Just like you carry a few everyday items in your purse, pocket or car, like cough drops to soothe your throat, lip gloss to protect and brighten your lips or gym shoes for your lunchtime walk, having a set of crystals can be very useful for clearing energy blockages and opening chakras. They need not be fancy or showy and seem to work best when they are allowed to choose you. As proof that “everything” in this life is alive, aware and responsive, hold your hand over a few crystals and wait until one or more of them signals you that they are ready to become yours, to accompany you and to work with you by both absorbing and giving off energy.

Now, as the new guardian of your crystals and the recipient of their marvelous power, you have a responsibility to keep them clean and energized. First steep your new crystals overnight in a solution of sea salt and water and dry them thoroughly before you begin to use them.

Periodically, re-wash your crystals in the salt solution, or in rainwater and then re-energize them by exposing them to moon or sunlight for several hours. Take advantage of the healing energy of every full moon by leaving your crystals outside overnight.

Crystals can be simple, yet powerful tools when you’re seeking balance and a sense of well-being in your physical, mental, emotional and spiritual self.

To aid in general stress relief, try placing three clear quartz crystals, points facing outward, in a triangle just below your navel. Next, place three rose quartz stones in an arc above your pubic bone and relax for 4-5 minutes. Repeat as often as is needed for optimal energy flow.

For a complete Chakra Balance, try this simple crystal layout to reinforce your chakra energies and ensure they are functioning well.

Choose a grounding stone (black, brown or dark red) to place between your feet. Then choose a stone or crystal corresponding to the different colors of the chakras, placing the red one between your knees, the orange right above your pelvic bone, the yellow right above your navel, the green over your heart center, the light blue on your throat, indigo or dark blue on your forehead and a violet or clear stone on the floor just above the top of your head. Lie down with these stones in place for a period of about 5 minutes or until you feel complete, then remove the stones starting with the one above your head.

Relax for a few more minutes, still lying down, then enjoy a sense a well-being and balance, ready to face the stresses of the day ahead.

I recently got the chance to experience chakra balancing through crystal light therapy and would recommend it to anyone, anywhere. Developed, crafted and blessed by John of God, the miracle healer in Brazil, the Crystal Light Bed uses clear-cut quartz crystals that generate color and light therapy to cleanse, clear and raise the vibration of your chakras. Two energy healers in Hawaii have brought these beds back from Brazil, and I was told of one in Oklahoma as well.

As you lie on the Crystal Light Bed, the rainbow-colored light beams alternate through the seven pure quartz crystals to balance your chakras. I laid with my eyes closed and listened to soft relaxing music of dolphin and whale sounds while I received this energy. After 1/2 hour, I arose feeling very calm and focused. Reported results vary from a feeling of deep relaxation to relief of pain and increased well being and overall health.

I'm now reading "John of God, The Brazilian Healer Who's Touched the Lives of Millions." From the DVD I watched of his center and practice in Abadiania, Brazil, he is a medium who channels powerful healing entities. Many people are healed on the spiritual and energetic level, while others also demonstrate miraculous recovery from cancer and other physical disease. He says, "I don't heal, God does."
Namaste!
Becca Chopra, author of The Chakra Diaries

I've been asked what chakra balancing techniques can be done to increase one's love life. If your Sacral Chakra is balanced, you will have more energy, passion and creativity, and your life will flow naturally toward love.

If your energy is stuck at the Sacral Chakra, your sex and your love life will be stuck as well. Accumulated stress in the body, whether emotional or physical, erects barriers to the natural flow of our life energy. So, too much stress may equal no love or even any prospects for it.

While the first or Base Chakra is linked to fortress-like solidity and stability, the second or Sacral Chakra is focused on flowing movement and filling your need to sip, bathe, luxuriate or douse in the vivacious, unpredictable and dynamic stream we call love. Swimming in the ocean's waves, or practicing the hypnotic hip swivels of oriental (belly) dancing or performing wu chi exercises may help you begin to experience the world of love that seems just beyond your heart's grasp.

Using yoga to balance the Sacral Chakra, you can practice the cobbler's pose to encourage life energy to flow throughout the pelvic area, the seat of this chakra. Or unleash and focus your creative spirits through painting or making music. Your skill level is not as important as just "doing it" and breaking down any barriers nesting in your body.

