Health

Ayurvedic Guide To Allergies: Prevention Measures And Healing Principles

Published

12 months ago

June 22, 2020

Along with diabetes and cardiovascular diseases, allergies top the list of ailments that are difficult to treat. Western medicine is focused on relieving the symptoms with antihistamines and avoiding contact with allergens. The oldest health science on the planet – Ayurveda – believes that allergies occur due to an imbalance of doshas and impaired energy circulation, which regulate the work of the body and mind. On contrary to Western medicine, Ayurveda suggests not to remove the symptoms, but to establish the cause of the disease. In this article, we created a quick ayurvedic guide to allergies that will introduce you to prevention measures and healing principles that will help you take your allergy under control and better understand its cause.

Ayurvedic Guide To Allergies

The Causes Of Allergies

To understand the causes of allergies or take preventive measures, you need to know your dosha and be able to determine the current dosha imbalance. If you don’t know what dosha is and how to find out if you are a Pitta, Vata, or Kapha dosha, take our Ayurvedic Body Type Quiz.

According to Ayurveda, allergy can be a result of the following:

Weak Agni (digestive fire);
Ama accumulation (toxins);
Imbalanced Dosha;
Weak immune system;
Amount of allergens in the body.

According to Ayurveda, an allergy is the result of a particular substance (the allergen) aggravating a specific dosha. Ayurveda classifies allergies according to dosha, depending on which one(s) are triggered in each individual case. However, it’s possible for more than one dosha to be triggered.

Let’s look at how Ayurveda explains seasonal allergies.

Spring Allergies

Spring is the most difficult time for allergy sufferers: fatigue, runny nose, tearfulness, etc. According to Ayurveda, these are the signs of excess Kapha dosha.

If you suffer from spring allergies, here are some tips for preventing or reducing the symptoms:

Jala Neti – a well-known yogic practice of nose washing;
add these spices and seasonings to food: cayenne pepper, basil, cumin, cardamom, sage, turmeric, cinnamon;
drink warm tea with honey, ginger, and lemon;
take Punarnava powder – it very effectively clears excess Kapha from the chest and stomach and promotes proper fluid balance in the tissues;
practice yoga;
dry sauna.

Summer Allergies

When allergies occur in the summer, their main source is often an imbalance of Pitta dosha. Typical symptoms for summer allergies are skin rashes, burning, or reddening eyes. Heat can provoke inflammation of the respiratory tract and manifest as bronchitis or acute rhinitis.

To soothe Pitta dosha, Ayurveda recommends:

taking cooling herbs and spices such as coriander, amla, neem;
using purified ghee oil;
massage with cooling coconut oil.

Fall Allergies

When the air becomes cold and dry, Vata dosha comes out of the balance. Allergic symptoms at this time are a headache, dry cough, sneezing, muscle pain, and dry eyes. To calm the air element, take care of humidification and heat.

Recommendations for fall allergies:

drink warm teas and beverages;
use Ashwagandha, a powerful immunomodulator that can help the immune system cope with the “challenge of nature”;
do oil massages or self-massage with sesame oil or Ashwagandha oil.

Ayurvedic Guide To Vata, Pitta, And Kapha Related Allergies

This Ayurvedic guide is based on allergy classification according to the dosha dominance:

Vata related allergy
Pitta related allergy
Kapha related allergy

Vata related allergies

People who suffer from this kind of allergies are usually allergic to dry, bitter, spicy, and astringent foods, raw foods, cold foods, and beans. Their condition usually worsens during cold dry and windy weather, excess stress, and overactivity.

Common symptoms of Vata related allergies:

Bloating of stomach, flatulence, burping, abdominal pain, and discomfort.
Accompanying symptoms can be nerve pains, tingling sensations in limbs, insomnia, twitching of muscles, bone aches, and pains in joints, intestinal colic.
As a rule, this kind of allergic reaction may start suddenly with asthma, dizziness, giddiness, tinnitus, earaches, pains, or headaches.
Usually, such people are also prone to constipation, anxiety, restlessness.

Recommendations for Vata related allergies:

Avoid foods like potatoes, tomatoes, aubergines, beans, bitter, and astringent foods.
Avoid cold, dry, and windy weather.
Take a Vata pacifying diet which includes mild sweet, sour, and salty tastes.
Take Ayurvedic herbs for Vata related allergies such as Trikatu, Triphala, Ashwagandha, Guggulu, Dashmool tea, Basil.
Drink Ayurvedic teas containing ginger, cumin, lemon, and orange.
For wheezing phases, make a ginger tea and sip it every few minutes.
Use hot Mahanarayan oil. You can mix a few drops of this oil in hot water and sip every now and then.

