getting to the root of the first chakra
I am on my fifth day of First Chakra exploration. Here’s what I’ve learned so far.
The First Chakra is the Root Chakra, or Muladhara in Sanskrit. It’s located in the tailbone (or at the perineum, depending on which source you read), which corresponds with the bundle of nerves called the Sacral Plexus, and flows from there down through the feet. Hormonally, it corresponds with the adrenal glands, which respond to fear and danger with a burst of adrenaline: the survival (“fight or flight”) juice. Physically, the Root Chakra governs the lymph system, skeletal system (bones and teeth), kidneys, lower back, sciatic nerve, rectum, the lower legs (calves, ankles, feet), and is involved in depression, immune-related disorders, and varicose veins. The Root Chakra is associated with the color red, the musical note C, essential oils of sandalwood, patchouli, and cinnamon; and gems such as bloodstone and ruby.
The conscious energy of the Root Chakra is related to our foundation in life, finding our footing, taking our stand in the world. It’s about our relation to the material world, our safety and survival, and our belief that the Universe will provide for us. It also oversees our family connections, tribal beliefs, and our sense of belonging to a group.
According to my chakra assessment, my Root Chakra is not so groovy right now; it’s underactive by 50%! This makes sense to me. But, having it brought to my awareness, I realize how disruptive this imbalance is and has been in my life.
Because the Root Chakra is all about getting grounded, sensing the solid earth beneath our feet, and finding stability, it seems like this is a good season to contemplate the first chakra. Autumn is a time for reorienting ourselves after the breezy days of summer, for hunkering down and getting things done in the world. It’s harvest time, and root vegetables are in abundance. And, several key holidays, with all their family/community traditions and rituals, are coming fast and furious.
Hallowe'en has roots in the old Celtic harvest festival of Samhain - a time to take stock of supplies and store for the winter. A holiday of material goods and physical survival.
Over the weekend, I bought pumpkins for my little ones, and we worked on Halloween and Day of the Dead decorations, which was really fun. (I felt young and caught up in the moment!) Now that the kids are old enough to participate more actively in the holiday, I’m thinking about traditions and what fun, family ritual we might create around this – the best holiday, by far, in the whole year.
When I was little, my sisters and I used to try to sleep all afternoon, so we could get to the dress-up/candy part of the day. My mom always made a big pot of lentil soup, which no one but she and I actually enjoyed. For us, it was all part of the season, and I still crave lentil soup the closer I get to October 31.
Another thing I did over the weekend to celebrate the kick-off to my groovy chakras was make some beet kvass. This is a salty, earthy-tasting, gorgeously red-hued fermented drink that is super easy and cheap to make. Made with sweet and earthy beetroots, beet kvass is renowned as a blood tonic, an immune-booster (great time of the year for that!), and helps regulate the digestion.
As I drink my beet kvass each day (only about 1 oz after each meal), I imagine it flowing through my body, lighting a trail of red down through my throat, stomach, digestive organs, and bladder, swirling around my lower back, landing at my Root Chakra, then gushing down my legs and deep into the earth.
Beet kvass is a great first chakra food: home-made (very self-nuturing), it's a brilliant red color, a blood tonic, and full of nutrients.
