Root Chakra Healing
Uproot a tree and replant it. What happens to it? Essentially, there are two options.
Sometimes the tree puts down new roots, adapts to a totally different landscape and continues to grow. Other times, the tree cannot adapt. It rejects the new landscape, withers, and breaks down.
The year is 2020. Humankind has become uprooted. As it usually does, instability often comes unexpectedly. We may not be able to choose how or when our roots get pulled out. We don’t always get a choice in how we experience uprooting in our lives.
Sometimes, we may be ripped violently from the ground and placed into a completely new circumstance with no support or guidance on how to start growing again. A tree in that condition would suffer greatly. However, if moved carefully to a new location and fostered with consistent routine, a tree can positively thrive in the new environment.
Fortunately, we do get to choose how we re-ground ourselves.
When we choose to re-ground ourselves with positive routines, proper nutrition, and plenty of space to rest and recuperate, then we will also thrive in our new environments.
Lauren Kurtz, a Horticulturist from WikiHow, explains the daunting but possible task of replanting a tree in her popular article, How to Replant a Tree.
You will have the best chance for successful transplanting if
- The tree is healthy enough to move and the timing is right.
- Start the “rooting” process sooner than later.
- Make sure the new location suits the tree’s basic needs.
- Position gently into the new location.
- Fill with nutrients.
- Patiently give it care.
Summarized from https://www.wikihow.com/Replant-a-Tree
Humans aren’t trees. We cannot fully compare our process of grounding to the re-rooting of a tree, but the cycle is comparable. Since we all come from the earth and go back to the earth, the earth’s energy is very accessible to us.
The earth’s energy is abundant and all around us. For the sake of connection and understanding in the rest of this eBook, we will use this analogy to draw comparisons between the transplantation process of trees with the human development of the root chakra.
Uproot a tree and replant it.
Drastically change your life, then integrate it.
Adapt to the changes in your life, be they subtle or extreme. That is what the Root Chakra is supporting you through. It is the baseline of energy, the nucleus of our being. It’s your instinct and your “gut feeling.”
By tuning into its needs and cravings, we can shift the alignment of our lifestyles and mindsets.
When your Root Chakra is unbalanced, you may feel like the foundations of your lifestyle have been slipped out from under you. The energetic foundation of your life is different than you are used to. It may leave you scratching your head and trying to figure out what day it is.
You may catch yourself saying things like, “I just can’t seem to get my feet on the ground.” or thinking, “What ground?” “Things are changing so fast.” or “something else relatable.”
Maybe you are so overwhelmed by what is going on that you just pretend nothing is wrong, but deep inside, you can feel an overwhelming urge to just lay down and take a nap.
In this post series on How To Heal the Root Chakra, we will begin to discover how to nurture our Root Chakra during times of uncertainty. We will spread the knowledge out over a couple of posts and cover the basics of the Root Chakra and how it relates to the rest of the Chakra System. We will uncover how to recognize when the foundation is unbalanced and discuss possible tools for healing and balancing the Chakra System from the Root to the Crown. By the end, you will receive tips and resources to integrate those tools into your habits and daily life.
Time to ground down.
The Chakra System
What are the Chakras?
Chakras are energy centers, found at the body’s midline. Seven of them in total, they control our Prana or life force energy. Each of the chakras operate on a different frequency, but together form energetic alignment. All the chakras support our being.
The Chakras are often depicted as “wheels” or “valves” that allow energy in and through them. They are always spinning. Sometimes, they spin slowly and sometimes they spin quickly. Ideally, we want them to spin in alignment with one another.
Equilibrated chakras aren’t always easy to figure out. The path to energetic alignment can seem elusive, or even a bit mysterious at times. If we pay attention to certain areas of our lives, we can determine which chakra is out of alignment. Some chakras are underactive, and certain chakras become overactive to compensate.
Just remember, the Chakra System is basically just a system of wheels that rotate in alignment to connect with a higher realm. It’s an energy system. It can become blocked in certain areas and manifest in many different ways.
Depending on which chakra is out of alignment, there are certain things we can do to bring it back into alignment. A quick “chakra check” can help to figure out whether the chakras are operational. Later, we’ll discuss methods used to unlock the chakras.