Yoga for Vata related allergies:

Sun salutations;
forwards bends;
extension poses.

Pranayama for Vata related allergies:

alternate nostril breathing;
right nostril breathing (Surya Bheda).

Antihistamines for Vata related allergies:

Ashvagandha

Pitta related allergies

Pitta aggravating factors are spicy, sour, and salty foods along with citric fruits, fermented food articles, hot weather, and extreme sunny conditions. People with such allergic reactions usually have very sensitive skin and can be allergic to certain fabrics, metals, synthetic materials, etc.

Common symptoms of Pitta related allergies:

red rashes;
urticaria;
allergic dermatitis;
eczema;
redness of the skin with itching and pustule formation;
heartburn;
nausea;
acidity;
diarrhea;
burning and redness of the eyes.

Recommendations for Pitta related allergies:

Avoid spicy, salty, and sour foods.
Concentrate more on bitter and astringent tastes like green vegetables and salads.
Make sure cooked food is eaten at all times and this is far better for your condition than raw food.
Avoid direct contact with the sun and extremely hot weather.
Take Ayurvedic herbs for Pitta related allergies such as Shatavari, Guduchi, Triphala, Brahmi, Neem, Manjistha.
For skin-related conditions, Neem and Manjistha is a very good combination. Both these herbs have blood cleansing properties.
Drink herbal ayurvedic teas with fennel, ginger, and saffron.
Sandalwood and rose are good for external applications.
Take coriander juice.
Drink coconut water.

Yoga for Pitta related allergies:

Moon salutation;
Spinal twists.

Pranayama for Pitta related allergies:

Chandra Bheda;
Shitali Pranayama;
Sheetkari Pranayama;
Alternate nostril breathing.

Antihistamines for Pitta related allergies:

Shatavari

Kapha related allergies

Kapha aggravating factors like sweet, sour, salty foods including dairy foods, some veggies, and fruits may lead to allergic reactions. The allergic reactions of this nature usually worsen during cold, rainy, and cloudy season.

Common symptoms of Kapha related allergies:

runny nose;
mucus accumulation;
hay fever;
congestive disorders;
colds;
coughs;
sinusitis;
asthma;
water retention;
heaviness in the abdomen;
sleeping disorders.

Recommendations for Kapha related allergies:

Avoid cold, heavy, and stagnant foods like dairy products.
Avoid excess of sweet, sour, and salty tastes.
Focus more on bitter, spicy, and astringent tastes.
Avoid cold, rainy, wet weather.
Take Ayurvedic herbs for Kapha related allergies such as Trikatu, Pippali, Guggulu, Triphala, Basil.
For symptoms of runny nose, sneezing, and congestion, Jala Neti (nasal wash) is very beneficial.

Yoga for Kapha related allergies:

Sun salutation.

Pranayama for Kapha related allergies:

Kapalabhati;
Right nostril breathing;
Ujjayi Pranayama.

Antihistamines for Kapha related allergies:

Pippali

Universal Ayurvedic Recommendations

Ayurveda gives a number of tips that will help keep allergies under control at any time:

Eat light vegan food. This allows the digestive fire to recover.
When the digestion is weak, it has difficulty digesting raw and cold foods. And poorly digested food forms toxins. Therefore give preference to warm cooked meals.
Exclude dairy products from your diet. Dairy products from mucus and are cold and heavy for our bodies by their nature.
When cooking, add more warming spices.

Practice yoga, follow Ayurvedic principles, monitor your condition, practice mindfulness, especially be mindful of your nutrition and breathing, and then the disease will gradually leave you!

Disclaimer

This ayurvedic guide was created for educational purposes only. It is strongly recommended that you consult a qualified Ayurvedic practitioner before starting any allergy treatment. The treatment protocol may change based on a person’s body constitution and medical history.

