As the beginning of the year sets a tone for the rest of this year, and it’s starting to feel like the beginning of the year has flown by. Like most of us you are probably wondering what you are working towards this year. Whether we call it "New Year’s resolution", goals, aspirations, dreams, a to do list, or a bucket list we are still sifting through our brains for goals and ways to improve ourselves and/or our lives. This is as good a time as any to determine what is important to us! To ask ourselves what we need to change to make us happy and allow us to feel whole?
To me the answer to that question cannot be bought at a store with cash or credit. It cannot be manufactured from synthetics at a factory. If I sit and focus for a while and I think about what I am missing in my life it cannot possibly be anything material and it cannot be manmade. You see, the things that make us happy are often not things we can take to our graves. Evidenced by the many people that have all the money at the world at their disposal and yet they remain unhappy and unable to procure happiness through material things.
Last year had some ups and some downs. The downs can be take energy from us, leaving us drained and perhaps leaving some residual traces of the negative emotions felt during difficult times (such as anger, fear, sadness, depression or anxiety). This is a good time to let go of excess baggage! That's right, all the things that we held on to from last year we must let go of in order to enjoy today! Letting go of the past will allow for new memories to not be tainted by what once was and instead process what is and, finally, allow yourself to live in the now.
Perhaps, like me, it is your emotional and spiritual life where you seek change the most. Sometimes we need to feel emotionally and spiritually refreshed and connected after our lives become any different than what we expected them to be or after the loss of loved ones…whatever difficult scenario you’ve experienced you have let it haunt you for long enough. As needed, I resort to my chakra cleanse. Tired of feeling like you are carrying around the weight of every bump in the road and every occasion that caused you pain? I have developed a system that’s worked for me so far, and I such I must share it even if it helps one person out there.
I began to do this practice about nine years ago. Like most recipes I cannot guarantee it’s for you, but what have you got to lose - besides excess emotional baggage?
Once I complete my chakra cleanse I often feel and seem noticeably renewed, and when people inquire about what is different about me and I let them know I did a chakra cleanse. Often their next question is “what is a chakra cleanse”? You can be as lenient or as strict as you would like, adding different complementary additional healing tools to your cleanse and maintaining a healthy lifestyle.Without further delay here is the recipe (enjoy!):
Step 1: If you don't already know what chakras are, they are your seven main energy points. Though there are tons of other energy points, called meridians, we will be concentrating on the chakras. If is this the first time you are reading about I encourage you to take a minute to look into the chakras what each chakra means and I urge you to look into each of the chakras until you are familiar with the negative and positive emotions that are governed by each chakra.
Step 2: Now that you are familiar with which chakra corresponds to what emotion, draw a chart or write a list outlining each of the seven chakras and under each chakra write the name of each of the negative emotions and positive emotions associated with each chakra. After writing the relevant emotions down, write down the color associated with each chakra next to the chakra, or at least in the vicinity (you will need this later).
Step 3: This is totally optional, but also part of what I have incorporated into the recipe. Chakra candles and himalayan salt lamps are both great ways to light up the room throughout your meditative practice. I also have chakra incense that corresponds with each chakra. Another useful addition is the use of chakra bowls that correspond to the chakra you are using, these may be used at the beginning and end of your chakra cleanse session. In addition to my candles and incense, I also like to incorporate quartz (for its ability to amplify energy and intention), amethyst (for its healing and chakra balancing qualities) and selenite (for its ability to amplify positive energy and its cleansing qualities, selenite is a cleansing stone that can cleanse itself and cleanse other stones). If you have stones that correspond to the chakras I do encourage you to use them.
Step 4: In order to be able to achieve balance internally, there are certain things that I avoid while I am performing the chakra cleanse (warning: this may be the most challenging part yet). I restrict my diet to vegetables, nuts, grains, fruits and seeds. We must face the fact that while raised and/or while slaughtered the animals we consume experience highly traumatic negative emotions, and there is a possibility of those emotions coming back to you while consuming the animal’s flesh. I also try to avoid processed foods, processed sugars, table salt (Himalayan or sea salt only), or fast food. High fructose corn syrup and other manufactured additives can calcify your pineal gland (to which we need access to for the chakra cleanse, as it is our spiritual center).
We also need to avoid anything that can alter our natural state, the chakra healing process will need you to experience each emotion fully without the use of stimulants or depressants. Meaning you should avoid drinking alcohol or caffeine and smoking nicotine or cannabis! I know this may sound difficult, but there is "a method to the madness".
If you still have doubts about whether you can do it or not, this is where the good news comes in, you must keep it up for only seven days! Each day you will focus on a different chakra. We will be working our way up, starting with the root chakra and ending with you crown chakra.
Step 5: Now that you are ready to start your chakra cleanse you will begin with the root chakra. Turn on your root chakra candles, incense, get your stones ready, and make any other preparations you need to make. Using the outline you created you must now decide each of the negative emotions associated with this chakra that you wish to work / or that are affecting you and each of the positive emotions that you belief that you excel in / or that are helping you. The trick in this part of the chakra cleanse is that you really must be honest with yourself! Now express gratitude for the strength you have been given to excel in each of the positive emotions that are helping you through life. For each of the negative emotions that are affecting you, you will need to concentrate on when they began to affect you and how they affect you. Begin to write a release letter in order to finally let go of the negative emotions that have been holding you back from achieving your true potential and happiness. (Note: Release letters are achieved by writing to yourself or to the person who hurt you and telling them your truth in all honesty; explaining what caused the negative emotion to manifest; releasing whatever negative emotion you experienced; fully forgiving the person, thing, emotion or event that caused you pain; then taking the letter and burning it; once ashes are all that is left of the letter spreading the ashes into the air you will while asking the universe to transform the negative energy into positive energy).
Once you have let go of the negative emotions, it is time to express gratitude for being able to get rid of the negative emotions that used to hold you back. The meditation portion of the chakra cleanse begins: Imagine yourself in a natural pool of water (because it has been left uncovered and exposed to the elements it has debris and leaves in it); imagine yourself clearing the debris, leaves and all that may restrict the proper flow of the water out of the pool; leaving the pool of water clean and clear of debris again. Once you have imagined this pool clean and have let go of the negative emotions associated with your root chakra you have completed the first part of your chakra cleanse. Day by day you will continue to perform the cleanse and imagine the preceding chakras clear prior to clearing the chakra you are working on that day during the meditation portion of your cleanse. You will imagine the flow of water through each of the various pools. Chakra by chakra you will find peace in the clean, weightless, and aligned feeling in your main energy points. Once all chakras are clear you will be able to imagine seven perfectly flowing clear pools that represent your seven energy points.
Now that you have done the work, take a deep breath and thank yourself for taking the time to take care of yourself. Namaste!
