There are different beliefs about how many chakras are held within the body and which the primary ones are. Think of a “chakra” as an “energy center”— there are many energy centers within the body, such as in the palms of our hands. In today’s culture, most of us focus on the seven major chakras that extend from the base of the spine through the top of the head. This is the system I use for the majority of the work that I do.

This is not to say that the other chakra systems are not as valid or important as the seven-chakra system. Each system is valid in its own way; however, in terms of the energies we deal with on a daily basis in the physical realm, it’s most productive to concentrate first on the seven major chakras.

Just like other systems in the body, one’s chakra systems can become imbalanced. Such imbalances can be damaging. Ideally, the energy of our chakras should, at all times, work together at an even frequency toward manifestation of our desires into our physical lives.

Unfortunately, many of us often focus too much energy on one specific area of our lives, and because “energy flows where attention goes,” the result may be that too much energy flows through that chakra and thus into that area of our lives. For example, the seventh chakra, also known as the Crown Chakra, is the home of spiritual energy and its place in our lives. And the first chakra, or Root Chakra, centers on basic physicality and survival in our daily life. Those who tend to focus too much energy on spirituality rather than day-to-day matters can actually create a chakra imbalance: too much energy flowing into and out of the seventh chakra and not enough into the first chakra.

You may wonder what damage this imbalance can cause. The first chakra has much to do with basic needs and concerns like money, shelter, paying bills, and even the level at which you are able to manifest your needs and desires into your life. If we focus too little energy on the first chakra, we may find that we lose track of bills, money is not coming in like it used to, or perhaps the house is a mess – all things that have a significant impact on our success in our daily lives.

There are many ways to balance the chakras, from visualizations and meditations you can find on the internet to simply wearing colors that correspond to a specific chakra. Any and all of these may be valid and effective ways to balance them, but clearing work is also extremely effective in balancing the chakras.