Alternative names: Muladhara (Sanskrit)
Colour: Red
Location: The end of the spine, between the anus and sexual organs
Element: Earth
Demon: Fear
Goal: Self-Preservation
Basic Rights: To be here and to have
Language: In class Guru Raj Kaur stated that Yogi Bhajan said to speak from this chakra is to “mess someone up”. That’s all I have in my notes!
Positive qualities include (but aren’t limited to): Grounded, centred, feeling self-sufficient, stable
Shadow qualities include (but aren’t limited to): Fearful, insecure, feeling of not belonging on Earth or in the family
Yoga Exercises to Balance this Chakra: Mul Mantra, crow pose, chair pose, body drops, frog pose, mulbhandh (root lock), front stretches
Issues Dealt With Here: Roots, grounding, nourishment, trust, health, home, family
Helpful Crystals: Black tourmaline, hematite, obsidian, smokey quartz, tiger’s eyes, jasper, garnet and ruby.
“Master the lower {chakras} and move mountains.” – Guru Raj Kaur
Why is this Chakra Important?
This is the chakra that contains all of the habits that we have in operating the world. It keeps all of our automatic behaviour. This is the chakra that reduces everything to the bottom line and is responsible for the elimination of what does not serve the body. It has the ability to reduce what we intake, eliminate what is not needing and return them to the Earth.
The root chakra is also the chakra that is most stuck in the Maya of life, or the illusions of life, and the separatism that we often feel. It is strongly linked to our ability to survive which is often an unconscious action. When are at our most unconscious we operate from this chakra.
When this chakra is functioning in a healthy way it makes you stable, secure and gives you great endurance. You feel self-sufficient. You can easily receive what you need and you feel like you have a base.
Your ability to trust that you will be taken care of is huge in this chakra, for it is the Earth of the chakra system.
When this chakra is not functioning in a healthy way thoughts can become obsessive and depression may occur. One may become rigid and unable to let go.
“With the first chakra strong, trust is automatic. We trust a person to be a person. Mastering the earth element you know earth can be reshaped. Water (emotions) can be added to the dirt (old habits) and in the new flexibility with a little heat (will, challenge, and discipline) a new vessel can be made. A healthy first chakra lets change occur in steps.” – Yogi Bhajan, pg 189, The Aquarian Teacher Level One Instructor Textbook
Further Resources on This Chakra:
Wheels of Life: A User’s Guide to the Chakra System by Anodea Judith <— By far the best reference book I’ve encountered on the Chakra system
