4/26/2019 The theory of energy chakras: How to balance your root chakra

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The theory of energy chakras: How to

balance your root chakra
by VASUDHA RAI

PUBLISHED: AUG 14, 2017 | 15:50:11 IST

Enhance strength, stability and financial security

Image: Shutterstock

The word chakra is often misused and misunderstood. Some people think of it as yogic
mumbo-jumbo, others think of them as actual wheels inside the body, and then there’s
another section who feel that only a spiritual healer can help balance these energy
centres. Our body is made up of energy chakras, which are centre points in our body
responsible for balancing it physically and emotionally, and to make sure that energy
flows through it uninterrupted; for the body to be at its healthiest. They are located a few
inches outside our bodies and there are about 114 chakras connected by 72,000 nadis or
energy channels. In fact, we even have chakras under our feet. However, in meditation, we
focus on the seven major chakras that begin at the base and go right up till our crown.
The amazing thing about these main chakras is that they’re naturally located over our
glands. For instance, the crown chakra is located on the pituitary gland, the third eye on
the pineal, and the root chakra is on our adrenal cortex glands.

When these energy wheels are functioning well, they deflect disease and bring about a
sense of balance. When they are under-active then (depending on the chakra that is
blocked) you could feel anything from fear, insecurity, instability, paranoia, or an inability
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4/26/2019 The theory of energy chakras: How to balance your root chakra

to love. And while a reliable healer can certainly help find the blockages, you are capable
of completely healing them on your own.

Starting this week, we’ll deep dive into the world of tantra yoga, one chakra at a time. We
encourage you to take a week to activate one chakra by practicing the below meditations
daily. And then together, we move one level up to the next chakra. Eventually, you can
combine all the learnings and meditations and do a complete chakra activation (always
from the bottom up), without the help of a healer.

The Root Chakra

Also known as the muladhara, this is the first chakra that symbolises the foundation of
your life. Dr Madhu Kotiya Shezaim, a spiritual healer and founder, MShezaim Institute of
Tarot and Divination, who has a PhD in clinical hypnotherapy, reveals the significance
of this first chakra. “It’s located in the bottom of your spine and acts as the base of your life
force.” She explains that when it’s balanced, you get a feeling of strength, stability, and
financial security. One who has an active root chakra has a feeling of safety and security, is
emotionally grounded, assertive, down to earth, and feels supported in the material
world.

When your root chakra is under-active, you are unstable, under-confident, nervous,
fearful, have a feeling of not fitting in, timid, over-cautious, and prone to abusive
relationships. On the contrary, an overactive root chakra leads to over-confidence,
impatience, materialism, anger, aggression, addictions to worldly pleasures (food,
money), violence and excessive energy. On a physical level, an unbalanced root chakra
gives you issues in elimination (constipation, diarrhoea, flatulence), skeletal (or bone)
problems, and even reproductive ailments.

How to balance the root chakra

The colour: Bright red

The symbol: A four-petalled lotus with a downward-pointing triangle in between the
petals, symbolising our connection with the earth
The affirmation: ‘I have’
The sound: Lam (pronounced to rhyme with sum)
The mudra: The tips of the little finger and thumb touching

Step 1: There are two main reasons behind an imbalanced root chakra. Dr Shezaim says
that firstly, people who are not physically active usually have a weak muladhara. Secondly,
if you have had feelings of abandonment or material issues in childhood, then it affects
this first chakra. Therefore the first thing to do is become active—go for a walk, do yoga,
go for a hike—anything that you enjoy doing. She also suggests doing 25 semi-squats
everyday.

Step 2: Apply a mulabandha on your entire pelvic floor—its the same move as Kegel
exercises. Lightly squeeze the entire space between your legs (labia, perineum and anus),
hold for a few seconds and then let go. Repeat a few times everyday.

Step 3: While driving or walking or doing any activity where you’re not using your mind,
repeat the affirmation ‘I have everything I need’ or ‘I am safe and secure’.

Step 4: To meditate on your root, sit cross-legged or on a chair with your spine straight.
Do not cross your legs if you’re on a chair. Also, if you’re on a chair, try to remove your
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4/26/2019 The theory of energy chakras: How to balance your root chakra

shoes and keep bare feet on the floor. Keep your fingers in the root chakra mudra, which
is touching the tips of the little finger and thumb. Then breathe up from the ground to the
space between your legs or the base of your spine imagining it becoming a light red
colour. Breathe in this beautiful scarlet shade and imagine that you’re breathing out the
blockages that are like sediments in the base of your spine.

Step 5: If you want, then along with this meditation, you can mentally chant ‘lam’, all the
while feeling the red colour spread across your root and feeling the chakra becoming
lighter and more open.

Step 6: If you want to take it a step further, you can imagine a four-petalled lotus becoming
bigger with every breath and every chant. Focus on balancing your root for a week, or
longer if you identify with the issues mentioned above.

This story is part of our 3-part Chakra Balancing series. Keep an eye out every Monday for
the next part.

Vasudha Rai is a certified yoga teacher and has been writing on beauty, health and
wellness for 15 years. Find her at Vbeauty.co

In this story:
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