Our Chakras stop at Age 49? Then What?
- Tracy Makarenko
I first learned about the chakras, the seven energy centres of the body, in my twenties. It was a vague idea of energy circling in a funnel shape over my head, at my third eye, throat, heart, the space between my ribs (solar plexus), just below my belly button (sacral), and out the lower part of my body (base chakra). When I started offering healing sessions, specifically with Reiki, I decided to learn more about the Chakras. A lot of what I learned was self-taught, because I could feel those energy centres!
There is a lot to learn, but not a lot you need to learn. Here’s a brief overview.
For instance, some people see the colours associated with each chakra. These colours are also connected to our aura and can tell you a bit about how you’re feeling and what’s going on in your life.
Typically, it takes seven years to move through a chakra. We’ll start at the Base chakra, which is red. This chakra develops from birth to age 7. Our base chakra has to do with survival. As a child, this means not only the essentials of shelter and food, but love and protection.
The second or Sacral chakra is orange. It is ages of 7 through 14 when we start to recognize our relationship with others. Children start to notice the differences between boys and girls. They start questioning their relationships with parents and peers. Patterning with the relationship with money starts to form. How old were you when you started getting an allowance?
From 14 to 21, you move into the complexities of the Solar Plexus chakra (yellow). All you have to do is think of a typical teenager to understand what this chakra is all about: Power! The internal and external power struggle. Hopefully, you learn to use your power effectively and understand how to recognize when your ego is out of balance. If not, don’t worry, the Universe will make sure you have lots of opportunities!
The Heart Chakra is green and found at the midpoint of the chakras. It’s the transition between the three lower earthly chakras and the three more spiritual upper chakras. This chakra develops between the ages of 21 and 28. You’ll gain a better understanding of love, safety, trust, faith and self-belief. In other words, you’ll work through your feelings of security, validation, and romance!
Once you hit the fifth chakra at age 28 to 35, you may find you’re working on multiple chakras. The Throat chakra, which is blue, is where you’ll find physical issues, sore throat, wisdom teeth, other dental work, and possibly cold sores. Even though certain issues are supposed to develop at a certain age, it doesn’t mean you have entirely grasped or healed the wounds that affected you earlier in your life. If you don’t feel heard, that’s a throat thing. If you ramble on and on because you are uncomfortable with silence, that’s a throat thing. Our throat doesn’t only balance when we start to speak from our heart, but when we start listening to what it has to say!
The sixth and seventh chakras, the Third eye (35-42) and Crown (42-49) open up new possibilities. They tend to be indigo and violet. You start to trust that gut feeling, that intuitive thought. You don’t believe in coincidences, but fate. You start connecting to yourself and trust the truths that are presenting themselves. You let go of your rational mind and start to flow!
So what happens when you hit 49?
Well, you start all over again at your base chakra. For me, that is right around the corner. Over the last year, I have found the home I want to live in for the rest of my life. I’m re-examining my career and making it more of what I want it to be for the future (or at least the next 7 years). I feel secure about my girls and the choices they’ve made for their adult lives. What I mean by that is I see their truth, not my ideas of what I want their truth to be.
Ideas about retirement are starting to surface in my mind… What happens at 56 when I cycle through my Sacral Chakra? I’m sure it will have more to do with my relationship with myself and others, and how they support me each day. And my financial security as the retirement years arrive. What else? I’m not sure, but it's sure nice to be doing it with a conscious state of mind.