By Michelle A. McLemore
Imagine being a young child. You are dependent on others around you for food, shelter, clothing, and safety. Your vocabulary is limited, but you pick up body language, tonal shifts, and some words. Most importantly, you pick up energetic vibes—both peace and distress among others.
2025 started off media-filled with terrorist attacks, new/old viruses, increased unexplained drone usage, UFOs, “smart” fog, egg shortages, California’s wildfires, northeast earthquakes, a change in Presidents, and other potential anxiety-heightening situations. How did your young ones process what they were hearing and watching online or… while observing your reactions?
The subtle energy system has always been integral to humanity’s weave of existence. Though the media tends to focus on seven major chakras in the Hindu/yogic tradition, there is commonality across Cherokee, Incan, Pueblo, Tibetan Buddhist, and Sufi Muslim mysticism beliefs to name just a few. That being understood, there are major and minor chakras throughout the body—at every joint, nerve bundle, palms of the hands, souls of the feet, nipples, and more.
Through the work of researchers, energy practitioners, and psychologists, several parts of the subtle energy system have been proven. The 1979 Rolf study with Rosalyn Bruyere and Dr. Valerie Hunt proved core chakras exist and emit frequencies that cannot be attributed to any organ or other body system. These chakras include the root (in front of the tailbone), sacral (just below the naval), solar plexus (just above the naval), heart, throat, brow, and crown.
Of course, it is the parent or guardian’s choice when to introduce one’s child to the idea that our true nature is of pure energy that is connected to all of creation. However, parents should be educated about how states of chakras may be influencing their children and then learn ways to assist their youths’ physical and emotional safety.
Doing activities which unconsciously help balance chakras can bolster a youth’s health, clear thoughts, stabilize emotions, and build confidence. This can help them deal with any craziness the world (or universe) presents—and all without having to explain physics. (However, the teens I’ve worked with were always more invested when they knew what, why, and how the activities could help them.)
A Condensed Anatomy Lesson
“Chakra” in Sanskrit means wheel—a rotating circular form. The lotus flower is used to symbolize the chakras. If we look closer at the center receptacle or flower saucer of a lotus, it resembles how Barbara Brennan, Rosalyn Bruyere, and other medical intuitives, describe what a chakra is built like. A chakra has several small vortices, or funnels, drawing from the universal energy field. In adults, the incoming energy and information is filtered and funneled toward the spine to connect with the nervous system, meridians, primo vascular system, nadis, fascia, biofield, and, if the gates are open, to the base template and hara line.
Just as the frontal lobe of the brain increases in complexity over years, chakras take time to fully develop. The root chakra is the first to mature for the baby. It anchors the subtle energy existence to the earth and assists the spirit to commit to this plane. The toddler phase—to about six or seven—brings the sacral chakra to maturity. Between seven and puberty the solar plexus fully develops, and the rest fall in order during adolescence per Brennan’s Hands of Light.
In addition to the chakras developing from the root up, in the first few years, a protective film grows over the tip of each chakra. The filter is important to help regulate incoming energy frequencies. It is vital for guardians to understand that the filter doesn’t finish developing until approximately age seven. Brennan notes, “This makes the child very vulnerable and impressionable. Thus, even though the chakras are not developed like those of an adult, and the energy that comes into them is experienced in a vague way, it still goes right into the field of the child, and the child must deal with it in some way” (87).
This is the reason young children find such comfort sitting (or being held) in the lap of the mother: there the child receives some filtering from the mother’s biofield which softens incoming energy waves and information. What does unfiltered energy feel like? Brennan explains, “Adult rage shocks the child’s system like physical shock, while grief and depression swamp it like a fog” (88). After the filters are developed, the child feels safer because energetically, he or she truly is.
Before the filters are complete, too much energy (strong negative emotions, stimuli, concert level sound or sirens, energetic waves from any source) could physically distort the chakra and cause an overload or compromise input. Intense input may also overwhelm a young child’s nervous system. Without a filter, or the cognitive maturity to work through their own versus others’ emotions, the energy stockpiles in their field. This may cause a child who is struggling to acclimate to become hypersensitive, confused, or angry. They may try to withdraw from both situations and people.
If any disfiguration (to the chakra) occurs, and an energy healer isn’t engaged to re-form it, malformed chakras or torn filters may contribute to diagnosis of agoraphobia. Anxiety of feeling overwhelmed in public places can lead some to believe staying home or in tightly self-controlled environments are their only option for peace.
