We are continuing our journey through the seven main chakras finally reaching the end of the line at the top of the head. What we know as the crown chakra is not considered a chakra because it does not function the same way as the lower six chakras. This seventh entity is better described as the power source that energizes the six chakras below.

Sahasrara Chakra means “thousand-petaled” referring to the one-thousand-petaled lotus flower that is its symbol. Its theme is Unity, uniting opposites like masculine/feminine, spirit/matter and consciousness/creativity. But here’s the interesting thing: it’s not as if the Unity didn’t always exist, because it has; it’s just that now we are aware of the Unity that has always held everything together.

In the physical body, the Crown Chakra relates to the whole brain and the whole body. The endocrine gland associated with this chakra is the pituitary, known as the master gland. It’s located at the base of the brain. And although it’s very small—about the size of a pea—it has a powerful job: to control the functions of almost all the other endocrine glands. When you consider all the different types of hormones the glands release, and how they are being released at different times and for different purposes, you can see how important it is to have a healthy pituitary gland.

Here are some ways we can support our Crown Chakra and pituitary gland through Yoga:

• Skull shining breath: The name says it all, right? This is Kapala Bhati pranayama, a powerful breath practice that draws energy upward to the skull. It’s best practiced when the stomach is empty. Sit on the floor or on a chair with elongated spine. To prepare, breathe slowly in and out through the nose for five breaths. To practice, inhale through the nose with relaxed abdominal muscles, then exhale sharply through the nose while pulling the belly muscles in. Start with 20 repetitions gradually building up to 100 repetitions. Take your time to learn it well before trying to speed it up. 

• Yoga postures that emphasize the head: Headstand, Rabbit pose, Shiva twist, Dancer pose, Cow face, Standing forward bend (legs together or apart) with head resting on a block or chair, Child pose with head resting on a block

• Aromatherapy: The best essential oils for this chakra are frankincense and sandalwood. They’re also the most expensive! More affordable alternatives are lavender, cedarwood, tulsi and palo santo. Always dilute in a carrier oil before you massage into your temples and back of the neck.

• Meditate with crystals: The best yoga practice to cultivate unity consciousness is meditation. Using crystals—energetic gifts from Nature—can create calm and focus. Three of the best choices are amethyst, clear quartz and howlite. Rinse them in cool water to clear away any negative energy. Charge them in the sun for a couple of hours. Hold them in your hands while you bring your focus upward. Set a timer for 5 minutes, gradually increasing to 20 minutes.

​As we continue our exploration of the endocrine system (hormones) through the chakras, we reach the third eye chakra, called Ajña Chakra in Sanskrit. It is located between and slightly above the eyebrows, and it physically lines up with the pineal gland, an endocrine gland located in the brain. Now this is interesting: the pineal gland secretes melatonin which helps regulate sleep cycles and one of the spiritual functions of the third eye chakra is to help us wake up from our mental sleep. It’s fun to consider how they work together!

People can really get stuck in third eye energy. Sometimes there is too much energy here which can result in being too much in the head, too intellectual and even impractical. For others, there is not enough energy here which makes it hard to see the big picture, hard to concentrate and lacking imagination of what is possible.

Fortunately, there are some powerful yoga practices that can help us balance this energy so that we benefit from healthy concentration and intuition as well as regulated sleep cycles.

• Alternate nostril breathing is effective because two powerful energy lines meet at the third eye. By breathing in through one nostril and breathing out through the other, alternating side-to-side, you encourage these two energy lines to work together to clear the mind and calm the body. It’s easy to do: 
-Sit with a lengthened spine, either on the floor or in a chair with feet on the floor. 
-In both hands, fold in the ring and pinky fingers and hold them down with the thumbs. 
-Use the extended index and middle fingers to gently close the nostrils one at a time. 
-To begin, inhale through both nostrils, close the right nostril with the right fingers, breathe out through the left nostril. Breathe in through the left nostril. 
-Change the hands so that now you are closing the left nostril with the left fingers to breathe out through the right nostril. Breathe in through the right nostril. 
-Continue to breathe this way for 5-10 minutes. As you become more adept at the practice, you can turn your eyes slightly upward to gaze at your third eye.