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Healing

Chakra Affirmations: Powerful Ways To Communicate With Your 7 Chakras

Published

2 weeks ago

June 4, 2021

Katya Ki

There are many ways to restore the natural flow of energy through the chakras. Visualization, yoga asanas, breathing exercises, crystal healing, color therapy, sound healing—all of these practices help release blockages and restore balance. Repeating chakra affirmations is another method of chakra balancing. Repeating affirmations direct healing energy to restore balance in your body and your life. When we repeat chakra affirmations, we become capable of rewriting the patterns in our subconscious minds and direct healing vibrations to the chakras.

In this article, you will learn how the practice of chakra affirmations can help you balance your chakras and communicate with your energy field.

What Are Chakras?

Usually, when we speak of the chakras, we mean the seven vital centers in the subtle body.

Chakras are energy nodes in the subtle body, a kind of receiver and transmitter of cosmic energy. These are rapidly rotating whirlpools of subtle energies that arise along the spine from the root to the crown. They are vortex-shaped. Each of the seven main chakras works at a certain level and is “responsible” for a certain aspect of life, health, and various life situations.

Our chakras are like batteries for various levels of vital energy. Their purpose is receiving, storing, and radiating energy through interaction with the universal life force. The freedom with which energy can flow from the universe to you and back directly determines your state of health and well-being.

Any blockages of the vital energy flow lead to a disorder of the body’s systems as a whole and result in illness, discomfort, loss of energy, or emotional instability. By realizing and understanding the chakra system, and the way it works, we are able to remove our own limitations and reach a level where it is easy to solve any problems and overcome any obstacles in life. Meanwhile, a complete blockage can lead to a complete disconnection from the universal life force, that is, to physical death.

There are seven main chakras, which align the spine, starting from the base of the spine through to the crown of the head:

Muladhara – Root chakra – located in the perineum of men and in the cervix of women.
Svadhisthana – Sacral chakra – located above the Muladhara, just above the genitals.
Manipura – Solar Plexus chakra – located behind the navel within the spinal column.
Anahata – Heart chakra – located above Manipura, near the heart.
Vishuddha – Throat chakra – located in the middle of the throat.
Ajna – Third Eye chakra – located at the top of the spinal column near the medulla oblongata.
Sahasrara – Crown chakra – located in the crown of the head and is associated with the pituitary gland.

These seven chakras (or energy centers) are very important parts of our energy body. The chakras not only control and energize the vital organs of the body but also control and affect our psychological and spiritual conditions. When one of the chakras goes out of balance, it leads to a physical, emotional, or mental impact on your body.

Therefore, it is essential to know what condition your chakras are in. Our Chakra quiz can help you to test your chakras and find out any imbalances. To take the quiz CLICK HERE.

What Are Chakra Affirmations?

Chakra affirmations are short phrases containing a verbal balancing formula that, when repeated many times, activates the healing process in the subconscious of a person, contributing to energy flow restoration, energy block removal, chakra balancing and healing, psycho-emotional state improvement, and positive changes in health and wellbeing.

With the help of chakra affirmations, you can reprogram your mind from lack of energy and illness to vitality and health. If you learn to direct the energy of your thoughts to health and wellbeing you will eventually start feeling better, more energized, and will notice that you’re more healthy than ever.

Chakra affirmations will help you to remove emotional and energetical blocks which will naturally lead to a significant improvement of your overall health and will take the quality of your life to the next level.

Now, let me share with you powerful affirmations for each of the seven chakras.

Root Chakra Affirmations

Sanskrit name: Muladhara

Color frequency: Red

Location: In the perineum of men and in the cervix of women

Responsible for: Stability, safety, financial security, strength

Affirmations

I am centered and grounded.
I love being in my body.
I am powerful, rooted, and strong.
I have everything I need.
I am stable and secure.
I am connected to nature.
I am financially secure.
I am safe.
The universe takes care of me.
I am peaceful, protected, and secure.
I trust in the goodness of life to carry me through.

Sacral Chakra Affirmations

Sanskrit name: Svadhisthana

Color frequency: Orange

Location: just above the genitals

Responsible for: Sexuality, creativity, joy, playfulness, and versatility

Affirmations

I am creative and joyful.
The sweetness of life flows through me.
I embrace and celebrate my sexuality.
It is safe to express my sexual self in healthy ways.
I deserve to enjoy life.
I flow with inspiration and creativity.
I express my emotions in a healthy manner.
I am in harmony with myself.
I receive pleasure and abundance with every breath I take.
I am in touch with my feelings.
I allow myself to be intimate.

