A plant cannot survive without roots and neither can the psyche of a human being
The roots of a plant absorb water and nutrients from the earth, and anchor and support the plant. Similarly, our roots refer to that which nurtured and sustained us – our origins; the environment we grew up in, our family, our experiences and our personal history. Just as a plant may not flourish if the soil or ground around it is not fertile, our psyche may suffer if our childhood environment or foundation was unstable. If our basic needs of stability and security were not met, we may find it difficult to feel safe and grounded. Events and elements of our past very much influence our mindset and behaviours in adulthood. Although we cannot change the roots of our childhood, we can “transplant our psyche to more fertile soil” (Judith, 2004, pg. 61); we can examine our roots in order to help us create a more solid foundation upon which we can regain balance of our psyche and reconnect with our true selves.
This is where the chakras come in. The chakra system originated in the Indian Yogic tradition. The word chakra translates from Sanskrit as wheel and refers to each of the spinning spheres of energy centres that exist within the subtle body in every one of us. The subtle body is our nonphysical body comprising various energetic layers or electromagnetic force fields which are in and around all living creatures (Judith, 1999). There are seven main chakras which are located near the major nerve ganglia of the spinal column. Based on their location in the body, the chakras have become associated with various states of consciousness and psychological health, and are connected to our physical, spiritual and emotional wellbeing. The chakra system suggests that our emotional experiences and thoughts not only affect our mind and behaviour but can also have an effect on our physical bodies, which in turn influences our interactions with others and the world around us. Working through the chakras helps us to heal old constricting patterns that have become lodged in our bodies, minds and behaviour. Chakras can therefore be seen as gateways to a deeper understanding of our consciousness. They are the wheels which take our bodies along our journey through life to reclaim our divine nature (1999).
The first of these seven wheels is the muladhara chakra. Muladhara means root support or foundation, and is often deemed the most important chakra as it is the base or foundation for the other six chakras. It is located at the base of the spine, and includes the legs as connectors to the earth. It is associated with the element of earth, that from which all life springs. It is linked to what makes us feel firmly rooted in life – having our basic and fundamental needs of stability, security, safety, as well as our emotional needs, met. It therefore provides our sense of grounding in the world, that which makes us feel alive and centered. Just as a tree has roots connecting it to the earth, we have roots in our legs and feet to support our bodies to navigate and connect with the world. “As a tree cannot stand strong without deep roots, we cannot grow without a strong connection to the outside world through the first chakra” (Ozaniec, 2011).
The muladhara chakra comprises our primal level of consciousness and our survival instincts. When our survival is threatened, our body goes into fight or flight response. With this comes fear, panic, worry, anxiety and restlessness. We become hypervigilant and our body goes into a constant state of stress. Negative experiences, emotions or trauma counteract the sense of safety and security that the muladhara chakra brings, and can therefore cause the chakra to become blocked or work overtime. This causes us to feel out of balance. A blocked or malfunctioning root chakra can manifest in our physical well-being in the areas of the lower back, the legs, feet, knees or with weight or bowel problems. Exercise, physical movement, meditation, resting when needed, eating good food, getting enough sleep, being out in nature, and massage are just some of the ways of healing the muladhara chakra to ground ourselves and to bring us into the here and now.
Since the onset of the current COVID-19 pandemic, many of us may be experiencing magnified feelings of panic, fear, anxiety and stress. With death tolls rising, loved ones becoming ill, job losses, and people having to stay within the confinement of their homes, life as we knew it has been turned upside down. For many of us, our jobs provide a routine, a structure and a regular schedule which help to ground us. That sense of routine or that anchor could also come in the form of playing a music gig every weekend, playing sport, going for a daily walk, going to a yoga class, going to the gym, or meeting up with friends on a given day. Without these outlets and supports, many of us may lose touch with our ground, feel powerless and lose that sense of our connection with life.
Anodea Judith refers to a threat to our personal survival as a cue to “wake-up – to heighten our awareness, to examine our foundation: our ground, our body, and the Earth”(1999, pg.77 ). Stresses of fast-paced modern day living do not lend themselves to giving us a chance to rest and renew, to process our hurt, to face our fears, or to release our emotions. As we are now living in isolation and confinement amid the Covid 19 pandemic where silence and stillness permeate, perhaps we can use this time to turn our focus inwards. It may be a time to bring balance to our muladhara chakra by reconnecting to our bodies. This can offer us a chance to gain some clarity, to examine all our deepest layers and to be in touch with our inner self. Getting in touch with our inner being can in some instances create pain. However, in order for us to begin to heal, we must allow our hurt, fears and disappointments to surface.
“No tree, it is said, can grow to heaven unless its roots reach down to hell” (Jung, 2014,p.43)
References:
Judith, A. (1999) Wheels of Life: A User’s Guide to the Chakra System. 2nd edn. Woodbury: Llewellyn Worldwide.
Judith, A. (2004) Eastern Body, Western Mind. 2nd edn. New York: Celestial Arts.
Jung, C.G. (2014) Aion: Researches into the Phenomenology of the Self, The Collected Works, 9 (2). London: Routledge.
Ozaniec, N. (2011) Unlock your energy from chakras: Flash. London: Hachette.