• Poses that place your forehead on or near the floor or a block, such as child pose or resting crocodile pose.

• Keeping the hands near the level of the forehead in standing poses like Tree, Eagle, Warrior 1, Warrior 2 and Triangle.

• Meditation on the third eye, either by visualizing the OM symbol at the forehead or imagining you could breathe in through the top of the head and breathe out through the third eye.

• Chant the mantra OM for 10 minutes. Sit in the silence and feel its vibration for another few minutes.

​The throat chakra gets a lot of attention these days because everyone is talking about something! Located directly in the throat, Vishuddha Chakra also includes the mouth, tongue and ears. This reminds me of something my mother liked to say when we were kids: “We have one mouth and two ears so we can listen more and talk less.” Wouldn’t that be nice?!

The throat chakra assists us with communication of all kinds, more than just talking, but singing, creating, making art, disseminating information, etc. We can ask ourselves these questions: What information are we sharing? What information are we consuming? Is it helpful or harmful? Truthful or duplicitous? Are we using the best means possible to communicate with others?

The endocrine gland associated with the throat is the thyroid. Its main role in the body is to regulate metabolism by monitoring how quickly or slowly the body converts food into energy. A slow metabolism can cause one to gain weight and feel lethargic, while a fast metabolism makes it difficult to put on weight while feeling anxious and cold. 

Fortunately, there is evidence that yoga postures—like all forms of exercise—help to balance the metabolism. A balanced metabolism is able to speed up or slow down appropriately according to what is eaten, the activities undertaken and the time of day. Here are some yoga practices to consider when working with the throat chakra:

√ Breathing that emphasizes the throat, such as humming and victorious breath. To practice humming, simply take in a deep breath through the nose and breathe out with a long, closed-mouth hum. Do this 7-10 times. For victorious breath, take in a deep breath through the nose and breathe out through the nose while moving the breath over the back of the throat. The sound will be like a breathy “haaaaa.” Do this 7-10 times, take a short break and do 7-10 more.

√ Movement that stimulates the metabolism, like Sun Salutations, flowing Cow/Cat/Child pose repetitions, or flowing Plank/Upward-Facing Dog/Downward-Facing Dog repetitions.

√ Postures that move the throat, such as neck stretches and rotations, tilting the head up in Warrior 1, Camel pose and Fish pose, turning the head to the side in Warrior 2, Triangle, Side Angle and Balancing Half Moon. Tucking the chin in Bridge pose, Shoulderstand and Child pose.

√ Calming the nervous system in a restorative pose such as Savasana, supported Bridge pose or Legs-up-the-wall.

​We’re continuing our journey through the chakras and the endocrine system, the network of glands that secrete hormones to regulate all the activities of the body. It’s amazing how the yoga practitioners in ancient days were intuitively aware of these powerful connections, even before science could describe concepts like “glands” and “hormones.” These connections endure even today since we get the benefits through our yoga practices.

With this post we reach the fourth chakra, usually called the heart chakra. Its Sanskrit name is Anahata. Its location tells us a lot about what it controls: the heart and lungs, circulatory system, chest and breasts, upper back, skin, lymphatic system, arms and hands. The heart chakra covers a lot of territory because of the energy that flows from the heart to the hands.

The heart chakra is also quite emotional since it is linked to our feelings of love, goodwill, empathy and compassion. It ties us together in friendship, marriage and partnership. It draws us to the work we want to do to make our mark on the world. 

The endocrine gland that sits just behind the sternum (breast bone) is the thymus, a small gland that supports the immune system. It produces special white blood cells called T-cells, and like all white blood cells, they fight infection and disease. Three interesting facts about the thymus: 1) Most T-cells are produced in childhood thereby providing us with immune protection our whole life. 2) The thymus is very large when we’re a baby, then shrinks throughout the rest of our life. 3) Thymus means “soul” in Greek, as the ancient Greeks believed that our soul is located in this special space behind the sternum. 

