The Relevance of Chakras to Indian Head Massage

Traditional Indian head massage treatments involve balancing the chakras. There are seven major chakras: the root, sacral, solar plexus, heart, throat, third eye, and crown chakras.

In Indian head massage, we focus on balancing the higher chakras - the throat chakras, the third eye, and the crown chakra.

This post explores the relevance of chakras to Indian head massage and introduces a gentle way to support chakra balance.

Understanding Chakras & Their Relevance to Indian Head Massage

Chakras are part of the body’s subtle energy system, a concept that has been recognised for thousands of years in Eastern healing traditions. While chakras are not physical structures, they are believed to influence our emotional, mental, and physical wellbeing.

Everything we experience — thoughts, emotions, stress, and life events — creates an energetic response within the body. Over time, these energetic patterns can affect how balanced, calm, or tense we feel.

What Are Chakras?

Chakras are non-physical energy centres located within and slightly beyond the physical body, around 2.5 cm from the surface. They exist within the subtle body, sometimes referred to as the aura.

Each chakra has its own energetic field, which extends beyond the visible physical body. It’s important to understand that chakras do not have a physical form. Any illustrations or colours used to represent them are visual aids, helping the mind to focus and imagine the flow of energy rather than depicting a literal physical structure.

Chakras are often associated with the endocrine system, with each chakra thought to influence specific glands, emotions, and physical areas of the body.

How Emotions & Stress Affect the Chakras

Emotions such as fear, anxiety, anger, or prolonged stress can disrupt the natural flow of energy within the chakras. When this happens, the chakras may lose their ability to synchronise with one another, leading to energetic imbalance.

This imbalance may show up as:

• Feeling tense or overwhelmed

• Difficulty relaxing

• Mental fatigue or emotional heaviness

• A general sense of being “out of balance”

Restoring energetic flow helps support the body’s natural ability to relax and rebalance.

The Chakra System

There are seven main chakras, aligned along the spine from the base of the body to the crown of the head. Each chakra is associated with different qualities, emotions, and areas of the body:

• Root Chakra (at the base of the spine) – stability, grounding, physical safety

• Sacral Chakra (at the level of the sacrum between the naval and the root chakra) – creativity, emotions, pleasure

• Solar Plexus Chakra (at approximately waist level)  – confidence, personal power

• Heart Chakra (in the centre of the chest) – love, compassion, connection

• Throat Chakra (at the base of the neck)  – communication, self-expression

• Third Eye Chakra (in the middle of the forehead over the third eye area) – intuition, awareness

• Crown Chakra (on top of the head) – connection, clarity, higher awareness

When these chakras are balanced, energy flows freely through the body, supporting a sense of harmony and wellbeing.

Chakras & Indian Head Massage

Indian Head Massage has its roots in ancient Eastern traditions and works not only on the physical body, but also on the energetic level.

This treatment works with the higher chakras — the throat, third eye, and crown chakras — which are associated with stress, clarity, and emotional balance.

Through gentle touch, rhythmic movements, and focused hand placement along the axis of these chakras, Indian Head Massage helps encourage energy to realign and flow more freely. Many people experience a deep sense of calm, clarity, and balance during and after treatment.

Preparing for Chakra Balancing

Chakra balancing — whether during a treatment or as a self-care practice — works best when the body and mind are relaxed.

Simple preparation includes:

• Slow, steady breathing

• Quiet time or meditation

• Allowing the mind to settle

In a relaxed and centred state, the body becomes more receptive to energetic balance and healing.

Whole Chakra Breathing Exercise

A 7-Chakra Energy Integration Practice

This is a gentle breathing and visualisation technique, recognised for its rejuvenating and healing qualities, designed to increase awareness of the body’s energy centres, encourage balance, and support a deeper connection to inner vitality.

When practised regularly over time, this exercise may help release unhelpful thought patterns, improve clarity, and support a greater sense of wholeness and alignment.

There are many different method of chakra balancing;  As your familiarity grows, it may be woven into other relaxation or meditation practices.

Preparation

Sit comfortably in a chair or lie down.Allow your body to fully relax.

Begin to slow your breathing to a natural, comfortable rhythm. Take long, deep breaths — inhaling and exhaling smoothly and evenly.

For a few minutes, focus only on your breath. Feel the life breath entering every part of your body, revitalising and gently energising each cell.

Allow yourself to enter a deeply relaxed and peaceful state. Remain aware and present, enjoying the steady rhythm of your breathing.

(Do not hold the breath between inhalation and exhalation at any point during this exercise.)

Chakra Breathing & Visualisation

As you breathe in, you will visualise each chakra in turn from the ground up, sensing its energy as it enters and flows through your whole being. As you breathe out, you retain this balanced energy within you.

🔴 Root Chakra – Red

While breathing in, imagine a red orb of light at the base of the spine, grounded and steady.

Feel its energy — the force of stability, safety, and physical presence — flowing through your entire body.

Slowly exhale, retaining this grounding energy within you.

🟠 Sacral Chakra – Orange

On the next inhalation, visualise an orange orb of light in the lower abdomen.

Feel its flowing, creative, emotional energy moving freely through you.

Exhale gently, keeping this energy balanced within.

🟡 Solar Plexus Chakra – Yellow

As you breathe in, imagine a yellow orb of light at the upper abdomen.

Sense its energy — confidence, clarity, and inner strength — circulating through every part of your being.

Exhale slowly, maintaining this calm strength.

💚 Heart Chakra – Green

On the next inhalation, visualise a green orb of light at the centre of the chest.

Feel its expansive energy — compassion, connection, and balance — filling your body.

Exhale, allowing this harmony to remain within you.

🔵 Throat Chakra – Blue

As you inhale, imagine a blue orb of light at the throat.

Feel its energy — expression, truth, and ease — flowing gently through your awareness.

Exhale slowly, keeping this clarity present.

🟣 Third Eye Chakra – Indigo

On the next breath in, visualise an indigo orb of light between the eyebrows.

Sense its subtle energy — insight, intuition, and awareness — permeating your consciousness.

Exhale calmly, retaining this awareness.

💜 Crown Chakra – Violet

As you breathe in, imagine a violet orb of light at the crown of the head.

Feel its energy — connection, openness, and higher awareness — flowing through your entire being.

Exhale slowly, allowing this connection to remain.

Integration of the Chakras

Now imagine all seven chakras together, aligned along the spine.

As you continue breathing rhythmically:

• Feel them working in harmony

• Sense a fullness and completeness within

• Become aware that you embody both individual energies and the whole system

The White Light Centre

Now imagine the energies of all seven chakras merging together.

They form a pure white point of light — incredibly small, yet brilliantly radiant — centred in your heart.

Remain breathing calmly as you observe this light.

After a few moments, gently allow this point of light to rise upward, until it rests within the head.

Radiating the Light

As you exhale, imagine the white light beginning to radiate outward from the centre of your forehead.

With each exhalation:

• The light expands

• Filling the space around you

• Spreading calmly in all directions

As you inhale, pause briefly, watching the radiance continue to expand.

As the process gently comes to an end, allow the energy to settle, feeling a sense of balance and harmony restored throughout the body.

A Final Thought

Chakra balancing is a gentle and intuitive practice. There is no right or wrong way to experience it. When practised regularly — or alongside Indian Head Massage — it can become a deeply supportive part of your self-care routine.

🌿 Book Your Indian Head Massage

Relax, unwind, and restore balance with an Indian Head Massage.

Sources:

Indian Head Massage - Helen McGuinness

Indian Head Massage for special needs - Guliana Fenwick