E64: Reclaiming Your Roots with the 1st Chakra
E64: Reclaiming Your Roots with the 1st Chakra
Foundation, the body, nourishment, security, survival, grounding, trust, health, home, family, prosperity. The root chakra is essential for our basic human rights and overall health. Join me as we dive into a introductory guide to the first building block of our body's energy systems...
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[00:34] The Seven Chakras
Chakra One: Is the root chakra located at the base of the spine/tailbone
Episode 64: Reclaim Your Roots with the First Chakra
Chakra Two: Is the sacral chakra, located at the reproductive organs, below the belly button
Episode 89: Sexuality & The Sacral Chakra
Chakra Three: Is the core or solar plexus chakra, located in the abdomen above the belly button
Episode 79: Confidence & The Core Chakra
Chakra Four: is the heart chakra, at the centre of the chest
Episode 96: Harmony & the Heart Chakra
Chakra Five: is the throat chakra, located at the throat
Episode 58: Speak Your Truth with the Fifth Chakra
Chakra Six: Is called the third eye chakra located at the forehead, between the eyebrows
Episode 71: Intuition & The Third Eye Chakra
And lastly, Chakra Seven: the crown chakra, located at the top of the head.
Episode 105: Divine Connection with the Crown Chakra
[2:15] BOOK: Eastern Body Western Mind by Anodea Judith
[2:27] First Chakra
Muladhara “Root Support”
Colour: Red
Element: Earth
Function: Grounding, Stability
Issues: The body, foundation, survival, roots, nourishment, trust, health, home, family, and prosperity
[2:53] Foundation
Episode 34: The 7 Things You Must Do When Creating Healthy Boundaries
[4:41] Sings of Root Chakra Balance
Good physical health and vitality
Comfortable in the body
Sense of trust in the world
Feeling of safety and security
Ability to relax and find stillness
Well grounded
Prosperity and Stability
[5:09] Signs of Root Chakra Deficiency
Disconnection from the body
Noticeably underweight
Fearful, anxious, restless, has trouble settling
Poor focus and discipline
Financial difficulty
Weak boundaries
Chronic disorganization
[5:30] Signs of Root Chakra Excess
Obesity and overeating
Hoarding, material, and greed
Feeling sluggish, lazy, tired and drained
Fear of change, addiction to security
Rigid boundaries
[5:48] Disconnection from the Body
“To lose our connection with the body is to become spiritually homeless. Without an anchor we float aimlessly, battered by the winds and waves of life.” – Anodea Judith
[9:28] Overcoming Fear
Step One: Understand the Fear
Ask questions like:
Where did it come from?
How is it serving me?
Where do I feel this fear in my physical body?
Step Two: Release & Integrate the instinctual response to fear
Does it make you want to run and hide?
Does it make you angry and triggered or paralyzed and confused?
Step Three: Develop the Strength and Resources to effectively meet similar threats in the future
There are many methods to support this step
Examples:
Personal development and building self-esteem
Improving communication skills
Learning martial arts/self-defence
[11:02] Replace Responsible Fear with Responsible Faith
[12:07] Assessing Your Healing Questions:
What is known about the birth, breast-feeding, or early infancy?
What else was going on in the family at that time?
Were there any major illnesses, surgeries, or hardships?
What kind of bonding and nurturing came from the mother?
How did the mother relate to her own body?
Were there any threats to one’s survival or the survival of family members? How were these factors addressed?
[12:42] First Chakra Healing
[15:36] Method #1. DRAWING THE BODY
The method: Using a large piece of paper and coloured markers or crayons, draw what your body FEELS like
What it reveals: The exercise clearly shows us what is going on energetically in the body
Going further: The therapist can ask the client to describe the drawing and then ask further questions about specific parts to the drawing to get more information.
The client can also stand in front of a mirror and hold the drawing in front of them in a way that’s similar to an “x-ray” What feelings does this bring up about yourself? If you only saw this picture, what would you assume about this person?
Repeat this practice periodically to see the progress through the healing process over time.
[17:02] Method #2. CONVERSATION WITH THE BODY
The method: Imagine that you are a visiting consultant of a corporation. It is your job to interview each member of the company about how they each feel about their job and their position in the company. Each body part is a member of the corporation. Start at the feet and work your way up to the face.
You can do this with the help of a therapist, or you can audio record this method. The therapist names a body part and the client replies with, “I am my feet and I…” complete the sentence with their emotional experience.
When the whole body has spoken the therapist can read back the responses they’ve written from the client but leave out the body parts. This gives the client the chance to hear how the body is expressing their life experience.
Going further: Go back and have a conversation with the body. You can choose the parts that are most significant if you want to. Go deeper and ask questions until you have a better understanding of the fears, and information.
The goal: Develop a relationship and connection to the body through communication and acknowledgement. One that can bring positive action and change.
[18:32] Method #3. CULTIVATE A PHYSICAL PRACTICE
Episode 15: My Holistic Approach to Coping with Anxiety
The method: for cultivating a physical practice is essentially finding a type of moving meditation that you can make into a daily or frequent routine. A physical practice moves energy around in your body. Exercise also releases endorphins that make you happier.
The goal: for this method is to create and cultivate a relationship with you physical body through a specific training technique. The style you choose is completely up to you.
I highly recommend practices like yoga and pilates that are safe, and require a deep mind-body connection to advance in the practice. Finding a qualified instructor, or personal trainer is also very beneficial in helping you deepen your practice and connection. We use specific cues that help you find and “wake up” body parts and muscle groups.
Going further: Don’t just go through the motions. Get curious. Ask yourself why you hold your breath in heart-opening poses in yoga. Challenge yourself to increase the weights by a couple pounds in your weight training, or go for that one extra rep. When your body is feeling tired or needs a break, surrender into a child’s pose on your yoga mat. Breathe. Be still. Listen to your body.
[20:22] METHOD #4 FOOTWORK
The goal: to maintain an energetic connection while working on physical grounding points and energetic flow/movement/stability
The method: there are several techniques to use for this method. You can use acuballs, massage balls, dowels, and/or rollers to literally massage out the soles of the feet. Practice this while standing, one foot at a time, shoes off.
You can also take off shoes and socks and stand on different surfaces such as carpet, hardwood floors, and mats and press into the feet. Rock and shift from one side to the other, front to back of the foot, really getting a feeling for the surface below you.
Go further: Once you have rolled out the feet or pressed into the floor, stand tall again and notice how you feel holding yourself up again. Do you have more awareness of your feet? Do you feel more grounded?
[21:44] METHOD #5 GROUNDING/EARTHING
The method: grounding, also known as earthing is a grounding technique that is best done in the warmer months as it requires the person to be barefoot in nature.
The goal: When there is a physical connection between the electrical frequencies of the human body and the earth, the earth is able to promote physical wellbeing in the body.
Going deeper: practice method #4: Footwork in the mud/dirt, sand, or grass
You can also try walking meditation as you earth/ground
[22:40] METHOD #6 MEDITATION
Free Root Chakra Meditation below!
Other Chakra Episodes
Episode 58: Speak Your Truth with the 5th Chakra
Episode 71: Using Your Intuition & The Third Eye Chakra
Download the FREE Root Chakra Meditation
Podcast Host
Valerie LaVigne
Valerie is the creator and founder of Valerie LaVigne Life and the Women's Empowerment Show. She helps busy and empowered women create healthy habits so that they can become the best version of themselves and transform their lives. Learn more about Valerie here!