Solar Plexus Chakra Affirmations

Sanskrit name: Manipura

Color frequency: Yellow

Location: behind the navel within the spinal column

Responsible for: Inner power, self-esteem, and a sense of purpose

Affirmations

I feel my inner power.
I make decisions with confidence and conviction.
I am powerful.
My boundaries are respected and upheld.
I have the courage to create positive change in my life.
I am confident in all that I do.
I feel motivated to pursue my purpose.
I honor myself and the power within me.
I am responsible for what I create.
I am positively empowered and successful.
I am enough.

Heart Chakra Affirmations

Sanskrit name: Anahata

Color frequency: Green

Location: In the center of the chest

Responsible for: Love, compassion, and forgiveness for oneself and others

Affirmations

I love myself unconditionally.
I welcome love with an open heart.
I am an expression of love.
I allow the love to fill me up and guide me in all my actions.
I follow my heart.
I naturally attract love everywhere I go.
I am open to giving and receiving love.
I am kind to myself and others.
I am grateful for all my blessings.
I forgive myself and others.
I nurture my inner child.

Throat Chakra Affirmations

Sanskrit name: Vishuddha

Color frequency: Blue

Location: In the middle of the throat

Responsible for: Authentic expression and listening to others

Affirmations

I live an authentic life.
I communicate confidently and with ease.
I am open and honest in my communication.
I feel comfortable speaking my mind.
I am expressing myself with clear intent.
I am an active listener.
My voice matters.
I express myself honestly with clear intent.
I live in the truth. I communicate my truth. I am the truth.
I know when it is time to listen.
I express myself creatively through speech, writing, and art.

Third Eye Chakra Affirmations

Sanskrit name: Ajna

Color frequency: Indigo

Location: at the top of the spinal column near the medulla oblongata.

Responsible for: Strong intuition and inner wisdom, the release of the ego

Affirmations

I trust my intuition.
I always honor and follow my intuition.
I think and see clearly.
I am connected to my higher self.
I feel connected to my spiritual truth.
I trust my decisions.
I let my inner wisdom guide me.
I nurture my spirit.
I quiet my mind with ease.
I am constantly expanding my awareness.
I am tuned into Universal wisdom.

Crown Chakra Affirmations

Sanskrit name: Sahasrara

Color frequency: Violet

Location: The crown of the head

Responsible for: Spiritual connection, bliss, and enlightenment

Affirmations

I am Light.
I am an extension of the Universe.
I see the divine light in everyone.
I am infinite.
I listen to the wisdom of the Universe.
I accept myself totally.
I am raising my level of consciousness every day.
I am divinely guided and inspired.
Everything is unfolding exactly as it should in my life.
I am an extension of the universe.
Everything is working out for my highest good.

The Bottom Line

The most important thing in affirmation practice is to transmute negative thoughts and blocks into positive thoughts and attitudes. Stay focused on your healing and choose your thoughts carefully! Remember that even a fleeting negative thought can destroy months of positive affirmation practice!

Healing

Chakra Quiz: Which of Your Chakras Is Out of Balance?

Published

4 weeks ago

May 19, 2021

SOLANCHA STAFF

The seven chakras are the main energy centers of the body, made up of various colors and located from the base of the spine to the top of the head. They are the key to our physical health, emotional stability, and mental clarity. Our seven chakras react to any external stimuli and very clearly indicate an energy imbalance. If you tend to face the same problems over again and over again or have to be treated for the same diseases time after time, then this is a sign that the energy doesn’t circulate in your chakras harmoniously. It is not difficult to analyze the state of your chakras, if you’re willing to watch yourself, your feelings, and your behavior carefully enough. Therefore, taking a chakra quiz can be very beneficial in understanding how energy circulates in your body.

Our chakra quiz will help you find out which one of your chakras is out of balance the most and what you can do to restore the proper energy flow through it.

Seven Chakras

Before you take the chakra quiz, let me remind you that there are seven main chakras, which align the spine, starting from the base of the spine through to the crown of the head:

Muladhara – Root chakra – located in the perineum of men and in the cervix of women.
Svadhisthana – Sacral chakra – located above the Muladhara, just above the genitals.
Manipura – Solar Plexus chakra – located behind the navel within the spinal column.
Anahata – Heart chakra – located above Manipura, near the heart.
Vishuddha – Throat chakra – located in the middle of the throat.
Ajna – Third Eye chakra – located at the top of the spinal column near the medulla oblongata.
Sahasrara – Crown chakra – located in the crown of the head and is associated with the pituitary gland.

