African spiritual practices were well aware of the existence of our chakras? We can witness this in the manifestation of the concepts of the orisha. Below I listed each chakra and their respective Orisha.
1. Ground Chakra (Root): Represented by the element earth. This chakra represents our survival needs and is blocked by fear. It calls for us to submit to our fears and allow them to guide us instead of enabling us. (
Color: red ) Orisha Ogun: Ogun is the orisha of iron, a powerful tool that was use by our ancestors in their everyday survival. The metaphysical concept of Ogun is survival.
2. Water chakra (Sacral) Represented by the element water this chakra represents pleasure, emotional balance and sexuality. It is blocked by guilt. It calls for us to look into our guilt and the things we blame ourselves for, and learn to release them. This chakra calls for self-acceptance, to accept that things happen for a reason and to learn to practice
self-compassion.
(Color: Oronge). Orisha Mami Wata: The divine mother spirit, whom represents the energy of the waters. The metaphysical concept of Mami wata is abundance, emotional balance and pleasure.
3. Fire chakra (Solar plexus) Represented by the element fire this chakra represents rebirth and is blocked by shame. It calls for us to look into our biggest disappointments and accept them as parts of who you are. We will never find balance in our lives if we don’t learn to accept this part of ourselves.(
Color yellow) Orisha Shango: A divine warrior who has no tolerance for injustice. The metaphysical concept of Shango is power. Power is regain in rebirth when you accept all parts of you.
4. Heart chakra: This chakra represents unconditional love for the self and others. It is blocked by grief, which is a emotional state that we feel whenever we’ve experience a great loss. The heart chakra reminds us that love is an energy, and energy cannot be destroyed.
(Color: green). Orisha Oshun: the goddess of love. The legend has it that one day the males orisha angered Oshun. In her anger Oshun left the earth and took all the sweet waters along with her. With her departure the earth began to deteriorate. Seeing the mistake that they had made the males orisha beg for Oshun’s return. Oshun reminds us of the importance that love plays in our everyday life.
5. Sound chakra : This chakra deals with truth, and is blocked by lies, specifically those that we tell ourselves. This chakra allows us to gather the courage needed to speak our truth and to believe that our story is worth being listened to.
(Color: light blue) . Orisha Oya: Oya is the powerful Orisha of the winds. Oya destroys everything in her passage. It is never comfortable when Oya comes by, but as the orisha of change she assures one thing: as difficult as it may feel, the truth will always set you free.
6. Light chakra: This chakra deals with insight and is blocked by illusion. The biggest illusion in the world is the belief that we are separated from each other, this chakra reminds us of the connective consciousness.
(Color: dark blue) .
Orisha Obatala : Obatala is the orisha of creation, he was given the task of molding human life. Thus thought his metaphysical manifestation we acknowledge that we all come from the same source.
7. Pure cosmic energy This last chakra is a reminder that we are spiritual beings having an earthly experience and is blocked by earthly attachments. This concept allows us to understand the true value of life.
(Color: Purple). Orisha Oledumare: Oledumare isn’t really considered an Orisha, it is the divine consciousness behind all other orishas. It serves as a reminder that spirit drives all actions.
