Muladhara chakra How to keep one grounded?

Dr Satish K Kapoor

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Muladhara (root-support), the lowest of the seven key chakras, is the substratum of life-energy and commands one’s will to live on the physical plane. Anchored between the anus and genitals, it corresponds to the sacral-coccygeal nerve plexus and is linked to the adrenal glands which influence growth, metabolism and renal function. It commands the sense of smell through the olfactory organ, the nose, and thus connected to the limbic system of the brain which triggers instincts, emotions, memories and drives. 

In Yoga, Ayurveda and Tantra systems, it is the starting point of the energy channels, notably ida, pingala and sushumna, running along the spinal column, through which life-force flows reaching to the crown of head.  It is the resting place of kundalini shakti or ‘coiled energy’ that can be manipulated to move from the lower limbs upwards through sushumna, the central energy channel, for spiritual elevation.

Telluric associations 

Muladhara chakra is associated with annamaya kosha, the outermost sheath of the human body made up of food. It is governed by apana vayu, the descending life-current that harmonises with gravitational force. Its  telluric aspects include among others, the element earth, characterised by solidity, substantiality, structure and creativity; the planet Saturn which is farthest from the earth; the zodiac signs, Taurus, Virgo and Capricorn, having an earthly disposition, and black elephant who is attuned to the earth’s vibrations. 

Symbolism

Muladhara chakra is represented as a yellow square, surrounded by four red petals symbolising body, mind, heart and soul. It is embedded with the Sanskrit letters, vam, sham, sham, sam, and resonates with the sound, Lam. To keep Muladhara chakra in order, one should  activate the lower limbs by performing standing exercises or  yogic postures, like virabhadrasana, warrior pose, garudasana, eagle pose, trikonasana, triangular pose, tadasana, mountain pose, and vrikshasana, tree pose. To strengthen life-force at the base level, one should practice balasana , the child’s pose, in which one comes onto all fours, kneeling the torso and head on the ground, and shavasana, the corpse pose, in which one lies on the back and relaxes completely. 

Meditation & hasta-mudras

For meditation, one should sit in a comfortable cross-legged position, breathe deeply and chant the seed-mantra, Lam, visualising the deep-red aspect of root- chakra in the mind’s eye for 10-15 minutes daily. This will help to remove energy- blocks in nadis, astral tubes that were caused by sensuality, social abuse or some other factor. Alternately, one can perform agochari mudra by bringing one’s consciousness to the tip of nose. One should simultaneously practice mula-bandha, root-lock, by contracting the sphincter muscle, for retaining the vital energy at the psycho-energetic centre for spiritual ascension. Muladhara chakra is the ground of being - it governs the material dimension of life and ensures one’s safety on the physical plane. By cultivating self discipline and discriminative conscience, one can rouse psychic energy, transcend the mundane level and become what a physicist would describe as ‘the quantum self.’ 

Empowering root-chakra

If Muladhara chakra is balanced and poised, it vitalises the body, evokes positive emotions, and keeps one grounded. If unbalanced, congested or closed, it creates physical, emotional, cognitive or behavioural problems, besides obstructing other chakras that metabolise different kinds of energy.

 (Dr Kapoor is a noted educationist, historian and spiritualist)