An Exploration of Your Root Chakra

Dear reader,

Before I guide you through the world of Chakras, I'd like to share my personal journey with you. For years, I felt disconnected from my body. At school, I would often drift away into daydreams, floating away from a reality that didn't feel safe enough for me. Rather than being grounded, I was cut off from my body—a way to avoid uncomfortable feelings. While yoga is often dismissed as something ethereal, for me it became the very tool that helped me find solid ground, live less in my head, and rediscover my connection with myself.

In today's world, where we're constantly processing countless stimuli and life can feel overwhelming at times, I've noticed I'm not the only one struggling with 'grounding.' Over the next 7 months, I'd like to take you on a special journey through the chakras, beginning with our foundation: the Muladhara Chakra.

What are Chakras?

In yoga philosophy, chakras are central energy points in our body that run along the Sushumna Nadi—an energy channel that can be visualized as a central line running from our tailbone to our crown. Our prana (life force) flows through this channel. There are 7 major chakras, positioned like spinning wheels along this central line. Each energy point has its unique qualities and influence on our well-being.

The Muladhara Chakra: Our Foundation

The Muladhara chakra, located at our tailbone, forms both the literal and figurative foundation of our energetic system. The name comes from Sanskrit: 'Mula' means root, and 'Adhara' means support or foundation. Just as a tree needs strong roots to grow, we humans need a stable foundation to feel safe and flourish.

Safety and Trauma: A Gentle Approach

When discussing the root chakra, it's important to examine our experiences with safety through a lens of gentleness. When we experience trauma or difficult situations, we may develop various survival mechanisms. For me, this manifested as daydreaming and dissociation—a way to avoid feeling what was happening in my body. Perhaps this resonates with you.

Traditionally, chakras are often discussed as being either 'balanced' or 'unbalanced,' as if there's no middle ground. This black-and-white approach can inadvertently create feelings of inadequacy or shame—as if something is 'wrong' with us when we don't feel fully grounded. We're often told we must 'heal' our foundation before working with 'higher' chakras. However, from a trauma-informed perspective, we understand that energy is far more dynamic.

It's entirely possible to have good energy flow in your heart chakra while sometimes experiencing feelings of insecurity or instability. Energy is constantly moving, and our chakras respond to our life experiences in complex ways. The goal isn't to achieve 'perfect balance' but to observe where we are with kindness.

It's crucial to understand that our responses to challenging experiences or trauma are completely natural. The Muladhara Chakra is closely connected to our sympathetic nervous system—our 'fight-or-flight' response—and our basic survival needs. We often hold tension in our hips, particularly in the psoas muscle, aptly called 'the muscle of the soul.' This muscle is directly linked to our sense of safety and stress response.

Finding Balance in a Busy World

When energy flows freely through our root chakra, we experience a deeper sense of connection with our body and the world around us. We feel supported by life and dare to trust in the earth's sustaining power. However, in our modern society, where we're often disconnected from nature and overwhelmed by stimuli, this connection can feel elusive.

Some of us live primarily 'in our heads,' others experience significant physical tension in their legs and hips, or face feelings of anxiety and uncertainty. These are all signs that our root chakra might benefit from some extra attention.

Practical Tools for Connection

In my yoga classes, I love working with exercises that help us ground:

The mountain pose (Tadasana) helps us literally stand firm. By consciously spreading our feet and feeling the earth beneath us, we create a foundation from which we can grow.

Child's pose (Balasana) invites us to soften and trust more deeply. With our forehead gently resting on the ground, we can experience the earth's supporting force.

Additionally, we can strengthen our connection to our foundation by:

• Spending time in nature

• Moving regularly in ways that suit us

• Paying attention to nourishing meals

• Creating calming routines

• Building in moments of silence

  
  

Personal Guidance

For those who recognize themselves in the themes of the root chakra and would like additional support, I offer one-on-one balance sessions. In these sessions, we can work on your specific questions and needs around grounding and safety in a personal way. Feel free to contact me to explore whether my energetic approach aligns with your needs.

An Invitation

Working with the Muladhara chakra is like tending to a garden—it requires patience, gentleness, and compassion for ourselves. There's no need to force anything; we can simply explore what's present with kindness.

Over the coming weeks, I invite you to create small moments of conscious connection with your roots and thus with the earth. This can be as simple as feeling your feet on the ground while standing in line at the supermarket, or pausing to notice the sensation of warm water on your skin during a shower. It's not about making big changes, but about creating small moments of conscious presence in your body.

Next month, I'll guide you to the second chakra, the Svadhisthana, where we'll explore how to nourish our creativity and life force. Until then, you can gently connect with your root chakra. Feel your feet on the ground, breathe a little deeper into your belly, and listen to the wisdom your body has to share.

With warm regards,

Manoek