How to Balance Your Chakras with Reiki

Discover practical techniques to restore your energy centres and find deep calm through the traditional practice of Reiki

I’ve always been fascinated by the way our bodies hold energy. My first experience of natural health started when I was just six years old, sitting in my naturopath’s clinic while she and my mum talked about herbs and healing. That early spark eventually grew into a lifelong passion - but not without some twists along the way.

In my teens and early twenties, I looked for escape in late nights and alcohol, numbing my sensitivities rather than embracing them. It wasn’t until my health began to crumble in my late 20’s after having my first daughter and experiencing stress, fatigue, and depression, that I returned to my love of natural healing. Over the past 15+ years, I’ve trained as a massage therapist, Reiki Master, meditation teacher, BodyMind Method™ coach, trauma-informed coach, aura healing practitioner, and complementary medicine practitioner- and am continuing my love of learning by training in clinical herbalism.

When I experienced my Reiki 1 attunement many years ago, I was immediately opened to the incredible world of energy that I had known, deep down, was always there. Reiki became a turning point in my own healing and the way I support others.

Like many of my clients - busy women juggling work, motherhood, caring responsibilities and the invisible mental load - I know what it feels like to be stuck in overwhelm. In this article, I’ll share what chakras are, how Reiki can help bring them into balance, and practical steps you can use - whether you’ve been attuned to Reiki or not - to restore calm, clarity, and vitality.

Understanding Chakras: The Foundation

What are chakras?
Chakras are energy centres in the body that help regulate our physical, emotional, mental, and spiritual well-being. When energy flows freely through them, we feel balanced, vibrant, and clear. When they’re blocked or overactive, we can feel tired, anxious, disconnected, or “off” without knowing why.

The 7 main chakras and their balanced state/energies

1. Root (Muladhara) – Stability, security, grounding.
2. Sacral (Svadhisthana) – Creativity, pleasure, emotional flow.
3. Solar Plexus (Manipura) – Confidence, drive, self-esteem.
4. Heart (Anahata) – Love, compassion, peace.
5. Throat (Vishuddha) – Communication, truth, self-expression.
6. Third Eye (Ajna) – Intuition, clarity, balance.
7. Crown (Sahasrara) – Spiritual connection, higher consciousness, wisdom.

Signs of imbalanced chakras might include:

• Feeling anxious or ungrounded (Root)
• Creative blocks or emotional numbness (Sacral)
• Low self-worth or indecision (Solar Plexus)
• Resentment or difficulty giving/receiving love (Heart)
• Struggling to speak up (Throat)
• Lack of focus or overthinking (Third Eye)
• Feeling disconnected from purpose (Crown)

After 15 years of working with people, I’ve noticed that stress and overwhelm - especially the chronic kind many women live with - almost always show up as chakra imbalances. Reiki is one of the most gentle and effective ways to address them. 

Reiki: Your Gentle Energy Healing Tool

What is Reiki?

Reiki is a Japanese energy healing technique that channels universal life force energy through the practitioner’s hands to support the body’s natural healing ability. It works on physical, emotional, mental, and spiritual levels.

How Reiki works with chakras

Reiki energy naturally flows where it’s needed most, helping to clear blocks, replenish depleted areas, and restore harmony to the chakra system.

Why it’s perfect for busy, overwhelmed women

Reiki requires no special equipment, no intense effort, and can be done in stillness - making it a perfect self-care tool for those who feel too exhausted to “add another thing” to their routine.

Safety and gentleness

Reiki is safe, non-invasive, and deeply relaxing. You remain fully clothed, and the energy adapts to what your body and mind can handle.

Note: Self-Reiki requires Level 1 attunement from a qualified teacher. If you haven’t been attuned yet, I’ll also share alternative chakra-balancing techniques you can start using today.

The Complete Chakra-Reiki Balancing Method

Here’s how you can work through each chakra using Reiki (for those attuned) and alternatives (for those not attuned).

