First chakra: everything about muladhara, its blockage and harmonization

The concept of the a "chakra system" is something that everyone interested in health, self-development, and improving their body's condition encounters sooner or later. The understanding of physical, mental, and energetic health as interconnected aspects is no longer a secret. This fact is supported by both modern medicine and older systems of knowledge — Ayurveda and Yoga.

Interest in studying alternative health systems is actively growing these days. Modern individuals are beginning to realize that focusing solely on physical or material well-being rarely provides a sense of absolute health. There is another, subtler, yet equally important side of life. Many physical symptoms often reflect the condition of the energy body, which does not always receive enough attention amidst the hustle and bustle of everyday life.

Everything in the surrounding world is energy with its own frequency of vibration. This energy is known by various names: "prana", "qi," "chi," "aura." However, all these definitions describe the same thing — the fundamental energy possessed by all living beings.

Working with chakras is one of the effective ways to manage this energy, directing it in the right way for the prevention of many possible problems and for maintaining one's health.

The chakra system is a vertical structure that runs along the energetic core of the body (approximately along the spine). The very first chakra is the muladhara. Its functioning will largely determine our internal and external state, as this chakra is the foundation of the entire energy system in the human body.

The main function of the muladhara-chakra is to provide a sense of security, stability in life, and physical health. However, if this chakra is out of balance, it will manifest in us as feelings of fear, constant anxiety about losing everything we have, and other unpleasant sensations that hinder our spiritual and physical development and prevent us fr om fully building our lives.

In this article, we will focus in detail on working with the muladhara-chakra, examine the symptoms that indicate its blockage, and get acquainted with ways to harmonize the root center.

Muladhara is the first energy center. It is located roughly in the area of the coccyx, at the base of the spine.

To understand its role in the energetic structure of our body, it is necessary to analyze the meaning of the word "muladhara." "Mula" in Sanskrit means 'root,' and "adhara" means 'support.' The muladhara-chakra is the foundation upon which the "energetic skeleton" of a person is built.

The color of this chakra is red. It symbolizes life energy and strength, prompting action. It corresponds to the element of earth and embodies our connection to the material world. Energy for harmonizing the muladhara-chakra can be drawn directly from the earth.

The root center is responsible for basic instincts that are inherent to humans from birth: survival, self-preservation, protection from external threats. A sense of security and stability are the main positive signs of a balanced first chakra.

Main signs of harmonious functioning of the muladhara-chakra

• A stable life with a constant source of income, material abundance.
• Careful attitude towards life, healthy self-care, and concern for one’s physical and spiritual well-being.
• A desire for nature, cleanliness, healthy food, and safe housing.
• Confidence in tomorrow, independence, the ability to make plans and achieve them.

Signs of blockage in the muladhara-chakra

It is not difficult to determine the current state of the muladhara-chakra. It is enough to pay attention to the following signs that clearly indicate the presence of blocks in the first energy center:

1. Health problems. People with a harmoniously developed root chakra have strong health, but if there are issues in this center, they most often manifest physically.

   Pain in the lower part of the body—areas of the lower back, pelvis, legs. Problems with the large intestine, such as constipation, hemorrhoids, tumors.

   Weak immunity, frequent viral and bacterial infections.

2. Emotional instability. Depression is one of the main reasons to consider that there are problems in the first energy center. A person is plagued by anxiety, restlessness, panic attacks, a constant feeling of fear, and an inability to experience joy and pleasure in life. Usually, when there is a disbalance in this chakra, the fear of being without money and the fear of death are quite pronounced.

3. Psychological manifestations. A person with a disbalance in the muladhara-chakra finds it difficult to trust the world. However, they may also be highly susceptible to external influences, as they lack sufficient internal support, cannot adapt to changes in life, and become "inflexible." There may be either a tendency toward hoarding, greed, and accumulation, or a complete inability to retain material goods and manage them wisely. The person cannot rest, feels constant drowsiness and a decline in energy.

When the muladhara-chakra is blocked, a person feels an invisible threat from the outside world. Chronic anxiety, depression, and fear arise. At such moments, the energy given for attaining happiness and spiritual development will constantly be diverted to the work of survival instincts and maintaining the body in a satisfactory state, which is simply necessary for existence. All these actions require immense tension from the body, which literally "steals" energy from other parts of the body, mind, and chakra system.

Let's consider some reasons for the imbalance of the muladhara-chakra, as well as ways to eliminate them and harmonize the state of the root center.

• Physical activity. For the proper functioning of the first chakra, it is important to establish physical activity in general, as laziness and apathy lead to a deterioration of the body's energetic properties.