Chakra Quiz

Which of these sounds the worst to you?

losing your job / financial stability

being misunderstood

being rejected

embarrassing yourself in front of others

losing the connection with your Higher Self / Universe / God

lacking sexual energy / creativity

not trusting your intuition

Which of these shadow qualities do you deal with most?

earthly attachment

grief

illusions

lies

guilt

fear

shame

Which color your wardrobe and/or your home is lacking?

purple

green

yellow

white

blue

orange

red

What do you need more of in your life?

stability

love / self-love

spiritual connection

wisdom

creative expression

will power

communication

Choose one issue you are currently dealing with

digestion problems

insomnia

infertility or intimacy issues

depression

pain in the low back / legs

hormone imbalances or thyroid problems

high blood pressure

Are you satisfied with your body (height, weight, appearance in general)?

yes, but wouldn't mind some improvements

yes

What does money mean to you?

nothing

money is a tool that gives you new opportunities

everything

What role pleasure and sexuality play in your life?

I deny myself any pleasure, constantly limit myself to everything; I find it difficult to talk about my desires

I often indulge myself with food, love various entertainment (night clubs, parties, etc.) and bodily pleasures; I find it difficult to cope with sexual desires

I respect my body and my right to enjoy my life and sexuality in a healthy way

Do you have a purpose in life?

I have a purpose but don't have willpower / energy / motivation to achieve my goals

yes

I struggle finding my purpose

Do you have trust issues?

yes

sometimes

How does your voice sound?

timid - I usually feel like I don't have enough words to express my thoughts and feelings

balanced - I feel confident expressing my thoughts but I do so only when it's necessary

loud - I always let people know my opinion

Do you have nightmares?

sometimes

I don't remember my dreams

yes, often

Do you have a fear of death (your own or people you love)?

sometimes

yes

Which mantra resonates with you the most right now?

"I feel safe to express my sexuality in fun, creative, and healthy ways"

"I am a vessel for Love and Light"

"I love and accept myself for who I am"

"I communicate confidently and with ease"

"I am strong, centered, and grounded"

"I trust my intuition and fearlessly follow my path"

"When I love myself, loving others comes easily"

Which of these qualities do you feel the least?

expressive

intuitive

creative

loving

confident

grounded

connected

Chakra Assessment Quiz

Your Root chakra (Muladhara) is out of balance

Muladhara is considered the source of vitality and survival instinct. This chakra is located in the perineum of men and in the cervix of women. It affects the organs of excretion and reproduction, the gland organ, and hormonal secretions. Muladhara is directly related to the nose and sense of smell, as well as our animal instincts. In the area of Muladhara, human evolution begins. And it is from the Root chakra that Kundalini rises. Muladhara chakra is responsible for the instinct of self-preservation, vitality, and courage. If your Root chakra is imbalanced, it means that your connection with the Earth is broken, the energy is not able to rise through the channels or does it in a wrong way, the balance is lost, the physical body weakens. Such an imbalance can cause diseases of the spine and the entire musculoskeletal system, diseases of kidneys, colon, and blood. An imbalanced Root chakra can cause unexplained stress, anxiety, and fear of the future. Getting out in nature, walking barefoot, journaling on things that make you feel safe, and doing grounding yoga poses like mountain pose or Monkey pose (Hanumanasana) can all help to balance your Root chakra. Reduce to a minimum watching TV, thrillers, horror movies, in other words, everything that excites and frightens. Try to go to sleep before 11 pm and get up early at 5 or 6 am. Start your day with prayers, mantras, and positive affirmations.