1. Root Chakra (Muladhara)

• Signs of imbalance/physical conditions: Anxiety, financial stress, feeling ungrounded. Energetically connected with the colon, kidneys and adrenal glands.
• Reiki hand position: Place hands gently over the lower abdomen/pelvis area.
• Alternative: Stand barefoot on grass or earth, focusing on the sensation under your feet.
• Affirmation: “I am safe, grounded, and supported.
• Personal tip: Visualise roots growing from your feet deep into the earth.

2. Sacral Chakra (Svadhisthana)

• Signs/physical conditions: Creative block, low libido, emotional flatness. Energetically connected with the bladder, prostate, ovaries, kidneys, gallbladder, bowel, spleen and reproductive organs.
• Reiki: Hands just below the navel.
• Alternative: Gentle hip circles or flowing dance movements.
• Affirmation: “I embrace pleasure, creativity, and flow.”
• Tip: Place a warm heat pack on your lower belly while visualising orange light.

3. Solar Plexus (Manipura)

• Signs/physical conditions: Low self-esteem, indecision, lack of motivation. Energetically connected with the intestines, pancreas, liver, bladder, stomach and islets of Langerhans (in pancreas).
• Reiki: Hands over the upper abdomen/stomach area.
• Alternative: Breath of fire or core-strengthening yoga.
• Affirmation: “I stand in my personal power.”
• Tip: Picture a glowing yellow sun radiating from your centre.

4. Heart Chakra (Anahata)

• Signs/physical conditions: Resentment, difficulty giving/receiving love. Energetically connected with the heart, lungs and thymus gland.
• Reiki: Hands over the centre of the chest.
• Alternative: Gratitude journaling or hugging a loved one.
• Affirmation: “I give and receive love freely.”
• Tip: Imagine breathing green light into your heart space.

5. Throat Chakra (Vishuddha)

• Signs/physical conditions: Trouble expressing yourself, sore throats. Energetically connected with the bronchial tube, vocal cords, respiratory system, mouth, thyroid and parathyroid.
• Reiki: Hands over the throat (without pressure).
• Alternative: Humming or singing to open vocal vibration.
• Affirmation: “My voice matters, and I speak my truth.”
• Tip: Drink warm herbal teas to soothe and nourish the throat.

6. Third Eye Chakra (Ajna)

• Signs/physical conditions: Overthinking, lack of clarity, poor intuition. Energetically connected with the eyes, ears, brain and endocrine system.
• Reiki: Hands over the forehead between the eyebrows.
• Alternative: Meditation with eyes gently closed, focusing on the space between brows.
• Affirmation: “I trust my inner wisdom.”
• Tip: Limit screen time to reduce overstimulation.

7. Crown Chakra (Sahasrara)

• Signs/physical conditions: Disconnection from meaning or purpose. Energetically connected with the spinal cord, brain stem, pineal and pituitary glands.
• Reiki: Hands resting lightly at the top of the head.
• Alternative: Silent meditation or prayer.
• Affirmation: “I am connected to something greater than myself.”
• Tip: Spend time in nature to feel that connection.

Creating Your Personal Practice

Space: Your Reiki or chakra-balancing space doesn’t need to look like a Pinterest-perfect altar - it simply needs to feel safe, quiet, and inviting to you. This could be a cosy corner of your bedroom, a chair by a sunny window, or a blanket spread out on the floor or outside on the lawn. Add elements that help you relax: a candle, a favourite crystal, soft music, or even a plant to bring in natural energy.

Best times: The ideal time is when you can be fully present. Mornings are beautiful for setting the tone for your day, creating a sense of grounding before the chaos begins. Evenings work well to release the day’s stress and prepare for restful sleep. Some clients even take five minutes during a lunch break to recharge before the afternoon rush.

