Grounding Muladhara

 Chakra. Cha-kra. The first sound  is like the ch in cheese.  As my sister noted, "I always thought it was shakra."  Me too, sister.

As part of teacher training, I am reading Wheels of Life by Anodea Judith, PhD. It's a thick volume in which Judith takes us on a journey through the swirling energetic centers of the body. She starts with some of the basic theories about what chakras are, how they function and where anatomical features overlap with the chakra system.

This book has been the first that has really made me wonder if I want to drink the Kool-aid, or rather challenged my own belief system. I am skeptical about anything that implies that there is a spinning ball of energy controlling different aspects of my life.  That sounds like a nice little pile of happy horseshit. But, I can't help noticing the places in the book where I go, "Woah that's creepily familiar!"

One of the places that this books really resonates is the discussion of the root chakra, called muladhara. This is the chakra that is closest to the earth, located at the base of your sacrum. This is said to be the energy center for all things grounding and safety related. 

Judith talks about your right to be and your right to have.  This is such a common issue for so many of us.  Although we may have the self-awareness to know that we are struggling with taking up our own space and feeling that we have a right to have certain things, it's an intangible quality to work on. Working with the chakra system, there are tangible access points to work on these qualities.

Even through my Western lens,  I can see the benefits of exploring this system.  At best, the chakra system is, as described.  At worst,  I've found a new way to interact with my body and spend some time consciously aware of grounding and feelings of safety.  Either way, there is something to be gained from studying the chakra system.