The Root Chakra: Muladhara
Connecting the Energy of your First Chakra with your Yoga and Life
The manifesting energies of all creation are reflected within the body. The intensity and patterns of these energies influence the many manifestations of the individual from physiology and health to psychology and spirituality.
Physiology
The root chakra (muladhara), also referred to as the first chakra, is the energy center located at the base of the spine and is associated with the nerve plexus in the coccygeal and sacral regions as well as the reproductive endocrine glands or gonads.
The energy created here is similar to the solidifying forces of nature which we associate with the element of earth (called Prithivi in Sanskrit) and the force of gravity. It is the energy of creation, that which pulls material together into physical being, from our cells to our muscles and bones.
From a physical perspective, this is the energy center from which we derive strength and vitality. The formation of bone, the development of muscular strength, and even the crystallization of hemoglobin in our red bloods cells is controlled by this energy.
Psychology
Psychologically, this is where we derive our sense of self and our sense of place and purpose in the world. Each chakra has an associated organ of perception (jnanendriya) and organ of action (karmendriya). For the root chakra, these are the nose (our sense of smell) and the feet respectively. Smell is a primitive and instinctual sensory vehicle of orientation in the animal world; it is the first sense that can give us an indication of whether something is good (thus we are attracted to it) or bad (thus we avoid it). Our feet are our roots into the earth. The energy carried up through the feet runs through every nerve terminal of the body, as shown through the science of reflexology.
In the individual, our root energy is reflected in our desire to have personal space, to achieve material prosperity, to feel secure, and to have personal boundaries. A person who has a healthy and balanced root chakra enjoys his physical being, has a good self-image, and is comfortable in solitude. An imbalanced chakra can be either strong or weak and these attributes can likewise be overpowering or absent.
Yoga for the First Chakra
- Hatha Yoga
Hatha yoga and certain pranayama exercises influence the chakra energies and can stimulate or calm them. Warrior poses, in particular, can be particularly empowering for the first chakra as they require strength and good grounding through the feet and legs. Seated poses such as the thunderbolt (vajrasana) and lotus (padmasana) also awaken the root chakra. Wide-legged postures and squats are also energizing for this chakra.
- Pranayama
Abdominal breathing exercises can both calm and stimulate this energy. Deep abdominal breathing in the incomplete rabbit posture (sapurna shashasana) can relax this energy. The posture is similar to child’s pose except that the head is raised and the elbows are brought in front of the knees with the forearms extended forward with palms flat.
Rapid breathing exercises such as kapalabhati (the skull shiner) will stimulate the root chakra. This breathing exercise involves a rapid pumping of the diaphragm in rounds of 60 to 120 breaths. The abdomen expands and contracts and heat builds up in the low belly, rising up the spine and over the crown of the head.
Concentrating your yoga practice on the root chakra is recommended at times when you feel “spaced out” or lost in your own thoughts. Grounding yourself in the reality of the present moment will help you center yourself and quiet the mind. The empowerment of the first chakra can also awaken your sense of individuality and inner strength.
