The Chakras and Endocrine System: The Body- Spirit Connection
The endocrine system is a complex network of glands that produce hormones, which are chemical messengers that regulate various bodily functions. The chakras are energy centers located along the spine that are said to be responsible for different aspects of our physical, mental, and spiritual health. Because most people are unable to see the spiritual body of our chakras they sometimes doubt that these two systems can influence each other but this is far from the case. In this blog I will show you how seamlessly our 7 chakras tie into our endocrine system and how they affect each other.
The fact that the map of our endocrine system looks extremely similar to our chakra system should help you understand that there is a strong connection between the endocrine system and the chakras. Each chakra is associated with a specific gland, and the flow of energy through the chakras is said to be influenced by the hormones produced by the glands. I’ll explain this in detail below:
The Root Chakra
The root chakra is associated with stability, safety, physical existence and relates to your most basic, animalistic nature and your need to survive. This chakra is associated with the testes endocrine gland which produces testosterone. This hormone gives men more libido, muscle strength and bone density- all of which is associated with the root chakra. Now of course women (well some women) don’t have testes but we still produce testosterone which is also important for bone density, muscle mass, cognitive function, mood, sexual function and energy.
The root chakra is often wrongly associated with the adrenal glands, which are little glands that sit on top of each kidney. These glands secrete adrenaline which is the hormone that moves us into action when we feel threatened, but associating the slowest, most stable chakra with the gland that triggers our fight-or-flight response is a mistake. The root chakra carries the downward (apana) energy that allows us to relax – even sleep. It can’t trigger us into quick action. That is the job of the third chakra, which I will explain in more detail later in this blog.
The Sacral Chakra
The sacral chakra is about sexuality, sensuality, fertility, intimacy, pleasure, and emotions. It is only fitting that the primary endocrine glands associated with this chakra are the ovaries or the female gonads.
The ovaries release the hormones and eggs that cause menstruation, and allow a woman to become pregnant and bear children. Those hormones also create a 28-day feminine “moon cycle” that causes a woman’s emotions to shift and fluctuate.
While men can obviously feel emotions and desire intimacy, they don’t have the hormones that biologically predispose them to menstrually-related emotional fluctuations women experience. But because the testes put out root chakra hormones (testosterone) and the ovaries put out sacral chakra hormones (estrogen and progesterone), there is a natural sexual polarity between men and women. The second chakra is the realm of this kind of magnetic polarity, because it is all about partnering and creating intimacy.
The Solar Plexus Chakra
As I have said before, the adrenal glands are the primary glands associated with the Solar Plexus chakra which is our 3rd energy center. The adrenals secrete adrenaline which make us want to take action, which is the primary quality of the solar plexus- and they are even yellow
Because the third chakra is also about digestion, and processing food for energy, it has a secondary endocrine gland, the pancreas (which is also yellow). The pancreas secretes a variety of substances essential to effective digestion and also secretes insulin, which helps to regulate the body’s blood sugar level.
The Heart Chakra
The heart chakra is associated with the thymus gland which is located behind the sternum and between the lungs. This gland creates white T-cells and specializes in immunity. Unlike most glands, it reaches its largest size in puberty and then begins to shrink, turning into a small globule of fat by late adulthood. By then it has already created most of the T-cells we need for life.
Although we commonly associate the heart with being a muscle/organ that pumps blood, science has also shown us that it is also an endocrine gland. In the mid-1980s, researchers found that the heart secretes hormones like the other endocrine glands. It releases three different types of hormones that are used to regulate blood pressure and promote cardiovascular health.
Additionally, the second endocrine gland correlated to the heart chakra is the thymus. This gland gives us the immunity we need to be able to connect with others which is one of the primary purposes of the heart chakra.
The Throat Chakra
The throat chakra is associated with the thyroid gland which is located in front of the windpipe, just below the larynx. It takes iodine from food and creates two hormones that regulate the way the body uses energy. When the thyroid is balanced and functioning properly, our metabolism is good. However when it is out of balance we can experience hypothyroidism (when the body is not producing enough thyroid hormones, which can cause us to feel tired, sluggish, or sometimes with children, stunted growth.
