Are you lacking stability in your life or sense things are out of balance? Connecting with your root chakra will help you to strengthen the primary force for stabilizing your body’s energy, which leads to feeling secure, safe, supported, and ready to move forward in life.
Evolutionary Activist, Therapist, and Author Anodea Judith identifies the root chakra as “chakra one” in the system of seven chakras; it’s the foundation upon which other chakras are built. Also known as “Muladhara,” which means “root support,” this chakra is representative of everything solid in life: the practical aspects as well as our instincts.
The root chakra is located at the spine’s base and includes the legs, which serve as connectors between the spine and the earth. Your two legs, your roots, serve as prongs of a plug, and as you plug your legs and feet into the ground, you begin generating energy to power your entire body.
What Is a Root Chakra Imbalance?
The root chakra’s purpose involves grounding, solidity, and stability. When balanced, it offers the gifts of practicality, prosperity, security, and a sense of peace with the world. However, when the root chakra is imbalanced or blocked, it can lead to unwanted emotional and physical symptoms as well as negative manifestations in your life.
Some of the signs of an imbalanced root chakra include:
- Persistent restlessness
- Fatigue or lethargy
- Scattered, spacey, or flighty disposition
- Feelings of insecurity, excessive anger, or aggression
- Depression and emotional disconnection
- Nightmares
- Impatience and irritability
- Anxiety disorders, panic attacks, fearfulness, and excessive worry
- Greed or a focus on materialistic matters
- Bladder issues or constipation
- Pain in the lower back
- Eating disorders
- Leg weakness or pain
How to Use Yoga to Achieve Root Chakra Balance
Bringing your root chakra back into balance requires focused attention and purposeful movement. The pay-off is contentment, emotional stability, inner peace, and the ability to cope with life’s challenges. In order to stimulate the root chakra to either increase energy or release energy in the quest for balance, you can practice the following eight yoga postures designed to stretch and strengthen your core, legs, and feet, which enables you to get grounded.
Hold each of these yoga poses for five slow, deep breaths before releasing:
- Apanasana—Knees to Chest Pose
This pose is a gentle way to restore proper circulation of blood flow and energy to the root chakra. By pressing the spine into the ground from the skull’s base to the tailbone and pulling the knees in, you create stability, allowing the increased flow and stimulation of the colon to promote the elimination of toxins.
- 2. Opening the Leg Channels
In this pose, you will stretch the legs and hips, which enables you to open the leg channels and increase energy flow to the root chakra.
- 3. Supta Padangusthasana—Reclining Hand to Big Toe Pose
Stretching your knees, inner thighs, and groin muscles, this pose stimulates the root chakra and promotes mental health by calming the mind, increasing awareness, and developing patience. It also works to improve physical health issues related to back pain and indigestion.
- 4. Salabhasana—Locust and Half Locust Pose
In this back-bending asana, you will open the front of the body while strengthening the back of the body. Doing this pose works to increase strength and flexibility while relieving stress and fatigue. It brings balance and alignment to the root chakra, which restores feelings of grounding and security.
- 5. Bhujangasana—Cobra Pose
This pose opens the chest and allows for deeper breathing. It allows you to direct energy to the heart, rather than being scattered. It also strengthens the shoulder area, which creates stability.
- 6. Adho Mukha Svanasana—Downward Facing Dog Pose
Through this classic yoga pose, you create space in the body as you lengthen the spine, strengthening the ankle and wrist joints, which energizes the emotional, mental and physical body. It brings balance to the root chakra.
- 7. Balsana—Child’s Pose
This gentle, relaxing pose brings your awareness inward and helps you to bring intention and energy to the root chakra.
- 8. Savasana—Corpse Pose
A great way to end your yoga practice, this pose is a time for silent meditation. As you relax your entire body and close your eyes, you’ll bring your gaze to your third eye chakra, which brings energy and balance to your root.
Make the Practice of Seeking Balance a Priority in Your Life
In order to achieve contentment, fulfillment, and peace in life, it’s important to make seeking balance a priority. Through yoga, mindfulness practice, and meditation, you can create the life you want, but sometimes it feels easier said than done!
If you are interested in receiving more support and guidance as you strive to achieve balance in your root chakra and in all aspects of your life, connect with me online now. My program, Increase Your Bliss, may be exactly what you need to create a new vision, greater self-love, and inner peace as you begin 2020.