There are seven main energy centers in the body called “chakras”. These seven chakras parallel the spine, and each one has certain qualities and associations. It is important to have these chakras working in balance and not have an over-active or under-active chakra energy.[pullquote] It is important to balance this chakra first before balancing the others, from an energetic stand-point, as it is widely believed that this is where we draw our life force energy from. If you are not properly grounded (or rooted into the ground) you simply cannot balance the other chakras properly.[/pullquote]
The Muladhara, the first chakra is located at the base of the spine, the pelvic floor, and the first three vertebrae. It conveys the deepest connections with your physical body, your environment and the Earth. The word Muladhara breaks down into two Sanskrit words: Mula meaning ‘root’ and Adhara meaning ‘support’ or ‘base’. Muladhara is the most instinctual of all chakras. Your fight-or-flight response is initiated from this chakra as this is of primal and animalistic nature.
The Importance of Muladhara Chakra
The energy of Muladhara allows us to harness courage, resourcefulness and the will to live during trying times. It connects us with the spiritual energies of our ancestors, their challenges and their triumphs. It helps us connect to our physical world. It governs our physical energies, giving us a sense of safety and security with other people and ourselves.
It is important to balance this chakra first before balancing the others, from an energetic stand-point, as it is widely believed that this is where we draw our life force energy from. If you are not properly grounded (or rooted into the ground) you simply cannot balance the other chakras properly.
The root chakra comprises of whatever grounds you in your life. This includes your basic needs such as food, water, shelter, and safety, as well as your more emotional needs such as letting go of fear. When these needs are met, you feel grounded and safe, and you tend to worry less on an everyday basis.
Family wounds and tribal beliefs are stored in the body in this area. The health of this chakra is associated with your upbringing and early life. The security you feel often has less to do with what you have at your disposal now and more to do with how safe you felt growing up. As infants, if your caregivers readily gave you what you needed to survive with consistency, you would have felt secure in the world. You felt that the world was a place that could be trusted to provide your basic needs. But, if your caregivers withheld or delayed in giving you what you needed, or if they were inconsistent, you may find yourself with muladhara/root chakra blocks.
The Balanced Root Chakra
If your root chakra is in balance or open properly, you will feel secure in your world and daily tasks will seem effortless. You will not have any doubts about your place in the world and things will work for you, whether it be with relationships, money or with a career. You will work with the world and not against it. A well-functioning first chakra opens us to our power and stability and allows us to grow. We are grounded, and this grounding brings us rest and solidity and stillness.
Imbalances in the Root Chakra
All of the seven chakras are important and interconnected with each other. Usually, balancing one chakra will create change in another chakra, but it is important to balance the root chakra first, or we will lack the stability and rootedness necessary for true transformation and personal growth. We cannot grow and change unless we feel safe and secure.
The Root Chakra begins its development during the ages 0-7 years. Any verbal, mental, physical abuse or lack of security during these years will leave a negative imprint in this Root Chakra. A negative imprint is like a scratch in your energy field; whereas, positive circumstances brighten your aura. Family wounds are also stored in this area of the body. Perhaps your family always struggled financially or changed residences often. This energy will then carry over to you. Any unfinished business with parents is a Root Chakra issue. In all of these cases, imbalances to the energy of the Root Chakra can set the stage for illness.
Muladhara chakra carries our ancestral memories, hence most of us experience challenges or blockages with it. War, famine, natural disasters and any events that threaten our basic survival are all recorded within the energies of the first chakra. These memories are imprinted in the subtle body and are passed down from generation to generation, creating unconscious generational patterns. It is our work to take responsibility for our own lives and bring to light that which is unconscious by working to open up our first chakra.
Autoimmune (emotional/mental) diseases (lupus, arthritis, multiple sclerosis, thyroid disorders, AIDS, cancer, allergies) are when the body attacks itself. These are Root Chakra imbalances. The body gets a destructive message from deep within itself. Mental depression has been associated not only with self-destructive behaviors but with depression of the immune system functioning.
