A BRIEF TUTORIAL II: CHAKRA COLORS AND FUNCTIONS

A note on language: Lower does not mean less important; higher does not mean more. It’s a mistake to think that the body is a lesser part of the human journey, and the spirit the greater. We are humans: integrated systems, with at least 3 major components: body, mind, and spirit.

There is some disagreement over the color that each healthy chakra should display. (If you want to make yourself completely nuts, know that Tibetan tradition posits 5 chakras rather than seven. There are other chakra systems, too. Everything is mutable.) There’s agreement over the 3 lower chakras; it’s as we look higher that there’s disagreement. There’s also disagreement, once you reach chakra 3, about what functions each chakra manifests. The system I present here is both my understanding from observation and where I’ve come to rest after some study of the material.

The root chakra is red, a rich clear red. It supports physical survival and connection to the Earth. (see Grounding, below.)

The second, or belly chakra, is orange, like – an orange! It serves sexuality and lower-digestive functions.

The third, or sacral chakra, is bright yellow. It is the center of Mind, and digestive functions in general, specifically upper colon, small intestine, and stomach.

The fourth, or heart chakra, is a bright green, though not a Kelly green. It is the heart! and serves as the organizer of our emotional lives, as well as the physical heart and the lungs. It is the bridge to the “higher” chakras, and is the mediator to the human body of Spirit. *

The fifth, or throat chakra, is a vivid royal blue. It is the center of our ability to communicate with ourselves, with each other, and with Spirit; as well as the physical throat.

The sixth, or third eye chakra, is a deep indigo blue. It is the center of “high” sight, the unfelt compassion of looking at things as they truly are, as well as the physical eyes.

The seventh, or crown chakra, is a very pale lavender, or bright white. (I’ve seen both; neither seems normative over a large sample of humans.) It is the entryway for spiritual communication, and our connection to our “higher” selves.




*An interesting theory: the heart brings Spirit “down” from the upper chakras. Spirit, resting in the heart, infuses blood with soul, life, Itself. An idea to play with.