The root chakra is the first of the seven main chakras in our bodies and helps us feel grounded, safe, and centered. When any chakra is out of balance or has stuck energy, it can cause both physical and emotional symptoms within us.

The root chakra sits at the base of the spine and develops from conception to the age of seven years old during the time of attachment to our primary caregivers and corresponds to our core need of what we need to feel safe and secure in the world.

Chakras can become blocked when we experience stress, traumatic incidents, and emotional upheavals. Most of us have experienced some form of trauma, grief, or upset in our lives, and many of us may even have complex traumas that have built up as we go through life. Working to unblock these energy centers is a beautiful journey of spiritual growth, connection, and healing.

Each energy center is connected to specific physical, mental, emotional, and spiritual attributes. This chapter will cover self-care for healing the root chakra, how to know if it’s out of balance, and the tools and practices you can use to heal and bring the energy of this chakra back into balance.

In this post you will find:

• A definition of the root chakra, or muladhara
• Signs of imbalance
• Crystals, essential oils, and foods
• Affirmations
• A healing meditation
• Self-care practices to balance and heal the root chakra

MULADHARA

The Muladhara (meaning “root foundation”) is also known as the root chakra and is located at the base of the spine. It is the most primal of the chakras because it represents what we need to survive in the physical world and rules over our fight or flight instinct. The color associated with it is red, the densest vibration of all the colors, and it corresponds to the element of Earth. No surprise that the energy is all about finding our roots and grounding into our physical bodies.

The symbols associated with the chakras are Mandalas, and in Sanskrit this means “Circle.” The circular design symbolizes the belief that life is never-ending and that everything is connected. Each design, from the color to the symbol, is meant to help free the mind and help us relax.

The muladhara chakra symbol represents the birth of human consciousness. It consists of a four-petalled lotus, with each petal symbolizing the four aspects of consciousness: mind, intellect, consciousness, ego. The number four appears again with the square, which represents foundational life energy, stability, and rigidity. It provides a stable structure for the adjoining chakras to rest upon. The inverted triangle is the elemental symbol for earth and is a reminder of the grounding energy associated with muladhara, the root chakra.

When the root chakra is balanced and open, you feel safe and secure on your own two feet. You feel your basic needs are met. You have the feeling of being grounded, and you are energetic and confident in your right to be in this world.

SIGNS OF A ROOT CHAKRA IMBALANCE

The root chakra is your body’s energy center for stability, security, safety, and being grounded. It acts as your foundation. This is where you build your strength, power, and steadiness so that the flow of energy can move freely throughout your body. What would happen if your fundamental needs like food, shelter, money, and safety weren’t being met? When these things happen, your energy gets stuck at this energy center, unable to move freely through this intersection. This results in an energetic imbalance, which can manifest in the following ways:

Physical organs related to the root chakra are: the legs and feet, the anus, the colon, and the tailbone. Physical issues associated with imbalance might include colon pain, constipation, sciatica, lower back pain, and hemorrhoids.

An imbalanced root chakra can cause you to feel insecure or self-conscious, anxiety, fears about feeling safe, greed, being overweight or underweight, quick to anger, a dysfunctional immune system or autoimmune conditions, allergies, and a subconscious worry about the basic needs for survival which are food, shelter, and money.

Below are ways in which you can begin to unblock and connect with your root chakra:

CRYSTALS AND STONES

Choose a crystal based on what you are intuitively drawn to since that’s most likely the energy you need most. Crystals that are black, smoky, brown, or red work best for the root chakra. Place the stone next to you, lay it on your body where the chakra is located, wear it as jewelry, or carry one in your pocket.

Black Tourmaline: strengthens the immune system, grounds energy, cleanses the emotional body

Bloodstone: for vitality, clears out negative energy, good for realigning the lower chakras with the heart

Tiger’s Eye: for the root and sacral chakras, balances the endocrine system, enhances self-confidence and inner strength

Hematite: grounding, security, safety, protects against negative energy, good for circulation and menstruation, connected to the blood

Garnet: abundance, strength, courage, transforms negative energies into positive vibrations, flushes out toxins

Obsidian: grounding, protects against negative energy, shadow work and healing

Smoky Quartz: grounding, stabilizing, helps detox, restores balance, amplifies positive energy, absorbs EMF smog, settles the nerves

ESSENTIAL OILS

You can use the oils alone or buy or make your own mixtures. Just remember, if you are using oils directly on your skin, some can be irritating and need to be diluted with a carrier oil.

