The Most Important Chakra of life, the stepping stone to true liberation and sense of self, the Chakra of balance, security, and emotional wellness, the Muladhara Chakra keeps humanity at peace – maintaining positivity, happiness, and joy between humankind. The gateway to unlocking the divine power of all the Chakras residing within yourself, one must strive to activate the Root Chakra within them, imbibing themselves with spiritual awakening.
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What is a Muladhara Chakra?
Chakras or the Wheel of Dharma are the psychic energies or focal points of universal energy that resides within oneself – host to a plethora of spiritual powers and qualities that can be unlocked by discipline, devotion, and Dharma. In Hinduism, Chakras exist in a system of seven Chakras, each of which corresponds to a part and quality of the human body.
The Muladhara Chakra or the Root Chakra is the very first Chakra and arguably one of the most important Chakras of all the seven chakras. This Chakra is located in the perineum – the base of the spine and the lowest part of your body. It is considered to be the “foundation” Chakra as it makes up the physical structure of your body.
As the Muladhara Chakra is the foundation Chakra of the body, it is of utmost importance to make sure that you maintain a stable chakra – as it is the building block of your physical body and inner energy. Stabilizing this Chakra will allow you to achieve good health, well-being, and a complete sense of self.
Hence, you must focus on stabilizing this Chakra to maintain a healthy life. The primary focus of Yoga is to concentrate on stabilizing The Muladhara Chakra. If the foundation were to be unstable, you would experience a plethora of disabilities such as – lack of balance, anxiety, bad energy, lack of determination, willpower, and skill.
Origin of the Muladhara Chakra
Muladhara has deep Vedic roots and is obtained from the Sanskrit words “Mula” which translates to “Root” and “Adhara”, which translates to support- hence earning it the title of “Root Chakra”.
The Muladhara Chakra is also closely associated with the Earth element, a testament to its title as the “Root Chakra”. It is also the foundation of the body and hence is associated with support and stability.
Symbolism in Muladhara Chakra
Owing to its name and close relation to the Earth, the Muladhara Chakra is depicted as being a deep, radiating red. If you have come across a diagrammatic representation of this Chakra, you will notice that It is most commonly depicted as a shining red lotus with four petals. In the center of this red lotus, there exists a yellow square consisting of the “seed mantra” of the chakra – The Mantra that allows the Chakra to work effectively.
The petals of the lotus are depicted with the syllables वं (Vam), शं (Sham), षं (ṣaṃ) and सं (saṃ) – representing the qualities of joy, pleasure, passion, and concentration respectively. They also represent the four main virtues of life according to Hinduism –
Dharma (righteousness), Kama (Love and pleasure), Artha (prosperity) and Moksha (true liberation).
The glowing red color of the Muladhara Chakra is considered to be symbolic of vitality and power. The red color represents the human need to survive and self-preservation.
The patron deity of this Chakra is Lord Indra, King of the Devas (Gods). In the portrayals of Lord Indra with the Muladhara Chakra, he is depicted as a four-armed, yellow-skinned God adorned by a blue lotus riding Airavata – the elephant, Indra’s divine vehicle.
Seed Mantra
Depicted at the center of the Chakra, encompassed by a yellow square, लं (laṃ) is the seed Mantra that gives the Muladhara Chakra its spiritual power. It is believed that in the dot or “Bindu” that exists above the letter लं, Lord Brahma (The Creator God) is found.
Lord Brahma is depicted as red-skinned, four-armed, and four-faced, with a staff, Japa mala (rosary), and Amrit (divine nectar of immortality) in his arms, riding a swan. Next to him is Dakini – Lord Brahma’s Shakti, a manifestation of his energy. Dakini is depicted as red-skinned, four-armed, and three-eyed, holding a shield and a sword.
Muladhara Chakra and Kundalini
The Kundalini is an important aspect of Hinduism and is considered to be a manifestation of the divine feminine – Shakti. When the Kundalini is cultivated and energized through tantric practices and meditation, it can lead your soul to spiritual liberation. It is located inside the Muladhara Chakra.
Below the seed, mantra exists an inverted triangle – the residence of Kundalini. Here, the Kundalini is depicted as a snake wrapped around a grey lingam (an abstract representation of Lord Shiva) and lies dormant until it is awoken.
Why do you need a balanced Muladhara Chakra?
When unlocked, the Muladhara Chakra reaches its full potential and departs its spiritual power to your body. When activated and stabilized, The Muladhara Chakra departs confidence, health, happiness, and a sense of self to you. It also molds a deep connection between you and the earth, nature and the Universe.
Prithvi
The earth Chakra is closely connected to the Earth (Prithvi) and a true understanding of this Chakra can help you become aware of your connection to the earth beneath their feet. A testament to its title of “root chakra”, the Muladhara Chakra helps to keep you grounded, aware of your roots, and allows you to spread joy and positivity. It is also symbolic of the physical structure of the human body – skin, bones, and flesh.