Energy workers of all modalities (such as Healing Touch, Reiki, Sacred Geometry, Esoteric energy, Quantum Healing) assess chakras to determine open, compromised, or still functioning states. It is normal for chakras to be in flux during the day depending upon what the person is encountering. The higher the fear or distress level, the more inclined the chakras are, like flowers, to essentially close their petals up over the entrance which causes energy to skim over or barely flow through. When chakras stay compromised over time, physical health issues can manifest in the energetic field and the physical body.
Additionally, if there is repeat disappointment, or unrequited love, some children may intentionally push energy backward through a chakra, projecting his or her desires into the universal energy field in attempts to take charge of his or her life. This can cause distortions in reality if external life doesn’t conform with this attempt at energetic manipulation. Chakras spinning in reverse long term could also leave the individual feeling drained because needed energy is pushed out versus circulating within the energy anatomy.
Mental and Physical Health Disruptions Due to Imbalanced Chakras
Per order of development and space, this article will focus on the root and sacral chakra. According to the Healing Touch 2010 student handbook, imbalances in the root chakra can cause bowel issues, leg issues, lower-back discomfort, confusion, insecurity, violence, anger, fear, or worry, to name a few. There can also be feelings of isolation or dysconnectivity to the world.
If the sacral chakra is compromised, a person might dwell in guilt, self-denial of joy, have excessive constrictions or boundaries (mentally, physically, and/or emotionally) which can lead to obsessive attachments and addictions. In Managing Stress, Brian Luke Seaward outlined physical symptoms such as becoming more prone to vaginal infections, back issues, urinary infections, menstrual, and impotency issues as they age.
Activities to Assist Balance in the Root and Sacral Chakras
The Root Chakra: As the root is humanity’s connection to the earth, consider that any person’s world is a bubble of life within which is its own ecosystem. With good neighbors, everything works to sustain each other. Co-existence is awareness, respect, and collaboration. Building a foundation can establish comfort before teaching the reality that ecosystems may occasionally have intruders. With a base understanding of their immediate sphere, young people may face challenges with curiosity and calmness versus fear. Root balancing will instill confidence, so that they understand they belong in their geographic space, their physical environment, and this planet.
Sample exploratory activities:
Grounding—A small child does not have to intellectualize what “grounding” is when laid on a blanket to look at the sky or the tops of trees slowly waving in a breeze. Walking barefoot, in socks or leather-souled shoes, can assist with the root chakra. Couple the experience by mimicking nature and pretending to be a tree; sink roots down and invite in nutrients, elements, water, and energy. Invite your children to ponder how the bottom of their feet feel after a few minutes. Do they say wiggly or tingly? They may be feeling the energy move. That would be a good time to share, “That’s good energy flowing from the earth helping you.”
Mirror Animals—For children who dislike standing still, encourage mimicking a bird walking or bunny hopping. Discuss how with each step, the earth is firm and reliable—like an ideal older sibling, parent, or grandparent. Basic yoga poses that mimic nature and aid the root chakra include stone, mountain, child’s pose, low cobra, tree, and garland. Encourage slow, deep breaths and holding the pose for at least three breaths. Also, there should never be pain. If a pose is difficult, encourage the child to listen to his or her body: where does tension or difficulty begin? Pause and hold there while breathing.
Walk-about—As soon as a child can focus on details, begin yard and neighborhood walks. Regardless of whether you live in a suburb, city, or the country, familiarization with what is outside the home can create confidence and comfort for a child. Go on a “neighbor hunt.” Make a chart to include consistent, safe, specific humans as well as types of trees, plants, animals, birds, and bugs.
Befriend Nature—Discuss how to be a good neighbor to the other beings in the child’s ecosystem. Greet a plant by its common name to show respect and reinforce group existence. (Plant apps can help.) Plant helpful window boxes, a potted plant, or mini gardens for biodiversity which nurture local species. Raise a baby spider plant in a cup of water for a child to love on. Or pot one herb and learn how to incorporate it into grateful, healthy eating. Perhaps also explore which bugs help the plants and the environment.
Understand Defensiveness—In what ways do insects and plants have defense systems? Consider a “size, color, and texture” scavenger hunt. Some plants are spikey, fuzzy, or itch-inducing. Some bugs change colors or seek certain environments to blend in like Phasmatodea (the walking stick) or Phasmatodea (walking leaves). Inherently, a discussion would be natural about appearances—sometimes people like to blend in, sometimes to stand out. But either way, physical looks aren’t the best criterion to judge value. For example, an ant has amazing strength and dedication to its team yet has a small, unassuming stature.
