Root Chakra (Muladhara Chakra)

(all you need to know)

All Chakras | Root | Sacral | SolarPlexus | Heart | Throat | ThirdEye | Crown

You will surely know that the Chakras are the energy centers of our body and their task is to absorb vital energy and then distribute it outside. The Chakras  are 7 and each of them is located in a certain point of our body, which goes from the head to the base of the spine.

The first of these chakras, is the Muladhara Chakra or the Root Chakra. Get comfortable and let’s find out together everything you need to know about the first Chakra.

What is the Root Chakra or Muladhara Chakra?

The first chakra is known by its Sanskrit name, Muladhara or the Root Chakra. Muladhara represents the satisfaction of the primary needs of the human being : the need to have a base, roots, secure foundations, stability and security. It also represents the nourishment , the support, the house and, in general, everything a human being needs to survive. For this reason, it is also known as the root chakra. We cannot grow and evolve unless we feel safe . Muladhara governs the sphere of survival .

The literal meaning of this compound word ‘Muladhara‘ in Sanskrit is:

• Mūla = Root, Origin, Essence
• Ādhāra = Base, Foundation

In general, it is necessary to know that chakra means wheel , and in ancient texts these are in fact represented as circles that turn , each at different speeds, polarity and senses.

According to the Indian and Eastern medical and philosophical system, everything is based on balance and on the vital energy that flows in us and that sustains us. As a mirror of a greater order, infinite internally and externally, a whole universe that balances itself is recreated in us too . 

But often a system that modifies to harmonize a higher balance may not work at its best. Put more simply, for physical, psychological, mental and emotional reasons it is very common that, in the course of life, we go to assume attitudes that lead us to close or unbalance on one side or another. Thus, when the energy struggles to flow, the chakras begin to rotate more slowly, or too fast, blockages are created and you don’t feel well. Everything becomes more difficult , both within us and outside of us.

The good news is that all of this is in constant flux, and can be rearranged.

All seven chakras are important and interconnected with each other. Normally, balancing one chakra will bring about changes in the other chakras. However, it is important never to forget the root chakra , which should be balanced first , and then proceed by ascending to all the others. Otherwise, we will lack the stability and grounding necessary for personal transformation and growth .

If the Muladhara Chakra is strong enough, then the energy can rise to all the other chakras. A house with a secure foundation will never fall, will it?

Its element is the earth , as it is solid and stable and childhood is the phase of life to which it is associated. 

The sexual impulse is generated in Muladhara Chakra or the Root Chakra.

It is represented by a square inscribed in a circle, surrounded in turn by four red lotus petals . Color, number and geometric shape are attributes of the earth .

In the center of the square are a triangle, the LAM mantra.

Why is Muladhara Chakra or Root Chakra important?

If this chakra is blocked, the signs you can feel are a strong insecurity, apathy and a loss of self-esteem that leads you to have a renouncing attitude during daily life.

You must also know that too much activity of this chakra brings bad consequences at the same time. In fact, you may become aggressive, hate change, develop a strong attachment to money, and be mentally rigid.

It is very important that you pay close attention to this chakra when you are in periods of fundamental changes, such as the beginning of a new job, a separation or a move. Anything that has to do with your safety and stability .

Regular meditation on Muladhara allows you to give confidence and calm to body and spirit. You can become braver and more enthusiastic.

Having this healthy chakra helps you promote healing, keeps the intestines in good condition, prevents possible inflammation of the sciatic nerve, and regulates blood pressure.

Root Chakra Positive attributes: 

• A sense of belonging,
• the ability to provide for self and others,
• stability, strong immunity,
• strong skeleton,
• grounded personality,
• virility,
• muscular strength

Root Chakra Negative attributes: 

• Fear, anxiety,
• poverty consciousness,
• victim mentality,
• general inability to trust,
• lethargy,
• spacing out,
• lack of focus,
• poor memory, 
• bullying,
• materialism,
• impotence

How to Recognize Imbalances in Muladhara or Root Chakra

Then there are specific characteristics that help you understand if there are imbalances at the level of a chakra . As for the first, here are the most important:

• Balance : When this chakra is open and the energy is flowing properly, we feel at home, safe and fearless.
• The Root Chakra governs our physical energies, and if this is not balanced none of our chakras can really be.
• He is Blocked by fear and various forms of trauma
• When blocked, psychological symptoms can include problems with anxiety , fear, panic attacks , worries , too many thoughts, depression , nightmares , feeling disconnected emotionally and from the body, anger and anger.
  One can be very cynical , stingy, selfish , overly negative, delusional, insecure , living in survival mode, and suffering from eating disorders.
• The physical symptoms , when it is locked, include lethargy , feeling physically drained, problems with the colon , the bladder , eliminating , or sore to the lower back , on the left arm , problems with walking , inflammation and cramping .
• In men, problems with the prostate can occur.

How to Balance Muladhara or the Root Chakra

It is much simpler than you can imagine. There are several really easy actions that allow you to give your chakra the right balance .

The first thing to do is to find the right environment to start. It must be a quiet place and it must allow you to have direct contact with the earth. In the park, in a grove or even in the backyard.

You can start with simple visualization exercises.

Sit on the ground, cross your legs and keep your back straight. Now visualize the roots from your body entering the ground and taking away all the negative energy . When you feel ready, call the roots and they will carry the positive energy they have absorbed from the earth into your body .

