A few summers ago, I began learning about the chakras, or the seven energy centers of the body. Having an interest in health, wellness, and spirituality, I knew studying the chakras was inevitable along my journey.
Although very skeptical at first, as soon as I began reading “Chakras for Beginners” by David Pond, everything began to make sense. After about five pages in, I thought to myself “Damn, all of my chakras are unbalanced.” I knew this book fell into my lap for a reason.
Chakras are energy centers, where energy flows through these points of the body.
If these energy centers are blocked, energy cannot flow through. Blocked chakras are said to lead to both physical and psychological illnesses.
It is believed that you must balance all of the chakras in order, starting with the root (followed by the sacral, solar plexus, heart, throat, third eye, and crown chakras).
If there is anything I learned in life thus far, you must rip off the band-aid and get to the root of the problem in order to fix a problem, so this made sense to me! There aren’t any shortcuts here, and each chakra may take some time to balance.
“The 7 Chakras for Beginners” by MindBodyGreen is a very helpful cheat sheet for beginners who are interested in learning about all the chakras.
Muladhara, the Root Chakra:
The root chakra, or Muladhara, represents our foundation and feelings of stability and being grounded. This energy center is located at the base of the spine/tailbone.
If your root chakra is unbalanced, you may feel insecure, unstable, unsure of yourself, anxious, angry, controlling, afraid, or lack self-confidence. You may have problems with your basic survival needs: food, housing, work, and finances. Balancing your root chakra creates stability and a foundation for yourself, which is why you must balance it first.
When this chakra is balanced, you will feel confident and sure of yourself, as opposed to arrogant or fearful. By creating the proper foundation for yourself, you will feel grounded, centered, stable, and secure.
How do you balance your root chakra?
One of the easiest ways to balance your chakras is through nutrition. Were you ever told to eat the rainbow or colorful plate of food? We obtain certain nutrients and vitamins from different foods and foods based on their color.
Try incorporating red foods and spices into your diet: beets, apples, red meat, eggs, vegetables from the ground such as carrots and potatoes, and red spices such as cayenne pepper or hot sauce.
Although you won’t frequently find me on the mat, certain forms of yoga and yoga poses can help open up your lower spine and help your body feel grounded.
If you’re interested in learning more about balancing your chakras through nutrition or yoga, I strongly suggest reading Dr. Kimberly Snyder’s “The Beauty Detox Power.”
The power of affirmations:
What worked for me was reciting daily affirmations aloud to myself, while looking into my own reflection. Some affirmations included “I am safe and secure,” “I am stable and grounded,” and “I am connected to the Universe and to the earth.”
I suggest reciting these to yourself at least twice a day, once in the morning and once before bed. State these affirmations aloud and with confidence, all while looking into your own reflection.
As silly as this exercise may sound, mirror work is a very powerful tool that can help you tap into your subconscious mind and change your negative thinking. With every statement, you may naturally follow up with a douting thought, such as “no I’m not,” or “that’s not me.”
Resist the temptation to doubt yourself, and
Retraining your subconscious mind and belief system about yourself is a challenge. There will be times where you may think you’re going nowhere with this exercise. I promise that it’s working, and one day you’re going to wake up and state these affirmations without doubt and hesitation.
Here are 12 positive affirmations to balance the root chakra:
- I am safe.
- I am centered and grounded.
- I am powerful, rooted, and strong.
- I am stable and secure.
- I nurture myself and take care of my well-being.
- I am confident in all that I do.
- I am open to all possibilities.
- I believe in me.
- I am connected to my body and soul.
- I am connected to the Universe and to the earth.
- I live in an abundant Universe.
- I trust the goodness of life.
Visualization is also an extremely powerful tool, and while sitting in a chair, feet on the floor, you can close your eyes and visualize roots growing from your feet into the ground. It might be difficult at first, but it works and will quickly help you feel grounded.
Balancing my root chakra took about 6 months, as I wasn’t happy with my work situation and far from feeling comfortable in my own skin. Looking back, it feels like it took a long time, but finding myself and securing my foundation was worth the wait, dedication, and hard work.
