The Chakra System: Part 1 –The Root
During this series, we are going to take a deeper look at the individual chakras. In addition to the seven traditional chakras (Root, Sacral, Solar Plexus, Heart, Throat, Third Eye and Crown), we will also look at five additional chakras (Earth Star, Soul Star, Stellar Gateway, Universal Gateway and Divine Gateway) which make up the 12-Chakra System. Let’s begin with the first Chakra known as the Root Chakra. It is located at the base of the spine. The Root Chakra’s mantra is: I AM.
The Root is tied to self-preservation, security, stability, basic survival, and physical courage. This chakra forms the foundation on which you build your life. These pillars must be solid and anchored for your body to survive and thrive. The root carries fire energy, but it also carries a childlike innocence that imparts reliance on nurturing mother and father energies (both biological and Divine). These energies assist you through challenges as you continue to strive for your best self. The color associated with the Root Chakra is a vibrant red. The frequency of this color aligns with passion, power, and energy. Red is the color of fire, blood, anger, rage, desire, and love. This color demands attention and ignites your primal instincts.
The physicality of the root chakra is associated with your legs, feet, parts of your genitals and perineum. In addition, the root also includes the skeletal system and various elimination organs such as the intestines, colon, rectum and bladder. The root chakra shares responsibilities with other chakras for the functioning of the prostate and with the sacral for the functioning of the elimination organs. The root chakra is also associated with the adrenal glands. They are small triangular shaped glands that produce cortisol and other hormones. These gland help regulate metabolism, inflammation in the body, blood pressure and the immune system and the fight-or-fight response (the body’s vital stress response).
The root chakra represents your consciousness in its most concentrated form. Because of this density it is where your heaviest and most powerful emotions live (fear, anger, sadness, disgust) and it is the storehouse for your primal instincts. Your feelings of self-worth are here, which are formed early in life. When your physical being is threatened, your spiritual ability to create is diminished. It is not until you have opened and cleared though some of these layers that the higher chakras will be able to fully open, creating gateways to higher realms of consciousness.
All your experiences help to build your self-esteem and identity. While you may not be able to control your circumstances, you do have the ability to control your reaction and how you show up or react to things. As you learn to nurture yourself, you begin to shift your perception. This is where you begin to make a shift from things happening TO you, to things happening FOR you. An underactive root chakra lacks energy. It may cause you to become unfocused or passive. You can feel spacey, ungrounded, or disconnected. If your root chakra is lacking, you may have a difficult time setting boundaries. You may allow yourself to be taken advantage of or find yourself in the mist of other people’s drama loops. If this is the case, it’s important to reconnect to self and reestablish your self-worth and foster a loving relationship with yourself.
An overactive root chakra has excess fire energy. You may experience rage, anger or jealousy or have a flair for the dramatic. You may have feelings of not being enough or having enough. These can cause self-destructive or self-sabotaging behavior. Often this can be attributed directly to an unhealed trauma or wound not properly healed. Excessive spending, weight issue, greed, hoarding, extreme resistance to change and rigid boundaries show up as a surplus of energy in the root space. This is most likely caused by fear, which is defined as the absence of love. So, pour as much love as you can to help bring the root chakra into balance.
When you have a strong Root Chakra, you will generally feel secure within yourself and have built layers of self-trust. Each time you listen to yourself and tune into your own voice, you reinforce the fact that you can lean into this trust when you need it. Your basic needs will be met, which contributes to a sense of security which then leads to a path of abundance and prosperity. If your root is balanced, you’re in the driver’s seat and sustaining a high level of practical awareness through non-judgement. Strong roots are important for plants and trees, and you are no different. Your root chakra is your foundation.
Dawn Hamilton is a Reiki Master and Akashic Record Healer who provides healings and readings at Tribalance Wellness.
