Episode Transcript
[00:00:00] Speaker A: Foreign.
[00:00:10] Speaker B: Hey everyone, and welcome back to the Breathe and Release podcast. My name is Jillian Rose and I'm so glad that you're here with me. Today on this episode, we'll explore the root chakra, or Muladhara chakra, the energy center that helps us feel grounded, secure and connected.
This practice invites you to settle into a deeper sense of presence and stability.
Now, if you're new to chakras, let me offer a brief explanation.
Chakras are energy centers in the body, a concept from ancient Indian traditions like yoga and Ayurveda. The word chakra actually means wheel in Sanskrit, and these centers are seen as points where energy flows influencing our physical, emotional and spiritual well being. There are seven main chakras and the root chakra, located at the base of your spine, is actually the first one. It's tied to your sense of safety, belonging and basic needs. You can think about food, shelter or security.
Now, when the root chakra is balanced, we feel very steady and at home in ourselves.
When it's out of balance, we might feel anxious, ungrounded, disconnected, or like we don't really belong.
You might have heard of the basic psychological concept of Maslow's hierarchy of needs. And this focus on the root chakra connects beautifully to this psychological framework that outlines human motivation innovations. So at the base of Maslow's pyramid are physiological needs like air, water and food, and also safety needs such as security and stability.
These align directly with the root chakra's role in helping us feel supported and secure. By nurturing this foundation, we create a stable base for pursuing higher aspirations like love, creativity and growth.
This meditation is for everyone. Whether you're familiar with chakras or just beginning to explore them, we'll use breath awareness and visualization to help you connect with your sense of grounding. I hope you enjoy.
Let's begin by finding a comfortable position.
You might want to sit with your feet flat on the ground to enhance that sense of rootedness.
[00:02:56] Speaker C: Or you could lie down if that feels more supportive.
[00:03:02] Speaker B: Allow your body to settle feeling held.
[00:03:07] Speaker C: By the surface beneath you.
If it feels right, close your eyes.
[00:03:16] Speaker B: Or soften your gaze as you go inwards.
Take a few slow, deep breaths, noticing the air as it moves in and out.
With each exhale, let go of any need to be anywhere but here.
There is no need to achieve any.
[00:03:44] Speaker C: Anything or feel a certain way.
Simply allow yourself to arrive just as you are.
[00:04:11] Speaker B: Bring your attention to the presence of your body.
Feel the weight of your body against.
[00:04:19] Speaker C: The chair, the cushion or the floor.
Notice the points of contact, your feet, your hips, the base of your spine.
Sense the solidity of these connections, as.
[00:04:41] Speaker B: If you're gently sinking into the earth's embrace.
Now shift your awareness to your breath.
[00:05:09] Speaker C: Let it flow naturally, without effort.
Observe where you feel the breath most clearly.
[00:05:43] Speaker B: Thoughts may arise, plans, worries or distractions.
It's perfectly natural. Simply notice them without judgment, like clouds.
[00:05:57] Speaker C: Drifting across the sky, and gently return to the sensation of your breath or the weight of your body.
Each return is a moment of grounding, of reconnecting with your foundation.
[00:06:49] Speaker B: Now, gently bring your awareness to the.
[00:06:52] Speaker C: Base of your spine, the home of the root chakra.
You might imagine a warm red glow here, like the rich color of soil, or a glowing ember, pulsing softly.
There's no need to force a sensation or image.
Just rest your attention in this area.
Notice what's present.
Maybe warmth, heaviness, tingling, or even blankness. All experience are very welcome.
As you rest here, invite a sense of safety and stability, connecting to your foundational needs, your right to be here, to have your basic needs met, to feel secure, softly ask yourself, what does it feel like to be grounded?
What does it feel like to be safe in my own being?
[00:08:43] Speaker B: If no clear answer arises, that's okay. Simply hold the intention to connect with.
[00:08:51] Speaker C: This energy of rootedness.
[00:09:13] Speaker B: If you notice tension, fear or restlessness.
[00:09:18] Speaker C: Meet these feelings with good kindness.
[00:09:21] Speaker B: They're part of your experience, and they also belong here.
Imagine breathing into the base of your.
[00:09:29] Speaker C: Spine, offering its softness as you might offer a reassuring touch to a loved one.
Perhaps whisper inwardly, I am here.
[00:09:44] Speaker B: I am.
[00:10:12] Speaker C: Expand your awareness to include your connection to the earth.
Feel the floor beneath you, the ground that supports you effortlessly.
Picture your body as an extension of the earth, solid, steady, enduring.
Visualize roots extending from the base of your spine, reaching deep into the soil, intertwining with the roots of trees, the bedrock of mountains.
These roots don't confine you, they nourish you, linking you to the vast, unwavering presence of earth.
As you sense these roots, let any worries or anxieties flow downwards. Absorbed by the earth, transformed into strength.
With each inhale, draw up stability, trust, and the assurance that your foundational needs are supported.
With each exhale, release what no longer serves you.
Let this exchange be gentle, unforced.
If your mind wanders, that's okay.
Notice the wandering.
Smile at it and return to the image of your roots or the sensation at the base of your spine.
This is the practice of grounding, of returning again and again to your root chakra's steady presence.
Always There.
Now, release any specific focus, roots, breath or chakra. And simply rest in the felt sense of being grounded.
This presence is the gift of your root chakra, the foundation essential for all growth.
The knowing that you are held, that you belong, that you are enough, just as you are.
There's nothing to strive for, nothing to fix.
Just be.
[00:14:55] Speaker D: Satan.
[00:15:26] Speaker C: As we begin to close, return your attention to your breath for a few cycles.
Feel the rhythm of your inhale and exhale, the aliveness of your body.
Sense the base of your spine once more, perhaps noticing a subtle warmth or steadiness there, a quiet strength.
Take a moment to honor this practice.
This time you've given to reconnect with your root chakra and the foundational needs that it supports.
The stability you've touched is not something you need to create.
It's always within you, ready to support you as you move towards higher aspirations.
When you're ready, gently wiggle your fingers and toes.
Feel your feet against the ground. Your body rooted, yet so free.
If your eyes are closed, you can slowly, slowly blink them open, taking in the colors and shapes around you.
Carry the sense of grounding with you into your day, your relationships and your life.
Thank you so much for joining me on breathe and release.
May you move through the world with a deep sense of belonging, rooted in the truth of who you are.