Mental Health
When the Muladhara Chakra is stabilized, it provides balance in your life and allows your fear and anxiety to fade away. It allows a balance of mental and emotional health, keeping you feeling secure, grounded, and physically and mentally healthy. If you possess an unstable Muladhara Chakra, you may be plagued by a plethora of mental and physical illnesses.
Survival Needs
Survival and preservation are the inherent qualities of a human being, without which one would not be able to live. Food, water, shelter, and procreation are the major needs of humankind and the primary focus of the Muladhara Chakra is to achieve these needs in a Dharmic fashion. If these needs are not met, it causes the Muladhara Chakra to become dysfunctional, resulting in chaos.
When the Muladhara Chakra is unstable, it causes you to try and achieve these needs in an unrighteous manner. Greed, robbery, overeating, hoarding, and lust are the results of an unbalanced Muladhara Chakra.
Symptoms of an Unbalanced Muladhara Chakra
If your Muladhara Chakra is unbalanced or blocked, it can cause you to experience intense mental stress, which often manifests as physical disabilities in your body. The most common symptoms of a blocked Muladhara Chakra include
- Panic attacks, depression and anxiety
- Overwhelming fatigue and the inability to do work
- The lack of productivity
- Digestive problems, colon, stomach and bladder problems
- Random pain all over your body
- Insomnia and reproductive problems
How to balance your Muladhara Chakra?
An unbalanced Muladhara Chakra can cause a plethora of physical and emotional problems in your life, ranging from depression and anxiety to chronic back pain and fatigue. To unlock the spiritual power of this Chakra, there are a variety of practices you can use to balance and stabilize your inner Chakra.
Yoga
To stabilize and unblock the Muladhara Chakra, devotees have spent years practicing a variety of techniques ranging from meditation to creative expression. However, over the years, an entire school of Yoga was developed to understand and unlock this Chakra – The Kayakalpa school of Yoga.
The Kayakalpa (Sanskrit Kaya: Body, Kalpa: a long period) school of Yoga focuses on understanding and unlocking the Muladhara Chakra in a way that can stabilize your body and extend its lifespan. It is believed that the earth element that exists within this Chakra can help you live for over 100 years, just as how the earth has an extensive lifespan.
Kayakalpa Yoga deals with stabilizing the parts of your body that are most affected by time- thereby slowing down the aging process, allowing your body to live longer- a body that will live for a Kalpa. Kayakalpa equates the human body to rock and works towards transforming the body into an ageless, eternal life form.
It is believed that when you practice Kayakalpa Yoga, the pineal gland in the brain releases a secretion that is believed to have the power to strengthen the body, mind, and soul. This secretion is referred to as “Amrita” and can be used to extend your lifespan, enhance the way you perceive the universe, and create emotional and mental bliss.
Perception of the universe and life is what sets the human apart from the animal. Kayakalpa Yoga helps to enhance this perception even further, by achieving control over the Muladhara Chakra. Not only will it lead to self-actualization, awareness of the soul, and universal enlightenment, but it also acts as a doorway to unlock all the other Chakras that exist within your body – a testament to its title of “the Foundation Chakra”.
Yoga Asanas to stabilize the Muladhara Chakra
To perfectly unlock the Muladhara Chakra and to utilize its full potential, yoga plays a very important role. In fact, Yoga is believed to be the best way to access one’s inner chakras. A plethora of Yoga positions or “Asanas” have come into existence to better understand the Muladhara Chakra and to stabilize it.
Child’s Pose – Shashankasana
Considered to be a restorative pose, The Child Pose requires you to lay your head on the ground forwards, touching your nose to your head. Allow your body to completely relax. This allows you to feel the support of the earth beneath you, providing you with the strength to carry on.
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Salutation to the sun – Surya Namaskar
The Surya Namaskar begins in the standing position with your hands in “Namaste”. Following this, one lays their body on the ground and stretches forward, allowing their torso to stretch towards the sun. This position allows you to access your inner strength and forges a deep connection with the earth.
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Corpse Pose – Savasana
The Asana of relaxation, the Corpse Pose requires you to lay on the ground on your back and relax deeply while focusing on your breathing. This pose allows you to feel the sturdiness and support of the earth beneath you as it absorbs all your tension and anxiety.
Half-Bridge Pose -Ardha Setu Bandhasana
This position begins with you lying on your back on the ground. Following this, you steadily raise your back off the ground while your feet remain firmly rooted on the ground. This allows you to maintain a strong connection with the earth, while the spine releases an excess of the Root Chakra. This position also stimulates the heart and throat Chakra.
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In addition to using Yoga as a means of activating the Muladhara Chakra, Nature therapy can be used with Yoga to enhance the Chakra. A rejuvenating walk amongst nature, sparing time to take in the sights and sounds of the trees, birds, and animals can help to strengthen one’s connection to the earth, thereby increasing confidence and sense of self.
Conclusion
When one thinks of balance, The Muladhara Chakra is the first thing that appears in one’s mind. The provider of balance and stability, the Muladhara Chakra possesses the power to change lives and provides a gateway to other Chakras and the divine energy they possess. The giver of confidence, security, sense of self, and joy, The Muladhara Chakra has firmly established itself as one of the most significant Chakras to reside within the human body.
