**this is very strange. I posted this last Thursday and somehow, it was nowhere to be found on my blog. In my google reader, however, the post was there! Magical, right?! I wanted to re-post just in case anyone missed it...and I apologize if this is your second time reading it.!**
{photocred: http://leonardodavinci.stanford.edu}
I consider myself lucky that I had an anatomy background before deciding to embark on the YTT journey. In December, we spent an entire weekend learning anatomy, and honestly, we barely scratched the surface. The human body is such an amazing piece of machinery. Something we briefly touched on in our anatomy lessons was the chakra system. If you're unfamiliar, it's a system of energy centers in your body that are associated with your beliefs, emotions, and physical health. The chakras are very closely linked with your endocrine system (the glands that secrete every hormone in your body). 
Today, I want to talk about the first of the seven major chakras; what physical and emotions channels that it governs, how to tell if there is an imbalance, and what you can do to get it back into balance. The first chakra is the Muladhara Chakra (mula = root, adhara = support) and it resides at the base of your spine. It is your root chakra, associated with the earth element and and your adrenal gland and your bones and blood. This chakra governs your sense of stability and connection and the foundation of your emotional and mention function. An imbalance in this chakra might manifest when things that have to do with your home, money or job or feeling that you are unsafe or insecure in the world, basic survival needs, groundedness, etc. This will causes lots of stress which comes about because of increased levels of the cortisol secreted by the adrenal gland - cortisol is your stress hormone and the adrenal gland governs your fight or flight response.
Muladhara chakra color: red
So you're probably like, "great Becca, how is all this information helpful to me?"
Here's how - a muladhara chakra imbalance can manifest in your body in many ways, some of which are:
- back pain
- sciatica
- loss of balance
- loss of memory
- anxiety/stress, even depression
- arthritis
- skin problems
If you are suffering from any of these things, you might want to try some exercises or meditations to bring your first chakra back into balance. Poses that help bring the first chakra back into balance are standing poses to open and strength the lower body (your support!) and poses that stretch the hamstrings, because when the hamstrings are tight, contraction creates a sense that we're constantly prepared to run away. Supported restorative poses are also helpful to settle your mind and allow you to surrender to what is. You might try:
Uttanasana (Standing Forward Fold)
Janu Sirsasana (Head-To-Knee Pose)
Salamba Supta Baddha Konasana (Supported Reclining Bound Angle)
If asana isn't your style, then a first chakra meditation might help:
- In a comfortable seated position, let the thumb and the index finger come to touch. Close your eyes and concentrate on your root chakra, the place at the very tip of your tailbone. Repeat the mantra, LAM (lah-mm) silently to yourself, until you are ready to open your eyes.
- List five things you would like to do, things that you enjoy. Try including an activity that involves contact with the earth. After you've listed them, one at a time, visualize yourself doing those activities and how it feels to do them.
- Imagine your Root Chakra. The color of this chakra should be a beautiful, clear red. If you see any other color, remove it and imagine the chakra being filled with red energy. Once you are able to imagine the proper color filling this chakra, imagine it spinning in a clockwise direction. Spin it faster and faster as you fill it with red energy.
If you want to use stones or gems, Ruby, Bloodstone, Smoky Quartz, Hematite, Black Tourmaline, Obsidian, and Garnet are great for balancing the root chakra. You can carry them in your pocket or place them at your feet. Also, going for a walk is a great way to open and balance your first chakra. It enables you to feel connected to and supported by the ground beneath you, which is inherent to the first chakra.
Has anyone ever felt a root chakra imbalance? What did you do to help yourself feel more grounded and secure??
