A Restorative Yoga Sequence To Align The Chakras

The chakras are part of our subtle or energetic body. The subtle body can be described as being neither completely physical nor completely spiritual, but the subtle body resides somewhere in the in-between.

If you read Chakra Healing, we spoke about the chakras, what energy or "prana" is, what kind of information we can glean by studying the chakras, as well as insight on how we can realign the chakras to find balance and harmony in the body.

Check out this article out for more detailed information regarding the chakras.

Here we will string together a restorative yoga sequence that you can practice at home to realign the chakras. Each chakra is represented by one restorative pose, linked together as one continuous flow.

But first a quick recap:

Chakra translates to wheel, spinning like discs, they act as messengers, sending us information and sensation to help us understand what our body is in need of or what it needs to let go of. No one knows our bodies better than we do, no one can be more in tune or more informed than we are.

Listening to the signs and signals from the chakras takes time and effort to understand what to look or listen for. Imagine that, you had never played a violin before, it might take you time to understand what it sounds like out of tune.

You would need to learn how to tune your violin, like this, your body is no different. Knowing something feels off, or knowing something is out of alignment is one thing, knowing what we can do to cure ourselves and heal is another.

Since we cannot see the charkas it is important that we work to experience them, in “Chakra Healing” we spoke about the different asanas or postures we can practice to engage with our charka system.

But what if we want to address all of the chakras in the system? What if we aren’t sure where to start or which chakra needs addressing?

Let’s begin with a restorative sequence to align all of the 7 main chakras. This will be a great place to start.

A Restorative practice for the energetic body

Journey through the 7 charkas

First, set up a comfortable space in your home that is quiet, and has enough space for you to lay down a yoga mat. If you have any yoga blocks, bolsters, or blankets, make sure you have those with you, if you don’t, use household pillows, blankets, rolled up towels or anything that will help facilitate relaxation.

Choose some music that will help you relax and get into the mood. Choose something that you personally connect with. If you don’t know where to find music, there are some beautiful playlists on Spotify that are made for yoga classes, again, find something you connect with. Another idea is to use sounds of nature like ocean waves, rain, or sounds of the forest to practice with.

Once you have your space, equipment, and music, you might consider using some sage, incense, natural candles, an essential oil diffuser, or even dab a few drops of your favourite essential oil (ones that can be used on the skin) on your wrists, or anything that will help you relax and connect.

Now, we are ready to begin.

Start by sitting on your mat in easy pose, seated with crossed legs, with the spine in a tall upright position. If you do not feel comfortable, try sitting on a bolster or a pillow. If it is not possible for you to sit, this can also be done lying down on your back, however, meditation is performed best in a seated position where the spine can act as an antenna, giving and receiving energy.

In this seated posture we will connect with the root chakra or the Muladhara chakra. Finding conscious connection to the earth, to our roots and beginnings, grounding ourselves, finding stability, soundness, balanced energy, and security. Hold your ground and let the ground hold you.

Note: hold each position for 5 minutes up to 10 minutes, set a timer with an alarm (something that isn't jarring and one that isn't the alarm you use in the morning!) to remind you of when you need to change position.

Slowly, from your seated position, make your way onto you back, lying down on your mat, bend the knees and allow the legs to fall open as the feet press together finding Supta Badda Konasana or reclined bound angle pose.

Allow yourself to be completely supported by the ground as you open the sacral or Svadhisthana chakra. Here being the place we connect to our sexuality, our creativity, this is where our love lies and all of the emotions we tie to love, how intensely we love, and any trauma from our romantic relationships, past and or present will reside here.

Allow for an emotional experience, be a participant in your own healing. Rather than suppressing any emotions that come up, allow enough time to pass here in stillness.

From your back, carefully, gather your legs together, extend your left leg along the mat or keep both legs bend, and cross the right leg over the body towards your left side, finding yourself in a supine spinal twist or Jathara Parivrttasana.

For more support in this pose, place a bolster or pillow underneath your right leg. Once you have held this long enough, switch to the other side, allowing the left leg to cross over the body. Here we address the solar plexus chakra or the Manipura chakra. Allow yourself to drop your mask, the mask you wear to face the outside world, the do it all-er, the multitasker, the got it all together person, the one that always say yes.

Let go of who you think you are when you are busy being who you think people want you to be. Let go of who you think you are in the world.

"The only constant is change, so who are you in the process of becoming?"

Allow your edges to soften and let go, ask yourself, do I want to be right or do I want to be free?

Carefully roll up into a seated position, and place a bolster across the width of your mat, alternatively you can use a rolled up towel. Place the towel or long bolster under your shoulder blades. Allow the head to rest on the mat and extend the legs out along the mat for a Supported Matsyasana or fish pose.

