoms of a blocked or wounded sacral chakra.
Some of the mental health symptoms that come along with a blocked sacral chakra are: depression, low self-esteem, fear, insecurities, mixing reality with fantasy, unhealthy isolation, and addictions to things such as, sex, drugs, alcohol, food, and anything that involves an unhealthy overindulgence of pleasure.
THE IMBALANCED SOLAR PLEXUS CHAKRA
Emotional Symptoms of the Blocked Solar Plexus Chakra
Where you have been immature in any area of life, is a reflection of a blocked solar plexus chakra. Emotionally, if you are too stubborn, or have an "it's all about me attitude," you might be suffering from an imbalanced solar plexus chakra.
If you feel that you are not good enough, capable, or worthy of having all that you wish to obtain in your life, or if you lack faith in yourself, this is definitely a red flag. If you have a problem figuring out who you are at the core of your being, or if you have allowed someone or something to stop you from being your truest self, working with your solar plexus chakra will help you immensely.
Behavioral Symptoms of the Blocked Solar Plexus Chakra
If you are more of a bystander in your life, instead of an active participant, or nothing inspires you to do/create/contribute, then you have a solar plexus problem on your hands. If you purposely under-accentuate your physical beauty, appearance, skills, and traits, or forego self-care and keeping up with your surroundings, your solar plexus is definitely imbalanced.
Having a nonchalant attitude about how you present yourself to the world, or coexisting in clutter or an unclean home is also a red flag. Not caring at all about your well-being, hygiene, physical health, and exercise is a manifestation of an out of whack solar plexus.
Physical or Health Symptoms of the Blocked Solar Plexus Chakra
The solar plexus is connected to many bodily functions, and organs, including the large intestine, stomach, pancreas, liver, lungs, adrenal glands and the digestive system. If you suffer from irritable bowel symptoms, consistent fluctuation of being overweight or underweight, stomach aches, gas, and ulcers, pancreatic issues, gallbladders and stones, diabetes, and acid reflux, working with your solar plexus chakra can help you remedy many of these issues.
Overeating, and a lack of self-control when it comes to food, is another health issue controlled by the solar plexus. The overwhelming desire to munch on junk food all day, stems from this chakra when it is blocked or turned off.
THE IMBALANCED HEART CHAKRA
Affirmations Chakras GIFGiphyEmotional Symptoms of the Blocked Heart Chakra
Because this is the heart chakra, these symptoms are jam-packed! When you are emotionally unintelligent, or unable to commit to someone in a relationship, if you hold grudges from past grievances, if you are a people-pleaser, if you feel obligated to emotional labor for the sole benefit of the other person, if you have a hard time with resentments, letting go, and codependency or attachments, these are all emotional symptoms of a blocked heart chakra.
If you have trouble revealing your feelings, being open and honest, or if you find being compassionate and empathetic towards other people to be a problem, then these are huge red flags!
Lastly, if you are uncomfortable with practicing self-love and self-care, or you are unable to unpack past pain and dig deep into your heart to find answers to your problems, then you should most definitely be working with opening and clearing your heart chakra.
Behavioral Symptoms of the Blocked Heart Chakra
If you find yourself being mean-spirited, hateful, petty, cold, and without empathy for other people, or if your ego controls your actions and self-identity in a negative way, you definitely have a heart chakra problem on your hands.
If you are distrustful of everyone around you, and have a hard time achieving closeness with those who are trying to get to know you, or if you find yourself constantly nagging, nitpicking, or projecting any of your own fears and problems on others, you must open your heart chakra.
If you have not learned how to balance your masculine and feminine energies, or cannot accept yourself as you are, please work with your heart center.
Physical or Health Symptoms of the Blocked Heart Chakra
Having a heart attack or any heart condition is a direct manifestation of a wounded heart chakra. Heart palpitations and irregular pulse and heart rhythms are a red flag. Other diseases and physical manifestations of heart chakra imbalance include: cardiovascular disease, coronary artery disease, arrhythmias and congenital heart disease, lung and respiratory issues including asthma, pulmonary disease, emphysema, chronic bronchitis and pneumonia can also manifest.
