By Disclaimer: This is the first in my Chakra Series. To find for the other posts, type “Chakra Series” into the search bar at the top of the page.
I moved house last week in preparation for my move to the UK and there is nothing like uprooting your life to make you feel totally ungrounded. After taking this chakra test, it confirmed what I already knew: my Root chakra is under-active. So to support this, I decided to focus on incorporating more grounding practices into my life as detailed below.
If you’re new to the chakras, the seven chakras are the centers in our bodies in which energy flows through. When the chakras are blocked, it can often lead to illness. So it’s important to understand what each chakra represents and what we can do to keep this energy flowing freely. Ancients have been studying and supporting their chakras for centuries.
*Scroll to the bottom for a tasty recipe + a grounding yoga class!*
What Is the Root Chakra?
Sanskrit name: Muladhara; root support
Element: Earth
Color: Red
The first chakra, also called the Root chakra, is located at the base of the spine. Usually represented by the colour red, it helps to keep the energy of the body connected with earthly energies. It aids movement, survival, and self-esteem. When the Root chakra is either under-active or over-active, life can feel out of balance.
The Root chakra helps you become physically present and feel at home in any situation. If it is open, you feel grounded, stable and secure. You don’t unnecessarily distrust people. You feel present in the moment and connected to your physical body.
Under-active: You tend to be fearful, nervous or feel unwelcome. You can be anxiety-prone.
Over-active: You may be materialistic/greedy. You could be obsessed with being secure and resist change. You could also experience:
- Joint pain or tightness (especially in the hips or knees)
- Carrying weight in the hips or thighs
- Lower back pain
- Swollen feet
- Feelings of insecurity, not being safe, and unmet basic needs
- Flighty personality that has a difficult time staying in one place, situation, or relationship for a long amount of time
In-Balance: Feeling safe, secure, and provided for. Possessing a strong sense of grounding.
What To Do To Support Your Root Chakra
Supportive Practices
- Walking barefoot on soil, sand, or grass
- Doing strong, grounded yoga poses, such as tree and mountain (check out the yoga class at the end of this post!)
- Reestablishing roots by learning to forgive those mistakes or transgressions committed in early childhood
- Learning to provide things that instill a feeling of safety, security
- Basic needs being met on a daily basis
- Taking ownership of your life
Supportive Food
- Foods with roots such as radishes, potatoes, beets, parsnips, carrots, radishes, onions, and garlic
- Red beans and lentils
- Red fruits, including seeded watermelon, pomegranate, cherries, & all red berries
- Food grown with deep tree roots or on a vine
- Red herbal teas, such as rooibos or hibiscus
- Harvest grains and other deeply rooted grains and proteins
- Earthly mineral stews and broths
Mantra: I am rooted. I am grounded. I am safe. I am secure.
A Nourishing, Grounding Meal: Root Veggies for the Root Chakra
Ingredients
- 1-2 red beets, diced
- 1-4 parsnips, diced
- 1-5 potatoes, diced
- 1-10 cloves of peeled garlic (depending on how much you enjoy garlic — I like a lot!)
- 1-5 carrots, diced
- 1 sweet onion, diced
- Optional for flavoring: fresh thyme, dill, black pepper, Celtic sea salt, lemon, lime
Directions
- In a double-broiler or steamer, steam the beets until soft.
- While the beets are steaming, place the parsnips, potatoes, garlic, carrots and sweet onion in one pan with water (this is an oil-free recipe) in the oven at 450 F for about 45 minutes. Check the pan occasionally to ensure there is enough water and your veggies don’t burn.
- Once the veggies are done cooking, drain the water and mix them together in a bowl. You can top them with fresh cilantro, dill, thyme, rosemary and/or a squeeze or fresh lemon or lime.
- Eat them as they are, or wrap them up in lettuce cups with guacamole or hot sauce for a nourishing and grounding meal.
Namaste!
Grounding Into Gratitude — Root Chakra Yoga Practice
Let’s get grounded!
xx
☾Jessica♥Fitzgerald☽ 