The Root chakra is the second major chakra of our being. It our chakra of self awareness, self-identity, procreation, creation. It is the chakra that helps us see ourselves in the light of our own identity, and the labels given by others. It is also the chakra of our financial security, prosperity factor and status.
This may make it sound like our materialistic chakra. Well, to a great extent it is. For there truth be told, after the breath money is the next most important thing to live life. For everything has a price tag. You have to pay for your basic requirements of food, clothing, a roof over your head, and all else.
According to Abraham Maslow’s ‘Hierarchy of Needs’, a human beings primary need is everything under physiological needs – food, water, warmth, sleep, clothing, shelter, reproduction. This is connected with the root chakra.
Abraham Maslow may or may not have read or heard about the chakra system, yet one cannot help but not how there is a glaring similarity between the root chakra and the physiological needs mentioned at the base of Maslow’s pyramid.
As is often said, unless the stomach is satiated, the body is rested, and one is secure with a legacy to continue nothing else matters. So, if one is struggling with the basic material necessities, they are struggling with all else. A shaken foundation is a shaky structure.
One needs to reassess their foundation upon which they build their life. Do you have all the basics in place? Do you worry about paying basic bills? Are you insecure about your own security? These questions will help you understand whether your root chakra is healed and balanced, or otherwise.
One of the major symptoms of an unbalanced root chakra is depression. Depression comes from a lack of self-awareness, self-identity. It feels like one is sinking into a bottomless pit, with no firm ground. It is lonely in that pit. It is terrifying in that depression.
Apart from seeking professional help for depression, one could explore healing and balancing their root chakra, in order to find purpose and meaning of their life.
Location of the Root Chakra
The Root Chakra is located at the base of the spine, in the coccygeal region. The ‘root support’ of our being is said to be responsible for the fight-or-flight response when survival is under threat.
The root chakra is related to:
Symptoms of Blocked and Unbalanced Root Chakra:
Over-active Root Chakra
- Domineering
- Sleeplessness
- Greed
- Aggressiveness
- Sexually manipulative
- Reckless
- Impulsive
- Thinks everything and everyone is a threat
Under-active Root Chakra
- Weak and tired
- Lethargic
- Over-cautious
- Afraid of change
- Fear of being abandoned
- Tendencies of being self-destructive
- Disinterested
Excessive characteristics of an over-active root chakra:
- Bulkiness, slowness, sluggish movements
- struggle to transform
- overindulging, overweightness,
- hoarding too many unnecessary objects
- material obsession, greed
- overachiever
- over spending
Deficient characteristics:
- Fear
- Anxiety
- struggle to follow routine and be disciplined
- anorexia, malnourished
- flightiness, vague
- disconnection from the body
- edginess, flighty
- trouble manifesting goals and aspirations
Healing and Balancing the Root Chakra:
To heal and balance your Root Chakra, you could wear or place the following crystals in your personal or professional space. Meditating with crystals and using the aroma elevates the intensity of healing and balancing the Root Chakra.
Colour | Crystals | Aroma | Archangel | Deity | Mantra | Affirmation |
Red | Red Jasper, Coral, Red Aventurine, Garnet, Shiv Lingam, Ardhnareeshwar Lingam, Watermelon Tourmaline, Ruby, Moss Agate, Red Calcite, Smoky Quartz, Hematite | Patchouli, Vetiver, Frankincense, Sandalwood, Cedarwood, Galbanum, Benzoin, Angelica, St. John’s Wort | Uriel | Ganesha | Lam | “I am passionate about my daily chores and I carry them out creatively and joyfully.” |