The Root Chakra

I am a wounded healer. I deeply understand the immense challenges of healing, especially as someone who has a sensory processing disorder, anxiety, PTSD, and depression. I barely survived school because of my inattention and hyperactivity. I was restless, fidgety, impulsive, and unorganized. I lacked time management skills and struggled with planning and finishing tasks. 

I had poor memory and anxiety surrounding sensory stimuli such as loud noises, bright lights, certain textures, or smells. My resistance to changes made transitions excruciating, which was hard to manage with dysregulated emotions.  I’ve had an extremely difficult time receiving mental health services over the years, and when I did, I was shamed, stigmatized, misdiagnosed, and medicated. 

Like the time I was drinking heavily to self-medicate my depression in my twenties and was diagnosed with fibromyalgia. I was prescribed heavy muscle relaxers and was never once asked if I drank alcohol. Both alcohol and muscle relaxers are depressants, and if taken together, they could lead to dangerous or life-threatening outcomes. This is one of many examples of how the health system has failed me.  

It wasn’t until failing in college that I asked to be tested for a learning disability. I discovered that I have a processing disorder, which explains my challenges in learning, communication, and daily functioning. Given my history and the fact that I have three children on the Autism spectrum, which I relate to, I would argue that I, too, fall somewhere on that spectrum. However, I’ve yet to find a therapist who doesn't blame my trauma for all of my challenges and adversity.       

When I consider my biological, psychological, and/or environmental factors, I can understand the addictions, behaviors, impulses, and challenges I’ve had to overcome. These conditions can affect how one functions. My layers of dysfunction are thick, which I’ve only just begun peeling back with a trusted therapist. 

I share all this because, underneath a lifetime of anger, sadness, disappointment, helplessness, and injustice, a wounded inner child begs to be healed. I’ve imprisoned her with a rigid belief system structured by low self-esteem, trapped in an endless negative thought loop. I’m the only person who can release her, which I’m doing by staying present with her.   

I’ve discovered the hard work of healing is being present in the body. Some bodies, like mine, make that difficult. I don’t mold well into rigid spaces and have difficulty navigating a world that’s not always understanding, accepting, or accommodating of differences. I find all airplane seats and loud, crowded spaces torturous, and fluorescent lights, seams, and clothing tags tools of torment. 

The planets have to align for me to fall asleep, and if there’s one tiny grain of sand or pilling of my sheets, all bets are off. If I’m not present in my body, I can’t connect my dysregulated emotions to a cause, and I’m chronically uncomfortable and searching for relief, like booze. The more present I am, the more I find inner relief.  

Airplane seats and fluorescent lighting haven't become more comfortable, but my perspective and self-regulating tools have made traveling and grocery shopping possible. One of my most powerful healing tools has been learning about the chakra system, as it brings my awareness onto my body and roots me in the present.  

Originating from ancient Indian spiritual traditions, the chakra system is believed to regulate physical, emotional, and spiritual well-being. There are seven main energy centers associated with specific qualities and functions. Since becoming sober over a year ago, I’ve navigated my way to healing through the chakras. While not all signs and symptoms are a chakra imbalance, they help me to understand what balance and harmony look and feel like.           

My journaling practice has helped me identify root chakra imbalances, which impact physical, emotional, and mental well-being. Muladhara, the root chakra, is the first of the seven main energy centers at the spine's base near the perineum. It’s associated with safety, security, and stability and is the foundation for all other chakras. When the root is balanced, we feel grounded, enabling us to navigate life's challenges with resilience. When out of balance, the root chakra manifests through various physical, emotional, and mental signs.

Awareness is crucial to a wellness routine. It helps us recognize signs of an underactive root chakra, like anxiety and insecurity, or an overactive root chakra, expressing heaviness and depression. Working with my root led me to seek support and medication for these signs. As I keep an intention of healing and wholeness and seek the truth, I find how complex and multifaceted the healing revolution really is.        

I’ve found trauma stored at my root tied to generations of unconscious memories. This trauma is the reason I’ve struggled to receive a correct diagnosis. It’s why I don’t know what normal feels like. Unblocking, strengthening and supporting the prana life energy within my chakras has led me to positive lifestyle changes, but only after understanding and identifying root chakra imbalances: 

• Physical Symptoms: Underweight, restlessness, fatigue, low energy, overeating, obesity, sluggishness, constipation, digestive issues, lower back pain, issues with legs and feet, chronic tension, immune system issues, disconnected from nature, financial issues.  
  