On the other hand, we can also experience hyperthyroidism (when the body produces an excessive amount of thyroid hormones) which can cause our metabolism to be overstimulated, causing individuals anxiety, rapid heartbeat, hand tremors, etc.
One thing to note is how the thyroid hormones are all about energy and growth since the throat chakra’s main purpose is to grow in the highest sense of the word. It is also fitting because the throat chakra is the highest of the three masculine chakras* (which include our root, sacral and throat chakras), which are all related to our ability to take action in the world.
The Brow (Third Eye) Chakra
The crown chakra is often wrongly associated with the pineal gland since it is situated slightly higher in the brain than the pituitary gland. But it is the brow chakra (aka third eye chakra) that is actually connected with the pineal gland.
The pineal gland makes melatonin when it perceives the light, which is the “element” that is related to the brow chakra. What is interesting about the pineal gland is how it has a “sixth sense” for sensing light when it shines anywhere on the body – not just in the eye area. So I guess it can be said that the pineal can “see without eyes”
What’s also interesting about the pineal gland is the fact that some lower vertebrates actually have a well-developed eye-like structure where the pineal gland is, which some scientists consider to be the evolutionary forerunner of the modern eye.
The Crown Chakra
The pituitary gland is the only endocrine gland worthy of connecting with the crown chakra because just as the seventh chakra is the master chakra, the pituitary is the master gland that regulates all the other glands (with the help of the hypothalamus of course). Together with the hypothalamus, the pituitary gland produces helps produces the following hormones which are associated with all of the other 6 chakras as you can see in the break down below:
- Adrenocorticotropic hormone (ACTH): Stimulates the adrenal glands to produce hormones as well as the growth hormone (GH), which aids in creating healthy bones, muscle mass, and proper fat distribution (root chakra).
- Follicle-stimulating hormone (FSH) and Luteinizing hormone (LH): These work together to ensure normal functioning of the testes and ovaries (sacral chakra)
- In addition, ACTH stimulates the adrenal glands (solar plexus chakra)
- Prolactin: is the hormone that stimulates breast-milk production (heart chakra)
- And lastly, the thyroid-stimulating hormone which is the hormone that prompts the thyroid gland to produce hormones (throat chakra)
As you can see, the endocrine system and the chakras are both important for our overall health and well-being. When they are working properly, they can help us to maintain a healthy balance of mind, body, and spirit. However, if there is an imbalance in either the endocrine system or the chakras, it can lead to a variety of health problems.
There are a number of things that you can do to improve the health of your endocrine system and your chakras. These include eating a healthy diet, getting regular exercise, and practicing stress management techniques. You can also try to balance your chakras by using meditation, yoga, or other energy healing modalities.
If you are experiencing any health problems, it is important to see a doctor to rule out any underlying medical conditions. However, you may also want to consider working with a holistic practitioner who can help you to address the root cause of your health problems and restore balance to your endocrine system and your chakras. If you are interested in working with a holistic practitioner that knows how to help you balance these two systems so you can balance your mind, body and spirit without having to do any weird diets or gimmicks, then The STEW Project’s Tap In coaching program can help. For more information about it, then click here for more details. I hope this helps!
In Good Health,
Amber Stewart BS,
Holistic Nutritionist
Certified Master Life Coach
ACSM Exercise Physiologist
CTNC Mental Health Specialist
TBMM Corrective Exercise Specialist
Hi! My name is Amber and I’m a Body Goals Builder, Master Life Coach, Certified Health Coach, CTNC Mental Health Specialist, Stress Alchemist & Fear Conqueror
I used to be a people pleasing, work-a-holic who stressed herself out to climb the wellness industry’s corporate ladder but when years of chronic stress and anxiety made me spiral into a deep depression, I realized that none of it mattered if I wasn’t happy with myself, inside and out, and surrounded around people who loved and respected me.
I now help individuals who are stressed out, out of shape and struggling to find balance in their lives learn how to ease their worries, improve their health, create 10x more joy in their lives and manifest the life of their dreams. At the STEW Project, we are maximizing our living potential by Simply Taking an Emphasis on Wellness.
