“Caring for myself is not self indulgence, it is self preservation and that is an act of political warfare.”
~ Audre Lorde
Self care can be an often neglected, yet important aspect of our spiritual lives. Caring for ourselves is a way for us to tend to ourselves, to give a little love where we need it. By reflecting on where our mind, body and soul needs to be nurtured, we can heal these parts of ourselves in order to bring more of our gifts out into our families, our work, the world, and our creative lives. A little ritual can go along with our self love quite nicely.
Identify Imbalances Using the Chakra Points
For this exercise we will use the chakra points as a way to identify imbalances on the physical, emotional, spiritual levels. Chakras are energy points in the subtle body. Here is a quick reference chart for those of you who may be unfamiliar:
Crown Chakra: located above the top of head
- Dis-ease: dullness and ego imbalances
- Balance: clarity, spiritual cosmic energy
- Colors: violet/white
- Stones: clear quartz
Third Eye Chakra: located at the center of eyebrows
- Dis-ease: closed minded, cynical, mistrust
- Balance: intuition, wisdom
- Color: violet
- Stones: amethyst, lapis lazuli
Throat Chakra: located in the throat
- Dis-ease: can’t find your voice, not listening to others, overly talkative, not able to speak up
- Balance: communication, self expression
- Color: blue
- Stones: celestite, blue lace agate
Heart Chakra: located in center of chest
- Dis-ease: possessive, codependent, isolated
- Balance: inner peace, empathy, love, forgiveness
- Colors: green/pink
- Stones: rose quartz, pink or green calcite
Solar Plexus Chakra: located below the rib cage
- Dis-ease: lacks courage, low self esteem
- Balance: personally empowered, self esteem, inner power
- Colors: yellow/orange
- Stones: citrine, amber
Sacral Chakra: located below the navel
- Dis-ease: unstable, guilt, hard on self
- Balance: creativity, pleasure, sexuality, sensuality
- Colors: orange/red
- Stones: tigers eye, Carmella
Root Chakra: located at the base of the spine
- Dis-ease: needy, self destruction
- Balance: foundation, survival, grounded, belonging
- Colors: red/black
- Stones: red jasper, black/ mahogany obsidian, smoky quartz, black tourmaline
Start with a few deep breaths and focus in on the areas of your body that are feeling discomfort. Then move on to your emotional imbalances and identify where they are within the chakras and energy points. Are you quick to anger? Are you having trouble voicing your boundaries or opinions? Do you feel dull and powerless? What needs to be nurtured with in you? Once you have determined what needs more attention, arrange an altar full of things you might associate with the energies you would like to bring forth.
I decided to work with the heart chakra. I arranged an altar full of rose quartz, green crystals, pink fabrics and candles. I associate deer medicine with the heart center, so I placed a deer candle holder and a found antler shed on my altar, alongside some dried roses.
Introduce This Tarot Spread to Your Chakra Meditation
Sit at your altar and shuffle your deck while you hold your healing color in your mind’s eye. Imagine it swirling forth from the chakra you are working with.
- Pull a significator card that represents you in this moment of imbalance.
- Pull another card and hold it to the energy point on your body and ask out loud: what needs to be healed? Lay the card down in its place in the spread.
- Pull another card and again hold it to the chakra that is in need of healing and ask how do I heal it? Lay the card down.
- Pull the last card bringing it again to the chakra point, then lay it down over your significator card. This represents yourself in balance and harmony after the healing takes place.
Tips for Finding Balance
These three reminders can help you focus on your needs as you work on bringing yourself into more balance:
- Wear the colors of that chakra you have done this practice with to remind yourself to heal what is in pain, emotionally or physically.
- Carry stones to aid you with what you are feeling. (My favorite book on crystal healing is Love is in the Earth- a Kaleidoscope of Crystals.)
- You can even place any empowering cards that came up in your spread on your altar or where you can see them in these days of practicing more self love.
If you choose to take this even further, you can find many different ways to practice self care that is intentionally aligned with the chakras. Below are just a few fun suggestions!
Crown: Pick some flowers, leaves, evergreen boughs whatever is around you and weave a crown for yourself
Third eye: You up for a face mask? Before applying your mask, tap your third eye while visualizing violet beams radiating outward
Throat: Practice singing medicine songs or speaking out loud positive affirmations
Heart: Take a bath with rose quartz and rose petals
Solar plexus: Dance intuitively to spark confidence and body positivity
Sacral: Put your hands on this chakra and meditate on what needs to be created
Root: Go outside and lay on the earth or start compiling your family tree
Take care of yourself! You are so worth it! Leave a note in the comments on how you intend to integrate Tarot into your chakra balancing self care!
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