12-Step Journey Through The Chakras

This meditation will take you on an inner journey through your chakras using breath, visualization, and mantra. It will relate the chakras to the phases of development on the 12-Step path. The chakra system is a network of energy that runs throughout the body. The 7 main chakras run along the spine from the tailbone up to the top of the head. This is the focus of this meditation.

Transcript

My name is Sadie and I'm a yogi in recovery.

The chakra system is the network of energy that runs throughout the body.

The seven main chakras run along the spine from the tailbone up to the top of the head.

This is where we'll focus today.

Each chakra is related to an element and each responds to vibrational frequencies emitted by our thoughts,

Emotions,

Movements,

The food we eat,

The air we breathe,

And what surrounds us like sounds,

Sense,

Light,

Colors,

Etc.

These energy centers are woven into our emotional,

Physical,

And spiritual states.

This meditation will take you on an inner journey through your chakras using breath,

Visualization,

And mantra.

I will also relate the chakras to the phases of development on the 12-step path.

So please find a comfortable seat with your feet touching the earth and close your eyes.

Take a few conscious breath cycles to center yourself into the present moment.

Inhale through your nose and exhale out your mouth,

Letting go of any stale energy.

If your attention wanders to thought,

Habit,

Or distraction,

Just keep coming back to the breath.

Now drop your awareness down to the base of your spine.

This is the root chakra and the color is red.

Realize a glowing red orb of light at the base of your spine,

Your tailbone.

As you take a deep breath in,

See the red light expand.

As you exhale,

See the red light draw back in.

The root chakra is related to the earth element and centers around trust and safety.

In steps one and two,

We plant our roots in the program and begin building trust with our fellows.

We come to believe that we can be restored to sanity and many of us use the group as our higher power to start.

The safety and security from the fellowship can be an anchor,

Something to keep you grounded.

Imagine roots growing from the bottom of your feet.

On your inhale,

Send them down into the earth.

Inhale and feel your body sink firmly into your seat.

With your awareness resting at your root chakra,

Repeat after me.

I am safe.

I am strong.

I am.

Now gently move your awareness to your low belly just below your belly button.

This is the sacral chakra and the color is orange.

Visualize a glowing orange orb of light just below your belly button.

Take a deep breath into it and see the light expand.

As you exhale,

See it draw back in.

This energy center relates to the water element and governs creativity.

Building a new relationship with a power greater than yourself is an adventure.

My sponsor had me do a third step project and I do this with all my sponsors.

I chose to paint a coffee mug with my favorite part of the third step prayer,

Relieve me of the bondage of self.

One of my sponsors made a necklace,

One did a painting,

One put together a beautiful altar.

Taking some time to foster your creativity for step three nurtures your sacral chakra.

This chakra is also the seat of emotions.

In early recovery,

Most of us are feeling the full spectrum of emotions for the first time rather than stuffing them or masking them with anger.

With your awareness resting at your sacral chakra,

Repeat after me.

I feel pain.

I feel joy.

I feel.

Now draw your attention to the belly just above your navel.

The solar plexus is the power center of the body and the color is yellow.

Visualize a yellow light like the sun above your belly button.

As you take a deep breath into it,

See it expand and get bigger.

As you exhale,

See it draw in and get smaller.

The element for the solar plexus is fire.

It governs courage,

Confidence,

And the proper use of self will.

Yes,

There is a proper use of self will.

It appears several times throughout 12 step literature.

We need all the courage,

Confidence,

And willpower we can get with the honest self appraisal and character building required for steps four through seven.

The fire of the solar plexus transforms us.

Think of a flame hitting a kettle of water.

The water boils and transforms to steam.

The heat of the flame transforms the water from its heaviest to its lightest form.

The same process is happening within us during this phase of our development.

We're turning from heavy to light.

With your awareness resting at your solar plexus,

Repeat after me.

I do what's easy.

I do what's hard.

I do.

Now move your awareness up to the center of your chest to the heart chakra.

The color is green.

Visualize a green light at the center of your chest.

Breathe in and see it expand.

Breathe out and see it draw back in.

The heart chakra's element is air.

This chakra is responsible for love and healing.

After coming to an understanding of our maladjustments and their effects in the previous steps,

We arrive to the amends process.

Forgiveness is a heart-centered act.

It's crucial to offer ourselves forgiveness as well as others.

We need not hold ourselves hostage with the mistakes we made.

We are not saints.

We're learning how to love ourselves.

We can see that the relationship we have with ourselves is echoed in how we relate to others.

With your awareness resting at your heart,

Repeat after me.

I love you.

I love me.

I love.

Now to the throat chakra at the base of the throat just between the collarbones.

The color is turquoise.

Visualize a turquoise light at the base of your throat.

As you take a deep breath in,

See it expand,

Exhale,

And see it contract.