Chakra Check: How do the chakras feel?
The following section will describe the psychological feeling of each chakra. You will learn the Sanskrit name for each energy center and the physical location of each energy center in your body. The descriptions provide information about each chakra when it is balanced, underactive, and overactive. Using the corresponding Grounded Workbook, you can evaluate each of your own energy levels in your own time.
(insert opt-in for grounded workbook here)
Take time to read each description first. Then, go do the work in your workbook. Or, pull out that workbook and do it alongside your discovery. Whatever works for you!
1. Root Chakra (Muladhara)
Location: Tailbone or pelvic floor
The Root Chakra is meant to support the feeling of being physically present and at ease. You’ll feel rooted, safe and comfortable when the Root Chakra is balanced. Your fears are faced with a strong and secure mindset of positivity.
Muladhara helps you to feel linked to your physical body in the here and now. You look like you’ve got ample space and you feel like you are comfortable in your surroundings.
If you happen to be depressed or nervous, your Root Chakra is likely to be under-active. If your Root Chakra is overactive, you may be really materialistic and selfish. The Root Chakra’s main concern is staying safe and resisting change.
2. Sacral Chakra (Swadhisthana)
Location: Womb, between the hips
The Sacral Chakra dances around creation, emotion and attraction. When it’s available, your emotions spill naturally and you become open to creative energy. Ideas float into your consciousness more easily and you feel stimulated by shared human connections.
When you are in alignment with your Sacral Chakra, you will be really creative and connected to humanity. If the Sacral chakra is underactive, you may feel tense, unemotional, or unimaginative. If this chakra is overactive, then you may feel upset and let your emotions get the better of you.
3. Solar Plexus (Manipura)
Location: Between the ribs, body’s center
The Solar Plexus, also known as the Navel chakra, is about becoming assertive and owning your confidence. You sound confident and proud when the Solar Plexus is balanced. This valve of energy allows your self-confidence to shine bright.
When you’re underactive in the Navel chakra, you will be sluggish and indecisive. It can cause nervousness and lack of confidence. Getting what you want becomes challenging. If this chakra is overactive, then you may be leaning too heavily into your own power and may come off aggressive or even violent.
4. Heart Chakra (Anahata)
Location: Chest/heart center
The Chakra of the Heart is for compassion, goodness, devotion. When it is open and available, you are caring and polite. There is a natural flow and function toward the harmonious relationships in your life.
If the Heart Chakra is underactive, you feel distant and cold toward the people in your life. Your relationships may suffer due to lack of heartfelt connection. If this chakra is overactive, your love can suffocate others and become overwhelming. An overactive Heart Chakra could indicate that there may be some selfish motives hidden behind your acts of loving-kindness.
5. Throat Chakra (Vishuddha)
Location: Mouth/throat area
The Throat chakra is for voice and self-expression. Once it’s available, you don’t have any difficulty voicing yourself or your opinions. As an artist, you may find this chakra particularly beneficial in communicating your ideas through words or visuals. A healthy Throat Chakra feels like you are saying the right things at the right time.
If you feel like you “need to say something” but you just don’t know how, that is a sign your Throat Chakra is blocked. You prefer not to talk much while this chakra is underactive. You may also become more introverted and quiet.
If the Throat Chakra is overactive, you may be a poor listener and experience instances of “word vomit,” which is the feeling of saying things that you immediately wish you hadn’t said. If you are extremely chatty and tend to gossip, people may tell you that you are “too loud” or “too opinionated.” That is when you need to check in with your Throat Chakra and take steps to slow it down.
6. Third Eye Chakra (Ajna)
Location: Forehead area, Between the eyebrows
The Chakra of the Third Eye is for perception and visualisation. You have a strong sense of intuition, when it’s available. Your Third Eye can see into the energetic realm above you, but is still deeply connected to your physicality. Therefore, you may “sense” the answer to your problem before you are consciously aware of it. The Third Eye Chakra feels like intuitive alignment with your higher self.
