The journey through the chakras begins where all life begins — the root.
Muladhara, the first chakra, is our foundation, our connection to the physical body, and the ground beneath every emotional, mental, and spiritual experience.

Located at the base of the spine, the root chakra represents our most basic human need:

To feel safe being here.

To feel wanted.
To feel supported by life itself.

When this foundation is strong, everything that grows above it — our creativity, relationships, purpose, intuition, and spiritual expansion — can flourish with ease.
When it is weakened, we may build a beautiful temple on unstable ground.

All foundations rest upon the earth, the universal ground for all that we do.
To connect with the body is to connect with the earth — to be grounded in the biological reality of existence. Our bodies are the home of our spirit.

Situated at the base of the spine, the first chakra forms the anchor for the entire chakra system. Without a strong root, little else can be accomplished.

📚 A Note on Sources

Much of the psychological and developmental insight in this post is inspired by the work of Anodea Judith in her book Eastern Body, Western Mind, which beautifully bridges Western psychology with the Eastern chakra system.
I have blended these teachings with my own intuitive understanding and energy healing perspective.

ROOT CHAKRA AT A GLANCE

What the Root Chakra Governs

• Safety & security

• Survival instincts

• Basic trust in the world

• Grounding & presence

• Connection to the physical body

• Home, family, belonging

• Health & vitality

• Finances & material stability

• Boundaries

Signs of a Balanced Root Chakra

• Steady energy

• Grounded presence

• Calm nervous system

• Healthy boundaries

• Feeling supported by life

• Stable routines & health

• Ability to relax and feel safe

• Being “at home” in your body
  

Signs of Root Chakra Imbalance

Deficiency

• Anxiety, fear, overthinking

• Feeling ungrounded or scattered

• Restlessness, insomnia

• Poor boundaries

• Chronic disorganization

• Financial instability

• Disconnection from the body

Excess

• Rigidity, stubbornness

• Hoarding or material fixation

• Overeating, sluggishness

• Fear of change

• Walls instead of boundaries

• Controlling behaviors

Common Root Chakra Wounds

• Birth trauma

• Neglect or abandonment

• Inconsistent caregiving

• Early instability (money, housing, safety)

• Growing up in unpredictable environments

• Intergenerational trauma

• Feeling unwanted, unsafe, or unsupported

THE BODY AS HOME: Our First Spiritual Ground

Muladhara literally means “root support.” It develops during the first year of life, shaping our core sense of:

• safety

• trust

• nourishment

• connection

• belonging

These early experiences become the blueprint through which we relate to the world, others, and ourselves.

When the root chakra is strong, the body becomes a sanctuary.
When it is weakened, the body becomes a watchtower.

THE SURVIVAL INSTINCT: When the Body Becomes the First Teacher

The root chakra governs the most primal forces of existence:

• survival

• grounding

• rest

• nourishment

• stability

When these needs are met, survival runs quietly in the background.
But when they are unmet or threatened, the root chakra takes over completely.

All energy becomes devoted to staying alive.

This may stem from:

• violence

• neglect

• poverty

• unstable caregivers

• chaotic environments

• emotional unpredictability

The nervous system becomes locked in hypervigilance.

Symptoms include:

• chronic tension

• exhaustion

• insomnia

• digestive issues

• frequent illness

• inability to relax

• difficulty trusting others or life

Even when actual danger has passed, the body may still behave as though it is present.

WHEN FEAR BECOMES THE BASELINE

The demon of the first chakra is fear.

Fear heightens awareness and prepares the body for action — but when it becomes chronic, it distorts the foundation of our entire system.

In homes where safety was inconsistent, the fear response becomes the “normal” state.

Paradoxically, fear can even feel safe because it is familiar.

Over time, chronic fear contributes to:

• high blood pressure

• adrenal fatigue

• immune depletion

• stomach issues

• chronic fatigue

• anxiety disorders

Fear is not just emotional — it is physiological.

HEALING FEAR: Understanding, Releasing & Repatterning

Healing the root chakra requires body-based work.
Fear must be understood, felt, released, and repatterned.

1. Understanding

Where did the fear originate?
What was unsafe?
What was unpredictable?

Awareness creates compassion.

2. Releasing

Fear is instinctual and must move through the body to complete its cycle.

This can include:

• shaking

• trembling

• crying

• contracting and releasing

• expressing anger

• grounding movements

This completes the unfinished survival response.

3. Rebuilding Strength & Resources

A strong root is built through:

• self-esteem

• embodiment

• routine

• grounding practices

• physical strengthening

• emotional stability

• support networks

This is where Reiki, somatic work, and shamanic healing can transform the nervous system and restore a sense of inner safety.

RECLAIMING OUR ROOTS

We cannot have strong roots while denying our past.
To heal the root chakra, we gently revisit the environments that shaped us.

Our roots include:

• early bonding

• prenatal environment

• caregivers

• home and land

• cultural narratives

• ancestral survival patterns

Where the soil was nourishing, we integrate its gifts.
Where it was hostile, we replant ourselves in healthier inner ground.

Muladhara connects us to the earth element, reminding us that healing happens through the senses:

• taste

• touch

• sound

• breath

• movement

• stillness

Root healing always returns us to the body, and to the earth.

DEFICIENT ROOT CHAKRA

A deficient root chakra may appear as:

• anxiety

• instability

• exhaustion

• disconnection

• difficulty grounding

• weak boundaries

• fear of life

The body may look:

• contracted

• tense

• undernourished

• restless

Emotionally:

• “I don’t feel safe.”

• “I don’t belong anywhere.”

EXCESSIVE ROOT CHAKRA

Excess may manifest as:

• rigidity

• stubbornness

• fear of change

• hoarding

• overeating

• possessiveness

The body may look:

• heavy

• stiff

• dense

Emotionally:

• “I must control everything to feel safe.”

BALANCED ROOT CHAKRA

A balanced Muladhara feels like:

• inner stability

• grounded confidence

• healthy boundaries

• emotional steadiness

• connection to the body

• trust in life

• physical vitality

When the root is balanced, we feel safe enough to grow.

GENTLE ROOT CHAKRA HEALING PRACTICES

1. Sensory Grounding

Use taste, touch, sound, and breath to return to the body.

2. Embodied Movement

Walk slowly, stretch, feel your feet.

3. Stability Through Routine

Consistency calms the nervous system.

4. Simplify Your Environment

A tidy space supports a tidy mind.

5. Deep Belly Breathing

Slow exhales anchor the parasympathetic system.

6. Affirm Your Right to Exist

“I am safe.”
“I belong here.”
“The earth supports me.”

THE ROOT AS THE BEGINNING OF ALL HEALING

In energy work, the root chakra is often the first place I support clients.
Not because it is simple, but because it determines the health of everything above it.

**If the foundation is unstable, the entire system compensates.

If the foundation is restored, the entire system reorganizes.**

Healing the root chakra is a homecoming —
a return to safety, belonging, embodiment, and life itself.