Mooladhara Chakra (Root chakra)

The seven chakras in our body represent the core energy centers. Mooladhara chakra is the first of the seven chakras. 

It is located at the base of your spine and is associated with the colour red. Some of its corresponding body areas and organs are the pelvic plexus, the last 3 vertebrae, the anus, large intestine and legs.

The positive attributes of the Mooladhara Chakra are vitality, vigour and growth. The negative qualities are laziness, inertia, self-centredness and domination by one's physical desires. Mooladhara chakra forms the basis, the foundation from which we climb the ladder of the Chakras. It is the starting point for our spiritual development, and it provides us all the nourishment.

Mookladhara holds the Karmas of our past lives and from these arise the happiness or unhappiness experienced in this current life. 

It is the chakra of stability, security, and our basic needs. The energies of the Root Chakra help us to feel grounded and connected to this Earth.  It gives us a place for our life to 'take root' and for the flow of energies to propel us forward on our life journey.

How can we balance the root chakra?

By doing Reiki self healing daily

By seeing red. Imagine the color glowing brightly at the base of the spine, where it is located

By taking a shower

By doing yoga

By dancing

By taking a walk, preferably barefoot on grass

By meditating on the mooladhara chakra

If the energy circulation is not optimum at the root chakra, you may feel nervous, fearful and insecure about your safety. On the physical plane, you may often feel fatigued or become constipated easily.

Root chakra symbol

It is symbolized by a red, four-petaled lotus. The colour red means energy and vitality. It indicates the existence of a strong, dense energy and is connected to the earth. Our existence has its roots in the earth and therefore the EARTH element (Tattva) is assigned to the Mooladhara Chakra.

Mooladhara is said to be the base from which the three main psychic channels or nadis emerge: the Ida, Pingala and Sushumna. The seed mantra syllable is लं (Laṃ). In the center of the square, below the seed syllable, is a deep red inverted triangle. The tip of the triangle pointing downwards indicates that we are at the beginning of our spiritual development; and the sides that spread upwards and outwards show the direction of the developing consciousness.

The kundalini shakti is said to sleep here, Muladhara is considered the foundation of the "energy body". Yogic systems stress the importance of stabilizing this chakra. Kundalini awakening begins here. It is also known as the seat of the "red bindu," or subtle drop, which rises up to the "white bindu" in the head to unite the feminine and masculine energies, the Shakti and Shiva. It is associated with the element of earth, the sense of smell and the action of excretion.

The presiding deity for the Mooladhara Chakra is Shri Ganesha, the Eternal Child. He is the embodiment of innocence and He guards His Mother Kundalini (Gauri) with great alertness and uncompromising zeal. It is He who informs Kundalini when it is time to awaken and it is His anger which produces the heat in the sympathetic nervous system if any unauthorized person tries to do so. This is the reason why so many seekers have suffered a wide variety of mental and physical ailments, some serious enough to require hospitalization.

 

References:

https://www.yogaindailylife.org/system/en/chakras/muladhara-chakra http://www.adishakti.org/subtle_system/mooladhara_chakra.htm https://www.chakras.net/energy-centers/muladhara/about-the-muladhara-chakra