How to Balance Your Chakras: 10 Practices From Yoga, Breath and Sound

Chakra balancing is the practice of bringing the seven main chakras, the energy centres described in yoga and tantric traditions, into a steady, harmonious state. In modern wellness practice, people balance their chakras with yoga, breathwork, meditation, chanting, sound, energy work, crystals and reflection, often choosing practices that match whichever chakra feels most in need of attention.

Chakra series · Themes: balance, yoga, breath, sound, meditation and everyday wellbeing

Last updated: 5 November 2026

Written by Saj Ali

Reading time: about 16 minutes

How we wrote this guide: this guide was written by Saj Ali. It describes how the chakras are understood in yoga and tantric traditions and in modern wellness practice around the world, and every research claim links to its source.

How to balance your chakras: quick answer

• Start with the whole system. A chakra meditation that moves from the root to the crown is the simplest all-in-one practice.
• Use your body. Yoga, breathwork and walking in nature are the foundations most teachers recommend.
• Use sound. Chanting the seed sounds LAM, VAM, RAM, YAM, HAM, OM and silence, or listening to singing bowls.
• Focus where you need it. Notice which chakra’s themes feel most relevant and choose practices for that one.
• Keep it regular. Ten minutes a day tends to help more than a long session now and then.

Contents

1. What Does It Mean to Balance Your Chakras?
2. Which Chakra Needs Attention?
3. 10 Practices to Balance Your Chakras
   • 1. Chakra meditation
   • 2. A yoga flow through the chakras
   • 3. Breathwork
   • 4. Chanting the seed sounds
   • 5. Sound healing and singing bowls
   • 6. Reiki and energy work
   • 7. Chakra stones
   • 8. Time in nature
   • 9. Journaling
   • 10. Colour visualisation and affirmations
4. A 10-Minute Daily Chakra Balancing Routine
5. A Week of Chakra Balancing
6. Tips for Chakra Balancing
7. What the Research Says About Chakra Practices
8. Frequently Asked Questions
9. Key Takeaways
10. Explore More on Self Help Supermarket
11. Sources

Chakra series: The 7 Chakras Explained · Chakra Meditation · Chakra Stones and Crystals · Root Chakra (Muladhara) · Sacral Chakra (Svadhisthana) · Solar Plexus Chakra (Manipura) · Heart Chakra (Anahata) · Throat Chakra (Vishuddha) · Third Eye Chakra (Ajna) · Crown Chakra (Sahasrara) · Chakra Healing guide

What Does It Mean to Balance Your Chakras?

In the yoga and tantric traditions of India, the chakras are described as energy centres along the central channel of the subtle body, usually six along the spine with a seventh above the head (Encyclopaedia Britannica, chakra). The classic description, translated into English in 1919 by Sir John Woodroffe as The Serpent Power (Avalon, The Serpent Power, 1919), pictures each chakra as a lotus with its own colour, element and seed sound.

In modern wellness practice, each chakra is also linked with an area of life, from safety and grounding at the root to peace and connection at the crown. Chakra teachers describe a chakra as balanced when its qualities feel steady and natural, and as under-active or over-active when they feel blocked or too strong. Balancing the chakras means using simple practices to bring all seven back into harmony.

These descriptions are best read as reflective prompts rather than diagnoses: a helpful way to check in with how you feel. For a full introduction, see The 7 Chakras Explained and our Chakra Healing guide.

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Which Chakra Needs Attention?

A good first step is to notice which chakra’s themes feel most relevant to you right now. This chart summarises how each chakra is commonly described, with a few practices that suit it:

Most people find that one or two chakras stand out. You can focus on those, or simply work through all seven with the practices below.

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10 Practices to Balance Your Chakras

These are the ten practices people use most often. You do not need all of them: pick two or three that appeal and do them regularly.

