Muladhara – our first chakra, the element Earth and the colour Red, its Mantra is Lam and Yantra a golden square.

Mula means root and dhara means base.

The first chakra is located in the pelvic basin, between the pubis and tailbone, it relates to the grounding of our feet, legs, sitting bones/ischiums of the pelvis and our pelvic floor. Muladhara is closely related to our perineal root lock – Mula Bundha – on a physical level, our pelvic floor. This is also where dormant spiritual energy called Kundalini is stored – Ancient Hindhus viewed Kundalini as a sleeping serpent goddess, coiling around the base of the first chakra and when awakened, spiralling up. Yoga reactivates this energy, sending it flowing up through the chakras, so that we can have full use of our brain and mind and a greater awareness. At Muladhara, energy is often expressed in just a physical way, eg endless Sun Salutations without any consciousness. We need to stimulate this energy at muladhara but then draw it up.

Muladhara root chakra is concerned with instinctual survival patterns of our consciousness and of the species eg, the desire to have children, a sense of connection to the earth, preserving nature. When Muladhara is balanced we have a firm foundation, strong roots and an earth connection to our family. Visualise roots and grounding – moving energy down and developing roots from which we can grow tall and spiritually blossom. By practising slow foundation poses in a regular sadhana/yoga practice, Muladhara balances. Muladhara includes our survival instinct our desire for safety and security, our basic needs such as food and shelter, also our emotional needs family beliefs and values. When these needs are meet our root chakra is balanced, resulting in a stable grounded and secure individual.

Physically, the integrity of our pelvic floor depends on the proper alignment of our legs and the balance of our feet which act like the roots of a plant. We can all feel ‘rushed off our feet’ or ‘a little off centre’, fragile, our bladder seems weak, these expressions can mean our Muladhara is out of balance.

Langhana

As we practice being ‘down to earth’ and focus on being aware of our position in space, on this earth, we develop a sense of staying grounded, inner calm, we become more steady even in difficult poses/asanas.

Earth Awareness

Our spleen/yin and stomach/yang meridians, virtues of trust/satya, faith, centering. Qualities of grounding, nourishing, nurturing, accepting of others, enjoying the pleasure of emotions, a love of the planet, earth, nature. The energy of the Earth is transforming. Establishing a connection to the Earth, gives our energy a place to be released. We quite often practice ‘Salute to the Earth’, a lovely flow.

Utkutasana/ chair pose

Feel the lift of mula bundha/pelvic floor, the weight in the front of the heels, knees and pelvis back, gently drawing back the navel to spine on the breath out, lifting the pubic bone to the navel, adding the uplifting challenging reach from your firm foundation.

 

Warrior 1/Virabhadrasana – lifting, exalted Warrior

Sense the connection of the grounding feet to the legs, to Mula bundha/pelvic floor, pelvis level to the front, back foot turned out no more than 45 degrees, Mula bundha also stabilising the low back, even length and strength of the big Psoas muscle running through the pelvis keeps the spine upright, the backbend occuring more  in the middle/ Thoracic spine.

Tree Pose/Vrksasana

Challenging our balance, finding our firm foundation with grounding calm, centering with the breath up through the central line, down through the back body to Muladhara, to the feet.