Feeling Rooted – 1st chakra

The first chakra is called the root chakra and is located at the base of the spine. The Sanskrit word for root support is muladhara. This chakra connects us to the earth and supports our earthly body. Red is the color of the root chakra. This is where we begin, as the root chakra is all about connection to the earth and survival.

Imagine that you are a plant. Your roots connect you to the earth and bring you water and nutrients for survival, so it is with the root chakra. This is where we feel safe and connected with the earth, confident in our ability to not only survive, but thrive in this life. We need to be grounded and secure in our root chakra to be successful and healthy.

If the root chakra is blocked or out of balance, physical ailments include issues with the legs, feet, and tailbone, the adrenal glands, the colon, and the immune system. Mental symptoms include fear and anxiety, restlessness, lack of focus, and a feeling of not being present. If you do not feel safe and comfortable in your body, you probably need to do some work on your root chakra.

Here are some questions to ask regarding first chakra issues.

1) Did I have a difficult birth?

2) Did I experience abuse or trauma as a child?

3) Did I experience neglect or abandonment as a young child?

4) Did I have traumatic illness or surgery as a young child?

These types of experiences can cause root chakra instability. If you answer yes to any of those questions and have any of the symptoms listed above, you may have root chakra instability.

Here are some practices to heal and balance your root chakra:

~yoga and Pilates help us become present in our body

~ Grounding, going outside barefoot, and hiking in the woods

~spending time outside

~wearing red gemstones such as garnet, ruby, and rose quartz

~meditating

Specific yoga poses to do include Mountain pose (tadasana), Child’s pose (balasana), and tree pose (vriksasana). Doing these poses outside with bare feet is even better. When standing in tree pose, visualize roots growing from your feet into the earth, connecting and grounding you.

Affirmation: I am safe and secure in my body and on the earth. The earth and the universe support me.