Healing Through The Chakras and Somatic Therapy
- Alison Steedman
- Dec 11
- 4 min read
Healing emotional wounds and understanding how our nervous system operates can feel complex. Yet, ancient wisdom and modern therapy offer tools that help us explore these inner landscapes. Two such tools are the chakra system and somatic therapy. When combined, they provide a powerful way to uncover emotional blocks, past wounds, and how these shape our daily lives. This post explores what chakras and somatic therapy are, how they connect, and how you can use them to support your healing journey.
What Are Chakras?
Chakras are energy centers within the body, originating from ancient spiritual traditions. The word "chakra" means "wheel" or "disk" in Sanskrit, symbolising spinning energy points. There are seven main chakras aligned along the spine, each linked to different physical, emotional, and spiritual functions.
Root Chakra (Muladhara): Located at the base of the spine, it relates to safety, grounding, and survival.
Sacral Chakra (Svadhisthana): Found below the navel, it governs creativity, pleasure, and emotional expression.
Solar Plexus Chakra (Manipura): Around the stomach area, it influences personal power and confidence.
Heart Chakra (Anahata): Centered in the chest, it connects to love, compassion, and relationships.
Throat Chakra (Vishuddha): At the throat, it controls communication and self-expression.
Third Eye Chakra (Ajna): Between the eyebrows, it relates to intuition and insight.
Crown Chakra (Sahasrara): At the top of the head, it links to spiritual connection and awareness.
Each chakra can become blocked or imbalanced due to emotional trauma, stress, or unresolved experiences. These blockages may manifest as physical symptoms or emotional difficulties, signaling that the nervous system is affected.
What Is Somatic Therapy?
Somatic therapy is a body-centered approach to healing trauma and emotional pain. It focuses on the connection between the mind and body, recognising that trauma is often stored physically in the nervous system. Unlike talk therapy alone, somatic therapy uses physical techniques to release tension, restore nervous system balance, and promote emotional regulation.
Key somatic techniques include:
Breathwork: Using controlled breathing to calm or energise the nervous system.
Body Awareness: Noticing sensations, posture, and muscle tension to identify stored stress.
Movement and Touch: Gentle movements or guided touch to release physical holding patterns.
Grounding Exercises: Techniques to reconnect with the present moment and the body.
Somatic therapy helps people become aware of how their bodies respond to stress and trauma, allowing them to gradually rewire their nervous system for safety and resilience.
How Chakras and Somatic Therapy Connect
Both chakras and somatic therapy focus on the body’s energy and nervous system but from different perspectives. Chakras provide a map of energy centers linked to emotional and physical health. Somatic therapy offers tools to sense and release tension held in the body.
By combining these approaches, you can:
Identify Emotional Blocks: Somatic awareness helps you feel where tension or numbness exists. This can correspond to specific chakras, revealing which energy centers need attention.
Understand Nervous System Responses: Chakras reflect emotional states that influence nervous system activity. For example, a blocked root chakra may show as anxiety or hypervigilance in the nervous system.
Release Past Wounds: Somatic techniques can help unlock stored trauma in chakra areas, allowing energy to flow freely again.
Rewire Your Nervous System: Regular somatic practice supports nervous system regulation, helping you move from survival mode to calm and balance.
Using Somatic Techniques to Explore Chakras
Here are practical ways to use somatic therapy to connect with your chakras:
1. Body Scan Meditation
2. Breathwork Focused on Chakras
3. Movement and Stretching
4. Grounding Exercises
How This Impacts Daily Life
When chakras are blocked and the nervous system is dysregulated, it can affect many areas of life:
Difficulty managing stress or anxiety
Challenges in relationships or communication
Feeling disconnected from your body or emotions
Physical symptoms like chronic pain or fatigue
Struggles with self-confidence or motivation
Using chakra awareness alongside somatic therapy helps you recognise these patterns as signals from your body and nervous system. This understanding empowers you to take steps toward healing rather than feeling stuck.
Supporting Your Healing Journey
Healing through chakras and somatic therapy is a gradual process. Here are tips to support your path:
Practice Regularly: Consistency with somatic exercises and chakra meditation builds nervous system resilience.
Be Patient: Emotional blocks may take time to release. Approach your body with kindness.
Seek Guidance: Working with a somatic therapist or yoga techer familiar with chakras can deepen your experience.
Journal Your Experiences: Writing about sensations and emotions can clarify insights and track progress.
Integrate Mindfulness: Stay present with your body’s signals throughout daily activities.
This combined approach offers a holistic way to understand how your nervous system has been wired by past experiences and how you can gently rewire it for greater well-being.
Join The Somatic Satsang To Explore This!
My next online gathering, The Somatic Satsang, will allow us to explore this further in a supportive group environment. We will use body scans, visualisation, journaling, somatic techniques, and sharing to explore the Chakras and our individual relationship to them.
If you are part of the YogaLocal app you can join me for this gathering on December 21st! If not, you can always join the Somatic Satsang group where we will talk more about Somatic Therapy and the Yoga tradition. In this group you can connect with others, access audio and video tools, and other exclusive content.
All are welcome here...
Click the event to RSVP for the next online gathering, click the button to join the online community!
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