Without going down the amazing 🐇 Rabbit Hole that are the Chakras, I will "briefly" explain the Chakras and then the chakras that are directly (and not the ones indirectly) affected by backbends.

The Chakras are best thought of as energy vortexes that filter our world through their lenses. Each lens has a different mission in its role in taking in our world. We then assimilate ourselves based on the way that energy was gained, digested and absorbed.

Note: There have been very limited scientific studies that prove the chakras physically exist. If you are a skeptic, I want you to view them as a means or a map for understanding our natural tendencies. The most interesting thing about Chakras are they might not physically be in the area they are depicted but they do influence that area and the emotions associated with it. Please, read on...

💛💚💙The four Chakras directly involved are:

• The Manipura Chakra (General Solar Plexus)
• The Anahata Chakra (General Heart)
• The Thymic Chakra (Secondary Chakra)
• The Vishuddha Chakra (General Throat

What these chakras can do:

• 💛The Manipura Chakra (General Solar Plexus): Resides a few fingers above your bellybutton. governs your core muscles, digestion, and it's gland is the pancreas. It is responsible for your sense of self worth, inner strength, drive and competitiveness. It is often described as "the seat of the ego" and, when hurt, will bring the higher chakras down with it. All chakras behave this way. The color often associated with it is yellow or gold. It governs our image and treatment of food and our diets in connection with our mental states. It's developmental stage is post puberty into early adulthood. This chakra is what we tap into to know our boundaries. (Now, image how that chakra is used in a backbend)
• 💚The Anahata Chakra (General Heart): Resides along the sternum. Is responsible for your ability to love unconditionally, to feel sympathetic and give empathy. It is often described as the "saints or bodhisattva chakra". It governs the heart, chest, and lungs, it's gland is the Thymus (but this also is a chakra in itself and will be addressed). The colors associate with it are often green or light pink. The age is develops most is our mid-20s. It governs our ability to forgive, feel and give love, and to know when we need to heal ourselves. Now, again, imagine using this in a backbend posture.
• 🦋The Thymic Chakra (Secondary Chakra): This is a very powerful chakra not included in the 7 main chakras. This chakra resides in the upper heart area. Sometimes referred to as the "Higher Heart Chakra". The colors associated to this chakra are Aquamarine, light teal, and soft pink. Medically, the Thymus plays a critical role in our T-Cell production. Located between the heart and sternum and is most active from neonatal to pre-adolescents. By the teenage years it begins to atrophy and it usually stops working completely around 50 years old, being replaced by fat. 🦋The Thymus Chakra is responsible for bridging the gap between the heart chakra's emotional nature and the throat chakra's more rational nature. It allows us to align our hearts desires and communicate that with our world. It's where the intent of our words comes from. This chakra is attributed to the deep breath we take before we speak consciously. When this chakra is open we will only speak from a place of love and are able to create a world of joy and compassion for ourselves and others who encounter us.
• 💙The Vishuddha Chakra (General Throat) Resides at the center of the throat. Is responsible for your ability to communicate and to listen, to create through your words and actions, and realizing your purpose. It's associated with all the muscles required for communication as well as the neck and shoulders. The gland associated is the Thyroid gland. The colors associated to this chakra are turquoise and light blue. It develops strongly in our early 30s. It governs our ability to find our purpose, to communicate our ideas, to listen and absorb thoughts from our peers

When we are rejected, have had our "heartbroken", have had our words and ideas silenced or simply not heard, have carried the weight of feeling unloved and tossed aside, and/or have experienced severe regret that we can't take back; those 4 chakras are responsible for our perception that caused us to feel this way.

Physical appearance is the first obvious sign to the outside world. Someone who has experienced the above will protect their heart💔. They will try to hide their chest and lower their heads. This causes the muscles around the heart to cave inwards, as if to pull the heart deeper into the body. They close off their throat so they don't say anything foolish. This causes the muscles in the front body even more stress from the weight of the head. They hunch open their backs as if they have given up and are thus allowing their backs to receive the punishment because the back can, generally, take abuse.

Emotionally, when someone is hurt in the areas of these four chakras, they withdraw, they don't take risks, they question their worth, they feel invisible (partly because they are in self preservation mode), and they don't contribute creatively. They can be mistake as shy, inconsiderate, lazy, or introverted to a fault.Spiritually they become very cynical. They'll scoff at prayers and meditations, they loose their ability for find joy in activities like dancing and singing, they find no joy in any leadership role and can loose the ability to see any goodness in the world. In reality, they have been beat down and need to remember their worth, their voice, and that there is good in their world.When we understand which chakras are involved and the roles they play we can address the issue of poor posture and the fear of backbends.

BACKBENDS ARE SCARY BECAUSE WE EXPOSE OUR HEART AND THROATS. Now, when we see backbends from the angle of the chakras we understand what's holding us back. Our perception of backbends goes from a image of a contortionist to that of someone who's simply lifting their chin and drawing their shoulders back and becoming vulnerable yet confident.

Backbend asanas, in the spirit of yoga, are expressions for and from the Soul and Source. A learned practitioner will approach the pose with the chakras in mind. As mobility increases they will become easier. As confidence in your ability increases so will your proprioception*. You will simply know how far is too far.

👉Proprioception

[prō′prē-ō-sĕp′shən]

1 The unconscious perception of movement and spatial orientation arising from stimuli within the body itself. In humans, these stimuli are detected by nerves within the body itself, as well as by the semicircular canals of the inner ear.

The American Heritage® Science Dictionary Copyright © 2011. Published by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company. All rights reserved.

*Neurological ailments have an effect on this and can hinder it. But, chances are, if you have a neurological disorder you already know that.

💚Another thing to mention:

Just because a yoga practitioner can go into a deep backbend does not mean they have balance in their chakras. They may just be flexible. Others are hurting themselves and many will admit to that further down the road in their yogic journey.

💛💚🦋💙Come back her in the next two weeks for the last part ❤️Backbends Part 3: The Techniques