1. Mantra: ‘Lam’
2. Location: Base of the spine.
3. Colour: Red
4. Position: Perpendicular to the Earth/ Parallel to the Spine
5. Rotation: Clockwise
6. Corresponding Planetary energy: Saturn
7. Corresponding Number: 8
8. Corresponding Mudra: Prana Mudra/ All Grounding Mudras
(More points in the second part)
It is said that the tree is strong, healthy, tall, it is all because of its roots. Similarly the Root chakra is our root. If it is strong then only the tree, that is our body can be healthy and strong. Ready to take on the world.
The Root chakra is of Red color which is very primal in nature.
If one thinks about the color red the first thing that comes to mind is the color of blood, the very essence of a human life. Also, another thing that comes to mind is the color which represents danger, anger, violence. It has everything to do with survival.
If you survive then only can you think about other things such as indulgence in the pleasures of the body i.e eating tasty cuisines, dressing up in nice clothes and also to experience total bliss through meditation and learning philosophy your body needs to survive. Think about a wolf when you think about root chakra. It hunts, feeds, breeds and also there is a pecking order (key word healthy boundaries).
Having a healthy and strong root chakra i.e your primal energy, your driving force will most certainly ensure your growth as a human being and as a spiritual being. Even The Buddha realized it after doing extreme meditation that one needs one’s body no matter which route in life one chooses to travel.
Red also has associations with fear and threatening situations (survival remember?). If this chakra is not strong you will have issues with fear, anxiety. One would be defensive and not trusting thus, blocking the energy of the chakras after it.
Which basically means all the remaining 6 chakras.
The sacral chakra which is of procreation and creativity will get blocked. How will one express themselves if they live constantly in fear? Then this problem snowballs into identity issues (solar chakra) then the person’s heart chakra gets closed(very suspicious of others) and then to throat chakra(not speaking their truth), third eye chakra(not seeing the truth), how can the crown chakra work properly when you are so distrustful and run from your own identity? Of course all the guidance will get blocked.
The importance of the roots cannot be down played as only because we exist then can we learn and grow. Our existence , survival is of utmost importance. It is the fact of life.
Follow this blog for the entire series on chakras.
Chakra artwork credits: Olga Nikitana