Here are some ways we can support the thymus and heart chakra through our practice of Yoga:

• Heart opening poses like Cat/Cow, Sphinx, Cobra, Bow, Wheel

• Poses with arms extended like Warrior variations, Triangle variations, Tree, Crane

• Twisting poses like Shiva twist, Half Lord of the Fishes, Lying down spinal twist

• Heart breathing: Sit in a meditation pose with spine extended but relaxed, or lie down in Savasana. For the first minute breathe naturally and feel your connection to the earth. To begin the practice, imagine that you could breathe in through the top of the head. The breath passes through the crown chakra, third eye chakra, throat chakra until it reaches the heart chakra. Imagine you could breathe out through the heart chakra, sending the breath into the space in front of the body. If you like, you can link the breath to heart-felt emotions such as love, empathy or compassion. Practice for 5-10 minutes. To finish, return to natural breathing. Notice how you feel in body, mind and emotions. Slowly get up to return to daily activities. 

​We’re continuing a short series on the endocrine system and its connection to the chakras in yoga. This post is about the third chakra known as Manipura in Sanskrit. It’s located between the navel and solar plexus. I think of it as a yellow band around the midsection of the body. This is the location of the digestive organs, so this fire chakra is associated with digestion of all kinds—food, thoughts and emotions. 

The endocrine gland for digestion is the pancreas, a fish-shaped organ that is about the size of a human hand. The two hormones it produces are insulin and glucagon. Since the job of the pancreas is to stabilize blood sugar, it releases insulin to lower blood sugar that is too high and releases glucagon to increase blood sugar that is too low.

The pancreas figures prominently in diabetes. In type 1 diabetes the pancreas is unable to make insulin to regulate blood sugar. In type 2 diabetes the pancreas is unable to use insulin properly due to insulin resistance making blood sugar unstable.

As the very center of the body, the third chakra is nurtured by a variety of yoga poses and practices:

• Forward bending and back bending stimulate all the organs of digestion, but just be sure to do these at least an hour after eating: breathe in as you stand up and breathe out at you fold forward repeating several times, standing forward bend with the buttocks leaning against the wall, seated forward bend with a bolster over the legs so you can rest there awhile, any of your favorite back bends like sphinx, locust, cobra, bow and wheel.

• Twisting poses are especially stimulating to the digestive organs: standing, seated and lying down twists, especially half lord of the fishes and lying down belly twist.

• Meditation postures seated and lying down: If you’re having issues with food, such as craving carbs and sweets, making time every day to sit quietly for 5-10 minutes can help you discover what it is you’re really craving. Hint: It’s not food.

• Bellows breathing: From a supported seated position, breathe deeply into the belly, expanding and releasing the abdominal muscles with full, long breaths. 30 seconds, rest, 30 seconds more. If you get light-headed, you’re trying too hard.

• Relaxation: Stress is the greatest disruptor for the digestive system. Make time every day for 10-30 minutes of savasana, legs up the wall, or some other restorative yoga pose. Life always flows better when body, mind and breath are in sync.

​We’re making our way through the seven main chakras and considering their relationship to the endocrine system. Remember that each of these chakras is related to a gland in the endocrine system that secretes specific hormones for our health. 

This week we look at the second chakra, called either the pelvic chakra or the sacral chakra because it’s located in the pelvis and the sacrum. Its Sanskrit name is Svadisthana. Physically this chakra governs the pelvis, reproductive organs, kidneys, bladder, colon and lower back. Emotionally, it is related to creativity, sexuality, pleasure and delight. It’s also linked to money, so any fears or concerns about finances can be felt in this part of the body.

The male and female reproductive organs secrete the hormones estrogen, progesterone and testosterone. As we age we secrete less of these hormones and many people—both male and female—are currently replacing these hormones through medical interventions.

Here are some ways that our Yoga practice supports our pelvic/sacral chakra as well as our reproductive hormones: 

• Lying down on our stomach in yoga class puts gentle pressure on a marma point called Nabhi. It’s actually a set of five marma points that start at the navel (nabhi means navel) then reaches out in an X pattern to the four quadrants of the abdomen. These points are considered the seat of prana, our life force, linking us to our innate and unlimited creativity. Remember this the next time you’re practicing Sphinx, Locust or Crocodile pose.

