Root Chakra: Everything You Need to Know About Your 1st Chakra

What is the Root Chakra?

The root chakra or the chakra of the earth or the base chakra, is the 1st Chakra in the 7 chakras system, located at the base of the spine, the color is Red and the element is Earth. It is the foundation of our body like the roots of a tree, supporting the other six chakras. It relates to whatever grounds you to stability in your life, includes your basic survival needs such as food, water, shelter, material matters such as money, home as well as your more emotional needs relating to safety, trust yourself and self-confidence.

Without the roots, the tree would not be able to survive because the roots help anchor the tree to the ground and allow the tree to get nutrients from the earth to grow up. Without sufficient/strong root support, the tree would not be able to stand and can be blown over more easily in a storm.

Physically, the root chakra governs adrenal glands, spine, blood, and reproductive organs. It is responsible for the functioning of the lower part of the body, such as the bladder, kidneys, and lower back. Adrenal gland is located at the top of the kidney, produces adrenaline, which stimulates the “fight or flight” response and ties directly to the Root Chakra’s survival drive.

If your root chakra is balanced, you will

• feel grounded, relaxed, secure, safe, stable, calm, and anchored in reality.
• feel confident and sure of yourself to explore and try new things
• gain financial freedom
• help improve self-preservation, provide basic needs for you and your family
• have full of energy and vitality to do the daily task
• stay healthy, don’t have any health problem with the lower part of your body

Root Chakra Imbalance

The root chakra out of balance can manifest on a physical and emotional level. Most people experience these symptoms without even being aware of them, the key of healing chakra is to listen to your mind and body and you can work towards healing.

Emotional Symptoms

Overactive Root Chakra

• feel more materialistic.
• feel greedy
• impulsiveness
• difficulty accepting change
• rigid
• aggressive

Underactive Root Chakra

• fears and insecurity
• restlessness and anxiety
• indecisive, trouble making decisions
• feeling threatened or unsafe
• low self-confidence
• survival problems such as money or food.

Physical symptoms

Common physical symptoms of root chakra blockage relate to the lower part of the body. Amongst other signs, the most occurring ones are:

• lower back pain
• eating disorders, obesity
• constipation
• kidney stones
• bladder problems
• leg issues
• cramps
• colon issues
• fatigue
• sluggishness
• urinary issues

Sometimes, you won’t really understand why your base chakra has become misaligned. Popular examples such as losing a job, coping with the end of a relationship, facing financial difficulties, struggle with close family members, frightening, and receiving a troubling health diagnosis.

Root Chakra Healing: How To Open And Unblock Your Root Chakra

One of the key elements in healing the first chakra is to learn to love and believe in yourself and to let go of fear. Practice on a feeling of self-confidence; believe that you are important and valuable in this world and that you can achieve whatever you set your mind to. Trust your capacity and your strength.

Connect with the earth, spend lots of quality time in nature, hiking, gardening, dancing, walking in nature,  observe what is going on; the birds, the clouds, the wind, the light, and sense your interconnectedness with it.

The color of root chakra is the key to chakra alignment. Start by wearing red colored clothes more often.

There are several techniques to work on balancing and opening chakras varying from food, crystals/gemstones, meditation, yoga poses, chanting, and physical activity.

Root Chakra Healing Foods

• Red colors fruits and vegetables. Raspberries, strawberries, pomegranates, cherries, tomatoes, red cabbage, beets, watermelon, kidney beans
• Root vegetables. Potatoes, beets, carrots, onion, garlic, radish and parsnips, ginger, turmeric, turnips.
• High-Protein Foods. Tofu, Edamame, Peanut Butter, Cashews, Sunflower Seeds.
• Spices. Pepper, paprika, chives can be considered to heal your root chakra.

If you are a tea drinker, drink a grounding herbal tea that includes root chakra cleansing herbs such as cloves, enjoy a cup of lotus root and hibiscus tea to help heal your root chakra.

Root Chakra Healing Stones, Crystals

There are many Crystals that support the root chakra, some of the best known include Red Jasper, Tourmaline, Garnet, and Bloodstone.

In general, red stones and crystals are associated with the root chakra. By simply wearing, keeping in your wallet, or holding these stones, you may be able to realign or begin to unblock a troubled chakra.