1. Chakra meditation

A chakra meditation moves your attention slowly up the body, from the base of the spine to the crown, picturing each chakra’s colour in turn. It is the simplest way to work with all seven at once, and five to fifteen minutes is plenty. Our Chakra Meditation guide has a full step-by-step practice. Meditation was the most popular of seven complementary practices tracked among US adults in 2022 (NCCIH, National Institutes of Health, 2022).

2. A yoga flow through the chakras

Yoga poses are often grouped by chakra: Mountain and Warrior poses for the root, hip openers for the sacral, Boat and twists for the solar plexus, Cobra and Camel for the heart, Fish for the throat, Child’s pose for the third eye and Corpse pose for the crown. Moving through one pose for each chakra makes a lovely balancing sequence.

NIH notes that research suggests yoga may help relieve stress and support mental and emotional health, sleep and balance (NCCIH, National Institutes of Health, 2023). Our Yoga guide covers styles and how to begin.

3. Breathwork

Slow, steady breathing is at the heart of most chakra practices. Try breathing in for four and out for six, picturing the breath travelling up the spine from root to crown. Alternate nostril breathing (nadi shodhana) is a classic yogic practice for balance. Slow breathing of under ten breaths a minute has been linked with calmer, more relaxed and more alert states (Zaccaro et al., 2018). See our Breathwork guide for more techniques.

4. Chanting the seed sounds

Each chakra has a seed sound, or bija mantra: LAM (root), VAM (sacral), RAM (solar plexus), YAM (heart), HAM (throat), OM (third eye) and OM or silence (crown). Chanting each one for a few breaths, rising up the body, is a traditional balancing practice. A small study of OM chanting found it was linked with quieter activity in emotion-related brain areas (Kalyani et al., 2011).

5. Sound healing and singing bowls

Singing bowls, tuning forks and gongs are popular tools for chakra balancing, and some bowl sets are tuned to a note for each chakra. You can play a bowl yourself or join a sound bath. In an observational study, a singing bowl sound meditation was followed by lower tension and fatigue and a greater sense of wellbeing (Goldsby et al., 2017). Our Sound Healing guide explains how to begin.

6. Reiki and energy work

Reiki is a Japanese practice in which a practitioner places their hands lightly on or just above the body. Many Reiki sessions move through the chakras, and many people describe them as deeply relaxing. You can book a session with a practitioner or learn self-Reiki. Our Reiki guide explains what to expect.

7. Chakra stones

Crystals matched to each chakra by colour, from red jasper at the root to clear quartz at the crown, are a tangible focus for meditation. A seven-stone layout, with one stone on each chakra while you lie and breathe, is a popular balancing ritual. Our guide to chakra stones has a full chart, and our Crystal Healing guide covers crystals more widely.

8. Time in nature

Walking barefoot on grass grounds the root, water nourishes the sacral, sunlight warms the solar plexus, fresh air opens the heart and a big sky lifts the crown. Time in natural settings has been linked with less repetitive negative thinking (Bratman et al., 2015).

9. Journaling

Writing is a simple way to notice which chakra themes are present in your life. Try one prompt for each chakra, such as “Where do I feel most safe?” for the root or “What do I want to say?” for the throat. Writing about thoughts and feelings has been linked with benefits for emotional and physical health (Baikie and Wilhelm, 2005).

10. Colour visualisation and affirmations

Picturing each chakra’s colour glowing brighter is a gentle practice you can do anywhere. Many people pair it with an affirmation for each chakra, such as “I am safe” (root), “I create freely” (sacral), “I am confident” (solar plexus), “I love and am loved” (heart), “I speak my truth” (throat), “I trust my intuition” (third eye) and “I am at peace” (crown).