Color quest—Fall is an excellent time to do a color quest. Take a paint swatch or pre-made color wheel on a walk. Look outside for nature items of matching colors. Note type of tree, plant, insect, and so forth without picking or harming anything. Teach respectful nature interactions: acknowledge the spirit of the plant, animal, or creation. Recent research proves plants register distress and some insects feel pain—consciousness at even a minimal level deserves acknowledgement and can be a starting point for youths to foster empathy.
Find THE Spot—When a child explores a nature area, he or she may have a particular like, or pull, to a specific tree, shrub, or garden area. A caregiver can ask if any particular spot makes her/him joyful or giggly, warm or safe. That happy feeling is an invitation from something in nature in that area. The parent and child can introduce themselves to that location either out loud or telepathically. Sharing about the day and life dreams can open an energy exchange while helping to balance the child’s throat chakra, heart, root, and sacral. A parent can model and practice with the child to listen, smell, touch, breathe, and exchange energy with trees via hugs, soft touches, or intentional heart shares. Sitting within three to four feet of it (inside its biofield) can help calm and balance the child’s energy field and nervous system. Give appreciative small gifts such as loose tobacco, picking up and packing out trash in the area, or sprinkling fresh water, nuts, or seed cakes near the base of the tree.
Foraging—With older children and a more rural environment, explore the edible plants and resourceful trees in the area. Discuss the reality of look-alikes (some poisonous). There are many useful phone apps for this. Do not pick anything without 100% certainty it is edible and that the area has not been exposed to pesticides in run-off areas for farms, parks, railways, or factories. Also, before picking, first give a respectful acknowledgement to the plant and land; take only a small amount, and do not harvest heavily in any one spot. Empower tweens and teens with awareness that nature can offer sustenance. It might spark a love of foraging (which of course with each visit reinforces connections to the root and nature.)
Reflection & Affirm—Upon returning from nature experiences, encourage the child to draw/write a story about how the neighborhood interacts. Then, have him/her orally explain the story. This synthesizes the root, heart, throat, brow, and crown chakras and helps to imprint the experience a little deeper. Build a reserve of positive nature experiences which they can return to at any age when nature may be miles away.
Know the environment. Respect it. Commune with it. Building that energetic relationship allows nature to whisper wisdom and insight to the child—even if it’s in impressions versus understandable words at first.
The Sacral chakra is the second chakra ascending the trunk of the body. Smooth flowing energy in the sacral helps with understanding others which strengthens relationships within one’s family, tribe, and society. By being able to read people and build expectations (and healthy boundaries) the child builds security, trust, and confidence in relationships. It helps build a positive self-image, safety to be present to appreciate experiences, and openness to feel joy in creative endeavors.
Activities to help open and balance the sacral for youths often focus on creativity, communication, correctly identifying and productively working through emotions, as well as learning to give and receive safe and appropriate physical affection.
Creativity depends on imagination, playfulness, innovation, fantasy, and curiosity. It is the spirit which keeps us young regardless of age or wrinkles. There are playful exercises for every personality of child—extrovert or introvert, rambunctious or reserved. Choose what is just inside the child’s comfort zone or just slightly out of it on a day they are feeling more adventurous.
The line game—This game is played with a partner and there is no loser. One person draws a squiggle of some type on a piece of paper, then gives it to the partner. The receiver can turn the paper in every direction. Their task is to “see” what could be, then add to the line to make it into a recognizable “thing.” The simpler the image, the better for the receiver to be able to guess what it is. To encourage simplicity in the line image, put a one-to-two-minute timer on the drawing time. When the image has been guessed, then the partners switch roles. The goal is to creatively bring something into existence.
Design a yantra—A large circle provides the basis for images and colors that help promote meditation or quiet balancing time. Sometimes it is difficult to vocalize our emotions. Art can help get the feelings and thoughts outside of the body to promote balance and objective control over the emotion. To foster gratitude and a support system, ask a child to choose colors and objects that represent each person, place, and activity he or she cares about. Fill the circle.
