Along the human spine sit seven main chakras. These are energy centers that are responsible for the very way in which we function. They govern over our physical, mental, emotional and spiritual health and in order for them to be able to do this successfully, we must keep them open and unblocked.
This can seem like an odd concept but when you imagine that the chakra system is like a series of energy wheels, it becomes a little easier to understand. For example, when you think of a physical wheel, all it take is a stick in between the spokes and it will stop turning.
If you experience a root chakra imbalance, one of the first things that you might want to do is restore the life force energy to this base chakra but what many people worry about is whether interfering with the chakra system this way can have side effects.
In truth, there are far more good things that bad when you concentrate on this chakra root. In this post, we are going to take a closer look and find out how what effects you can expect when you use one of the many root chakra healing methods.
What Is The Root Chakra Responsible For?
The root chakra is located right at the bottom of the body; it sits at the base of the spine and is an energy field that is very closely linked to your well being and basic needs. Each of the chakras has its own color and in the case of the root chakra, that is the color red.
One of the best ways of describing this essential part of the chakra energy system is that is governs over our entire physical and emotional experience. We are here on earth for a very short period of time, when you consider that our souls have always been and will always be. But nonetheless, we still want this journey on earth to be an enjoyable process.
The root chakra gives us a sense of security and safety and without it, all the other chakras in a person would not be. This is because the root chakra forms the foundation on which all the other chakras are built; right the way through the the crown chakra at the top of the head.
While opening the root chakra will contribute to opening all of the others and ultimately experiencing a spiritual awakening, is also plays an important role in the physical body.
This is a chakra that rules over several areas around the lower body. These include the lower back, the bladder and the kidneys.
Furthermore, our root chakras are responsible for many parts of our emotional health, building a solid foundation on how we react to our time on earth. This area, at the base of the spine enables us to feel more self confidence and to acknowledge our survival instincts. Everything that we need to survive comes from the base.
When we have a root chakra imbalance, there are many things that can happen to us both physically, emotionally and spiritually. When the first chakra does not have a good flow of life force energy physical symptoms are usually the first that people notice. Of course, you cannot blame all symptoms in the body on the root chakra imbalance, but if you experience any of the following, it could be one of the signs that your first chakra is blocked.
Lower back pain
Bladder problems
Constipation
Weakness in your legs
Kidney stones
Eating disorders
Prostate problems
While things like eating disorders and kidney stone can be devastating, they can also be successfully treated through root chakra healing. However, aside from symptoms in the physical body, you might also notice symptoms elsewhere.
Many people who are battling a root chakra imbalance may feel as though they are on a continual search for something in life that they cannot find. They may not even know what this is, but rather just have a feeling that their life is incomplete.
Aside from this, a chakra imbalance here might be indicated by other emotional signs and symptoms.
Restlessness
Impatience
Greed
Low self esteem and feeling insecure
Impatience
Becoming overly invested or obsessed with material items
What Happens When The Root Chakra Opens?
The root chakra is the first of all the seven chakras to form and it begins from the moment we are born. Between the ages of zero and seven, a person relies heavily on their root chakra. The mind is not yet developed enough to experience fear about anything other than having our basic needs met.
However, once we reach adulthood, it is not uncommon for us to experience a root chakra imbalance. But working with a chakra healing professional or even using some common energy healing methods in your own home can yield incredible results and help with a root chakra opening.
Of course, one of the main signs that you are having a root chakra opening is that you will notice a lot more security in your life; whatever this means for you. We all have the same foundation needs such as food, somewhere to shelter and support and affection from our loved ones. However, there may be other aspects that add to the security of your life such as stable finances, especially if this has been an ongoing problem for you in the past.
As the root chakra opening progresses, you might notice any of the following as a natural response to the removal of the imbalance.
Since the root chakra has links with your connection to the earth, you may notice that you have sudden weight gain or that the body begins to feel physically heavier, as if forming a deeper connection to the earth. This is nothing to fear although you may notice that you have a craving for certain comfort foods which of course, should be eaten in moderation to avoid further health problems.
it is said that Kundalini energy resides in the first chakra and as the imbalance begins to shift and the energy is free to move, you might notice a sense of heat in certain parts of the body. This is most commonly experienced at the base of the spine where the root chakra is located but this may resonate around the rest of the body including into the mind.