• Elevating the hips on a block, bolster or blanket brings emphasis to the reproductive organs and colon. At the same time, this position passively stretches the lower back. This gentle lift heals the lower abdominal organs and eases tension in the lower back. 

• Helpful yoga poses: Chair pose, Figure 4, Lord of the Dancer pose, Pigeon pose, Bound angle, Bridge pose, Savasana with hands on the lower abdomen

We’re continuing our series on yoga and the systems of the body, a series I’ve been calling “Your Body on Yoga.” We’ve discussed many systems already, focusing on how yoga is so good for us. We’re getting close to the end of the series with just two more systems to go. This week we explore the endocrine system and how it relates to the chakras. Let’s get started!

The endocrine system is made up of many different glands in the body that release various hormones to regulate the systems of the body. We’ve already looked at all of these systems individually, but not as one overall system related to hormonal balance. This is a big topic in our modern world since hormones are constantly being disrupted by toxins in our food, water and environment. 

In Vedic philosophy and Ayurvedic medical practice, the chakra system was used to describe the function of the endocrine glands long before scientists even had terms like “endocrine” and “hormone.” The chakras have always been understood as subtle energy, meaning that they cannot be seen with the eyes but that their energy could be experienced through their effect on the body.

Here are the connections between the endocrine glands and their related chakras:

Root chakra at the base of the spine (muladhara chakra) is related to the adrenal glands which release the fight or flight hormone adrenaline.

Pelvic/sacral chakra (svadisthana chakra) is related to the ovaries and testicles which release the sex hormones estrogen, progesterone and testosterone. 

Navel/solar plexus chakra (manipura chakra) is related to the pancreas which release insulin and glucagon. This is the chakra of the digestive system.

Heart chakra (anahata chakra) is related to the thymus, a small gland located just behind the sternum. It is responsible for T cell production necessary for a healthy lymphatic system. When it is weak a person is more susceptible to autoimmune disorders.

Throat chakra (vishuddha chakra) is related to the thyroid and parathyroid which release hormones to control metabolism, physical growth and nervous system activity.

Third eye chakra (ajna chakra) is related to the pineal gland which secretes melatonin to regulate sleep.

The crown chakra (sahasrara chakra) is related to the master gland pituitary. It secretes a variety of hormones to bring the whole endocrine system into harmony.

Note: Some yoga teachings relate the glands and chakras a little differently. Specifically, the sex organs can be associated with the root chakra while the adrenals are associated with the pelvic chakra. Additionally, the pituitary gland can be associated with the third eye while the pineal gland can be assigned to the crown chakra. 

Here is a practical application from Yoga:
For someone who is dealing with anxiety and worry, Yoga can offer guidance by recognizing the relationship between the adrenal glands—the physical mechanism for releasing hormones that ramp up the fight or flight response—and the root chakra which can ground this energy. When the root chakra is in balance a person feels stable, calm, rooted and steady. Try these practices to balance the root chakra:

Sitting or lying down on the floor and feeling all the places where the body is touching the earth. Chant the mantra LAM (LUHM), the seed syllable for the root chakra.

Breathe in through the nose and feel the air filling the lungs and belly. Breathe out through the nose while visualizing the breath moving down the center of the body to the base of the spine, down the legs and into the earth. Practice for at least 5-10 minutes.

Helpful yoga poses: Mountain pose, Tree pose, Goddess pose, Triangle pose, All seated poses especially meditation postures, Squatting, Knees to chest, Corpse pose

​In the last post we offered lots of ideas for supporting the immune system with Yoga and Ayurveda. In this post we add a fun breath practice that can be helpful this time of year. 

Sit in a chair so that your feet are on the floor and you can sit tall on your sitting bones. Rest your hands on your thighs, close your eyes and feel your feet making contact with the earth, your seat making contact with the chair. Breathe in and out through the nose for about a minute of centering. 