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A 10-Minute Daily Chakra Balancing Routine

Here is a simple routine that moves through all seven chakras in about ten minutes:

1. Ground. Sit or stand tall and feel your feet on the floor. Take three slow breaths into the belly.
2. Move. Flow gently through a few poses: a forward fold, hip circles, a twist, a chest opener and a neck roll.
3. Breathe up the spine. Breathe in for four and out for six, picturing the breath rising from the base of the spine to the crown.
4. Chant the seed sounds. Chant LAM, VAM, RAM, YAM, HAM and OM, three times each, feeling each sound at its chakra.
5. See the colours. Picture red, orange, yellow, green, blue, indigo and violet, one after another, rising up the body.
6. Rest in silence. Sit quietly for one or two minutes, simply noticing how you feel.
7. Close with intention. Notice which chakra felt most in need of attention and choose one small action for it today.

Doing this a few times a week is often more helpful than a long session now and then. Plans of the form “When I finish my morning coffee, I will do my chakra routine” help people follow through on new habits (Gollwitzer, 1999).

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A Week of Chakra Balancing

Another approach is to focus on one chakra each day. Here is a simple weekly plan:

This plan works well alongside the daily routine above, or on its own as a light, ten-minute habit.

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Tips for Chakra Balancing

• Start at the root. Many teachers suggest beginning with grounding before moving up, so that openness stays steady.
• Keep it short and regular. Ten minutes most days is plenty.
• Follow your interest. If you love music, start with sound; if you love movement, start with yoga.
• Notice, do not judge. Treat imbalance descriptions as gentle prompts rather than labels.
• Pair practice with life. Many people find chakra work most helpful alongside practical steps such as good sleep, movement and time with people they love. Our guide to inner peace and spiritual growth has more ideas.

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What the Research Says About Chakra Practices

Chakras belong to a spiritual and yogic framework, so research does not measure chakra balancing directly. What researchers have studied are the practices people use to work with the chakras: yoga, meditation, slow breathing, chanting, loving-kindness, time in nature and reflective writing. These practices have encouraging research behind them.

In other words, the practices people use to balance their chakras draw on the same building blocks as well-studied wellbeing habits: movement, meditation, slow breathing, sound, time outdoors and reflective writing. Many people find that is where much of their value lies.

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Frequently Asked Questions

How do I balance my chakras?

Popular practices include chakra meditation, yoga, breathwork, chanting the seed sounds, singing bowls, Reiki, chakra stones, time in nature, journaling and colour visualisation. Ten minutes most days tends to help more than a long session now and then.

How do I know which chakra is blocked?

Notice which chakra’s themes feel most relevant: safety (root), creativity (sacral), confidence (solar plexus), love (heart), communication (throat), intuition (third eye) or connection (crown). These are reflective prompts rather than a diagnosis.

How long does it take to balance chakras?

There is no fixed timeline. Many people say they feel calmer after a single session, and that regular practice over a few weeks feels most helpful.

Which chakra should I balance first?

Many teachers suggest starting with the root chakra, because grounding is seen as the foundation for the rest. You can also start with whichever chakra feels most in need of attention.

Can I balance my chakras myself?

Yes. Meditation, yoga, breathwork, chanting, journaling and time in nature can all be done on your own. Some people also enjoy sessions with a Reiki practitioner or sound healer.

What are the chakra seed sounds?

LAM (root), VAM (sacral), RAM (solar plexus), YAM (heart), HAM (throat), OM (third eye) and OM or silence (crown).

Does yoga balance the chakras?

Yoga is one of the most popular chakra practices, and poses are often grouped by chakra. NIH notes that research suggests yoga may help relieve stress and support mental and emotional health.

Can crystals balance chakras?

Many people use chakra stones as a focus for meditation and as daily reminders of each chakra’s qualities. See our guide to chakra stones for a full chart.

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Key Takeaways

• Chakra balancing means bringing the seven chakras into a steady, harmonious state using simple practices.
• Start by noticing which chakra’s themes feel most relevant, and treat descriptions of imbalance as prompts rather than labels.
• The ten most popular practices are meditation, yoga, breathwork, seed sounds, sound healing, Reiki, stones, nature, journaling and visualisation.
• A ten-minute routine moving from root to crown is an easy daily habit.
• These practices draw on habits with encouraging research behind them, such as yoga, meditation, slow breathing and time in nature.