Your Sacral chakra (Svadhisthana) is out of balance

Svadhisthana chakra controls your sense of creativity, expression, and sensuality, and how you relate to other people. It is located between the pelvic bones, in the lower abdomen area. Svadhisthana is responsible for the health of our lymphatic system, kidneys, reproductive system, all organs located in the pelvis, and sexual life. This is the place where our sexual energy is concentrated. Imbalanced Svadhisthana is responsible for infertility, frigidity, and impotence. It is responsible for the choice of sexual partners, sexual desires, and emotions that we experience in the course of intimate life. It is the Sacral chakra that is responsible for the manifestation of our creative potential, self-expression, motivation, and the ability to make life changes. Having an imbalanced sacral chakra can make you feel like you're stuck in a rut or unable to find inspiration. You also might feel unfulfilled in your romantic relationships and friendships. Start to balance this chakra by taking on a new creative hobby or leaning into mindfulness meditation to connect with yourself again. Yoga is another powerful tool for balancing your Sacral chakra. It’s best to practice dynamic Ashtanga yoga, forward bends, asanas that help the hips open. Use crystals for your Sacral chakra healing and balancing. Such crystals as moonstone, carnelian, apricot agate, orange garnet, fire opal, orange sapphire, sardonyx, carnelian, sunstone, aventurine, calcite, fire agate, and orange spinel are perfect for balancing your Svadhisthana. To balance and heal your Sacral chakra, you can meditate with a crystal, holding it in your hands. You can also wear a ring with one of these crystals on your pinky finger.

Your Solar Plexus chakra (Manipura) is out of balance

The Solar plexus chakra is called “Manipura”, which means “lustrous gem”. It's located in the upper abdomen, near the stomach. This chakra is where our gut instincts come from, and it relates to all things self-confidence. Manipura chakra gives you the opportunity to express yourself, it’s responsible for your Ego, intuition, and emotions. Your willpower, financial success, general success, authority, strength, and power depend on the condition of your Solar plexus chakra. Manipura chakra gives you the power to follow your true path without being distracted by something unnecessary. It’s responsible for creativity, intelligence, and ego, and it also gives you curiosity and clarity of mind. Any imbalance and blocks in Manipura lead to diseases of the gastrointestinal tract, increased or decreased appetite, as well as diabetes. Digestive problems, such as bloating, nausea, diabetes, kidney disease occur as a result of weak Manipura chakra. These diseases are usually accompanied by a feeling of fear, increased nervousness, anxiety, reaching a state of psychosis. Those with a blocked Manipura might feel uncomfortable in their own skin and disconnected from their intuition. Journaling on your best qualities, or repeating positive affirmations will help you to balance your Manipura. Crystals can also help you to balance and heal your Solar Plexus chakra. Yellow tourmaline, citrine, amber, golden yellow labradorite, tiger-eye, lemon quartz, and yellow Jasper are perfect for balancing your Manipura. To balance and heal your Manipura chakra, you can meditate with a crystal, holding it in your hands.

Your Heart chakra (Anahata) is out of balance

The heart chakra is a source of love and compassion. This energy center is responsible for intuitive understanding, healing abilities, cleansing the aura from negative energy, and the ability to give and receive love. It connects your physical and spiritual nature. It is located in the center of your chest and it is responsible not only for the heart function but also for the lungs, thymus gland, and the cardiac plexus. In Sanskrit, the heart chakra is called Anahata, which means an unharmed, spiritual place where past resentment and experiences cannot hurt us anymore. If you have an imbalanced Anahata, it can negatively affect your physical, mental, spiritual, and emotional health. On a physical level, you may have poor blood circulation and jumps in blood pressure. Anahata strongly affects the heart, lungs, and upper body. From a spiritual point of view, an imbalanced heart chakra can cause the inability to trust yourself or others, the feeling of insecurity and fear. You might find it difficult to be vulnerable around other people or share your opinion openly. In order to heal and balance your Anahata, you should stop focusing on things you don’t like, and start feeling grateful for what you have in life instead. Heart-opening yoga poses and guided meditations focused on self-love can all help this chakra start to open up. Also, physical touch helps to open and balance your heart chakra. Try to give your partner or family members as many hugs as you can. If you don’t have a partner you can take massage sessions or reiki healing sessions.

Your Throat chakra (Vishuddha) is out of balance

Vishuddha is responsible for communication with other people and for creative self-expression. This is where inspiration and personal development begin. This chakra gives us the ability to listen and hear – not only other people but also our own inner voice. Vishuddha is connected with the ears and the sense of hearing, with the throat and speech. It awakens acceptance of the vicissitudes of life, mental balance, and sensitivity to the needs of others. This chakra deals with all things expression and governs how you get your message out into the world. If you are someone who has trouble communicating with others or feels like you never have quite the right words, you might have a blocked throat chakra. Moreover, fear of public speaking, profanity, grumbling, lying, criticism, condemnation of yourself and others are also the symptoms of an imbalanced Throat chakra. The element of the Throat chakra is ether. That’s why spending time outside under the open blue sky is already healing itself. Spend more time in nature looking and meditating on the blue sky. Consciousness journaling, writing songs, or singing will help you to open up and balance your Vishuddha. Another powerful tool for opening your throat chakra is crystals. It’s very good for your throat chakra healing to wear a necklace with lapis lazuli, blue calcite, aquamarine, turquoise, sodalite, amazonite, or blue tourmaline.