Anxiety that leads to panic attacks and hyperventilation also is an aspect of a blocked heart chakra. Even bad seasonal allergies are affected by a heart chakra that is out of whack.
THE IMBALANCED THROAT CHAKRA
Throat Chakra Affirmations GIFGiphyEmotional Symptoms of the Blocked Throat Chakra
If you are afraid to speak up for yourself, or express your truth, creativity, and opinions you most definitely have issues with the throat chakra. If you feel that what you have to say is not valid, or will not be received well or even taken seriously by others, so much so that you just don't say anything, you need to balance your throat chakra.
If you feel unable to articulate yourself, or if you let people overtalk you and drown out your expression, these are definitely red flags. If you are intimidated by people who are outgoing, or envious of someone who has the gift of gab, you might be internally avoiding or repressing this trait within your own self. You have a voice, don't be afraid to use it.
Behavioral Symptoms of the Blocked Throat Chakra
If you become very nervous when you have to communicate something to others, if you have a hard time finding the right words to express yourself, or if you are terrified of public speaking, your throat chakra might be out of whack.
If you have a problem with telling lies or fibs, no matter if they are big or small, that is a direct manifestation of a wounded throat chakra. If you find it difficult to be sincere and honest, or if you fall prey to being deceitful or manipulative by way of communication, these things ultimately comes from fear.
Physical or Health Symptoms of the Blocked Throat Chakra
An imbalanced throat chakra can manifest into many physical illnesses including: laryngitis, dizziness, sore throats, strep throat, losing your voice altogether, nodules on your larynx and vocal cords, asthma, and fatigue.
The feeling of throat congestion, phlegm, a scratchy or itchy throat, a lump in your throat, and constantly having to clear your throat, is a physical indication that your throat chakra needs some work.
THE IMBALANCED THIRD EYE CHAKRA
Emotional Symptoms of the Blocked Third Eye Chakra
If you are feeling disconnected from your intuition, or your gut feelings, this is an indication of an imbalanced third eye chakra. If you feel unexcited or disengaged with your life and the world around you, or if you feel like your inner child and imagination has disappeared, this is a direct manifestation of a blockage in your third eye.
Emotionally, you might have scattered feelings, mixed emotions, a lack of clarity, and a skewed sense of self or understanding of others. You might feel like the glass is half empty, instead of half full.
You may either feel too in-tune with your current reality, which therefore depresses you, or so disengaged from the world that you get lost in your own fantasies and visions in order to escape.
Behavioral Symptoms of the Blocked Third Eye Chakra
Someone with a third eye that is blocked will always be stuck in a small mindset, unable to look at the bigger picture, and transcend their own restrictions. This person might also be stuck in a very regimented way of life, going day by day without any spontaneity, and rarely thinking outside of the box. This rigidity does not stop with how you go about living your life, but also might disallow you to accept, or consider any other alternative spiritual belief systems outside of what you might have been brought up believing.
Someone with a disengaged third eye chakra will likely be pessimistic or skeptical when it comes to believing in psychic abilities, energy, metaphysics, or anything out of their awareness or realm of reality. This type of person will ultimately call anyone who doesn't believe what they believe, a conspiracy theorist, pagan, or something comparable.
A blocked third eye chakra can negatively affect your motivation, self-vision, and zeal for life, which will stunt and lower the vibration of all your other chakras.
Physical or Health Symptoms of the Blocked Third Eye Chakra
Some of the physical ailments that can manifest due to a closed third eye chakra are: migraines, vertigo, tension headaches, ear aches, sinus issues, sciatica, seizures, poor vision, eye twitches, weak immune systems, insomnia, and high blood pressure.
Mental health related indications include: depression, delusion, schizophrenia, obsessive compulsive disorder, anxiety, paranoia, nightmares, night terrors, sleep paralysis, and any dissociative mental disorders.
THE IMBALANCED CROWN CHAKRA
Crown Chakra Affirmation GIFGiphyEmotional Symptoms of the Blocked Crown Chakra
If you are suffering from a blocked crown chakra, emotionally, you may be feeling alone in the world and disconnected from something larger or higher than yourself. You may feel that the only thing that validates your existence are your external circumstances and achievements.
