- The Big Three S’s:
- Security
- Safety
- Survival
Beginning in our childhood, the three “S’s” are the top priorities in our day to day life. If you were blessed to be raised by parents/guardians who provided a safe and secure environment, then you will be more likely to already have a balanced Root Chakra. When raised in such an environment, people feel safe and secure in the environment, but also with themselves. The lack of stress associated with the three “S’s” creates an individual who is grounded. They feel at ease in their physical self, and maintain proper self-care. These individuals are also more likely to be a contributing member of society, empathetic, good at handling money and finances, and have established healthy boundaries with those in their lives.
For awakening and aligning our Root chakra, I’ve turned to The Complete Idiot’s Guide to Chakras by Betsy Rippentrop and Eve Adamson:
AWAKENING THE CHAKRA
- Sit on the floor, legs crossed, seat firmly planted on the floor. Feel your pelvic bones and imagine roots anchoring those bones to the Earth.
- Take several long, slow, deep breaths as you visualize your deep red chakra spinning fast, open and healthy at the base of your spine.
- Imagine your chakra radiating a wide red beam of light from the base of your spine, down to the floor, into the Earth, and all the way to the center of the planet.
- Take a deep breath in and in a low resonating tone, say the word: Lang, holding the “A” sound, (rhymes with “song”). Imagine the planet’s energy that ignites your first chakra, so that it glows gently as it spins.
- As you imagine your first chakra heating up, continue to connect to the center of the Earth and let yourself relax into a feeling of safety and security.
ALIGNING THE CHAKRA
- Stand with bare feet about a hip-width apart. Feel the soles of your feet against the ground. Imagine your feet rooting firmly into the ground, as if magnetized to the floor.
- Imagine your first chakra at the base of your spine and try to feel it spinning. Imagine a ray of light emanating down from your first chakra, through the floor. Then, imagine that same ray of light radiating upward, straight through the crown of your head, pulling all your other chakras in line with this central column of light.
- Lift your arms straight up overhead and imagine the red light pulsing up and down, reaching to the center of the Earth and all the way to the sky.
HEALING THE BLOCKED CHAKRA
Healing this chakra centers around self-care. That is much easier said than done. When the Root chakra is blocked, your self-care center is what gets hit. Psychological problems that may or may not have stemmed from some sort of abuse or trauma has led to this block. Financial struggles in childhood can also affect this chakra into adulthood. While blocked, you could suffer from alcoholism or other addictions, anxiety, become detached from your surroundings and people around you, and you may get sick often. When you feel all of this, self-care is going to be the last thing on your mind. So, start off small. Go for a walk. If that is too much, start out just stepping outside barefoot. Focus on your feet on the ground, let the different textures ground you to the Earth. Do this until you CAN take that walk. Take an extra minute in the shower to relax, splurge and get a massage. Just sleep. Sleep is a tremendous help to me. Really want to catch up on a show, or read before bed? Don’t. Go to sleep. Get that extra sleep. Little bits of self-care can amount to a lot of relief down the road.
HEALING THE OVERLOADED CHAKRA
Growing up in an overly strict or rigid household leads to having an excessive Root chakra. This leaves little to no room for spontaneity. On the other hand, being too lax doesn’t provide much security either. Control is what we’re battling here. Some make exercise their life, while others seek security in food. In order to heal an overload, we need to drain away some of the excess energy. Yoga and stretching can produce enormous benefits. Center yourself through yoga and meditation poses. This is a healthy way to channel the energy, without draining all your energy for the day.