The Chakra Project - Root Chakra

Chakra 1

Root Chakra – Muladhara (Mula = Root, Adhara = Support or Base)







Location: Base of spine, the pelvic floor, and the first 3 vertebrae - space between base of spine and perineum


Benefit of balancing root chakra:

• GROUNDEDNESS
• Creates foundation/stability for opening rest of chakras above
• Connection to body, environment, and earth 
• Feelings of peace and positivity
• Being physically aware and comfortable in many situations
• Daily tasks will seem effortless
• No doubts about your place in the world
• To bring to light unconscious generational patterns passed down from experiences of threats to survival (war, famine, natural disasters, etc.)

Comprised of: Whatever grounds you to stability in life

• Basic needs: (e.g.) Food, water, shelter
• Emotional needs: (e.g.) Letting go of fear
• Fight or flight

Purpose:

• Safety, security, physical existence, belonging 
• Connects us with spiritual energies of our ancestors

How to balance?

• Meditation - connection to universal energy for peace and stability
• Yoga asanas
• Pavanumuktasana
• Janu Sirsasana
• Padmasana
• Malasana
• Kegel exercises
• Bandha yoga: where you lock and tighten certain parts of your body to bring energy and strength to the area
• Chanting or toning sounds
• Sounds create vibrations in the body
• These vibrations help cells work together in synchronistic harmony
• Mantra sound for root chakra = LAM (A pronounce "ah"; M pronounced "mng")
• Note of "C"
• Colors and gems
• Root chakra color = Red
• Picture red lotus flower at base of spine
• Light red candles while focusing on root chakra
• Root chakra gemstones (can place gem on area when lying down)
• Garnet (balancing)
• Red jasper (activating)
• Black tourmaline (protective and healing)
• Bloodstone 
• Azurite
• Chrysocolla
• Obsidian
• Golden yellow topaz
• Carnelian
• Citrine
• Smoky quartz (protective and healing)
• Hematite (grounding and stabilizing) 
• Rhodochrosite (clearing)
• Red carnelian (balancing)
• Experiencing sounds and smells of nature
• Affirmations: 
• I have an abundance of strength and energy.  I express my energy in a divine perfect way. 
• I am safe in the world around me.  I belong in this world and am part of Gaia (mother-earth).  I am at peace with my surroundings, with the people and the events as they occur.
• The universe is a good place 
• Everything is going to work out just fine
• All is well and I can let my guard down and rest

• Nutrition for root chakra:
• Red foods:
• Red apples
• Strawberries
• Red cabbage

• Foods with roots:
• Ginger
• Carrots
• Beets

• Foods high in protein:
• Eggs
• Meats
• Beans
• Nuts

• Aromatherapy
• Sandalwood
• Cedar
• Rosewood
• Ginger
• Cloves
• Black pepper
• Rosemary

• Sense organ that corresponds to root chakra = Smell 

Mudra: Gula





List:

• Planet: Earth, Saturn
• Element: Earth
• Force: Gravity
• Key Phrase: I Have
• Demon: Fear
• Negative Archetype: You see yourself as predator or prey
• Positive Archetype: You see yourself as Ubermother (nurturing of others, self-sufficient, responsible)
• Mythological Figure: Persephone 
• Mythological Animal: White elephant with 7 trunks
• Deity: Brahma, Dikini, Ganesha

• Overactive/blown out: Feel like you never having enough, hoarding, scarcity, aggression, exploitation, anxiety, fear, overweight, addictions.
• In Balance: Safe, secure, feel like you have enough.  Confident you can meet your basic needs.  Good relationship with your body.   You feel at home in the world and feel like you have a right to be here.
• Underactive/shut down: Lacking energy or sense of empowerment.  Victimized by Life/God/Fate.  Struggle to meet basic needs around money, work, housing.  Question if you have a right to be here or not sure if you want to be here.  Anorexia or other denial of basic human needs. Feel alienated from your body.
• Physical signs that your Root Chakra might need some love:
  • Pain in the lower back, legs, knees or feet
  • Sciatica
  • Hemorrhoids, constipation, IBS, Crone’s Disease, kidney stones, other excretory issues
  • Over or underweight, anorexia, obesity
  • Reproductive issues
  
  

  Grounding Exercise

  There is an easy exercise we all can do at any time, even while driving, that will pull our souls back into our bodies immediately. Anyone trying this exercise may have to do it a few times for it to work, but it will be worth it.
• Imagine that when you inhale, your breath comes in through the top of your head and stops at your hips.
• As you exhale, the breath goes down through the center of your legs into the earth and wraps itself around a tree root (or a stone, or anything in the center of the earth)