To facilitate contact with the ground, you can use two positions: one of the tree, called Vrksasana, or that of the mountain, the Tadasana .

Exercises to Balance the Root Chakra

Ashvini mudra : 

This exercise is very useful because it allows you to bring to a conscious level what is blocking you. You need to contract and relax the anal muscles repeatedly. How a horse does when it has to get rid of organic waste. Ashva in fact means horse and mudra is a position of the body.

Mahamudra :

Sit on the floor, keep one leg straight and the other bend so that the heel is under the buttock. Exhale and lean forward, grab the toes of the leg using both hands. Raise your head and look up. Hold this position for a couple of minutes and breathe normally.

Mandukī mudra :

Sit on your heels and separate your legs until you feel that your buttocks are resting on the floor. Exhale while keeping your back straight and place your hands on the floor between your knees. Depending on how comfortable you feel, straighten or bend your arms. The fingers must point outward and your gaze is directed towards the tip of the nose. Breathe normally and hold this position for a couple of minutes.

Muladhara or Root Chakra Affirmation

If you always feel tired, insecure, unmotivated , or often experience a sense of anger that you can’t explain, you may need to work a little on the root chakra . In any case, don’t worry, these are profound jobs but also absolutely feasible : you just have to really want to.

The chakras can be unbalanced in both directions : there may be too strong a concentration of energy in a chakra, or this may not be enough.

An effective method of restoring balance in our energy centers is that of affirmations . It involves repeating a few sentences with a positive and coherent meaning to ensure that the vibration of the words influences all our aspects, from the densest to the most subtle ones. The affirmation is used a bit like a mantra .

If you don’t feel very convinced, rest assured. The statements have no contraindications , present no danger and, at worst, you would feel no effect.

These statements are useful for rebalancing the energy of the first chakra in both senses : whether it is too preponderant or too little.

Here are some very useful statements:

• All my needs are met and I stand up for myself.
• I feel centered
• I’m at home
• I am connected to my body
• My body is my home
• I feel safe and secure
• I defend my values ​​and my truth
• I have everything I need
• I feel sorry for myself
• I love myself
• I am infinite possibilities
• I am grateful for the challenges , because they help me evolve and make me stronger
• I have faith in myself
• I believe in myself
• I have faith in the divine and universal source that provides for all my needs
• I eat healthy food, clean water and air, exercise, relaxation
• I connect with nature
• I have a right to be here

And if you would like to restore harmony even with small daily gestures , you could make use of stones to wear , essential oils to smell, or dedicate yourself to the care of the earth and plants.

Once you understand muladhara and all the others better, all of this will become quite intuitive.

Meditation for Muladhara or the Root Chakra

As you will have understood, the first chakra is connected with everything that has to do with the earth , with plants , with mud and dense matter like the bones that support us . The first chakra is also the one that deals with eliminating emotional waste from the body.

There are simple activities like walking barefoot , without fear of getting dirty , or sleeping on the ground , which help us feel grounded and supported. We can then use colors , through chromotherapy , and wear something red if we feel the need, or eat something that reminds us of that color. Hugging a tree can also help.

Beyond the gestures, then, we can help ourselves with real meditations . After all, the body obeys the mind, and if through the mind we work on the body, this will surely benefit.

Meditation: Chant the LAM Mantra

A great way to reconnect with the earth and your first chakra is this: sit on the ground , possibly in the lotus or cross-legged position.

• Make sure that your Muladhara is in contact with the earth, or with the ground that supports you
• You can help through Bandha and the Pranayama , and contracting the perineal area as you inhale , and then release the exhalation. Don’t feel obligated to do this anyway
• The seed mantra that has been associated with the first chakra is the sound ” LAM “
• Make yourself comfortable , in a place where you feel safe and calm . Nobody should bother you, but it’s also okay to be in a common area if you know the people around you are trustworthy or would like to participate
• Close your eyes, straighten your back , relax your shoulders and bring your neck back slightly, with your chin perpendicular to your neck
• If you don’t feel comfortable, sit on a meditation cushion , or a rolled up yoga mat that you can rest your feet on anyway.
• Take a deep breath, and see how your breathing naturally changes as you watch it
• Inhale, and as you exhale, utter the syllable LAM
• Make the end of the exhalation coincide with the end of the sound, after which you can stay for a moment without breathing before reintroducing the air
• Repeat this process 21 times
• Remain silent and observe the effects of the practice on your body, mind and spirit, before returning to your activities with a renewed sense of energy and security.

You can practice this meditation simply by emitting sounds like a mantra , but if you like you can also chant the syllable LAM inventing the most varied tones, sitting or walking to go to work.

In Conclusion

As you have read, everything starts from the Root Chakra. If your  Root Chakra or Muladhara Chakra is balanced, both your body and your spirit will benefit from it.

Take note of the exercises I have recommended to you. As you have seen, it is nothing impossible.

Find a quiet place and start balancing your first chakra.

Complete Guide to Chakras

Root Chakra (Muladhara)

Sacral Chakra (Svadhisthana)

Solar Plexus Chakra (Manipura)  

Heart Chakra (Anahata) 

Throat Chakra (Vishuddha Chakra)

Third Eye Chakra (Ajna Chakra) 

Crown Chakra ( Sahasrara Chakra)

Know about Zodiac Signs:

Aries, Taurus, Gemini, Cancer, Leo, Virgo, Libra, Scorpio, Sagittarius, Capricorn, Aquarius, Pisces