As an expression of our joy of living, whatever we create is beautiful, skillful, breathtaking and encouraging. In becoming more sensitive and responsive to what is going on in the world around us, we also further the grounding of our Root Chakra, allowing us to go boldly after what we seek in life, even a relationship that we can grow old with.

In addition to harboring pleasurable sensations, the Sacral Chakra can vacuum in and hold fast to pain and its attendant stress, damming up the free flow of energy and physically manifesting as infection and illness. We may be "going through the motions" in life, seeing the dust on the table and not the wondrous roses in the crystal vase. Our reactions to the world may vacillate widely from rage and aggression to breaking into tears at the slightest problem.

To aid in stress relief and balancing of the Sacral Chakra, place three clear quartz crystals, points facing outward, in a triangle just below your navel. Next, place three rose quartz stones in an arc above your pubic bone and relax for 4-5 minutes. Repeat as often as is needed for optimal energy flow.
Love and Namaste!
Becca

"Sex is emotion in motion," said Mae West and she was was an expert on that subject. If stress causes blockages of energy in the body, your sex and your love life will be out of whack. Accumulated stress in the body, whether emotional or physical, erects barriers to the natural flow of our life energy. So, too much stress may equal no love or even any prospects for it. Love doctors have for centuries recognized that moving in spontaneous and free-form ways not only demands flexibility but also the ability to change focus and let go of memories, trauma and pain.

Philosopher Pierre Teilhard de Chardin has been quoted as saying that “Love is the most powerful and still the most unknown energy in the world.” In opposition to the Base Chakra’s links to fortress-like solidity and stability, the Sacral Chakra focuses on flowing movement and filling your need to sip, bathe, luxuriate or douse in the vivacious, unpredictable and dynamic stream we call love. Practicing the hypnotic hip swivels of oriental (belly) dancing or performing wu chi exercises may help you begin to experience the world of love that seems just beyond your heart’s grasp.

An imbalance of your Sacral Chakra may also manifest as an inappropriate focus on something or somebody that is inappropriate or unrealistic. Perhaps that new guy in the office does have a killer smile, great hair and a body worth giving up chocolate for, but he comes forth anointed with a ring finger wrapped in gold. We might practice the cobbler’s pose to encourage our life energy to flow throughout our sacral chakra or unleash and focus our creative spirits through painting or making music. Our skill level at this art is not an important measure but the fact that we are “doing it” and by doing so are diverting our essence around any barriers nesting in our bodies. As an expression of our joy of living, whatever we create is beautiful, skillful, breathtaking and encouraging. In becoming more sensitive and responsive to what is going on in the world around us, we also further the grounding that we fostered in our root chakra, allowing us to go boldly after what we seek in life, even a relationship that we can grow old with.

In addition to harboring pleasurable sensations, the sacral chakra can vacuum in and hold fast to pain and its attendant stress, damming up the free flow of energy and physically manifesting as infection and illness. We may be “going through the motions” in life, seeing the dust on the table and not the wondrous roses in the crystal vase. Our reactions to the world may vacillate widely from rage and aggression to breaking into tears at the slightest problem.

To aid in stress relief, esteemed authors and teachers Sue and Simon Lilly suggest placing three clear quartz crystals, points facing outward, in a triangle just below your navel. Next, place three rose quartz stones in an arc above your pubic bone and relax for 4-5 minutes. Repeat as often as is needed for optimal energy flow.

Namaste and Keep Focused on Love!
Becca Chopra, author of The Chakra Diaries

When you're seeking balance and a sense of well-being in your physical, mental, emotional and spiritual self, crystals can be simple, yet powerful tools.

Here is a simple Spectrum Chakra Balance you can do daily as a general balancing session, to reinforce your chakra energies and help them to return to normal functioning.

Choose a grounding stone (black, brown or dark red) to place between your feet. Then choose a stone or crystal corresponding to the different colors of the chakras, placing the red one between your knees, the orange right above your pelvic bone, the yellow right above your navel, the green over your heart center, the blue on your throat, indigo or dark blue on your forehead and a violet or clear stone on the floor just above the top of your head. Lie down with these stones in place for a period of about 5 minutes or until you feel complete, then remove the stones starting with the one above your head.
Relax for a few more minutes, still lying down, then enjoy a sense a well-being and balance, ready to face the stresses of the day ahead.

Adapted from Crystal Healing by Simon and Sue Lilly

Namaste! Becca Chopra, author of The Chakra Diaries