Travel To Wellness Inc.

Spa Treatments: Understanding the Seven Chakras

by Roberta Sotonoff

You visit this posh new spa. Its signature treatment is Balancing Your Chakras. You‘d love to be adventurous and give it a shot, but you don’t have a clue what it is all about. Read on…

What is a chakra?
The seven chakras explained
What therapists say
Where to experience it


What is a Chakra

The Sanskrit word meaning wheel or disk refers to energy centers that run from the crown of the head to the base of the spine. They “spin” and draw coded information from our environment. This information can be anything from another person’s aura to the elements, levels of consciousness, stages of life, body functions, sounds or colour. It is believed that each chakra center is interdependent upon the other and is connected on varying levels such as emotional, mental, physical and spiritual.

Since colors and light directly affect mood and body functions, they in turn influence the chakras. An energy zone has a corresponding colour which stimulates the pituitary gland and releases hormones to the correlating organ. Along with massages, herbs, vitamins and aromatherapy can also help bring balance your chakras.

Ayurevedic theory concludes that only when your chakras are in balance can be at your optimum level and live life to the fullest.


The Seven Chakras

Here are the seven main chakras, along with the Sanskrit name, the body parts that they govern and the effects of balance and imbalance of each. Also noted are the color to which they respond and the most effective essential oils used for massage and aromatherapy.

1. The Physical Body and The Muladhara or Base Chakra, popularly known as the Root Chakra.

The Root focuses on the spinal column, the colon and the adrenaline glands. When in balance, there is stability, connection with the earth plus both stillness and energy. Imbalance causes one to be easily distracted and feeling disconnected. Often when this chakra is out of sync, one might suffer lower back pain and fatigue. The responding color to Root is red. Essential oils used for therapy are rosemary, ginger and geranium.

2. The Etheric Body and The Svadisthana or Sacral Chakra.

This chakra, located in the region below the naval, focuses its attention on the reproductive organs and the bladder. In balance goals for this energy center are confidence, empathy, achievement, sexuality and passion. Imbalances result in low motivation and sex drive, a feeling of helplessness and lack of focus. For this one, think the color orange. Jasmine, ylang ylang (a flower of the cananga tree) and citrus are its key essential oils.

3. The Astral Body and The Manipura or Solar Plexus Chakra

The body organs of this zone are the nerves in the abdomen. Think of it as the
center of emotions—power, joy, feeling good about oneself and being in control. Indecisiveness, uneasiness and digestive are the results of it being out of sync. . The solar plexus responds to the color yellow. Therapy uses essences of amber, chamomile and lemon.

4. The Mental Body and The Anahata or Heart Chakra

The Anahata core here is the heart, circulatory system, lungs and thymus. Equilibrium of it results in the ability for unconditional love, healing and harmony. When it is in conflict, one has relationship difficulties and suffers fear and grief. Muscular tension and high blood pressure are physical consequences. The color associated with this chakra is green. Aromatherapists use geranium, fir and rose oil to treat it.

5. The Spiritual Body and The Visuddha or Throat Chakra

The hub of the Visuddha Chakra is the voice, lungs, thyroid, teeth and throat. When balanced, harmony, honesty, and ability to communicate come easily. If it isn’t, one can be shy, deceitful and unable to express oneself. Physical manifestations include neck and shoulder tension. The Visuddha color is blue.
Oils used for this therapy are mint, camphor and cajeput (a pungent medicinal oil derived from an Australian or Southeast Asian tree of the myrtle family).

6. The Cosmic Body and The Ajna or Third Eye/Brow Chakra

The Ajna governs the lower brain, nervous system, ears and nose. A balanced “third eye” results in wisdom, and perception. The ideal state of this energy zone is relaxation. Daydreams, nightmares, forgetfulness and inability to focus are a result of an imbalance. Violet is the color associated with it. Lemongrass, mint and patchouli (a fragrant, shrubby plant of mint family found in East India)
are the oils used in this therapy

7. The Nirvanic Body and The Sahasrara or Crown Chakra

According to Ayurevedic theory, the top of the brain and the pineal gland are the connection to the divine. Balance of Sahasrara brings spirituality, awakening, knowledge and bliss. Without balance, there is pessimism, close-mindedness and headaches. The color for this chakra is red. Lavender, clary sage and vetiver (a tall wild grass that has a calming effect and should raise your spirits) are aromatherapy treatments.


What therapists say:

Martine Savuer, manager of La Samanna Spa on the Caribbean island of St. Martin, describes the spa’s 7 Chakra Ayurevedic therapy this way: “It is a spiritual massage. The therapist works on the back side working softly and gently by pressures and circular touches along the spine to open these chakras.(Sometimes) there is an emotional reaction like tears.....and after the treatment the receivers feel very relaxed and free of any tensions.”

Rachel Tandy, spa director at Spa Chakra at the Palmer House Hotel, says, by “tending to the seven chakra’s in our treatments, we assist our clients in achieving total wellness, and thus they receive not just a treatment, but a transformational experience.”

Roberta Sotonoff is an Illinois-based writer and regular contributor to Travel to Wellness.


Here's a sampling of spas that offer chakra treatments:

Spa Chakra in Indianapolis, Marina del Rey, New York, San Francisco and other destinations.

La Samanna Spa St. Martin, Caribbean

Vida Spa Vancouver, Whistler, Seattle

Lake Austin Spa Resort , Austin, Texas.

The Briars , Jackson's Point, Ontario.

Grail Springs , Bancroft, Ontario.

Spa at the Fairmont Hotel, Chicago


Here's another story on Chakras

Other alternative spa treatments you might find interesting:

Iridology

Craniosacral Therapy

The Kundalini

Indian Head Massage