You might have mixed emotions or feelings surrounding your purpose here as a soul, and possibly frustrated with the idea of the meaning of life.
When it comes to your belief in God or Source, you will likely be conflicted between believing that there is actually a God, or feeling that humanity as a whole is on their own. It is possible that you might not even believe in chakras to begin with.
Behavioral Symptoms of the Blocked Crown Chakra
Someone with a blocked crown chakra might consistently be in a state of flux mentally and spiritually. They may have scattered thoughts that don't make sense and an inability to compartmentalize confusion, feeling disoriented, and anxiety. This person might always be looking for reasons to disprove something or someone, and might have a hard time going with the flow of their lives.
If your crown chakra is not balanced, it might be hard for you to accept that everything is energy, and everything is connected by universal oneness. Spiritual awakening will be hard to experience, if your crown chakra is unable to receive infinite wisdom, messages, or ethereal "downloads."
Physical or Health Symptoms of the Blocked Crown Chakra
Some physical illnesses that can manifest due to a blocked crown chakra are: recurring headaches or migraines, nerve pain, thyroid and pineal gland disorders, neurological disorders such as Alzheimer's and dementia, schizophrenia and other similar mental disorders, and depression.
Some other physical symptoms include feeling uneasy, anxious, or intimidated by the strong spiritual energy of someone who considers themselves mystics, witches, shamans, lightworkers, empaths, psychics, multi-dimensional, or pagan.
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For more information about Lola and The Brand Doula, visit her website, thebranddoula.com.
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I remember calling my grandmother, who has since transitioned, and hearing the passion in her voice when she explained how she’d never thought she’d see something like this happen and how much it meant to her. As I reflect, I realize it’s a combination of memories like this that undoubtedly encouraged my will to vote.
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In the times we’re in, there's so much “news” everywhere. It’s hard to distinguish fact from opinion and bias from beliefs. This is why it was such a pleasure speaking with Jara Butler, Chief Impact Officer of Supermajority. Supermajority is an organization focused on making women the most powerful voting bloc in the country. During this authentic and informal conversation, we talked about so much.
I learned about her time working with the Obama campaign and how she masterfully worked in multiple industries, and we shared some of our favorite female rap moments. However, in the snapshot you’ll read, we focused on the issues. Jara walked xoNecole through what’s most affecting women of color in this election and what we can do to be more aware. Whether you’re a politics girlie or like me, just trying to gain more insight, hopefully this convo connects with you.
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xoNecole: Let’s just jump right in. What are some of the most popular issues that you hear Black women discussing related to this election?
Jara Butler: Our sister organization, the Supermajority Education Fund, recently did some research specifically looking at young women in the age group 18 to 35, and young Black women identified their economic well-being as a priority. Right now, we're in a place where a lot of us, especially young Black women, are finding that meeting those basic needs are harder and harder.
Secondly, is Project 2025. I think Black women see it as not just something that could happen, but actively happening. For example, we’ve all been watching the case with the Fearless fund, and how it's been targeted. We know Black women are very entrepreneurial. We can go back to Madam C.J. Walker and others who have opened the door for all of us to achieve. But if those barriers are in place, we're just not going to be able to meet that.
Lastly, Repro is a very big issue. But I think looking at it holistically and not just about abortion is important. Black women are more likely to talk about this from a perspective of our reproductive health care and the lack of access due to medical racism. As a Black woman myself, who's over 40, a lot of the changes that I am making in my life are because I have to do everything I can to put myself in a position, because I know no matter what my economic status is, if I walk into a medical office, there's a good chance I'm gonna face medical discrimination. Breast cancer screenings, colon cancer screening, ovarian cancer screening, cervical cancer screenings - all of those are part of that network of reproductive health.
xoN: Another issue I’d love your insight into is our missing girls. I think it's so unbelievable how much this is swept under the rug. There are so many stories about Black women that are continuing to go missing; I don’t understand how that’s not a bigger conversation. Is this something that can be pursued on the government level and what can we do to bring more attention to this issue?
Jara: We have this list of majority rules on our website, and my favorite one is: that our government represents us. I think that we have to continue to apply pressure to our government to meet our needs. And again, women are the majority of voters. Black women, especially, are the most reliable voting bloc across all groups, and our interests right now are not being met. So yes, there is something that we can do, but I also am a big proponent of us having these conversations.
