Root Chakra

There are 7 chakras and these are the main energy centers of the body. The first chakra, also called Root Chakra (Muladhara), is related to survival, grounding, and security. When the root chakra is balanced, you’ll find happiness, contentment, and inner peace.

Continue reading further to find out all the details of this chakra.

What is Root Chakra?

The Sanskrit name for the root chakra is Muladhara, which breaks down into “Mula” meaning root and “Adhara meaning support or base. As the name suggests, Muladhara is the base or roots of the entire chakra system. The foundation on which all Chakras rest. Hence, in order to grow your full potential, you need a solid foundation. You need to balance your root chakra before progressing to others so that your development is rooted, grounded, and does not lack the stability required for true growth.

Muladhara governs the four primal urges including food, sleep, sex, and self-preservation. Also it controls our emotional needs and functions. 

When the root chakra is healthy and well-balanced, you’ll feel calm, secured, and anchored in reality. You’ll be able to tackle new challenges boldly and confidently. It’s also crucial whenever you’re trying to do something new or pursuing an important life goal.

Where is Root Chakra Located in Our body?

The Root Chakra (Muladhara) is located at the base of the spine where your tailbone is located.

What Does the Root Chakra Control?

Confidence, strength, digestive health

The Element of Root Chakra: Earth

The Color of the Root Chakra: Red

Blocked Root Chakra Symptoms:

Emotional Symptoms

• Increased anxiety levels
• Feeling unsafe or threatened
• Panic attacks
• Negativity towards yourself and others
• Difficulty in concentration
• Unhealthy food habits (e.g, binging, starving, purging)
• Low self-confidence
• Trouble in making decisions
• Hypochondria (imagined chronic anxiety about one's health)

Physical symptoms 

Back Pain

Digestive Discomfort

Lethargy

Leg Pain

Cold hands and feet

Moreover, anything that shakes your sense of security can block the root chakra. For example when you lose a job, are coping with the end of a relationship, facing financial difficulties, conflict with close family members, received a troubling health diagnosis, witnessed something frightening.

How to Open and Unblock Your Root Chakra?

Learning how to open the root chakra is fairly simple and straightforward, but its effects can be profound on you. With a balanced root chakra, you can boost your self-confidence, feel more ready to face your anxieties, experience a deeper sense of relaxation, and feel more engaged in interactions. You will cultivate a basic sense of stability that will spread positivity in all aspects of your life.

As you get familiar with the root chakra, it’ll be easy to spot these triggers and know what techniques to follow to prevent major misalignments of the chakra.

Practice Root Chakra Meditation

For overall healing, root chakra meditation can help you out. Chakra Meditation techniques are similar to regular meditation techniques, but it focuses on one specific area of the body. You can try the simple but effective root chakra meditation method below:

1. Sit in an upright position with your shoulders back and your back straight. Relax all your muscles. Close your eyes and breathe deeply. Inhale through the nose. Pull the breath as far down into your body as you can. Then exhale through the mouth. 
2. Move your attention to the location where the root chakra is, just below your tailbone. Notice any stiffness in the area.
3. As the root chakra’s color element is red, try imagining a red light glowing at the base of your spine. Feel this glow slowly expanding, making the whole area warm and relaxed. Focus and rest in this sensation for 3-5 minutes.
4. When you feel you’re done, gently open your eyes. Do not hurry. Sit for a few minutes before continuing with the rest of your day.

Follow Yoga Techniques

Practicing certain yoga techniques can be of great help to open up your root chakra and align them for good. Some of the good examples are Uttanasana (Standing Forward Fold), Malasana (Garland Pose), Sukhasana (Easy Pose), Janu Sirasana (Head to Knee Forward Bend), and Balasana (Child’s Pose).

Use Root Chakra Affirmations

Lastly, affirmations are incredibly useful for root chakra healing. You can repeat these positive affirmations multiple specifically targeted for root chakra multiple times a day, or any time you feel your chakra might be blocked. You can even say one or more of these affirmations before or after you meditate, or before you start the day.

• “I’m safe and secure.”
• “I believe in me.”
• “I am stable, grounded and relaxed at this moment.”
• “I nurture and take care of myself.”
• “I am nourished and supported by mother earth.”
• “I release any doubts and fears.”
• “I am immersed in abundance.”

Maintain a Diet of Beneficial Foods

Specific foods linked to the root chakra can be anything organic. The root chakra is opened by anything connected to roots. In addition, protein-rich food helps to ground you and give you physical strength. Foods such as beans, spinach, tofu, green peas, almonds, etc. are a good source of protein.

Red-colored foods also automatically influence your root chakra because of its association with the color red. Think of apples, cherries, strawberries, beetroots, red bell peppers, and tomatoes.

Another food item to balance root chakra include root vegetables like garlic, potatoes, these are grounding, partly because they grow in soil. These earthly connections mean these foods can also help to rebalance the misbalance root chakra.