First Chakra - Muladhara or Root

[paul linus]

The root chakra (muladhara), also referred to as the first chakra, is the energy center located at the base of the spine and is associated with the nerve plexus in the coccygeal and sacral regions as well as the reproductive endocrine glands or gonads.

 

[Nil Thapliyal]

Psychologically, this is where we derive our sense of self and our sense of place and purpose in the world. Each chakra has an associated organ of perception (jnanendriya) and organ of action (karmendriya). For the root chakra, these are the nose (our sense of smell) and the feet respectively. Smell is a primitive and instinctual sensory vehicle of orientation in the animal world; it is the first sense that can give us an indication of whether something is good (thus we are attracted to it) or bad (thus we avoid it). Our feet are our roots into the earth. The energy carried up through the feet runs through every nerve terminal of the body, as shown through the science of reflexology.

 

[paul linus]

In the individual, our root energy is reflected in our desire to have personal space, to achieve material prosperity, to feel secure, and to have personal boundaries. A person who has a healthy and balanced root chakra enjoys his physical being, has a good self-image, and is comfortable in solitude. An imbalanced chakra can be either strong or weak and these attributes can likewise be overpowering or absent.