Does Chakra Healing Work? What Christians Miss Out On When They Don’t Explore Energy and Chakras

Does chakra healing work, and should Christians explore it or avoid it? Is it possible we’re missing out on potential healing due to fear and distrust? How can we use discernment to understand the benefits of energy and chakra medicine? These are some of the questions that I get asked frequently as a Christian who practices (and teaches) yoga. In this blog,  we will explore these questions.

The Physical Versus the Subtle Body

Energy & chakras are found in ancient models of medicine that have been utilized effectively for thousands of years. In these energetic models of health, humans are thought to have both a physical, material body and also a subtle, energetic body. 

Chakras are intersections of energy which are found in the subtle body. As energy moves through our chakras in the subtle body, it is believed to have an effect on the physical body and vice versa. Thus, the health of a person’s chakras can influence their overall health and well-being.

Chakra Imbalances

Are there scientific studies around chakra imbalances causing issues in the body?

While the physical body is material and thus can be seen, observed, and measured, the subtle body — which includes the mind and emotions — is made up of energy and cannot be seen, observed, or easily measured.

However, there is growing evidence which points to a correlation between chakra imbalances and disease of the mind and body. New developments in technology seem to suggest that chakra health can be directly linked to the physical body, and that energy and chakra healing can be effective in restoring health and sustaining well-being. 

The most popular chakra system known in the West holds that there are seven primary chakras, which correspond to the spine. Modern technology, like X-rays and MRIs, has found that the spine is associated with the central nervous system, which is made up of the brain and the spinal cord. When overlaying these two models of health, we find that the seven chakras may relate to different nerve plexuses found in the central nervous system. Thus, the health of a specific chakra may affect the bodily glands and functions associated with its correlating nerve plexus. 

A cadaver study conducted in 2017 found evidence of an anatomical relationship between the root chakra and the inferior hypogastric plexus. This nerve plexus is responsible for sending signals to the reproductive organs and rectum. Interestingly, two of the functions of the energy in the root chakra are thought to influence reproductive health as well as digestion. 

Christians and Chakras

So does chakra healing work, and are Christians abstaining from viable and effective healing modalities because of their fear of energy and their distrust of the chakras? 

When there are blockages or imbalances in the chakras, it can lead to physical AND emotional symptoms.  If Christians are serious about their well-being, it makes sense to glean wisdom from a model of health and wellness that has been utilized in the East for ages! By learning more about the subtle body, energy, & chakras, Christians may discover an ancient but powerful means for balancing the nervous and endocrine systems and a new tool for establishing vitality in the body and mind.

What is Chakra Healing? Chakra Imbalances Explained

What is the truth of chakras and how can chakra “imbalances” be explained? Chakras can be understood as an internal and holistic model for healing and establishing optimal health. Underlying the seven chakras system is the understanding that the health of these energy centers can promote our well-being and weaknesses in these energy centers can manifest as physical, emotional, or mental issues. 

To continue with the example of the root chakra above, imbalances in the energy found in this chakra may affect the inferior hypogastric plexus which in turn may lead to physical symptoms such as fatigue, lower back pain, constipation, and other digestive or reproductive issues may present themselves. Subtle symptoms may also develop in emotions such as anxiety, fear, lack of trust, and feeling disconnected from oneself.  On a spiritual level, the health of this root chakra is thought to hold the foundation for all human potential.

Chakra healing works to establish health and “balance” the energy moving through these energy centers in order to promote optimal health and well-being on all levels. Chakra healing techniques such as meditation, Reiki, yoga, and prayer have been found to be effective in relieving these symptoms. But does chakra healing work for Christians?

Are Energy and Chakras Evil or Dangerous for Christians?

While evidence is growing around the benefits of energy work in the body, the question of spiritual safety still lingers for many Christians. 

Many followers of Christ want to know what are the dangers of chakras? More directly, they want to know are chakras evil. If you were to google these questions, you would find that there are valid reasons for these questions as numerous teachings around energy & chakras stem from various world-views ranging from Hindu to New Age. 

When considering the questions around energy & chakras and if they are dangerous for Christians, Father Thomas Ryan reminds us that every part of God’s Creation can be used for good or for evil according to man’s will. He says,

“Whether this (energy awakening) is for good or evil is another question all together… awakening may or may not bring about a deeper union with God, for union with God is effected through love and surrender and not simply through increased consciousness or awareness. The awakening experience can help one to bring greater energies into the service of love, but free will continues, and with it the possibility of misusing the considerable powers released for selfish motives.”

It is true that Christians must be discerning when dealing with concepts that were birthed through another culture and worldview. However, we should not be too quick to dismiss the wisdom found in these teachings and be careful not to “throw the baby out with the bathwater”. (For more, read my previous blog, Christianity & Chakras: Separating the Baby from the Bathwater.)

The Truth About Chakras and Christianity (What You Could Miss Out On)

In the article entitled, What is a chakra? A popular Christian website admits that there may be health benefits to utilizing energy and chakras. While this article confirms that chakra healing does work, the author urges readers to abstain from utilizing these energy models of medicine due to any negative spiritual overtones that may be connected to them. 

This kind of fearful thinking may be causing Christians to miss out on viable and effective healing modalities and preventing Christ-followers from experiencing their God-given capacity for optimal health because of their disbelief or distrust of the chakras.

As Christians, we believe that healing comes from the power of God and that true healing is meant to bring glory to God.

In our search to find out if chakra healing works, Christians must look at energy and chakras through a Christian lens. As we explore the truth about chakras from a Christian perspective, we might just find a system of health that helps us to experience healing in new and powerful ways. (read more in my blog The Healing Power of God: A Journey Through the Chakras with Christ)

Does Chakra Healing Work? Energy and Chakra Healing From a Christian Perspective

As we seek to approach energy & chakras with a Christian perspective, we need to take a redemptive stance, and this will call for learning and discernment.

The energetic model of medicine according to the yogic tradition utilized the chakras as focal points for meditation in order to invite “Divine” energies into the body. 

While Christians are free to learn about the chakras and energy model of medicine, they need to be crystal clear about which “Divine” energies they are calling upon for healing! As followers of Christ, we believe in Jehovah Rophe, the God who heals. When working with energies in the chakras, Christians would call upon the healing energy of God: Father, Son, and Holy Spirit.

As we learn to journey through the chakras with Christ, we might be able to experience healing in new and powerful ways. 

Are Your Chakras Imbalanced? Learn More Through My Free Resources

Chakras can be understood as an internal map for growth on all levels – physical, mental-emotional, relational, and spiritual. To learn more about chakras for beginners, check out my free Energy and Chakras toolkit, along with my other free resources here.