Your Third Eye chakra (Ajna) is out of balance

The Third Eye chakra is located at the center of your forehead. It is the center of cosmic consciousness and intuition. This chakra controls and energizes the pineal gland and the nervous system. It also provides you the ability to see things as they really are through inner vision and wisdom. It is responsible for the conscious perception of the surrounding reality, for all mental abilities, learning process, memory, and willpower. Ajna provides an opportunity for telepathic communication, seeing spirits, and even receiving messages directly from the Divine Source. If your Third Eye chakra is blocked or imbalanced, you might feel spiritually stifled or unable to pick up on some of the signs around you. To activate and balance your Ajna, start a dream journal or go on a spiritual excursion using sound or breathwork. Also, you can use aromatherapy for activating your Third Eye. To do this, you need to take eucalyptus essential oil and rub it in the forehead area. Apply the oil from the central part of the forehead to the nose. You can do it before you start your meditations or go to bed.

Your Crown chakra (Sahasrara) is out of balance

Sahasrara chakra is located in the crown of the head and is associated with the pituitary gland. Thanks to the crown chakra, we can learn, realize, accept, and connect our consciousness to universal love and infinite knowledge. Having an open crown is pretty rare, and those who manage to do it are considered enlightened and all-knowing. If you can’t find your life purpose, if you can’t find answers to your questions, if you can’t understand the meaning of life, your Crown chakra might be out of balance. The disruption or absence of the connection with the Cosmic Consciousness, eventually leads to a feeling of uncertainty and fear, blocking all other chakras, which prevents the energy flow from free circulation through the body. The inability to think clearly in a stressful situation, dissatisfaction with life, depression, loneliness, unwillingness to communicate with other people, loss of zest for life, fear of death are all the symptoms of imbalanced Crown chakra. You can start to balance your Sahasrara by contemplating life's bigger questions and spending time observing nature. Aromatherapy may help you to open up and balance your Crown chakra. Lotus and Lavander are the best essential oils for Crown chakra healing.

Healing

Emotional Numbness: 10 Signs You’re Struggling With One

Published

1 month ago

May 10, 2021

SOLANCHA STAFF

The fact is; we are emotional beings. We go through one or more emotions at different stages in our lives, depending on our environment and those around us. These emotions, coupled with desire and knowledge, determine how we behave. However, not all emotions are pleasant. A painful period may trigger awful negative feelings that can lead to emotional numbness. Here, the body is temporarily blocking any further negative emotions that are harmful to the body and mind. So how can you tell that you are going through emotional numbness? And, what can you do to cope? Read on.

10 Signs of Emotional Numbness

#1: Emptiness

Emotional numbness is a period of emptiness. Typical triggers of emptiness include infidelity, boredom, and bereavement, communication breakdown in families, substance abuse, and mental health issues like depression.

In such a situation, you may lose purpose in life, studies, work, or hobbies. For example, the loss of a partner changes the structure of your life overnight. All of a sudden, you question the validity of your dreams.

#2: Disconnections between Body and Mind

Are you grieving, facing hatred and discrimination at your place of work, or have crushing anxiety about the outcome of your medical tests? Well, all these events can cause your body to disconnect from your mind. You may find yourself absent-minded in most office meetings.

Alternatively, you could be going with the flow, taking medication, and eating a special diet as per your nutritionist’s recommendations. Yet, when you look back, you have no recollection of why or what you just did.

#3: Disconnection with the World

Emotional numbness makes us cold to those we care about. In turn, we lose touch with local events, special days, or even forget our daily routines. For example, a spouse who is grieving the loss of a child may forget their wedding anniversary. Or, a mother who just underwent a painful delivery may find it hard to soothe a child, despite hearing the baby crying for hours.

#4: Withdrawal from Friends and Family

Now, when you do not share emotions with your family and friends, you become detached. Sometimes, you feel numb when listening to your loved ones sharing their challenges and wins. Or, a heart-felt movie feels indifferent.

