Chakra Healing for Vibrant Energy. Michelle S. Fondin

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СКАЧАТЬ the earth element rules the first chakra, the ailments that occur with its imbalance resemble the same diseases or imbalances that occur with the Ayurvedic mind-body type Vata, which is governed not by earth but by space and air. As you may deduct, the elements of space and air are polar opposites of the element earth. Therefore, healing can begin when you bring balance back to the earth element through proper grounding to counteract the excessive space and air.

      First-chakra blockages may include constipation, hemorrhoids, sciatica pain, degenerative arthritis, knee troubles, obesity, anorexia nervosa or other eating disorders, anxiety disorders, fears, nightmares, and psychosis. Almost all of these symptoms and disorders are directly related to imbalances in the Vata dosha or space and air mind-body type. Obesity would be the only ailment in this list caused by an excessive amount of the Kapha dosha, which is composed of water and earth.

First Chakra Energy: Solid Like a Rock

      The energy of the first chakra is vital to our existence. It’s a downward energy that grounds us and gives us stability. In the body, first-chakra energy governs bone structure, feet, legs, and the large intestine to digest food. Everything we eat comes from the earth and its energy. The homes we build and the structures we enjoy, such as libraries, movie theaters, and skyscrapers, all come from first chakra energy. Gravity keeps us in communion with our planet. The art of manifesting emanates from acceptance of our material existence.

      Tamas is the type of energy that rules Muladhara. Tamasic energy is slow, dull, inert. The Ayurvedic dosha that dominates the first chakra is Kapha, which is comprised of the elements of water and earth.

      An overabundance of tamasic energy can make a person sluggish, lazy, overweight, and complacent. However, tamas is necessary when a pregnant woman grows a baby. She needs to be grounded, slow down, take more naps, reduce her activities, and eat more food. The same goes for the seasons. Winter is a tamasic season when nothing appears to be going on and nature seems dormant. Animals hibernate. Grass and trees stop growing. But this period of rest is necessary for the outburst of activity in the spring.

      Kapha energy is similar to tamasic energy. A healthy Kapha person is grounded, slow, methodical, humble, and down-to-earth. Babies go through a Kapha phase to be able to experience life on earth fully and to grow properly. The two sense organs of Kapha are the nose and mouth (tongue: taste). All babies first experience the world by putting things in their mouths. Babies sleep more than older children and adults. They are drawn to and fascinated by nature and the earth’s elements. They are thus perfect expressions of fully embracing earth energy.

      Adult Kapha types who are living in balance are peaceful people to be around. They are loving, affectionate, and kind. Their solid foundation gives comfort to others by being the stable pillars to lean on.

Our Societal Relationship with the Earth Element

      While we must embrace earth energy to grow, expand, and raise our levels of consciousness, modern society tends to move us in the opposite direction of where we need to go.

      Our experience of being on earth and staying grounded requires us to have direct contact with the material. In other words, when we take walks in nature, have picnics on the beach, gather with others for dinner or conversation, and take care of animals, we are directly interacting with the energy that grounds us. Many of our experiences today happen virtually. We are living in the ether without having a solid foundation. While being on our smartphones, computers, and tablets involves touching something material, we engage in a virtual reality through such technology. We talk or text with people out there in any number of places. We play games with people or bots without knowing the difference. We have one-sided conversations as we post on social media, hoping that someone will respond. These experiences keep us ungrounded. In addition, we live in a society that likes to take pills, drugs, and alcohol to transform our state. We seek the transformative ecstasy of spirit without having the proper roots.

      As a result, we eat a lot of food to try to ground ourselves. Because the body has an innate intelligence, it tells us we need to do something to bring ourselves down to earth. So we consume loads of calories seeking the grounded, comforting feelings of a loving mother’s warm embrace. Yet too much food and eating the wrong foods does the opposite of making us feel grounded and safe. It disconnects us from the body and our true needs and desires.

      In order to experience the earth, you must get back to it. Relearn how to enjoy life without a device in front of your eyes, in your ears, or in your pocket. Meet people face-to-face. Take walks and listen to the sounds of nature. Cook foods from scratch. Let the sunshine penetrate your face. Gaze at the stars. Get comfortable being here rather than somewhere else. Make earth your home again.

Living Life in the Muladhara Chakra: Security

      In each of the chakras, there is a difference between embracing and accepting the energy and gifts from that chakra and living solely from that chakra. As you awaken to the limitations in each chakra, you are driven to discover ways to operate from different levels of consciousness. It’s human nature to want to explore and grow. However, not everyone operates from this level of thinking. Many people accept limitations as hard boundaries and don’t seek to move beyond them. If you’re ready to extend beyond the limitations of your chakras, it’s important to understand what living at the level of each chakra looks like.

      People who live in first-chakra energy are in survival mode. Their basic emotion is fear. They are only concerned with security and how to obtain it. The parts of the brain responsible for survival are the brain stem, or medulla, and the limbic system, comprised of the amygdala and the hippocampus. Fight-or-flight is a primitive response hardwired in these parts of the brain, a reaction to fear and a need for survival. In animals, the onset of this primitive response helps them determine if they will fight predators or run away. Fight-or-flight is a chain reaction that begins in the amygdala. It includes a release of stress hormones, such as cortisol, adrenaline, and noradrenaline. Your heart races, your blood pressure goes up, your blood platelets get sticky, your immune system becomes suppressed, your blood is shunted away from your digestive organs and moved toward the limbs; you sweat and feel compelled to either run or fight.

      This primitive response to real and present danger is useful sometimes. Let’s suppose your small child runs into the street after a ball. You must have quick energy to run after him to save him from a moving car. Or if you’re driving and another vehicle suddenly pulls out in front of you, you need fight-or-flight to slam on the brakes. However, the fight-or-flight response isn’t so useful when your life isn’t in danger and you’re responding to fear rather than reality. People who live solely from the first chakra respond to fear most of the time. Their motives are fear of lack, fear of loss, fear of not enough, and the “what if . . .?” syndrome.

      First chakra people would rather stay in a dissatisfying job than risk losing job security or a steady paycheck. They are not often leaders but followers with blind obedience. They fear standing out from the crowd and would rather blend in.

      The need to fight for security can be seen in first chakra people’s job choices. They might choose to be soldiers or police officers to ensure security of their cities or countries. They constantly seek favor and acceptance from their superiors and work hard to serve them. First chakra people strive for rewards while greatly fearing punishment. While they obey and look up to authority, they are often harsh with people under them.

      A person living from an instinctive and primal response is like a small child. Without proper instruction and limitations, a child can become greedy or hoard material goods. She can refrain from sharing. She can lash out physically СКАЧАТЬ