Some people will have intense, vivid and sometimes frightening dreams as this newfound energy finds its place. While this can fill you with a great sense of fear, it is important to remember that this is one of the temporary symptoms that will fade.
Anyone who finds that they have a chakra imbalance and uses root chakra healing to address this may find that they have different symptoms to someone else. The symptoms we have listed may be incredibly mild or non-existent in one person whereas they could be extreme in another.
However, once the energy becomes balanced, these symptoms will fade and you will begin to notice many improvements and benefits in your life.
How Do I Unblock My Root Chakra?
There are articles all over the internet sharing the best ways to find alignment in the chakras and this overwhelming amount of information can have an adverse effect and result in a lack of understanding of what one needs to do to address a chakra imbalance.
But unblocking your root chakra doesn’t need to be a difficult concept and fortunately, there are many methods you can use to do this.
Of course, some of the most common ways of tackling imbalance in the chakras is to take part in practices such as yoga and meditation, which can be done in a class or just as easily by using an app at home. Yin yoga is said to be a particularly effective method for a problem with the root chakra and not only is this a good way to open this first chakra but it will also invoke a significant degree of mental clarity. This is because it is a much softer and slower approach to the practice which can benefit your life in many ways.
Another effective way of opening the root chakra is through the use of healing crystals and essential oils. There are hundreds of stones and oils that you can use to aid this type of problem but the most useful are typically stones like red jasper, smoky quartz, garnet and bloodstone; anything that is red in color like the root will work very well for chakra healing.
In terms of oils, patchouli is a very potent essential oil that can be inhaled or rubbed on the root chakra.
Grounding
A typical issue for people who have a blockage of this chakra is that they become very restless and a great method to reduce this and reconnect with the root is to practice grounding.
Grounding can be done effortlessly and you might begin by making a physical connection to the earth. This can be done by gardening, walking barefoot on the ground or simply touching the earth.
As you take part in these activities, you will notice that there is a noticeable pull of gravity, bringing you back into connection with the root of your life; the earth.
However, on top of this practice, it is also important that you keep a excellent foundation in your relationships with your loved ones, sharing in love and harmony with them. Doing this, alongside grounding will give you much greater feelings of safety and balance.
Let Go
Something that stops many of us from having a healthy root chakra is an intense fear in our lives. The reason that we feel this is often to do with our inability to trust ourselves but as soon as we let this go, we find that we can go along the path of our life with much more security and balance.
It is not difficult to experience low self esteem in a world where so much is expected of us. We are told that we must behave in a certain manner, look a particular way, work hard, earn a lot of money and be successful. It is almost impossibly for any human to achieve everything that the world expects of him or her and this can quickly result in us feeling that we are not good enough.
There is a constant fear that we don’t meet expectations but as soon as we let go of this, we can connect with what is important and the energy is much more easily able to flow into and around the root chakra.
When you start working with this chakra, it is vital that you are able to feel trust in yourself, and in doing this, you will notice how much easier it is to open every other chakra in your body.
Connect To Your Inner Self
The issue with the root chakra is that it can quickly result in problems with materialism. Once again, this is not a difficult trait to develop in a world where so much emphasis is put on what we own. Quite often, your worth is determined by the type of home you own, whether you wear designer clothes, how luxurious a holiday you can afford.
But your true worth is so much more than this and once you realise this, you will be able to successfully cleanse the root chakra and experience everything that this chakra has to offer. But in order to work with this chakra, you must be willing to let go of your connection to material possessions and focus on your inner self.
How Long Does It Take To Open The Root Chakra?
How long it takes to unblock the root chakra will vary. A chakra will not become unblocked against any sort of time constraint but rather the chakra will start opening depending on your willingness for that chakra to unblock.
In terms of the root chakra, some people find that their chakras unblock very quickly, in some cases, a chakra may start opening immediately. Conversely, you might find that your root chakra takes a lot of patience and time to unblock.
Conclusion
The root chakra is the first of the chakra system and is located at a place at the bottom of the spine. When this chakra is blocked it can cause a variety of issues such as back pain, eating disorders and problems with self confidence as well as not feeling secure. This is linked the the root chakra and its connection to the very basis of our needs.
Once this chakra begins opening, there are several effects that you might notice. For the most part, these will all be good but there may be some temporary effects that are not as desirable.