To deal with a frustrating event or day, split the circle in half—maybe even turn it in to a yin and yang symbol. On one half, guide the child to use colors and objects that express how they feel in the struggle. Once that is full or complete, focus on the clean side. Help brainstorm the good that happened during the day or the consistent good things in their life (skills, hobbies, pets, people). The goal is to re-establish balance versus focus only on the upsetting. Discuss simply we cannot know what causes others to act how they choose, but often when behavior is surprising or unexpected, they are dealing with something not really related to us. Depending on what happened, it could be an opportunity to offer grace of forgiveness and mercy in our hearts for the antagonist of the situation who is struggling.
Design and/or plant a perennial garden—For older children, establish small perennials for each important person in their lives. Spending time weeding and watering will offer a reminder that they need to likewise nurture those people in their lives. Encourage calls, letters, e-mail, or text messaging a photo of the garden stages. Teach that relationships need time, consistent care, and check-ins.
Divergent thinking—The goal is to brainstorm as many options as possible without judging the feasibility or useability of any. Example: How many different ways can a paper clip be used (of any size, made out of any material)? Or, what’s similar between a cat and a potato? To play with imagination without rules or continuous practicality nurtures dreaming, problem-solving, and an openness to possibilities which will help in all areas of life.
Communication (verbal, non-verbal, and physical) can work for or against us depending on awareness. For kids, it can be challenging to pick up on all the cues being given.
Play charades—Working with a team, it’s a great way to casually show and discuss how facial expressions, as well as the full body, can communicate emotions, actions, ideas, and energetic vibrations. This can also be played to simply communicate emotions or social cues (i.e. What do the following expressions look like: friendly, sad, thinking, excited, hopeful, interested?)
Art of polite and authentic conversation—Acting out a tea party or sand box casual conversation could include practicing how to invite someone to an event, practice sharing thoughts, and asking others’ thoughts. Consider teaching the THINK acronym: Is what is discussed true (unless playing with imagination), helpful, inspiring, necessary (for safety or growth), or kind? Model restating words or phrases heard to show they are listening. For older children, discuss what it means to make a concession and align with someone—to find the common ground despite differences.
Collaborative story telling—one person can provide a character, setting, or want; the partner then weaves the pieces into a short imaginative narrative. Or practice sharing about the day including one feel good and one event that they may have struggled with. How were they kind, or a good neighbor, to peers, teachers, or others during the day? How were others a good neighbor or kind to them?
Sign language—Like was mentioned with art, sometimes we are too conflicted to do much. Teach a few basic signs to use for when life, and even talking, seems really hard. Consider: I need a hug, sad, tired, hungry/thirsty, confused, hurt/pain, and I love you. A site that could be helpful is spreadthesign.com/en.us/search/.
Emotions: Learning to identify one’s feelings leads to how to work through them in a useful way. The range of emotions can be complicated. Discussion or activities should reflect the complexity as the child ages. “Sad” for a toddler could be “disappointment” for a six-year-old and be narrowed to feeling “betrayed” for a fourteen-year-old. The disappointment could lead to manifest as frustration. Likewise, being confused could lead to being overwhelmed which could manifest as sorrow or anger or a complete shutdown.
Emotions help people figure out what they think and offer the opportunity to analyze the beliefs behind those thoughts. Over time, beliefs may no longer be helpful, nor healthy, and should be modified or dropped. Effective relationships and communication are usually based on one or both people having high levels of emotional intelligence (the ability to correctly identify an emotion and respond without escalating a situation).
Emotion Scale—for young ones, the medical pain scale or an emoticon board are concrete tools to help identify how someone is feeling and give it a name. Another way to talk about emotions is to give it a number of intensity. I might feel 2/5 confused on a government concept but feel 5/5 love for peanut butter cups.
Sharing emotions—Build time in the day to discuss feelings, like “Feelings at 5” or “Sharing at 7.” It should be when neither parent nor child is in the middle of things. Establish it as a minimum 10-minute check in for sharing. Sit at the child’s eye level with open body language, and ask, “How are you feeling today?” If the child is reluctant and answers with a quick, “Okay,” expand the question to, “What emotions have you felt recently? What happened or were you thinking when you had these feelings? How are you doing with the feelings? Do you need/want a different way to think about what happened?”
Encourage them to ask the adult partner as well. To feel valued, being listened to is as vital as needing to be asked how someone is. If there is a problem, model sentence starters: “I feel sad because . . .” or “I thought we were going to do x, but we didn’t. So, I feel Y.” This safe discussion opens up explaining why life sometimes doesn’t go as planned, but there can still be love and respect despite different viewpoints. Feeling shares should end with respectfully thanking the other for sharing.