Red Jasper

The red color of Jasper is associated with the base chakra, an ideal stone for:

• balancing
• dealing with erratic mood swings
• bring a feeling of protection, independence
• encourage you to follow your true path

Bloodstone

The crystal color itself is green, the name relates to its red spots. This beautiful semi-precious stone is a perfect stone to align the imbalance of your root chakra.

• pushing away negative energy
• increasing confidence,
• boosting healthy blood circulation.
• brings energy, resolve, grounded-ness, and patience
• helps us feel more connected to the earth.

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Garnet

The red color of Garnet is in harmony with the color of the root chakra and it provides:

• emotional stability
• helps us satisfy our need for belonging
• grounds and strengthens the spirit

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Smoky Quartz

The variation of this subtle and mysterious quartz crystal can assist opening of your chakra, and it is incredible for

• releasing negative energy into the ground through our first chakra
• brings clarity to your present circumstance
• provide the stamina needed to find your place of belonging in the world

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Black tourmaline.

This security stone is excellent for the root chakra and it is one of the most common stones used for

• providing grounding energy, stability and purifying the base chakra.
• protection

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Hematite.

This powerful stone is a great choice for grounding and protection.

• anchor to the earth
• renew your energy and resolve
• help you feel calm, attachment
• balance erratic thoughts

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Root Chakra Healing by Essential Oils

Aromatherapy has powerful healing qualities that wake up feelings of safety, security, and help balance root chakra with its grounding and earthy smell. To open the base chakra,

• try burning earthy essential oils, candles, incense
• diffuse the oil in the air
• wear in your wrist or back of your neck

Some popular essential oils for healing root chakra are patchouli, frankincense, cedarwood, vetiver.

Patchouli.

This earthy oil is good for the skin, helps to bring the body to a grounded and confident place.

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Frankincense. 

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This woodsy and earthy scent will

• calm your  fears and soothe your racing thoughts,
• make you feel grounding and uplifting.
• promote a connection to the natural world

Cedarwood.

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This strong fragrance is a perfect addition to the base chakra oil blends, it helps

• when you are indecisive, bring you to the moment, relax and make decision
• when you feel anxious, make you feel calm and peaceful

Vetiver

This strong grounding, sensual oil is also known as “the fragrance of the Soil.”, is fantastic to align your root chakra imbalance

• incredible scent to soothe insomnia, anxiety, fatigue
• help you feel calm and balance
• Using in massage to strengthen  circulation, boosts the metabolism and digestion

Root Chakra Chant/Mantra/Sound

The seed mantra of the base chakra is “LAM”.  This sound matches the vibration of the root chakra, which helps activate the 1st chakra, clear its blockage and helps to easily go into a meditative state and stimulates the chakra to bring it to balance. You can simply sit in a quiet place, visualise the colour red in the region of the base chakra, and chant “LAMMMMM”  a few times.

Root Chakra Healing by Yoga Poses

Yoga is a great way to heal root chakra, let’s look at a few poses which activate the flow of energy and help you experience stillness,security and safety such as tree pose, mountain pose, downward dog pose, chair pose and bridge pose.

• Tree Pose – Vriksasana.  Remember that the key to releasing and using your root chakra energy is being stable, rooted and grounded.  The tree pose helps
  • enhance your ability to develop a firm, grounded posture and positive mind
  • to maintain or gain balance.
• Mountain Pose – Tadasana. This balancing and grounding pose generates focus, stability and strength in the legs. It grounds you in the present moment.
• Downward Dog Pose – Adho mukha svanasana.
  • encourage blood circulation and strengthen the core
  • strengthen your back and lessen your pain
  • feet and hands are pressed to ground for better support
• Chair Pose – Utkatasana. This pose helps to anchor your feet to the ground.  There is a minor chakra in our feet  that allows us to receive energies from the almighty earth and send it up to our root chakra. 
• Bridge pose – Setu Bandha Sarvangasana. This pose opens the spinal column, allowing the energy to move up, helping to release the excess energy in the base chakra make you feel grounded and stable.

Root Chakra Affirmations

The repeating of affirmations helps enhance new beliefs, breaking old patterns and creating new ones. To open the root chakra, repeat affirmations that involve home and safety. Here are some examples:

• “I am safe and grounded. I am stable, healthy and strong.”
• “I have a healthy body, a healthy mind, and an abundant life.”
• “I am anchored to the earth and supported by the universe.”
• “I am confident with who I am.”