Here is a list of the essential oils that help with balancing and opening the root chakra:

Cedarwood: grounding and calming, use to relieve anger and ease nervous tension, the uplifting qualities can combat feelings of negativity

Frankincense: antidepressant and sedative qualities (soothing and calming), lifts the spirits and increases focus, as well as aiding in meditation, brings tranquility to the mind, ideal when stressed or overwhelmed, promotes relaxation, boosts immunity

Vetiver: a natural sedative with grounding, centering, and calming properties

Sandalwood: brings a sense of calm and clarity, deepens meditation, helps you feel grounded while connecting to higher realms, helps realign mind, body, and spirit

Patchouli: offers a grounding, balancing effect on emotions, improves confidence and clarity of thought, helpful for stress and anxiety

HEALING FOODS

Food carries its own energy that can help heal us energetically and it provides the nutrients to feed every cell in our body. The following foods help to ground you and balance the root chakra:

Red foods, particularly those from the Earth, are excellent for strengthening and healing the root chakra.

Add lots of root vegetables to your diet for root chakra healing, such as potatoes, carrots, sweet potatoes, parsnips, garlic, and onions. When vegetables grow below the ground, they absorb a high amount of vitamins and nutrients from the soil, particularly folate, vitamin C, antioxidants, and beta-carotene.

In addition to root vegetables, choose naturally red-colored foods like red apples, tomatoes, strawberries, raspberries, cherries, pomegranates, beets, and radishes.

Protein-rich foods, including lean meat, eggs, beans, lentils, nuts, and peanut butter are also great for root chakra support.

Try a root chakra smoothie with beet, raspberries, strawberries, juice from a blood orange, and a splash of water.

AFFIRMATIONS

To practice your chakra affirmation, find a quiet place, get comfortable, and focus on the location of the chakra you want to work on. As you say or meditate on the affirmation, visualize the color of the chakra and imagine that color flowing into your chakra space as you repeat the affirmation. The key to using affirmations is to feel the words of the affirmation as you speak them. The more you repeat the affirmation, the more natural and true it will feel.

Repeating affirmations is what makes them most powerful. Add them to your morning routine, say them while driving in the car, or find other ways to use them throughout your day.

Below are some powerful root chakra affirmations to help you release negative thoughts and feelings:

I have a right to be here on Earth

It is safe for me to be here

I am grounded and connected to Mother Earth

I allow myself to feel supported by those around me

I am centered

I have everything I need 

I trust my body and know that it keeps me safe

I am balanced

I am right where I need to be

I am grateful that I have all that I need

I have the strength to let go of doubts and fear

I am worthy of all things wonderful

MEDITATION AND BREATHWORK

Meditation is probably the most effective way to balance the chakras. You can find many chakra meditations online, but it is also easy to practice on your own. Each chakra is associated with a seed sound, or mantra, and a color. So, if we were working with the root chakra, we’d simply think about where the chakra is, (the base of the spine) see the color red, and visualize a red disk spinning clockwise in that area, removing any blockages and becoming strong, healthy, and vibrant. You can also chant the mantra associated with the chakra if you feel comfortable doing so. (Use the chart provided earlier in this guide to assist you.)

Affirmations are also useful in healing and balancing. During meditation, your mental focus should be on the positive attributes of the particular chakra. Keep your focus on eliminating any emotional blockages by visualizing them dissolving away and feeling what it would be like to be free from those attachments.

Breathwork, or pranayama, is a breathing technique that helps relax the body and allows you to control the flow of energy though your body. If you want to use pranayama for chakra balancing, Nadi Shodhana, or alternate nostril breathing, is the best.

For this pranayama, block one nostril at a time with your thumb or forefinger and take deep, cleansing breaths in and out through your open nostril. Be sure to do the same number of breaths on each side. It will balance the energy channels and both the right and left hemispheres of the brain, plus it helps ease stress and anxiety.

All of these things can be used to help you go deeper into your meditation and make it more effective.

SELF-CARE PRACTICES

Here are some practices that support the opening of the root chakra:

Physical: Get grounded and connected to the Earth and your body.

The root chakra represents feeling grounded, stable, and safe, so do things that get you into your body and feeling connected: taking a walk, doing yoga, dancing or moving your body, getting a massage, walking barefoot outside or putting your hands on the Earth will all help with healing this chakra.

Mental: Do a root chakra meditation outdoors.

Meditating out in nature can be a wonderful practice for feeling connected to your body and the world around you. Place your feet barefoot on the ground for a quick chakra meditation: Close your eyes and focus your energy on your feet and how they anchor you to the Earth below. Send your own roots down into the center of the Earth and allow yourself to feel safe and balanced in your own body. (Bonus if the color of your roots are red!)

Emotional: Journal.

Write out your affirmations in your journal, or make a list of all your fears around feeling safe in the world. Fears and limiting beliefs around money are also related to this chakra. Once you have them listed, you can work on confronting them, dismantling them, and replacing them with better feeling thoughts.

Spiritual: Ground yourself in the present moment.

The root chakra is all about setting a foundation and grounding. Take a few moments to center yourself in the present moment and think of five things you are thankful for right now. They can be big or small, like “I am thankful the sun is shining” or “I love the smell of fresh brewed coffee.” Make this a daily practice and watch how much your gratitude list grows.

What are your favorite ways to keep your root chakra balanced? Let me know in the comments below.

If you want to learn how to awaken your sacral chakra, read the blog post here.