If you experience anxiety disorders, fears, or nightmares, your root chakra is most probably blocked. Other physical manifestations would be in the colon, bladder, elimination, lower back, leg, or feet issues. In men, prostate problems may occur. Eating disorders, poor immune system, anemia, depression, and laziness, irritable bowel syndrome, being overweight or underweight is also an indication of root chakra imbalance.
If you are struggling in your relationships especially with issues of trust then it’s a first chakra issue. Some people never feel safe, this may be in their jobs, or they feel there is never enough money, or no matter what they do they can never get ahead which are all first chakra issues.
Over-Active Root Chakra
If the root chakra is over-active you may experience anger, annoyance and even aggression towards people and events in your life. Greediness and controlling others and becoming belligerent to those who challenge your authority may be a problem. You might become dependent on the security from other people, your job, or specific habits and because of this you will have very rigid boundaries making it very difficult for you to accept change. You may also become very materialistic or impulsive and think that your value or self-worth exists in having such things. Problems with an over-active sex drive may arise due to the over-activeness of the root chakra.
Under-Active Root Chakra
If your root chakra is under-active you may feel disconnected from the world around you, including from your body. You may feel disorganized and consequently this will reflect in your world. You will lack focus and discipline and you may even become afraid, anxious or restless in your daily interactions. You will probably experience a lack of stamina, depression or desire to do or to want anything out of life. You will have trouble obtaining financial security and will find yourself with no, or very little boundaries.
When the first chakra is under active, one of the manifestations of that malfunction is obesity. Through the first chakra, we work to understand and heal our bodies. The challenge is to accept our body, feel it, validate it, and love it. Eating is a first chakra activity. When we eat, we are nourished, and our physical body is supported. Eating grounds us. Meats and proteins are first chakra foods.
Thought forms such as “I don’t deserve love,” “I’m ashamed of who I am,” and “I’m always misunderstood,” are common. They try to compensate for these feelings by acquiring, keeping and controlling material possessions, by becoming addicted to material things. The ultimate root chakra failure is suicide.
Opening the Root Chakra
Mudra
Let the tips of your thumb and index finger touch and concentrate on the Root chakra at the spot in between the genitals and the anus.
Color
The root is associated with the color red. Red symbolizes life, vitality, strength and the physical nature of man. In nature, red represents heat, fire and anger. Rose-red is the color of universal harmony. Other colors associated with it are brown, black and gray. It is the source of the etheric layer of the aura,which is associated with awareness of the physical body, and physical survival. It is the layer closest to the body, and densest in texture. It can sometimes be seen as a sort of grayish heat wave, 2-3 inches around the body. It anchors the aura to the physical body. Picturing a red lotus flower at the base of your spine will begin to balance it. Lighting red candles while focusing on your root chakra can also have this effect.
Organs/Glands
Reproductive organs, Large Intestine, Immune System.
Simple Root Chakra Exercise
Stomping your feel upon the ground, marching in place, and doing squats.
Crystal Therapy
Azurite, Bloodstone, Chrysocolla, Obsidian, Golden Yellow Topaz, Black Tourmaline, Carnelian, Citrine, Red Jasper, Smokey Quartz, Hematite, Labodorite, Garnet, Ruby, Onyx, Fire agate and Star ruby. If you are new to crystal therapy, you can read more about it here and here.
Nutrition
Root vegetables: carrots, potatoes, parsnips, ginger, beets, radishes, beets, onions, garlic, etc.
Protein-rich foods: eggs, meats, beans, tofu, soy products, peanut butter, nuts.
Spices: horseradish, hot paprika, chives, cayenne, pepper
Red Coloured Foods: red apples, strawberries, red cabbage.
Aromatherapy
Sandalwood, Cedar, Rosewood, Ginger, Cloves, Black pepper, Rosemary. Patchouli, Lavender, Musk, Hyacinth, Cinnamon.