  Dynamic and strength yoga is well-suited. Special attention should be paid to asanas that coordinate the lower part of the body — legs, buttocks, and pelvis.

  Effective asanas for harmonizing the root chakra include Uttanasana, Malasana, Tadasana, Vrikshasana, Utkatasana, Kapotasana, and others.

  It is advisable to include other types of activities such as walking, running, squats, hardening, swimming, etc.

• Working with emotions and consciousness. Negative emotions have a detrimental effect on the functioning of the first energy center.

  It is very important to work on emotions of fear, resentment, and guilt. It may be worth visiting a psychologist to address old traumas and obsessive thoughts that hinder living. The ability to not bottle up emotions but to express them in an eco-friendly way is helpful.

  The following available techniques can be applied independently:

  • Repeating affirmations to strengthen feelings of confidence, stability, security, and material and physical well-being;
  • Working through ancestral programs related to survival and attitudes towards material objects;
  • Developing positive character traits such as generosity, kindness, selflessness, flexibility of thought, and others.

• Working with energy. A great way to harmonize energy within yourself is through the practice of meditation. It is best to meditate in nature, wh ere the element of earth will be closest to you.

  Technique for performing the universal grounding practice to harmonize the muladhara-chakra:

  1. Stand straight, feet shoulder-width apart, ensuring they are fully in contact with the ground, straighten your back, and reach up with the crown of your head.
  2. Slightly bend your knees, feeling the weight of your own body.
  3. Inhale, close your eyes, and slowly bend your knees while keeping your back and shoulders straight.
  4. Your pelvis will lower, but it is not necessary to squat deeply; a descent of 10–15 centimeters is enough.
  5. Inhale and imagine energy rising from the center of the Earth up through your legs, filling your root energy center with a pleasant red color.
  6. On the exhale, relax, straighten up, and visualize how this same energy flows down into the ground through your feet, representing roots growing downwards.
  7. Do not lock your knee joints; keep your legs slightly bent as in the starting position.
  8. Slowly repeat all phases, coordinating them with your inhalation and exhalation, about five times.

  If you performed the practice correctly, you will feel a slight trembling in your legs — this is completely normal. Determine for yourself how many repetitions are optimal, but do not allow for overexertion. It is necessary to repeat such a practice regularly, in a comfortable mode for yourself. If you feel discomfort from too strong a flow of energy, stomp your feet or do some jogging in place to release the tension.

• Rational nutrition. "Empty" and synthetic food products greatly undermine our health. If you experience symptoms of imbalance in the muladhara-chakra, try to establish a proper eating regimen. Aim to eat healthy, natural foods. Include root vegetables and protein-rich products in your diet. Consciously add red-colored vegetables, berries, and fruits to your daily meals — beets, radishes, tomatoes, pomegranates, cranberries, lingonberries, rose hips, red beans, and others.
• Contact with nature. Symptoms of imbalance in the muladhara-chakra are most pronounced in city dwellers living amidst concrete walls. Walking barefoot on the ground, swimming in natural bodies of water, the sounds of the sea, forests, and birdsong — all of this will positively affect the state of the lower chakra. If you have the opportunity to work in a garden or yard, do not miss it. If such an opportunity is completely absent, cultivating houseplants will serve as a favorable alternative.
• Aromatherapy. Essential oils also have a beneficial effect on healing at the subconscious level. The most significant oils for balancing the root center are jasmine, cedar, rosemary, and patchouli.

• Mantras and mudras. The mantra "LAM" is the primary one for working with the muladhara-chakra. It can be repeated daily during the corresponding yoga practice or meditation.

  The practice of mudras (finger gestures) is also one of the methods to achieve a balanced state of the body, its healing and treatment.
  Mudras that promote the activation of the muladhara-chakra:

  • survival mudra;
  • life mudra (prana mudra);
  • earth mudra (prithvi mudra);
  • Garuda mudra;
  • floating lotus mudra;
  • vajra arrow mudra.

  The duration of each mudra is determined through experience and can last from 1–3 minutes at the beginning to 10–15 minutes as stable skills are developed. It is important to practice regularly (preferably daily until noticeable improvement occurs).

The muladhara-chakra is the first energy center that sets the direction of the natural flow of prana in the human body. The root chakra provides self-confidence through the acquisition of a strong inner foundation necessary for physical and spiritual well-being.

Harmonious functioning of the muladhara ensures a stable life both materially and spiritually, as it allows energy to flow to other centers, aiding in moral and physical development.

Unfortunately, the pace of modern life does not always positively affect a person's energy field: constant stress, feelings of being lost, and loneliness bring the root chakra into a state of imbalance.

Our main task is timely diagnosis of our condition and regular simple actions to maintain inner harmony and balance.

We wish you success!