The chakras and healing physical illness

The first mention of the human energy system, the chakras, comes from the ancient spiritual and philosophical texts, the Upanishads. Only since the 1970s have the chakras really taken root in the western psyche. You may already be familiar with the rainbow colours commonly associated with our human energy system.

The chakras are the keys to our energetic body and our understanding of the deeper causes of physical disease. The energetic body surrounds the physical body. There are seven main chakras situated along the spine, corresponding to specific physical body parts. For example, the root chakra encompasses our feet, legs and colon, whereas the throat chakra is associated with our throat, ears, mouth, teeth, neck and shoulders.

When the energetic body is unobstructed, energy flows freely and the physical body is in excellent health. In Chinese medicine, this is referred to as Chi. Life-force flows through the meridian lines – energy channels - which nourish all parts of the physical body. Ancient cultures understood how important it was for humans to live in harmony with their surroundings, and the interconnectedness of all things. This energetic approach to life and the importance of being balanced was integral to health and wellbeing. Movement, time in nature, intentional breathing, lowering stress, routine and acknowledging the importance of our emotional health are all ways in which we can stabilise our energetic body.

The chakras are affected by emotional imbalance and are significantly impaired when unprocessed feelings continue over a long time. When a physical illness presents in the body, there will have been long-standing emotional imbalance. Since each of us knows ourself best and we are the only ones who can authentically access our inner world, each one of us holds the key to healing the source of our pain.

With a diagnosis of colon cancer, the tumour can arise anywhere from the start of the colon to the rectum. The colon’s practical function is to clear the body of waste. It lets go of everything that’s been put into the body via the mouth that it cannot use. If we look at this symbolically, a person unable to let go tends to hold onto emotional pain and baggage from the past. They are unable to release and move beyond the past, usually because they believe that the pain of a situation is too difficult for them to feel or process. If they haven’t expressed themselves or they suppress their authentic emotions, the energetic system will have blockages. Each of our journeys is individual. When it comes to healing the root cause of disease (or dis-ease), one must go within and have the willingness to look at emotional health.