Here we will address the heart chakra or the Anahata chakra. This posture is a gentle heart opener, the heart is where we hold our unconditional love, which is different from our romantic love and desire.

This is the place of loving for the sake of it, just because it is in our nature. Here, practice forgiveness of the self, of others, here there is no room for guilt, blame or shame. Let go of judgement, accept everything as it is. Let go of fear and connect to the breath that is pulling the heart open. Connect to the power of being vulnerable.

Then, remove the bolster from underneath you without disturbing your body excessively, and find a wall close by. Bring your mat, pillows and blankets with you. Bring yourself to the wall and sit as close as you can, then lying down on your mat, extend the legs for Viparita Karani or legs up the wall pose.

Here we access the throat chakra or the Vishuddha chakra. Allow the blood to drain from the feet, and participate in the feeling of renewal. Flushing, finding newness. Here we find purity, personal power, and individual truths. Remind yourself that although your truth is powerful and potent, each of us maintains our own truth that may differ from one another.

Do not let this hold you back from connecting with others. It is not our job to push our truths on anyone else. Release resistance and start anew.

Freeing the legs from the wall, roll over onto one side and assist yourself to your knees. Place the bolster long ways in front of you (or use a pillow) and open your legs wider than the bolster or pillow. Then lay the length of your torso down for supported Balasana or child’s pose. If the knees feel any pressure here or feel uncomfortable in any way, roll up a towel and place it behind the knees to alleviate any stress or tension. Optionally, provide additional cushioning under the knees for added comfort.

Settling here and connecting to a sense of belonging, letting go of our adult roles, pressures, allow yourself to return to a child-like mind, to see the world as you once did, without so much judgement. Abandon your lack of imagination and make room for play, experimentation, failure without harsh judgement, and an overall kindness towards yourself. Allow for discovery and intuition.

The Ajna chakra or the third eye chakra connects us back to life, living to our fullest, the non material things, the things we forgot we knew how to do in the midst of growing up. Letting go of discrimination, our differences. Children are born without such things, here we unlearn the behaviours that pull us all apart.

Finally, using your hands, lift your body up off the bolster and remove everything from your mat. Lay your body length wise on your mat with the bolster under your knees to allow for the lower back to release, you can also place a folded blanket under your head for support, and use an eye mask or place a towel over the eyes to block out any light. If you feel cold, place a blanket over the entire body in order to let go completely.

Here in supported Shavasana or corpse pose we address the crown chakra or the Sahasrara chakra. Here we find connection with the source. Whatever that is for you. The connection to what is beyond you, what is greater than you, and to whatever inspires you to live in alignment with your highest self. The greatest version of you. Not the person that you see in the mirror, not your job title or your relationship status, the you that is beyond description, that words cannot fully describe.

To connect to this chakra, take yourself through a guided meditation, starting at the toes and moving through the entire body, telling each body part to relax, allowing the body to embrace letting go, whole heartedly. Naming each body part in your mind will help you stay focused and will provide you with a visual.

See each body part in your mind as you say (inaudibly), toes, feet, legs... as you continue up the body. Optionally, use imagery to help you. Imagine your body was an hour glass full of sand, watch the sand escape through the glass figure, imagine that it could leave the container and return to a beach by the sea. Or imagine the body melting like the hot wax of a candle, anything to allow your mind to connect to a sense of falling away and letting go.

Follow this simple structure if you are having trouble, moving through your silent and guided meditation, follow this basic guide:

Lying in your supported shavasana, name all the parts of the body you can think of and see them in your mind. Move at a slow but steady pace and feel free to stay more time in a certain area if you feel extra stuck or excess tension somewhere.

Say, I allow myself to let go and relax...

The toes... Feet Ankles Shins Calves Knees Hamstrings (back of the upper leg)

Thighs Hips Seat Lower belly

Lower back

Belly Middle back Chest Upper back Heart Shoulders Arms Wrists Hands Fingers Neck Throat Jaw Lips Eyes Crown of the head

Alternatively, you could use a mantra such as “I release stiffness, tension, and pain from...” as you move through the body.

If you are interested in learning more guided meditation techniques or breathing exercises that you can practice at home, click here.

---

Jasmine Melrose

Director & Founder of DECO the Blog

Jasmine Melrose is a Toronto native living in Amsterdam. Once a professional dancer, her passions include movement, fitness, yoga, healing, and all things vegan. Jasmine is a 500-hour trained yoga teacher, who loves to get you deeper into your practice. She is also a certified barre teacher who loves making raw vegan, guilt-free and good-for-you treats. Check out her recipes and articles on everything from fitness to yoga, to notes on a journey towards healing.

---