Root Chakra: Foundation of Physical and Psychological Health

Physically the root chakra governs the immune, skeletal system and teeth, and lower digestive system. It provides support and a framework for both the physical and psychological body. When the root chakra comes online we see the development of crawling, standing, and walking, as first chakra energy involves embodiment and locomotion.
Our early learning through movement helps us to put down roots in the physical world. At the same time we are performing those tasks we are also absorbing information about safety, security, and belonging through the emotional tone in our environment.

When root energies are out of balance the physical issues that present are: poor balance, sciatica, chronic fatigue, bowel disorders, and knee, leg, or foot problems.

Trauma, family stress, and a lack of appropriate or “good enough” nurturing during the first few years of life can unbalance root chakra energies. These experiences occur before we have language or reason. As a result, we may carry anxieties and fears about issues of safety, belonging or abandonment that are hard to understand (and hard to remedy through talking). Addressing those issues through some form of energy work goes to where the problem lives and speaks in a language that is effective in facilitating healing.

Later in life imbalances in the root chakra can be triggered by losses or upsets; for example, loss of a person, job, or living situation. Even a small and seemingly insignificant loss can awaken the stored unprocessed feelings of an earlier time. Any change in life tends to reactivate this chakra and its encoded perceptions around safety, security, and belonging, but that is magnified if there are early unprocessed emotions.