Muladhara - Root Chakra
Our first and base chakra manifests in our physical identity directed towards self-preservation.
Mula means Root and Adhara, which means “support” or “base. Located at the base of the spine, the pelvic floor, and the first three vertebrae, the root chakra is responsible for your sense of safety and security on this earthly journey. It is the chakra of survival, grounding, also it is the root of Kundalini.
This is the first of the chakras of matter. Balancing the root chakra creates the solid foundation for opening the chakras above. Imagine it like a tree. You need a strong root to grow a strong, flourishing tree.
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.
You would be surprised, but whether you feel safe and grounded doesn't always matters by what you have now, but how you felt as a small child. It is observed by psychologist how the first years of our lives have so much effect on our day to day experience as adults.
Muladhara develops or collects experiences between being in the womb up to about when we are 6months.(Take this with a pinch of salt, but roughly)
You are affected by how your mum felt while carrying you, but also your earliest experience of how they took care of you. Did your caregivers readily give you what you needed to survive with consistency, you felt secure in the world, you started build trust and a sense of safety. Yet if your needs weren't met, you might experience blockages in your first chakra.
Now you wonder, what shall I do with this information?!
While this is a basic coverage of the chakra system, but it can open doors to curiosity to learn more.
I highly recommend : Eastern Body, Western Mind by Anodea Judith. - it explains more of the chakra systems with plenty of examples, which I find helpful to understand.
I also recommend just to meditate: Whether you focus your attention
down to the base of the spine where Muladhara resides.
or to your sense of smell. The sense organ that corresponds to the first chakra is smell,I would focus my mind on my breath but mainly around the nose area.
or reflect. I believe in the power of reflecting on our thoughts. Maybe take a few minutes of meditation/ breathwork and channel your attention to a few questions:
- Do I feel safe?
- Do I have everything I need?
- Do I trust myself and the universe that I have everything I need?
Finally repeat mantras to yourself to bring balance and change: "I am grounded. I am rooted. I am safe."
or repeat the bijou sound of the chakra: LAM (just like you would do OM)
Let me know if you need help to understand the system a bit better, but I am aware it is a lot to digest.
Jai, Melinda