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Explore More on Self Help Supermarket

Use these guides alongside this one:

• Chakra Healing: The Complete Guide – how chakra healing works and how to get started
• Chakra Healing hub – videos, books, apps and resources we have checked
• The 7 Chakras Explained – the full chart
• Chakra Meditation – a step-by-step practice
• Chakra Stones and Crystals – which stone goes with each chakra
• Root Chakra (Muladhara) – grounding and safety
• Sacral Chakra (Svadhisthana) – creativity and emotional flow
• Solar Plexus Chakra (Manipura) – confidence and personal power
• Heart Chakra (Anahata) – love and compassion
• Throat Chakra (Vishuddha) – communication and self-expression
• Third Eye Chakra (Ajna) – intuition and insight
• Crown Chakra (Sahasrara) – awareness and inner peace
• Yoga – styles, poses and how to begin
• Breathwork – breathing techniques for calm and focus
• Sound Healing – singing bowls, chanting and sound baths
• Reiki – what a session involves
• Browse all self-help techniques – compare every method on Self Help Supermarket.

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Sources

1. The Editors of Encyclopaedia Britannica. Chakra. Encyclopaedia Britannica. https://www.britannica.com/topic/chakra
2. Avalon, A. (Woodroffe, J.) (1919). The Serpent Power, including a translation of the Ṣaṭ-cakra-nirūpaṇa. London: Luzac and Co. Internet Archive. https://archive.org/details/TheSerpentPowerByArthurAvalon
3. National Center for Complementary and Integrative Health (NCCIH), National Institutes of Health. (2022). Meditation and Mindfulness: Effectiveness and Safety. https://www.nccih.nih.gov/health/meditation-and-mindfulness-effectiveness-and-safety
4. National Center for Complementary and Integrative Health (NCCIH), National Institutes of Health. (2023). Yoga: Effectiveness and Safety. https://www.nccih.nih.gov/health/yoga-effectiveness-and-safety
5. Zaccaro, A., Piarulli, A., Laurino, M., Garbella, E., Menicucci, D., Neri, B., and Gemignani, A. (2018). How breath-control can change your life: A systematic review on psycho-physiological correlates of slow breathing. Frontiers in Human Neuroscience, 12, 353. https://doi.org/10.3389/fnhum.2018.00353
6. Kalyani, B. G., Venkatasubramanian, G., Arasappa, R., Rao, N. P., Kalmady, S. V., Behere, R. V., Rao, H., Vasudev, M. K., and Gangadhar, B. N. (2011). Neurohemodynamic correlates of OM chanting: A pilot functional magnetic resonance imaging study. International Journal of Yoga, 4(1), 3–6. https://doi.org/10.4103/0973-6131.78171
7. Goldsby, T. L., Goldsby, M. E., McWalters, M., and Mills, P. J. (2017). Effects of singing bowl sound meditation on mood, tension, and well-being: An observational study. Journal of Evidence-Based Complementary and Alternative Medicine, 22(3), 401–406. https://doi.org/10.1177/2156587216668109
8. Bratman, G. N., Hamilton, J. P., Hahn, K. S., Daily, G. C., and Gross, J. J. (2015). Nature experience reduces rumination and subgenual prefrontal cortex activation. Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences, 112(28), 8567–8572. https://doi.org/10.1073/pnas.1510459112
9. Baikie, K. A., & Wilhelm, K. (2005). Emotional and physical health benefits of expressive writing. Advances in Psychiatric Treatment, 11(5), 338–346. https://doi.org/10.1192/apt.11.5.338
10. Gollwitzer, P. M. (1999). Implementation intentions: Strong effects of simple plans. American Psychologist, 54(7), 493–503. https://doi.org/10.1037/0003-066X.54.7.493

Self Help Supermarket guides are for general information and are not a substitute for professional medical or psychological advice.