If the Third Eye energy center is underactive, you are likely not used to thinking for yourself or listening to your intuition. You may not trust your own judgement, so you continue to depend on authorities. You allow the “gatekeepers” to guide your choices and you can be too static in your reasoning.
If this chakra is too busy, you could feel like you live in a fantasy universe. You may often catch yourself dreaming or imagining a circumstance different from reality. You may be acting in alignment with your intuition, but there is no foundation in reality. In extreme situations, an overactive Third Eye can even lead to hallucinations.
7. Crown Chakra (Sahasrara)
Location: Top of head
The Crown Chakra is about universal understanding. When the Crown Chakra is balanced, open, and available, you feel like you are one with the universe. You become unprejudiced and free from limiting beliefs. You are appropriately conscious of the environment and of your place in the world.
When the Crown Chakra is underactive or blocked, you may lack faith or understanding. You become disconnected from your spiritual alignment, which comes with feelings of hopelessness or “brain fog.” You may feel like you’re floating from one task to another with no real purpose or understanding.
When this chakra is overactive, you may be drawn into faith and ignore your earthly surroundings. You may feel a strong attachment to spirit and develop a superiority complex. If you feel the need to preach your understanding to others in a way that makes you seem sanctimonious or “holier-than-thou,” then you may need to reign in the activity in your Crown Chakra.
The Chakra System: Integrated
All seven chakras work together to bring energetic alignment to the body, mind, and spirit. Starting at the Root Chakra, the energy centers build up on top of each other toward the Crown Chakra. Each center plays an important and unique role in the integrated system.
There are many ways the Chakra System can manifest, but in this next section, I will share one hypothetical example to demonstrate the relational factors between all seven chakras.
Start at the foundation.
Let’s pretend Sally cannot afford her rent this month. She fears being evicted from her house and all the stress that comes with that. Facing issues related to the home, indicates a misalignment in the Root Chakra area. With fears regarding rent and losing her home, Sally is holding stress in her Root Chakra, which creates a blockage in that energy center.
Next, Sally’s Sacral Chakra wakes up. In order to “make up” for the blocked energy in the Root, the Sacral Chakra may act to fill the void. An overactive creation center can lead to an obsessive need to “create.”
Due to her home circumstance, Sally feels an incessant need to work. She craves work and making money, but there is no work to be had. Now, the Sacral Chakra is blocked too.
Lack of work causes Sally to feel a lack of purpose. Her confidence is depleted. Now, the Solar Plexus is getting involved. When the confidence center takes a hit, Sally starts to feel hopeless. She turns to her support system.
Sally moves back in with her family, which hurts her confidence even more. She feels embarrassed about her work situation, so she tries to protect herself from that embarrassment by shielding her emotions from those around her. In a sense, she starts to build a fence around her Heart Chakra.
Now, Sally is experiencing imbalances in four of the seven chakras.
You can see the relational factors between the energy centers can affect one another. Everyone’s energetic composition is slightly different. The way Sally responds to a situation, may not be the way you would respond to a situation.
Sally’s blocked Heart Chakra could lead to further blockages in her Throat, Third Eye, and Crown Chakra. It could lead to overactivity in those areas. Or, with careful attention and aligned action, she could recover, heal her chakras, and find balance.
The Chakras are seeking alignment all the time. So, when one area is out of balance, the others will react to bring in alignment.
In that brief example, you can see how the energy centers work together to create harmony or imbalances. In order to achieve a fully operational Chakra System, we need to start at the Root Chakra.
For, if the Root Chakra is unbalanced, it sets a precedent for the rest of the Chakras. It is like building a house on unstable ground. The end result will be shaky at best.
Starting at the Root Chakra, all the other energy centers stem from and build upon the foundations in the Root Chakra center. Therefore, we want the Root Chakra to be as balanced, strong and stable as possible.
Wrapping Up
In this post we covered the introduction to the Root Chakra, Muladhara, and a brief introduction to the Chakra System as a whole. In the coming series of posts, you’ll be able to find more about Root Chakra basics, how to notice when the root chakra is in and out of balance, as well as some tips for healing the root chakra.
Enjoying this series? Be sure to download the Grounded Workbook to practice more self-discovery as you dive into this topic even deeper.
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