• Emotional/Mental Symptoms: Anxiety, inertia, fearfulness, lack of discipline or direction, anger, irritability, aggression, insecurity, difficulty making decisions, worry, difficulty forming relationships, distrust, disconnected from nature, family, or community, fear surrounding money, feeling ungrounded or unstable, overly attached or rigid in routines.    

With a healing intention, explore your root chakra and ask it to guide you to be more grounded, stable, connected, and supported. Focus on your physical and emotional well-being by bringing your attention to how you feel about your home, finances, sleep, diet, exercise, and body. I’m working on a root chakra workshop that ties into the first limb of yoga, called Yamas, where we explore more ways to strengthen and support our foundation. Stay tuned for more details! 

Here are some tips for healing and strengthening the root:

*Grounding Meditation to increase awareness: Sit or lie down comfortably and visualize that you are like a tree, strong, stable, and resilient. With roots extending from your spine and legs connecting into the earth’s core, breathe Prana's life energy deeply from the earth. 

*Mindfulness Practices: Practice mindful walking or engage in activities that bring awareness to your body and surroundings, fostering a sense of presence.

*Root Chakra Affirmations: Affirmations are positive statements that can help align and balance the root chakra. Repeat these affirmations regularly, silently or aloud, to promote feelings of stability, security, and groundedness. Combining affirmations with grounding activities, such as walking barefoot on the Earth or practicing yoga, can enhance their effectiveness. Root chakra affirmations:

• I am safe and secure in the present moment.

• My body is grounded, and I am connected to the Earth.

• I trust in the universe and release fear.

• I am financially secure, and abundance flows to me.

• I deserve all the good things that come into my life.

• I trust myself and make decisions with confidence.

• I am rooted like a tree, strong and resilient.
  

*Yoga Poses: Incorporate grounding yoga poses to improve stability, security, and to activate the root chakra. Hold each pose for a few breaths, focusing on your connection to the Earth and the sense of stability it provides. Bring awareness to your legs, which hold your power and strength, and rooted feet as root chakra energy flows downward toward the earth. It's important to consult with a healthcare professional before beginning an exercise program, especially if you have any underlying health conditions or are pregnant. You are responsible for listening to your body, modifying poses as needed, and stopping any pose if you experience pain or discomfort. Remember that asana, the postures of yoga, is about remaining alert and striving for steadiness and comfort (Desikachar, p.18). The following poses activate the root chakra by inviting balancing and grounding energy into the legs and feet.  

• Mountain Pose (Tadasana): Stand tall with feet hip-width apart, grounding through all four corners of your feet. Engage your thighs, lift your chest, and broaden across your collarbones. Arms are by your sides, and palms facing forward. Lengthen the spine and reach through the crown of your head.
  

• Chair Pose (Utkatasana): In this semi-standing squat, your feet are hip-width apart. Raise your arms overhead and bend your knees as if sitting back into an imaginary chair while keeping your chest lifted and core engaged. Hold the pose for several breaths to keep your thighs parallel to the ground, your weight evenly distributed in both feet, and your knees stacked over your ankles (look down and make sure you can see your toes).   

• Tree Pose (Vrksasana): Shift your weight onto one leg and place the sole of the other foot on the inner thigh or calf (avoid the knee). Bring your palms together in front of your chest or reach them overhead. Apply the grounding meditation or root chakra affirmations in this pose to increase awareness and stability.  
  

• Warrior I (Virabhadrasana I): Come into a forward lunge by bending your front knee to a 90-degree angle, ensuring your knee is stacked over your ankle, and grounding into the heel. Your back foot remains at a 45-degree angle as you anchor into the heel and outer edge of the extended leg. Lift your arms overhead, palms facing each other, hips squared toward the front of the mat, and gaze forward and focused on your bravery. 
  

• Warrior 2 (Virabhadrasana II):  Step one foot back about 3 to 4 feet, bend the front knee, keep the back leg straight, and turn your foot slightly inward about 90 degrees. Ensure that your front heel aligns with the arch of your back foot, and your front knee should be bent directly over your ankle. Keep your hips open and facing the side, with your torso centered over your hips. Arms extend to the sides, parallel to the ground, expressing your openness, vulnerability, and the confidence of a warrior with shoulders relaxed away from the ears.
  

• Hero Pose (Virasana): Kneel on the floor with your knees together, feet slightly wider than hip-width apart, and the tops of your feet resting flat on the floor. Sit between your feet on the floor with your heels beside your hips. Ensure your spine is tall and your shoulders are relaxed away from your ears. You can keep your hands resting on your thighs. Rest on a block or a pillow between your legs if you have knee pain. Hold the pose for a few breaths, maintaining a comfortable, upright posture. Work on increasing the duration you hold this pose, and take caution if you suffer from a knee injury or circulatory issues.