In yoga, chakras are energy centers within and around the body. While they are associated with physical points, they aren’t necessarily physical or tangible in nature. You can’t see or touch them, but in certain practices, you may be able to sense them, in a way. They are part of what is known as the “subtle body” or energetic body.

References to the chakras originally showed up in ancient Vedic texts and proceeded to be present in a variety of other Buddhist and Hindu sources throughout the centuries. The number of total chakras varies by tradition, but many use seven chakras aligned with the spinal column.

It wasn’t until the 20th century that the familiar color associations to the chakras were popularized. This application was developed by New Age Western practitioners interested in the intersection of Eastern yogic teachings, Western psychology, and color theory. That being said, many people have benefited from these newly developed associations— on a practical level, it makes a system that may feel complicated or difficult to understand a little more tangible. I might not be able to understand my solar plexus chakra, but I can visualize the color yellow in and around my abdomen.

While this may sound a bit out there to a person unfamiliar with yoga, I think about the chakras in the context of how I think about stress and anxiety within the body. I may know I hold and feel tension in my shoulders, low back, or hips. In the case of vaginismus, I hold tension in my pelvic floor (and/or my jaw). Those places of tension may be due to stuck energy. But I don’t have to feel that way. I can use movement, sound, breath, and visualization techniques to work with those spaces and the things I may be experiencing in my body, letting the subtle body influence the physical.

The chakras can be a helpful tool to people working with vaginismus who haven’t benefited from or who have plateaued taking a solely physical approach. They provide a framework to address the mental, emotional, physical, spiritual, and energetic blocks that may be preventing us from releasing tension or numbness and experiencing positive sensations.

At Yoga for Vaginismus, we’ll explore the seven chakra system, but please keep in mind different traditions hold different perspectives on the number of primary chakras. I encourage you to do your own research if this intrigues you, and find a system that aligns with you. Below is a brief description of each chakra, its associated color, and its location.

• Muladhara Chakra:
• Color: red
• Location: pelvic floor/base of the spinal column
• Represents: our basic sense of safety and security
• Svadhishthana Chakra: 
• Color: orange
• Location: sexual/reproductive organs
• Represents: creativity, sensuality
• Manipura Chakra: 
• Color: yellow
• Location: navel
• Represents: personal power, boundaries
• Anahata Chakra: 
• Color: green
• Location: heart
• Represents: connection to others
• Vishuddha Chakra: 
• Color: blue
• Location: throat
• Represents: speaking and hearing truth
• Ajna Chakra: 
• Color: indigo
• Location: between the eyebrows
• Represents: intuition
• Sahasrara Chakra: 
• Color: violet
• Location: crown of the head
• Represents: connection with a higher power

If you’d like to learn more about how yoga can support your vaginismus, check out my FREE guide.