Discover what the Root Chakra is associated with, learn to identify if it could be out of balance, and integrate tips and tricks in your self-care routine to work on that energy centre.
A chakra is an energy centre in the body, associated with different principles. You can use your knowledge of the chakra system for your self-awareness and self-development. These centres can be correlated to specific types of life experiences, lived emotions, and life patterns. You can use different tools, such as gemstone talismans or essential oils, to work on energy centres that you want to support or bring more awareness to in your life.
See also: How to Use Chakras for Self-Development
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Root Chakra Associations: Stability & Security
The Root Chakra, located at the base of the spine, is traditionally called the Muladhara centre and is all about your sense of safety and security in the physical world. The Root Chakra deals with lessons related to the material world.
This Chakra holds elemental survival instincts passed down from your ancestors. It holds both trauma and wisdom. It holds the genetic memory of danger, which is imperative to your survival. Stress can activate this energy point negatively. This energy centre controls the fight or flight reflex, but if there is nothing to fight, and no where to go, you are stuck in an energetic loop that can be very draining. Notions of insecurity, fear, entrapment and anger are some of the symptoms. In the emotional body, imbalances take the form of aggressiveness, anger and violence. In the mental body, it takes the form of inflexibility and defensiveness. Many Root Chakra issues stem from the fear of pain (emotional, mental, spiritual and physical).
Root Chakra Themes
- Grounding
- Protection
- Security
- Basic Needs
- Evolution
- Community
- Belonging
- Connection to Earth
Why you would want to work on your Root Chakra
You could be interested in working on your Root Chakra if you want to feel grounded in your reality, and aligned with supportive energies. You may want an added sense of protection, stability, and safety from troubles and worries. When working on the Root Chakra, the idea is to feel connected to a greater whole, and confidently engage with your life on the physical plane. If you deal with negative environments or people, you may want to support this energy centre in order to feel shielded from their disruptive impact. Working on your Root Chakra involves your commitment to your evolution, to safekeeping your energy from harm and engaging it in a way that benefits your sense of community and belonging.
An emotion associated with a blocked Root Chakra centre is fear.
Signs your Root Chakra is out of balance
Here are examples showcasing how your Root Chakra could be out of balance. It may be over-active or under-active, which leads to different expressions of energy in your life.
When it comes to this chakra, a clear indication of an imbalance is an unregulated nervous system. If you feel a lot of stress, anxiety or ‘triggers’ in your daily life, it is a sign that there may be a gap between your values and your actions, one way or another. This strains your engagement in the world. Soothing your nervous system is a way to balance your Root Chakra.
Signs of over-active Root Chakra could be impatience, rigidity, inflexibility, ‘authoritarian’ attitudes (‘your way or the high way’ stances). If you find yourself fighting and arguing, wanting to dominate the situation, these are signs of an over-active Root Chakra, which signal you want to impose your views on the world, quite possibly to feel safe and in control. The urgency brought forth by your basic needs of survival prevents you from connecting with others in love and unity.
On the other hand, an under-active Root Chakra is associated with feelings of insecurity, fear, powerlessness, disconnection and pessimism. You may feel defeated and tired, like your vital energy is leaking, due to the fact that you do not have proper boundaries. The energy of other people get to you very easily and drain you. You may feel disconnected from a healthy participation in the world. Some signs of an under-active Root Chakra are lack of focus and organization, a sense of defeat, and a sense of disconnection from your soul community.
How to Balance the Root Chakra
Balancing this energy involves integrating grounding practices in your daily life. Nervous system regulation work is ideal, as it calms your system out of the ‘fight or flight’ response and allows you to connect with your environment, people and place, in a more fluid, grounded, and loving manner.
Calming your nervous system can take place in many ways:
- Create yourself a self-care foundation to integrate in your routine. It can be as simple as a 5 or 10 minute meditation and breath work in the morning and evening
- Organize your living space in order for it to feel calming. Decluttering is a great way to ground yourself.
- Connect to your environment in relaxing ways, such as going for a walk in nature, or enjoying some gardening.
- Connect to your body through stretching, moving, and/or working out.
- Use essential oils to stimulate your senses and anchor in your intentions
See also: About Aromatherapy
Root Chakra Talismans
You may be interested in working with specific gemstones to connect to the notions embedded in the concept of the Root Chakra. Different gemstones are associated with this energy centre, and are attributed different properties that relate to its principles. Root Chakra gemstones are associated with ideas of stability, security, protection and more.
You may keep your gemstones in specific places of your choice. Some enjoy keeping them in their room, displayed in a pretty bowl. Others like keeping specific gems in their workplace, such as on their desk, to be reminded of their associations. You can also create a little ritual altar for yourself, in a space where you can focus on meditative practices and prayer.
See also: What is a Talisman and What is it Used For?
Root Chakra Gemstones
Here is a list of gemstones that can be used as talismans to connect you to the energies and concepts of the Root Chakra. Click on their names to learn more about their individual properties. Another fun trick is to browse the pocket stone category, look at the images, and see what you are intuitively drawn to.
Root Chakra Gemstone Bracelets
A gemstone bracelet is a great way to keep in mind your specific intentions. The gemstone bracelet works just like a talisman, meaning it connects you with precise energies and concepts you want to align yourself with in your life. It can be seen just like a good luck charm, which keeps specific concepts of safety, stability and groundedness at the forefront of your participation with the world.
- Black Tourmaline – Grounding & Safety
- Gold Obsidian – Protection & Evolution
- Dalmatian Jasper – Mindset Upgrade & Play
- Grey Agate – Strength & Grounding
- Hematite – Will & Mental Clarity
- Larvikite – Magic & Grounding
- Rutile Quartz – Harmonization & Protection
Root Chakra Essential Oils
Essential oils are amazing tools for energy work, as they have a very quick effect on the body. Your sense of smell is directly connected to the brain, and can trigger a physical reaction in as little as 20 seconds. Depending on the essential oils used, the reaction can be soothing, relaxing, grounding, energizing, uplifting or focus-enhancing.
If you are interested in learning more about how essential oils work on the body, you can download my free introduction to essential oils MP3 course here. In it, I delve into what essential oils are, how and why they are so effective on the body. After understanding this, you will be better placed to delve into how essential oils work on the emotional system and can be used for energy work.
Essential oils can support anchoring in specific intentions. You can integrate the use of specific oils or specific blends in your self-care practice. For example, you may use them symbiotically with practices such as meditation, breath work, yoga or stretching. As you soothe your mind and body into a relaxed state, you will link specific scents to the experience, and will be able to use the oils as an energetic “pick me up” throughout the day, whenever you need it. This is a fun and playful way of connecting with the intentions and mindset you are anchoring into your lived experience.
The following blends were specifically designed with themes of the Root Chakra in mind. Click on their respective links to learn more about the properties of the gemstones and essential oils they contain.
