Muladhara

The First Chakra

The root chakra forms the foundation for all other chakras, housing kundalini energy in its coiled, potential form.

When it is activated and in balance, you operate from a sense of security because you feel that you are genuinely supported in all that you do.

You come across as stable, calm, and grounded. Easy to be around. Confident but not arrogant.

Without activation of the powerful first chakra, the upper chakras are likely to come out of whack.

Read on to learn more about muladhara chakra, what is symbolizes, and how yoga can bring it into balance.

Location  Base of the spine

Color  Red

Seed Sound (Bija Mantra)  LAM

Element  earth

Symbolizes

• one’s foundation
• security
• firmness
• solidity
• physicality
• being grounded
• most primal & basic needs being met

When in balance

• a sense of groundedness
• a feeling of security
• basic material resources like food and shelter are in steady supply
• a person feels supported by his or her environment

When in lack

• basic needs may not be being met
• the upper chakras operate without their foundation resulting in an airy, quick-moving, unstable, or overly excited affect
• feeling of insecurity sometimes with resulting overcompensation: like an over-focus on material well-being
• the world feels unsafe
• lack of confidence

When muladhara rules too much

• an over-focus on the material: consumption, accumulation
• a feeling of being stuck: the upper chakras cannot act to bring movement, drive, purpose and fluidity into life
• depression, stagnation, immobility

Yoga to stimulate muladhara

Yoga asana can help you to stimulate the root chakra. Muladhara is associated with the feet, legs, sitting bones, seat and the base of the spine — in other words, everywhere the body tends to contact earth.

Poses & their energetics 

Tadasana (mountain pose)

• Actively root your feet into the ground
• Establish the connection between your physical body and earth
• Allow this downward energy to facilitate a lift through the rest of the body

Siddhasana (a simple seat)

• Sense the sitting bones pressing into the ground
• Consider the earth as an active force coming up to support you
• Sit with ease, knowing you are supported (use a support like a blanket or block if that helps you to sit more comfortably)

Warrior poses (virabhadrasana)

• Actively press your feet into the ground
• Establish the connection from your feet to your center
• Radiate power, strength, security and stability

Many seated poses can feel especially grounding in part because they put you in such close physical connection with the earth.

For extra grounding…

Take your shoes off and go for a walk in the dirt.

Look for evidence that the world is generally hospitable to human life.

Establish relationships that feel supportive with people who are genuinely joyful when you experience a success.

A Grounding Practice:

Make it a practice to tend to your well-being, and the root chakra will surely generate a powerful reserve of energy that will feed your life and all of your many endeavors.

with love,

Leigha