The Root Chakra

The Root Chakra

The Root Chakra represents our foundation and feeling of being grounded. It is located at the base of spine in the tailbone area. It deals with survival issues like financial independence, food, shelter, safety.

The word Muladhara breaks down into two Sanskrit words: Mulameaning “root” and Adhara, which means “support” or “base.” 

Balancing the root chakra creates the solid foundation for opening the chakras above. It has everything to do with being grounded. 

The root chakra is comprised of whatever grounds you to stability 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 day to day. 

In the world of psychology we have different theories that say the same thing. Erik Erickson’s stages of development, the first stage—trust versus mistrust—is closely related to your root chakra development. 

Imbalances in the Root Chakra

If there is an imbalance in the root chakra you may experience anxiety disorders, fears, or nightmares. Physical imbalances may manifest as problems in the colon, with the bladder, with elimination, or with lower back, leg, or feet issues. In men, prostate problems may occur. Eating disorders may also be a sign of a root chakra imbalance.

Root chakra healing fosters proper energy flow throughout the body giving the chakra system a firm foundation on which the other energy centers may function. When the first chakra is blocked or somehow off balance, it is not uncommon to exhibit uncharacteristic behaviors, like paranoia, being short-tempered or aggressive.

Ways to Balance

1. Meditation

It does not matter if you call that higher power Consciousness, Mother Nature, God, or Spirit. Connection to universal energy will bring you a sense of peace and stability.

2. Yoga

  • Pavanamuktasana, knee to chest pose
  • Janu Sirsansana, head to knee Pose
  • Padmasana, lotus flexion
  • Malasana, squatting pose

Women can also practice Kegel exercises, and both men and women can do Bandhayoga—where you lock or tighten certain areas of your body—to help bring strong energy and strength to the area of the first chakra.

Engage more in grounding and earth-related activities. Enhance your connection with nature, gardening, cooking healthy, hiking. Take your shoes off and walk in the grass. Sports, martial arts, walking, yoga, Tachi, it all helps. But also house-cleaning, manual dishwashing and car-cleaning.

Chanting or toning sounds can also help bring you back to balance just like music brings people together. Sounds create vibrations in the body, and these vibrations help the cells work together in synchronistic harmony. The mantra sound that corresponds to the root chakra is LAM.

The main idea is to work at growing your ”roots” in a safe and comfortable environment. Surround yourself with earth colors, objects reminding you of nature.

Foods: Root vegetables and red food.

When concentrating on the root chakra, consider adding naturally red-colored foods, root vegetables, and animal protein such as:

  • parsnips
  • soy
  • tofu
  • eggs
  • beans
  • meat
  • rainbow chard
  • beets

Anchor yourself in your environment

Connecting intimately with the earth.  Go outside and walk on unpaved paths, dig your hands in the earth, plant seeds.

If you do not have access to garden, walking outside to a park and pay attention to every step you make, feeling the contact of your feet to the ground. Make it a daily practice. The presence of plants in your immediate surrounding can also be helpful to bring the earth closer to you.

Aromatherapy For The First Chakra

Aromatherapy is another useful tool for first chakra balancing. ylang-ylang

  • rosemary
  • patchouli
  • sandalwood
  • myrrh
  • rosemary
  • grounding (young living)

Root Chakra Healing Stones

The use of chakra crystals and healing stones for chakra cleansing is also common.

When choosing red stones to heal the root chakra, some choices are red jasper, bloodstone, red carnelian, and garnet. Other options for stones include:

  • Hematite
  • Rhodochrosite
  • Jet
  • Smokey quartz

We’ll be working on this lesson for a few weeks. Practitioners and readers  feel free to leave your feedback and introduce your self and participate.

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Sign up for alerts or daily digests at https://www.treasurecoast.com/ so you don’t miss a lesson. If things go well we can set up a private group.

Cyndi Lenz RN

Treasurecoast.com

TreasureCoast

TreasureCoast

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  • Posted 6 years ago

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