My great-grandmother was enslaved, my grandmother was born into Jim Crow, and I watched my mother face economic insecurity. I say that because, as a Black community, we have to have an internal conversation to talk about these issues, and we have to do it upfront. I think we have to get into a position of realizing that we do have power, and how we activate that power.
Our power comes from being Black folks because Black people organizing has been enough to shake up and scare people. There were laws that prevented us from congregating together, even at church, because they knew what would happen when we got together. We have to get back into that. It's not that we are not doing it, but the urgency needs to be greater. And finally, we have to get away from depending on one individual to take us there. It's gonna take all of us.
"Our power comes from being Black folks because Black people organizing has been enough to shake up and scare people. There were laws that prevented us from congregating together, even at church, because they knew what would happen when we got together. We have to get back into that. It's not that we are not doing it, but the urgency needs to be greater."
xoN: I agree completely. Now, when we started, you mentioned money. So let’s talk about it. So many of us are starting businesses and getting degrees, and I love to see it. But everyone seems to still be having a lot of the same issues around finances. What are some of the underlying reasons behind this debt that we're dealing with, and how can voting influence these challenges without getting into the individual candidates?
Jara: Hello! Let’s talk about the money! Black women have been told that if we want to move ahead, we have to have that master's degree. We have to be twice as good. So we met that measure, right? But in order to do that, we have to pay for it. Up until about the 1970s college was absolutely affordable. You could work one job and pay for college with some money left over. That has changed.
Realistically, student loans are a barrier. They are a barrier to access housing. They impact our credit, and really and truthfully, depending on how much your loans are, they could affect you paying rent. It basically creates a cycle of debt. And I have real problems with people who say, get a degree in something that's going to make money. It’s about your skills, and if you have the skills, you should be able to earn a living. That covers that.
But the fact is that student loan debt continues to increase, and there have been attempts, more than once, to try to relieve some of that pressure. The reality is that this is a squeeze. It is a conundrum, and we see efforts by the current White House administration to try to alleviate those things, even when they are stopped.
But truly, Congress needs to step in and support this, but I would take it a step further. We should be considering and looking at what it would look like if we had free community colleges. Because what we have now is two generations of borrowers, because older millennials’ children are beginning to age. Black women have the highest degree of second-degree secondary education, but we carry like 1.7 trillion in debt or something like that. I can't remember the exact number, but basically, the majority of the student loan debt is ours.
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xoN: Speaking of college, obviously there’s a lot of discussion around affirmative action in the schools and the undergoing changes. How important is it to consider this topic, and are there any new laws or policies being proposed around this that we should be aware of?
Jara: Oh my goodness, affirmative action is one of the things that we saw that our sister site, the Supermajority Education Fund, found last year as a number two issue for young women. I actually hypothesized that it was a real thing, and it was. And the reason for that is that affirmative action as a whole has been something that benefited white women more than any other group.
However, what is happening is that we’re using the word DEI in a way that is derogatory. I’ve heard people refer to it as: “didn't even earn it.” And as a Black woman who attended an amazing school, I remember being in class and having someone make that comment, knowing my grades were higher than theirs.
The fact of the matter is that we would not need these policies if we lived in an equal and equitable society. It doesn't do us any harm for us to face the facts that this country was built off the backs of enslaved people and the blood of indigenous people, and off the sweat and the tears of immigrants. But because we are unwilling to face that, we now are demonizing programs that are actually meant to create some symbol of balance.
xoN: Finally, I’ll close with this, what can we do to provide information to young people, and how do we combat all of the less than researched info?
Jara: One thing I encourage is to look at the source. At Supermajority, our social channels are information-based. We strive to provide up-to-date accurate information that is digestible to all. Media literacy is something I believe in, and unfortunately, it is something that we have a responsibility to continue to share with the community at large. So much of our world is centered on immediate info, a lie spreads faster than the truth.
We just saw that with the Olympic women's boxers, and we have to ask ourselves often: is this information accurate? Who is telling the story? Most importantly, how am I an original contributor? Not everything said needs to be shared, and not every thought needs to be public.
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