Make fists with your hands and begin to make gentle percussion beats on your chest, then around the front and sides of your ribcage. Breathe in through the nose and breathe out through the nose or mouth. Do this for two minutes. If you have a friend nearby, they can gently percuss your upper back as well. 

When you’re done, sit quietly in the chair as you did at the beginning. What feels new or different in your breath, body or mind?

​We are continuing our series called “Your Body on Yoga” looking at how yoga affects all the systems of the body. We started this journey on June 2, 2025 and we’ve covered a lot of systems since then. Just a few more to go.

This post is about the lymphatic system which is part of the immune system and is responsible for removing wastes and toxins from the body. The lymphatic system kind of looks like the nervous system or the circulatory system because it is made up of many vessels traveling throughout the body. The vessels carry toxins to lymph nodes for removal. These nodes are located in the head and neck, the armpits, the chest, the abdomen and pelvis, and the groin. 

The lymphatic system is quite different from the nervous and circulatory systems, however. Information moves through the nervous system due to electrical impulses and the blood that travels through the circulatory system due to the pumping of the heart. The lymphatic system does not have an internal mechanism for moving fluid through its vessels and must rely on gravity or mechanical movement to make this happen. In other words, the lymphatic system works best when the body is moving, only minimally when at rest. 

Yoga postures are an excellent way to activate the immune-supporting properties of the lymphatic system. For example,

√ Moving through flowing sequences like Cat/Cow, Sun Salutations and standing lunges to squeeze the vessels and enhance immune function.

√ Inverting the body encourages the lymph fluid to flow in the direction of the lymph glands, most of which are concentrated in the upper part of the body. Excellent choices are standing forward bends, legs up the wall (especially with hips elevated), bridge pose (with a block under the hips) and headstand.

Ayurveda, Yoga’s science of diet and lifestyle, adds two practices for the lymphatic system: self-massage with oil and dry brushing. 

√ Self-massage can be done with special oils for the doshas, or simply use sesame oil or jojoba oil because they are tridoshic. Massage from the hands up the arms toward the heart. Massage from the feet up the legs toward the heart. Massage clockwise circles on the abdomen and back. 

√ Dry brushing can be done with a medium bristle brush (not too hard or soft). Massage in the same way, toward the heart from the hands and feet, and circles on the abdomen and back.

These two practices encourage the movement of stagnant lymph fluid toward the lymph glands, thereby encouraging a quicker release of metabolic wastes. 

All of these lymphatic practices are vital during the spring season when we are shedding winter weight and coping with seasonal allergies. Give them a try and see if you feel better this season.

​Spring blooms and spring winds can kick up spring allergies. This affects our breathing this time of year. It’s a good idea to use a neti pot in the morning or evening to irrigate the nasal passages. This practice will wash away allergens so they don’t sit in the nose and irritate you for hours. This is also a good time of year to establish a regular breathing routine that can help the body tackle seasonal allergies.

There are many types of pranayama (yogic breathing practices) taught in yoga classes, but there are two specific types that are most helpful in the spring. 

The first type is made up of stimulating, warming and energizing breath practices used to counteract the heavy, stuck, dull qualities of kapha dosha (check out the last post for more on the qualities of the season). Three good choices are right nostril breathing (breathing in and out only through the right nostril), bellows breathing and skull shining breath. The last two are best learned from a qualified yoga teacher. Here’s a modified bellows breath:

Sit on the edge of a chair or cross-legged on the floor. Sit up tall with a long spine. Place your hands on your knees. First, establish a calm and regular breathing pattern for about a minute. To breathe like a bellows, breathe in as you open your chest and roll your shoulders back. Breathe out as you round your back, tuck your chin and draw your shoulders forward. Make the breaths long and full. Practice for a minute. Rest for a minute. Practice for another minute. At the end your body will feel warmer and your mind will be more alert.

The second type of pranayama for the spring reduces congestion in the head—ears, nose, sinuses, throat—and relieves seasonal allergies. The most accessible options are humming and chanting OM. And it’s so easy to do: Take a deep breath in, then heartily hum or chant OM on the exhale. Practice in the car, in the shower, or outside while you’re enjoying the seasonal blooms. 

Healthy breathing = Happy spring!