Mooladhara Chakra
“Moola” means root or foundation.
“Adhara” means space.
Where do I step?
Where do I stand?
What am I afraid of?
What makes me feel secure?
A square, as the most stable geometrical shape, is my compass.
That is what defines me as an entity and shows my coordinates of the present moment.
The science of the chakras is interpreted by the emotional image displayed by various sites on our bodies. If we bisect the spine, obviously we will not find any lotuses, colours or other symbols, but we will find neuron circuits that meet across the length of the spine, forming nodes at the same sites where the chakras are supposed to be. Every node corresponds and is connected to a specific gland that secretes hormones. Hormones that cause us to feel alertness, fear, calmness, joy etc. By balancing our feelings, observing our behaviour and transmuting it through various technics on the physical level, but also on the mental level with meditation and so on, we support a smoother energy flow through the nodes/vortexes/chakras.
The first energy centre is the root chakra, and it is called the Mooladhara Chakra.
It is connected with the adrenal glands, which are affected by the state of fear, and secrete adrenaline and cortisol, putting us in a situation of “fight or flight”. Nowadays, this has become an almost permanent state for some of us, and in fact, we cannot even realize it. We simply call it “stress”. The nervous system operates at a state of hypersympathicotonia, which also results in a general deregulation of the normal system and organ function, throughout the body.
I am afraid of losing what I have.
I am afraid of what I might encounter, so I stay where I already am.
The Μooladhara chakra invites us to experience the primal trust in Mother Earth, in the creation, in nature, in short, in our Root. When we are connected to our roots, we can bear fruit and develop, exactly like the plants do. So then, we can feel trust, the strength of our existence without tension, love and the will to offer, without accumulating the energy of materials.
As a traditional symbol, the lotus that represents the root centre has 4 petals which symbolize the four cardinal directions. Our compass. Just like the fixed geometrical square shape inside the lotus. This is the most stable geometrical shape, and for the same reason, it is also the symbol of the Prittvi Tattwa (the Earth element). Inside the square there is an inverted triangle, the symbol of Shakti kundalini. Above the triangle we find the Bija mantra, Lam, which harmonizes and balances it, when recited. Exactly under the square there is the elephant – one of the strongest terrestrial animals. Its seven trunks symbolize the 7 minerals necessary for the sustenance of life and bodily functions, and the message is that we do have what is necessary in order to live, but we should not become attached to it. The sense of smell is connected to the first energy centre, and it is sometimes referred to as “the sense of survival”.
Finally, we will simply mention its importance and its connection to the rest of the chakras, but especially to the Ajna, by saying that its base is the place from where the three main Nadis energy channels, Susumna, Ida and Pingala, spring and run up the spine. These energy channels play a vital role in the waking of the Kundalini, our life energy.
A higher level wish for a Sadhaka, a spiritual seeker, is “to increase awareness, to raise the Kundalini in a balanced manner”.
A wish for us all, with balanced and grounded lower centres.