A Chakra-Inspired Guide to Teacher Well-Being

Jul 2

By Dr. Jaclyn Roster, EdClarity Coaching

One framework that has helped me navigate the highs and lows of teaching is thinking of my own social and emotional needs through the chakra system. The chakra system is a concept from Eastern traditions that sees the body as home to seven energy centers, each tied to different emotional, psychological, and spiritual needs. Your yoga teacher has likely mentioned them. They can offer an intuitive and compassionate lens through which we can explore our own well-being as educators.

It is easy to get out-of-whack during the school year. When I’m feeling lost, I start with my root chakra, the chakra located at the base of your spine that is focused on feeling grounded and supported. To me, this chakra is all about getting my “house” in order. I ask myself–is my classroom messy? Do I have a stack of papers I’ve neglected to grade and that stack feels like it's physically weighing on me? Is there something (or someone!) in my classroom that is making me feel physically unsafe? When was the last time I worked out? Called a loved one?

Once I’ve addressed some matters in my stability and safety, I can move up the pyramid and onto the sacral chakra, which examines joy and expression, and so on.

How to use this guide

One of my teaching mantras is “take what you need, leave what you don’t” and for some of you, this post may veer into the woo-woo. Understood!

If this does interest you, come with me on a ride through the chakras and teacher well-being. Below, for each chakra, you’ll find a guiding question, a description of what that chakra represents in the life of a teacher, and a few tangible ways to nurture it.

Root Chakra (Muladhara): Safety & Stability

Teacher Reflection: Do I feel grounded and supported?

This is your foundation. We need to feel physically and emotionally safe in order to be effective educators. This means job security, predictable routines, supportive leadership, and yes, an organized classroom. When your root is steady, you feel safe and supported in your classroom and your career.

Ways to nourish your root chakra:

Establish a morning routine that grounds you. Music, coffee, a mantra.
Create visual organization systems that reduce chaos or use an old school teacher planner.
Set consistent routines and expectations.
Build clear communication with colleagues.
Ask for clarity if expectations feel unclear.
Keep a comforting object on your desk to anchor you.
Know where and how to ask for help.
Call your mom! Or another loved one.

Sacral Chakra (Svadhisthana): Joy & Expression

Teacher Reflection: Am I allowed to feel joy in my work?

Joy is a requirement of highly effective teaching! The second chakra is all about creativity, connection, and emotional expression. It is ok to feel joy! Whether it's laughing with students when you’ve made a funny mistake on the Smartboard, creating a project that you’re proud of, or simply enjoying a quiet moment in between class periods, joy is a valid and necessary part of this work.

Ways to nourish your sacral chakra:

Be playful in your teaching.
Seek emotional validation from peers or mentors.
Celebrate small wins, both yours and your students’.
Laugh at yourself!
Let yourself decorate your room in a way that makes you smile.
Share a lighthearted moment with students or colleagues each day.
Keep a “Bright Spots” journal for moments that make you feel alive.
Use your planning time for something creative.

Solar Plexus Chakra (Manipura): Confidence & Agency

Teacher Reflection: Do I feel capable and empowered?

I think of the manipura chakra as my personal power. It’s your sense of what we call self-efficacy, which simply means our ability to make choices and believe that we’re good at what we do.

Basically, this chakra determines if we feel confident. And we know feeling confident doesn’t mean having all the answers or being the best teacher ever every single day. It means that we know our work matters, that we can make decisions in our classroom, and that we’re trusted as a professional.

Ways to nourish your solar plexus chakra:

Reflect each day on one thing you did well, especially on the days when nothing went well. Because something did, in fact, go well.
Advocate for something small that matters to you.
Set realistic weekly goals and celebrate progress.
Give yourself GRACE. So stop focusing on that one mistake!
Seek and give encouragement from colleagues.
Acknowledge your strengths.

Heart Chakra (Anahata): Connection & Compassion

Teacher Reflection: Do I feel seen and valued in my community?

This heart chakra is a big one for teachers. It's our relational center where all those teacher qualities–empathy, compassion, and belonging–live.

Teaching is a relational profession; we are constantly building relationships not just with our students, but with colleagues, parents, administration, school support staff, and ourselves. For so many of us, it is these relationships that define our work.

Ways to nourish your heart chakra:

Every day, thank someone in your school for showing up in a way that was meaningful to you.
Build in moments of connection with students, like a class ritual or closing circle.
Let yourself be human. It’s okay to cry, laugh, or hide in the bathroom.
Feel known by at least one colleague.
Have emotional check-ins with students or peers.
Build relationships.

Throat Chakra (Vishuddha): Voice & Boundaries

Teacher Reflection: Can I speak up and be heard?

Another biggie for teachers! The throat chakra helps us express our needs, advocate for our students, and communicate clearly and honestly. And, of course, stand up in front of a room and teach everyday!

When you are finding yourself unable to clearly state directions to your students, miscommunicating with a co-teacher, or even just stumbling over your words, check in with your throat chakra.

Ways to nourish your throat chakra:

Drink lots of water.
Stretch your neck.
Use journaling to process tricky conversations or stuck feelings.
Pause before responding to a challenging student or colleague. Ask yourself, “What do I really want to communicate here?”
Practice saying “I need...” without apology.
If something feels unfair or unclear, ask for clarification.

Third Eye Chakra (Ajna): Clarity & Vision

Teacher Reflection: Do I have a clear sense of why I teach?

The third eye chakra is located in the center of your forehead, between your eyes. It's the chakra that invites us to see the big picture. This is your internal and moral compass.

It’s easy to get stuck in survival mode, and the day-to-day, but this chakra calls us back to vision. What is our purpose? How do our values guide our decisions? Why do we teach? Taking time to reflect here keeps the work meaningful.

Ways to nourish your third eye:

Write a “teaching vision statement” for yourself.
Come back to your teaching mantras.
End your day with this question: “What mattered most today?”
Surround yourself with quotes, student notes, or images that keep you grounded.
Build reflective time into your week.
Find people who help you find meaning and bring you joy.
Know your core values and goals.

Crown Chakra (Sahasrara): Purpose & Integration

Teacher Reflection: Is this work aligned with who I am?

This is where teaching becomes not just a job but a calling. It’s the sense that what we’re doing connects to something meaningful, both personally and collectively. When we’re aligned with our deeper sense of purpose, the hard days don’t undo us. They remind us of our commitment to our students, our colleagues, to justice, to transformation.

Ways to nourish your crown chakra

Create time for big-picture reflection.
Feel connected to a mission or calling.
See your role as part of a larger system of change.

Set an intention each Monday that aligns with your values.
Engage in a mindfulness practice—even just 3 minutes of staring out the window.
Reconnect with what led you to teaching in the first place.

The chakra framework gives us a holistic way to check in with the whole teacher, and a reminder that balanced energy matters.

Want to continue the conversation or explore your next steps with a coach who gets it? Reach out to me at jaclyn@edclaritycoaching.com

Jaclyn Roster