Healing the Root Chakra with Nature
The muladhara’s element is Earth. Simply getting out and experiencing the sounds and smells of Mother Nature will have a positive effect on this chakra. Sitting on the grass, under a tree is an ideal spot to sit and allow yourself to absorb these earthly energies. Dancing is very good for grounding. In the summer, go barefoot. House cleaning and cooking is also grounding. Hug a tree, take care of your plants. Focusing on the color red can help bring your energetic body “down to earth” and in alignment with your physical body.
Sound Therapy
The root vibrates in harmony to “C” Note. Additionally chanting “LAM” will have a positive effect on this chakra. Vibrational Note C, Frequency: 256 Hz is good. Try meditating with singing bowls or music made including these frequencies and notes. Listen to the elemental root chakra sounds of thunder, native music and drumming.
Root Chakra Visualization/Affirmation
The roots of a large tree spread deep underground, anchoring the tree into the earth, use your creative visualisation to imagine roots, going down from your body plunging into the depths of the planet and spreading out, just like the roots of that tree. Envision the prominent bulky roots extending downwards below the surface, broadening from the base of your spine. These roots are the essence that will, enable you to draw into your body the positive frequency of the mother earth. You are now beginning to feel the awareness of a reaction from the planet deep below the surface coursing into your space. As this occurs, you visualise the bulky roots that are beginning to entwine with the waters inside the planet’s core, these waters represent the unconditional love, healing the rarefied energy of the Earth. As your roots entwine with the Earth energy use your senses to experience the awareness of unconditional love.
~Spiritual Chakra Meditations
Body parts associated with root chakra
Coccyx, anus, large intestine, adrenal glands, back, leg, feet and bones. The anatomical description of the chakra is listed here.
Root chakra yoga
Yoga is both a physical and spiritual practice, yoga poses are not only exercises for your body, but also for your mind, emotions and spirit, making it the perfect practice for balancing your chakras. The best root chakra yoga poses are those that enhance your connection with the Earth, the poses that keep you rooted and grounded.
Mountain Pose (Tadasana)
The most basic of all poses in yoga is Mountain Pose. Almost every yoga practice begins with this simple pose. Mountain Pose encourages your connection with Earth, connects you with your own body and grounds you in the present moment.
Warrior One Pose (Virabhadrasana 1)
This strong asana creates a firm connection between the Earth and your body. This root chakra yoga pose allows your prana to move through your body, rooting you through the first chakra. As you breathe in this posture, visualize the color red flowing through your body and flowing into your base chakra.
Bridge Pose (Setu Bhandasana)
This is a dynamic root chakra yoga pose that allows your feet to be firmly rooted into the Earth and your spine engaged in the release of excess root chakra energy.
You can print the following and stick it in your meditation spot
Sanskrit name: Muladhara – root support
Element: Earth
Spice: Ginger
Color: Red
Shape: Square
Petals of the lotus: Four
Rights: To have
Endocrine gland: Adrenal cortex
Physical association: The skeletal structure, teeth, large intestine, kidneys, blood
Psychological function: Survival and self preservation
Identity: Physical identity
Developmental stage: Womb to 12 months
Challenge: Fear
Plane: Physical plane
Planets: Saturn, Earth
Deity: Brahma, Dakini, Ganesha, Anat, Ceridwen, Dakini, Demeter, Erda, Ereshkigal, Gaia, Ganesha, Lakshmi
Mythological Animal: White elephant with seven trunks
Food: Protein
Sense organ: Nose
Predominant sense: Smell
Incense: Cedar
Sound: vowel sound U and musical note C
Gemstones: ruby, hematite, garnet
Aromatic Oils: cloves, rosemary, cypress, cedar
Bach Flowers: clematis, rock rose, sweet chestnut
Seed sound/ Mantra: LAM (pronounced LANG)
Herb: Sage
Sephira: Malkuth
Tarot suite: Pentacles
