“Addiction is an incredibly powerful adversary, and we want to use everything in our power to try to overcome it…the Chakra system is such a great map for understanding that process.”
~ Tommy Rosen

I had the honor of collaborating with my dear friend and colleague Tommy Rosen during his Recovery 2.0 online conference to discuss how understanding the Chakra system can help tackle and overcome addiction.

The Chakra system is a map of how the mind, body, endocrine system, emotional body, past traumas, family history, mysticism and developmental psychology intertwine and overlap.

Did you know that certain core wounds (traumas) are associated with specific, correlating addictions?

Did you know that the phase of life and age you were when you experienced a trauma can affect where in the body that emotional memory is held?

The Chakra system is comprised of the 7 major energy centers lining the central channel of the spine (sushumna nadi). As we move upward from root to crown, we move from the denser, more gross aspects of Self (money, physical body, family, sexuality) to the more refined and abstract (creativity, communication, spirituality).

Each chakra corresponds to a specific age range, developmental tasks and certain identity (physical, emotional, ego, creative, social identity). This mapping correlates to Maslow’s Hierarchy of Needs.

Viewing addictions metaphorically can help you decipher their origins and implications in your life. For example, smoking (cigarettes or marijuana) is associated with the lungs, air, breath and therefore the heart chakra. If you have a deficiency or a trauma that corresponds to the heart chakra (rejection, grief, heartbreak), you may develop a penchant or addiction to smoking. Processing your grief in healthy, productive ways may help alleviate this tendency and heal the emotional heart.

In this video, you will learn:

• Addictions and how they are associated with each of the Chakras
• Phases of development as linked to the Chakra system
• Practical application for self care and practical lifestyle considerations
• Elements associated with each Chakra
• What differentiates the Heart center (anahata) from other energy centers.

Which addictions do you struggle with?

Leave a question or comment below to let me know which addictive tendencies show up in your life and how you have begun the process of recovery. Share your story and remember we’re all on this healing path together – let your story inspire and inform someone else!

Big Love,

Ashley