Muladhara

    Just as a tree can only survive with her roots embedded securely in the Earth, a person, too, must have a strong root chakra. Muladhara, the root chakra, is the foundation of our being. Associated with the Earth, Muladhara is the densest grade of manifestation. It connects us with the physical world---all that we can observe with the five senses. Our perception of reality owes itself to how the root chakra functions. Should the root be functioning well, then the body is healthy, and the person feels secure.

    Being the root chakra, Muladhara is the base of the seven prime chakras, found in the center of the pelvis just below the base of the spine.

    It is linked to survival instincts and the ability to ground ourselves in the physical world. A healthy root  chakra brings health, security, prosperity, and dynamic presence.    

    Each primary chakra governs certain emotions, attributes, and organs. Muladhara governs vigor, heredity, survival, security, passion, trust, the feet, the legs, and the anus.

    In terms of ki, the root is the seat of the Kundalini---a latent cosmic energy found in all living beings. It is where spiritual potential is found. Our dormant powers rest in the Kundalini, waiting to be unlocked. This is done when the Muladhara has been activated and the Kundalini has been allowed to rise---all done by the person.

http://www.gurumaa.com/content/wp-content/uploads/kundalini-muladhara.jpg

    As you can see, Muladhara’s symbol (top of page) is four petals surrounding a yellow square. The yellow square represents the earth, and the petals represent greatest joy, natural pleasure, delight in controlling passions, and blissfulness in concentration. The petals also represent the four directions of the Earth.

    Below is information from www.reiki-for-holistic-health.com. (My comments are highlighted in blue.)

Sanscrit name: Muladhara (root)

Location: Base of spine, at the seat of Kundalini

Symbol: A circle surrounded by four lotus petals, with a square inside it.

Central issue: Survival, stability, acceptance, self-preservation, deep-rootedness, perception, grounding, fear and safety

Color: Red The vibrational frequency of this chakra corresponds to the vibrations that produce the color red. The higher the chakra, the higher the vibrational frequency. Chakra colors follow the color spectrum.

Essential oils: Patchouli, cedarwood, sandalwood In meditation, using these oils as an aromatherapy may help in influencing the Muladhara to activate.

Crystals and Stones: Garnet, Ruby, Agate, Onyx, Haematite, Red Jasper, Black Tourmaline, Smoky Quartz, Bloodstone, Red Coral; The frequency of these stones matches with that of the root chakra, meaning that placing such a stone on top the pelvis whilst meditating may help activate the chakra. 

Stars and Astrological signs: Planets Mars, Pluto, and Saturn; Signs of Aries, Taurus, Scorpio, and Capricorn; I have no experience in the relation of astrology to the chakras. It is with an educated guess that I say there is really no concrete evidence to support any such relation. However, if one wishes, these signs may be used as an aid for a Muladhara meditation.

Sound or mantra: "Lam" This is the greatest aid for Muladhara meditation. When Lam is pronounced with near perfect vibrational frequency, the vibrations parallel that of a well functioning root chakra. It is the best way to implement vibration as a ways to activate the root.

Sense: Smell

Body: The physical body

Orientation to self: Self-preservation

Goals: Stability, grounding, physical health, prosperity, trust Each chakra acts as a ki reservoir, programming the ki that it contains to perform certain functions. In the case of Muladhara, these are the functions.

Rights: To be here, to have A person with a well functioning root will come to realize this.

Developmental stage: Womb to 12 months Chakras are developed in the childhood years, all the way to 18 years of age. This is not to say that they are developed the way they should. If the chakra in development is not focused, it may become deficient or excessive---both having their own set of problems that arise. It is important to focus on a childs chakras, making sure that they are developing the way they should. Many psychological and bodily illnesses in adulthood are the result of neglected chakra development.

Identity: Physical identity

Level of relationship: Tribal

Demon: Fear The inability to control one's fear results in a weakened root chakra. Or, an underdeveloped root chakra results in fear. An important step in balancing Muladhara is learning to get over all fears, with or without assistance from someone else.

Element: Earth

Hormonal glands: Sexual and adrenal

Organs: Immune system, base of spine, legs, bones and bone marrow, feet, rectum, physical body support

Excessive: Sluggish, lazy, tired, monotony, obesity, overeating, hoarding, materialism, greed, Fear of change, addiction to security As mentioned earlier, these are the results of an overdeveloped root chakra. Below is of an underdeveloped root.

Deficient: Fearful, anxious, restless, lack of discipline, underweight, financial difficulty Chronic disorganization

Balanced: Good health, vitality, well grounded, sense of trust in the world, feeling safe and secure, stability, prosperity, ability to relax

Physical Dysfunctions: Frequent illness, disorders of the bowel, large intestine, bones, teeth, problems with legs, feet , base of spine(chronic lower back pain, sciatica); eating disorders; depression; immune-related disorders; skin problems; lack of energy; This is why its important to have a balanced Muladhara.

Addictions: Food, gambling, shopping, work

Traumas and Abuses: Birth trauma, abandonment, physical neglect, poor physical bonding with the mother, malnourishment, feeding difficulty, major illnes or surgery, physical abuse, inherited traumas (eg. war, poverty, etc.) As a child grows, it may be subject to events that are detrimental to a chakra's development. If the trauma is not resolved, it will lead to a perpetual dysfunction in whatever chakra the trauma affected.

Spiritual challenge: How well we manage our physical world;

HEALING STRATEGY: Physical activity, lots of touch, massage, reconnect with the body, grounding, Hatha yoga, look at earliest childhood relationship to mother, reclaim your right to be here; No matter how deficient or excessive a chakra is, it can be healed, quite easily in fact. These strategies are good, yet, the best way to heal a chakra is to heal all the chakras at once. I will explain more in a later article. Simply, all the primary chakras must have an equivalent amount of energy stored in them. When all chakras are equivalent, this means that they are balanced. And once they are balanced for the first time, the healing begins. It is not a very difficult exercise to balance them. I will post it once I have described the seven chakras in detail.

AFFIRMATIONS:

It is safe to me to be here.

The earth supports me and meets my needs.

I love my body and trust its wisdom.

I am interested in abundance.

I am here and I am real.

I trust my Higher Self fulfills all mu needs. My life is full of prosperity. In a Muladhara meditation, this affirmation may be repeated to assist in activating the chakra.

http://www.yogatherapykauai.com/images/Muladhara_Chakra.jpg

  The most important thing I can leave you with is---Do Not Focus on Muladhara. You may be eager to activate it now, but, ask yourself this, "Do I know if my root chakra is excessive or deficient?" You will most likely not know this if you cannot read your own energy. You have to be able to feel each chakra and sense how much ki is stored before you can start healing; otherwise, you may end up adding more energy to an all-ready excessive root. Therefore, heed my advice. Do not work on any chakra until you have read the chakra balancing exercise I will post. Specific meditations are for after you have balanced all chakras. 

   I am sorry if I came off strong, but it is essential for this advice to be followed. If you are still eager enough that you will not take it, then the only thing you may do for Muladhara is to recite the Affirmation. Record it and listen to it throughout the day. The affirmation works because it is a neutralizer. It will either add necessary energy or remove excessive energy. Still, it is not a very powerful technique so results will not be quick or dramatic. The techniques in Healing Strategy may also be applied. They may be more effective than the Affirmation.

   For the ones interested in the balancing exercise, patience is all that is needed. It will be a good exercise for the Muladhara. 

   I wish you love and light. Namaste.