What is the Root Chakra?
The Root Chakra is the first chakra and the root of the chakra system. The Sanskrit meaning is "root support" which refers to our inner strength and stability, as well as the support of the earth. This is the first of the chakras to form, between birth and the age of two and is a reflection of our base survival needs. It is at this tender age that we first develop trust and where we first learn about belonging and protection. When our basic needs are perhaps not met, and when we are unable to trust our caregivers, this creates imbalances in the root chakra, which are often carried into adulthood.
During a reiki session, the information I pick up most frequently pick up relating to the Root Chakra is around safety and security. How safe you feel in your body, how safe you feel in your relationships. It is also the chakra where fear resides.
Root Chakra Basics
Colour: Red
Element: Earth
Crystals: Red jasper, Onyx, Hematite, Bloodstone, Red Carnelian, Obsidian
Location: Base of spine, tailbone, pelvic floor
What does the Root Chakra control?
Basic survival instincts (money, food, water)
Financial stability
Mental, physical and spiritual stability
How to know when your Root Chakra is blocked?
Unstable, unsupported or threatened
Scattered, stressed or anxious
Overcome with fear
Lazy or sluggish
Needy or codependent
Ungrounded or disconnected
How to know when your Root Chakra is balanced?
Fully supported and strong
Willpower and resilience
Self-trust and trust of others
Connected to the earth and nature
Feeling financially, mentally, physically and spiritually stable
What to do when your Root Chakra is blocked?
Reiki is an amazing way to shift this energy
Wear the colour red
Hold, wear or sleep with crystals associated with this chakra
Burn incense or use essential oils such as Myrrh, Vetiver or Cedarwood
Eat foods such as raspberries, strawberries, tomatoes, red apples or root vegetables such as carrots, potatoes, parsnips, radishes or beets
Connect with nature to feel more grounded, walk barefoot on the earth, sit on grass or on the beach and feel the support of the earth beneath you
Practice meditation and visualise the colour red
Move your body! Dance, run or walk to feel the blood running through your body