Frequency: Consistency matters more than duration. A few minutes of focused practice each day can be more transformative than one long session once a week. Think of it like watering a plant- small, regular care keeps it thriving.

Combine: Reiki and chakra balancing can be enriched by layering other tools. You might journal after a session to capture insights, meditate beforehand to quiet the mind, or incorporate BodyMind coaching practices to explore the emotions that arise. These combinations help integrate healing into your daily life, not just your “self-care” time.

Sustainability: One of the biggest barriers to self-care is the belief that it has to be elaborate. Instead, think of your chakra-balancing time as a “non-negotiable micro-moment” - something that’s short enough to always fit in, no matter how busy you are. Even two minutes of intentional breathing with your hands resting over your heart can shift your energy.

What to Expect: The Healing Journey

Immediate: Many people experience deep relaxation during Reiki, whether it is in-person or distant - a gentle melting away of tension, a sense of being held, and sometimes sensations like warmth, tingling, or waves of energy moving through the body. Emotional release is also common; you might feel a sudden lightness, tears, or a smile you didn’t expect.

Short-term: In the days and weeks after starting a regular practice, clients often notice improved sleep, a lighter mood, and more patience in situations that used to trigger stress. Physical tension can reduce, and decision-making becomes easier because the mind feels clearer.

Long-term: Over months, the benefits deepen - you may find you bounce back from challenges more easily, trust your intuition more, and feel a consistent flow of energy throughout the day. Many describe a new sense of “coming home” to themselves, feeling aligned in both body and mind.

When to seek support: Reiki is gentle, but it can sometimes stir up emotions or memories as part of the healing process. If you feel weighed down by heavy emotions, have persistent symptoms, or feel “stuck” in your progress, it’s wise to connect with a qualified practitioner who can support and guide you through the next stage.

Real client story: “One client, an ex-nurse and a Mum, came to me feeling like she was living life on autopilot and was burnt out after a gruelling 4 years studying full-time to become a naturopath. She was disconnected from herself, constantly fatigued, and unable to make even small decisions without second-guessing. We integrated regular Reiki into her weekly routine, focusing on grounding and opening her heart space. Within weeks, she reported sleeping through the night for the first time in years. Over several months, her confidence returned, she felt emotionally lighter, and she began making choices that truly reflected her needs and values.”

Advanced Integration Techniques

Breathwork: Breath is one of the quickest ways to connect with and balance your chakras. As you focus on a particular chakra, inhale into that area - imagining you’re drawing in fresh, clear energy - and exhale to release tension, heaviness, or stuck emotions. This conscious breathing can amplify the effects of Reiki.

Crystals: If you’re drawn to crystals, you can place stones associated with each chakra directly on your body during a session. For example, red jasper for the root, carnelian for the sacral, citrine for the solar plexus, rose quartz for the heart, blue kunzite for the throat, amethyst for the third eye, and clear quartz for the crown. The vibration of the crystals can enhance the energetic alignment.

Stress management: Chakra balancing works best when combined with daily nervous system regulation. Simple practices like nature walks, gentle stretching, or mindful pauses throughout your day help keep energy flowing and prevent stress from building up again.

The Energy Evolution™: In my own signature framework, Reiki plays a key role in The Reset phase - the first step in helping women move from overwhelm to clarity. By releasing stored stress and energetic blockages, clients create the space to reconnect with their intuition and realign their lives with what truly matters. Reiki becomes both a starting point and an ongoing tool for living in harmony with your energy.

To conclude, balancing your chakras with Reiki is a gentle yet powerful way to support your overall health -especially if life feels busy, noisy, and overwhelming. Whether you’re attuned to Reiki or starting with simple grounding and visualisation practices, the key is consistency and self-compassion.

If you’d like to experience guided Reiki chakra balancing, I offer one-on-one sessions in-person or online. You can explore these options through my Bodhi Holistic Hub profile.

Your energy is precious - honour it, nurture it, and watch how your life begins to transform.