#5: Autopilot Mode

Now, emotional numbness switches our brain to autopilot mode. Here, we do things because we know them as per our subconscious mind. However, we have no desire to grow our potential or further this knowledge in any way. You may wake up, shower, take your morning toast and coffee, and hop on the tram to school. A few minutes you remember that electrical fault at the cooker, that can start a fire once you are gone. Or, realize that you picked the wrong clothes from the laundry mat, after getting those weird looks in class.

#6: Loss of Sense of Time

When you are lost in your world due to emotional numbness, time comes to a standstill. You forget significant dates. And, a mention of, say Thanksgiving rings no bell about the season of the year.

#7: Living on the Edge

Severe stress can make you live on the edge. You feel like you no longer have control of the events in your life. Like you are a guest in your own life. In turn, you no longer find pleasure in your hobbies or career. Or, your concentration is almost zero even in the simplest tasks.

#8: Overall Insensitivity

Emotional numbness diminishes your ability to process thoughts or respond to physical signals. You are always in a constant dream-like state.

#9: Dislike of Persons with Strong Emotions

Since you are unable to express strong negative or positive emotions, your numbness makes you detest others who do so.

#10: Panic Attacks

Finally, as the period of emotional numbness comes to an end, you may start to experience overwhelming and confusing feelings. You start questioning your state of mind, as you have no clue what is happening to you. In turn, you may have severe panic attacks.

Managing this final phase of emotional numbness full of emotional imbalances is critical. You do not want to trigger another stressful event that may prolong the disorder.

Self-Help Tips

Note that, emotional numbness is always due to underlying stress. Your first step to overcoming this disorder is by addressing the stress.

You can achieve this by:

#1: Reorganizing Your Lifestyle

Do you feel you are in the wrong career? Go back to school and study another course. If you are struggling with obesity, enroll in your local gym for regular fitness exercises. Where you struggle with insomnia, use guided audio sleep meditations to get enough deep sleep.

These lifestyle changes will relieve you of the stress, and get control of your life.

Many people try to fill the emptiness in their lives by engaging in unhealthy compulsive behaviors. These include compulsive shopping, alcohol abuse, overeating, or under-eating. Doing so only worsens the situation.

#2: Breathwork (Pranayama)

Breathing exercises are a simple and easy way to help you mindfully move through whatever you’re experiencing. Pranayama is particularly useful when intense feelings such as fear or rage breakthrough. There are many tutorials with breathing techniques you can easily find online. Stick to something simple. The point is to use your breath (in whatever way suits you), to calm your mind and body. Try to breathe slowly, deeply, and softly instead of forcing deep breaths (which can actually increase anxiety). Let your breath be natural.

#3: Journaling

Get a journal and spend 5-10 minutes a day writing down everything that triggers even the slightest bit of sadness in you. This simple habit will help you to express your emotions, even if in an indirect way at first. Your journal will serve you as a catalyst for feeling and letting out your emotions.

#4: Catharsis

Catharsis may involve screaming into or punching a pillow to stimulate sadness and crying. This intensively emotional exercise may also involve impassioned dancing or dynamic meditation.

Regular catharsis should be a must on your journey. Without regularly ‘letting it all out,’ you may run the risk of experiencing the repercussions of festering emotions.

#5: Inner Child Healing

Practice inner child healing and find ways of comforting and nurturing this vulnerable place within you.

#6: Creative Expression

Write a song, paint a picture, dance, find some way of expressing what emotion you last felt. If you struggle to feel anything at all, express that artistically. Pay attention to how you feel afterward. Notice if there is even the slightest feeling of satisfaction within you.

#7: Ask for Help – Psychotherapy

Often, you may find that you are struggling to maintain a regular self-care routine that can help you snap out of the temporary emotional numbness. That is quite normal. Tap yourself in the back for taking the initiative to deal with this disorder, even when your mind is not into it.

However, if you find your routines are too inconsistent, seek professional help.

Psychotherapy involves working with a counselor or doctor to address your cognitive behavior. It is about checking and correcting how your thought process affects your behavior. By doing so, you reduce bouts of anxiety, depression, fear, or a sense of helplessness.

Conclusion

Note that, emotional numbness is quite common; affecting most people at various stages in their lives. It is the body’s way of overcoming being helpless as you undergo prolonged physical or emotional trauma. If you feel empty, seek help.