Why are the chakra colors important, and how should I work with them?

"Each chakra color carries a particular vibrational frequency that you can tap into, work with, and amplify," explains acupuncturist, reiki master, and author of Chakra Healing Margarita Alcantara, LAc. "Delving into healing at this level is very powerful."

Keeping this in mind, working with a particular chakra color can help you draw that color's energy—or frequency—into your life. When deciding on a color to incorporate into your practice, consider what energy you are looking for right now. Then, scan the list below to find the color that corresponds to it.

Alcantara recommends working with your chosen chakra color(s) using visualization: Picture that color as a sphere of light that exists in your body and watch it grow and radiate. Visualize it becoming stronger and more vibrant with each breath.

If you're into crystals, you can also seek out a stone that corresponds to your chosen color and work it into your spiritual practice. Hold it during meditation, add it to your altar, or carry it around as a reminder of an intention.

The root chakra is our foundation. It develops in our first seven years of life and deals with survival and security needs. It's represented by the color red, and when out of balance, we may feel insecure, unsafe, and even disconnected from reality.

Hematite, a reddish-black mineral, is a good stone to work with to nourish your roots.

The sacral chakra, which is located in your lower abdomen, is all about creativity and sexuality. It's associated with orange and is formed in the seven years after your root chakra until age 14. (This seven-year timeline continues with each chakra as we get older).

The orange quality of tiger's eye makes it a good stone to work with if your sacral chakra is out of balance and you feel a lack of control in your life

Moving from the lower to the upper abdomen, you'll find your solar plexus chakra, which is associated with the color yellow. This chakra deals with confidence as well as overall self-worth and self-esteem.

If you've been feeling any sort of shame or self-doubt, you may likely feel it in your gut. In this case, one yellow stone you can work with is amb

Up next is the heart chakra—located just above your heart in the center of your chest—which is associated with the color green. It deals with our ability to both give and receive love to ourselves and others.

This is the one exception to crystal-color coordination: "Pink rose quartz is the premier stone when working with the Heart Chakra," Alcantara notes.

The throat chakra, which is associated with light blue or turquoise, is all about expression and truth. When it's open, we can communicate our truth clearly and effectively. When it's blocked, we struggle to share authentically.

The beautiful light blue shade of this stone makes it excellent for throat chakra work.

As we get older, we get closer and closer to self-actualization. From ages 36 to 42, our third-eye chakra develops, and it's associated with dark blue and purple shades. It deals with intuition and our ability to move past our ego. When it's unbalanced, we'll feel out of touch with our intuition.

Amethyst, with its rich purple tones, or dark blue lapis lazuli are both good stones for this chakra.

And lastly, at the crown of our head, we have the crown chakra. The final chakra is associated with shades of violet and glowing white. It develops when someone has become evolved enough to tap into higher consciousness—something that can take a lifetime and doesn't happen for everyone.

Clear quartz is a good stone for working with this chakra since it's thought to help open you up to spiritual connection.

The more we understand about the chakras, the better we can work with them to live balanced and aligned lives. If you think any of your chakras could be blocked, working with their colors is a great way to start getting back into balance. And if you want to move past colors and dig deeper into the subtle energies of each chakra, here are some more chakra-balancing tips.