The element here is ether or sound.

This chakra governs expression and communication,

Which often requires the use of our voice.

Think of this in terms of when we were wrong,

Promptly admitted it from step 10.

Having now experienced some level of forgiveness toward our misgivings,

We learn how to communicate more wisely.

We start to see that our voice matters.

There may have been times that our voice was deemed unimportant,

But that's no longer the truth.

We are learning how to use our voice.

With your awareness resting at your throat,

Repeat after me.

I speak kindly.

I speak wisely.

I speak.

Now move your attention to the space between your eyebrows,

The third eye or brow chakra.

The color is indigo,

A deep,

Rich blue.

Visualize this blue light between your eyebrows.

As you take a deep breath into it,

See it expand,

Exhale to watch it contract.

The element is light.

The third eye is our wisdom and intuition.

It is what we refer to as our sixth sense.

This chakra is about letting go of our ego.

Sought through prayer and meditation to improve our conscious contact with God as we understood God.

When we're able to clear away the mental clutter,

We can connect to our inner wisdom and intuition more easily.

We are able to see the truth of things.

With your awareness resting at your third eye,

Repeat after me.

I see you.

I see me.

I see.

The seventh and final chakra is located at the top of the head,

The crown chakra.

The color is violet.

Visualize a violet light floating above your head.

As you take a deep breath into it,

See it expand and exhale to watch it contract.

The element of the crown chakra is consciousness or thought.

Of all of the chakras,

The crown is located closest to the heavens or cosmos,

However you want to say it.

It's all about divine connection.

Having had a spiritual awakening as the result of these steps.

The connection we make with our fellows and our higher power through the 12 step process of recovery teaches us that we no longer need to live in isolation with those things that troubled us.

We have a new design for living together.

With your awareness resting at your crown,

Repeat after me.

I understand I'm not alone.

I understand I belong.

I understand.

Wherever you're at in your breath cycle,

Exhale completely.

And as you inhale,

Fill your whole body with breath starting at the base of your spine and all the way up to the crown of your head.

Exhale out your mouth.

Again,

Take a deep breath starting at the base,

Your root chakra,

Up to the sacral,

Solar plexus,

Heart,

Throat,

Third eye,

Crown,

And exhale out your mouth.

One more time,

Just like that.

Start to gently wiggle your fingers and your toes.

Move your head from side to side.

As you feel ready,

Slowly blink your eyes back to open.

May your thoughts be peaceful,

Words be kind,

Especially towards yourself,

And may your heart be full of joy.

Namaste.

Reviews

This 1 is a favorite. It applies to everyone not just in recovery. ODAAT

THAT was not what I expected, but it was much better! I will be coming back to this. Thank-you.

Hi my Yoki in recovery. This was awesome! Thank you.

This is the practice of freedom. It is the twelve steps living in your body. It is liberty and confidence. Thank you, thank you!

Beautiful and I am so happy to hear from you thank you for sharing your experience with me xx

That was fantastic thankyou, it made me cry happy tears :)

Wonderful connection of chakras and steps! Thank you!

No words to express how grateful I am for this blend of the steps and sobriety! Just what I needed! I have been so out of alignment and trying to do meditations for chakras and hasn’t worked, but also trying to go to meetings to talk about what’s going on but most people just say “pray about it and talk with your network”. Nobody is usually into both and I’m afraid to say something to my sponsor because she’s very religious. I know I shouldn’t. But thank you for helping explain it in a way that makes sense so that I might be able to explain it to her.

Sadie that was beautiful Before I began this meditation, I wrote the words "relieve me of the bondage of self". This was what I truly needed today. I shall go back to this often. Thank you. Namaste 🙏💕

Really amazing combination of chakras and the Steps 🙏🫶💕

I loved the affirmations wassociated with each Chakra. I'll listen again and write them down. Thank you.

I just love your way of putting the meditations with the 12 steps!!!! Amazing meditation 🧘‍♀️ thank you so much 💗

Absolutely beautiful and so what my heart needed! It also motivated me to go back to my 12 Steps after being off course. Thank you!

Excellent blend of 12 Step concepts and chakra balance. Thanks

First time exploring the chakras . I really enjoyed this meditation.

This is an amazing meditation/tool I wish I'd found early on. I will be using regularly from now on as part of my personal maintenance. Thank you so much for this wonderful method. 😊🙏💕

I’m new to shakras but know the steps. Very nice connection between them.😊 I’ll listen again. Namaste 🙏

Powerful, serene. Steps + chakras so artfully woven together - one of my new favorites. Thank you!

Thank you So Much Sadie! Love the intertwining of the 12 Steps and Chakras! ❤️🦋 AMazing Concept, Much Love and Peace to You 🌞🕉️

Thank you! I listened to this for the first time while getting ready for work. I can't wait to listen again while seated. Thank you!