Grounding with the Root Chakra

It’s a rainy Friday afternoon here in Oslo, Norway, and I’m in my favorite coffee shop once again, as I write this new post. October is here, and a packed month of astrological shifts come with it. Although that seems to be the case with all of 2021, really, and in addition we’re constantly bombarded with light frequencies that are intensifying our lives in many ways. On the one hand these frequencies are uplifting and making us feel joyful, hopeful and loving, but they can also be quite triggering, and bring up old wounds that need to be cleared and healed. All of this takes its toll, so if you feel more tired than usual, and seem to be in need of more sleep, this could be one reason why.

In my work over the years, I have learned to tune into and use the chakra system extensively, and it can be a very helpful guide when working on healing and connecting with both physical and psychospiritual aspects of our body. Each chakra, or energy center, in our body is connected to physical organs, as well as certain senses, elements, emotional and spiritual aspects and archetypes. I plan to go a little more in depth into each of the chakras in the weeks to come, and in this post I will focus on the root chakra. As this particular chakra will continue to be challenged going forward, as it pertains to the security we feel in the world, and in our lives, I feel it is a good place to start.

The root chakra is located at the tailbone, at the base of the spine, and is known as the Muladhara chakra in Sanskrit, which means “root support”. Physically it governs our legs and feet (although we have separate energy points in these areas, too), our elimination organs (such as the kidneys, colon and rectum), and our adrenal glands. It is the chakra that is most strongly connected with our physical reality, so in order to master our physical lives, manifest our needs and desires, and feel secure and grounded, it’s important to have a strong root chakra. Its element is earth, its sense is smell, and traditionally it is associated with the color red, although there are also many other colors that can be seen in this chakra, for those who are able to do so.

At the core of this chakra lies our survival instincts, and our sense of being present in the physical world. Since it is governed by the adrenals, this chakra is highly connected to our stress response, also known as the fight-flight-freeze response in our body, and is thus important to strengthen, in order to deal with the stressors in life in a healthy way. Being grounded, trusting, feeling safe and having our basic needs met are all signs of a balanced root chakra. With the functional archetype of this center being the Mother, it’s about being able to love and care for ourselves in a way that a good mother would. The idea of the mother as providing love and sustenance, nurturing and safety, on all levels, both physically, emotionally and spiritually, is what this chakra is all about.

When the root chakra becomes out of balance, it can manifest in a myriad of ways. Any physical ailments always start energetically, and so any issues in the aforementioned physical organs, may be connected to a deficient root chakra. Feelings of lack, not belonging, feeling stressed, insecure and unsafe, dissociating from the physical world and weight issues may also originate in a deficient root chakra. An overactive root chakra may manifest as overeating, fear and nervousness, addiction to highly stimulating activities, hoarding, as well as material fixation and greed. The dysfunctional archetype for this chakra is the Victim, and a general victim mentality is typical, where there is no awareness or responsibility for the circumstances the victim finds itself in. A feeling of lack of control and a sense of “having no choice” over own life is prominent.

When healing this chakra, the goal is to bring awareness to our physical body and our needs, as well as letting go of anxiety and fear, stress and feelings of lack. Instead cultivate feelings of trust and belonging. Tuning into the abundance of the universe, and of Mother Earth is key, trusting that she will provide you with all that you need, and also having trust in yourself and your own ability to provide for yourself. Great ways to help strengthen and heal this chakra, is to connect with nature, go for walks, visualize energy coming up from the earth and into your body through your feet, and walking barefoot on the grass. Working with grounding and protecting crystals, especially black crystals such as black tourmaline, onyx, shungite and obsidian, as well as hematite, smoky quartz, bloodstone and garnet are great. Essential oils such as vetiver, myrrh, rose geranium and patchouli are also nice to diffuse or wear on the root chakra (tailbone).

Meditating on the root chakra, and exploring how you may be acting like a victim in your life, are good ways to clear and heal it, as well as reflecting on how you can be a better mother to yourself. Here is a simple exercise that you can do to connect with the energy of the root chakra, and feel more grounded:

Begin by standing with your feet in line with shoulders; have your body soft and loose. Check that your ankles and knees are soft and unlocked. Take a few minutes to focus on your breathing. Now simply rock from foot to foot, keeping your knees soft. This gentle rocking motion will draw the Kundalini Earth energy up from Mother Earth. Feel the energy rise up through the ball of each foot before pulsing up into your whole body. As you draw this nurturing and safe energy into your body, you feel secure, grounded and energized.

I hope this gives you some deeper insights into the root chakra and how you can activate it and strengthen its vibration. I wish you all the best in exploring your own root chakra, and with that I’ll wrap up my post for this week. I hope you have a wonderful day, and as always, I send you much love & light!