For some parents, this can be challenging if they weren’t raised by parents who encouraged open communication. It can be a good growth experience for all but will require the parent/guardian to keep a check on her/his own emotions. Avoid taking anything personal or responding defensively. Take a breath and keep referring back to if the emotion is serving the child, if she/he can think about the situation differently, or do something to find peace and feel a healthier emotion.
Yoga—In addition to aiding the energy flow and chakras, yoga can help release stuck emotions. Helpful yoga asanas for the sacral chakra include cat, cow, happy baby, camel, and bridge.
Calling out Anxiety—Some anxieties offer opportunity. There may be times a perspective shift can be offered to help a youth move forward.
Fear of failure or embarrassment from “failing” can be flipped to reveal the opportunity to try something new, experiment, and improve. No one is perfect at something new. Trying new things builds neural connections and can lead to new hobbies or career paths. Conversely it can help narrow or weed out options that at first seemed intriguing but aren’t good fits.
Fear of rejection enables finding someone better aligned for friendship as well as to test how determined the child is in what he/she wants to pursue. Encourage resilience by repeat attempts with modified strategies in appropriate situations.
Fear of being alone is an opportunity to learn to trust one’s self and value the self. Encourage some alone-time activities like reading, drawing, walking, building, journaling, making videos, (not playing video games with others). If kids can value their creative and alone thought time, they will be less likely to develop overly dependent relationships. Trusting and valuing alone time aids both the sacral chakra and the solar plexus.
Finally, some youths mistakenly develop the idea that worrying for, or about, someone is a sign of compassion. Instead of creating compassion, it creates paralysis. “Action” is an “act” of compassion. To be a good child, friend, or spouse doesn’t mean one has to be overwhelmed by sadness when a friend or parent is. Parents/Grandparents can model compassion with a child by sitting near, helping breathe, and listening when someone talks. These are all ways to support and show love and respect. The energy phrase, “to hold space for someone” means to create a safe, loving space for someone to work through one’s own emotions and thoughts. It is to be available when—and if—that extra support is wanted or needed. By staying grounded with balanced chakras, it can help a struggling friend calm her/his own nervous system, enabling that person to think more clearly and work through one’s own difficulties.
How we cope with confrontation, disagreements, and disappointment are all part of managing emotions and keeping the sacral chakra balanced; however, to go further exceeds the scope of this article. To briefly address them, consider an insightful story which recently circulated on social media. To summarize, it said, some people get bit by a snake and then spend weeks or months pursuing the snake to explain why they didn’t deserve the bite.
Every animal acts to protect or further itself. In humanity, sometimes when people are not energetically balanced, nor effective at interpreting their own emotions, they tend to lash out—it may be a glare, a snappy tone, or injurious words or actions. Consider role-playing with a child if someone acts in a manner that is not expected. Teach the deep breath and pause. The sharp actions or words may not have anything to do with the child. The “snake” may be hurting or shocked by something that happened with someone else. They may not be physically feeling well, and it is throwing them off. They may even simply be really hungry.
Just like practicing to say “no” in situations is important to exercise the throat chakra with confidence, practicing saying, “Are you okay? You don’t seem yourself,” or “Your actions/words surprise me.” Learning that others’ actions don’t have to be taken personally creates options for how the child may respond.
What if distress or a pattern of unease develops in your child? Holistic practitioners exist in nearly every community. Energy therapists can assist with balancing chakras helping both physical and mental health. The work is non-invasive, effective, and safe for pregnant women, the elderly, and everyone in between. Meanwhile, incorporating basic chakra balancing activities into your child’s life early on will establish healthy life-long practices for your child. And, yes, these strategies can help the parent at the same time.
Michelle McLemore is a freelance writer, workshop speaker, energy practitioner, and stress management guide --and she is currently working on energy-based stress management books and a parenting guide. Her background as a psychology and writing teacher supports personalizing client self-care to boost balance and vitality. Learn more at michellemclemore.com, facebook.com/MichelleMcLemoreHealingGuide, and michelle.mclemore on Instagram. Read more at mclemore.substack.com. Contact her at energy@michellemclemore.com.
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The subtle energy system has always been integral to humanity’s weave of existence. Though the media tends to focus on seven major chakras in the Hindu/yogic tradition, there is commonality across Cherokee, Incan, Pueblo, Tibetan Buddhist, and Sufi Muslim mysticism beliefs to name just a few. That being understood, there are major and minor chakras throughout the body—at every joint, nerve bundle, palms of the hands, souls of the feet, nipples, and more.