The muladhara chakra is the root chakra located at the base of the spine between the anus and the sexual organs. The muladhara chakra is what grounds people physically and emotionally. It is the place where one's survival instincts live: the need for shelter, food and money. Feelings like pain and pleasure, sensuality and power are associated with this chakra. It is also associated with the adrenal glands and the kidneys. It is the location of kundalini, otherwise known as the body's spiritual energy.
Other characteristics of muladhara chakra:
- Color : Red
- Element : Earth
- Mantra : Lam
- Petals on the lotus flower : 4
- God: Brahma
- Goddess: Dakini
When one's root chakra is deficient, he or she may feel out of control, frenzied, airy, flighty, or disorganized and unsettled. Yoga asana, poses, to help one bring muladhara chakra into balance are poses that will help one to feel connected and grounded to Earth. Poses that will strengthen the legs and open the feet and hamstrings. A pose like toe squat can help to open the bottoms of the feet and stretch the toes, so that they may grip the Earth more firmly. Standing positions like warrior 1 and 2, can help to strengthen the legs while standing forward folds like gorilla pose or uttanasana can help to open the hamstrings. Seated postures like janu sirsasana (head to knee) and paschimottanasana (seated forward fold) also help to open the hamstrings. More grounding poses include child's pose, cobbler's pose, reclined cobbler's pose and savasana (corpse pose). Any pose that allows one to reconnect with the Earth and settle the mind and the body can help to balance the muladhara chakra.
Tomorrow: Swadhistana "pelvic" Chakra
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