Root Chakra Yoga Flow Sequence

This Root Chakra Yoga Flow Sequence is designed to touch and align the body's first chakra, the Root Chakra, also known as the Muladhara Chakra.  

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And now... let's move on to the sequence:

Everything You Want to Know About the Root Chakra (Muladhara Chakra):

The Root Chakra, also known as the "Muladhara" in Sanskrit, is the first of the seven primary chakras in yogic and tantric traditions. It is located at the base of the spine, near the tailbone, and its associated color is red. Here's a detailed overview:

1. Significance and Meaning:

• The word "Muladhara" can be broken down into two Sanskrit words: "Mula" meaning "root" and "Adhara" meaning "support" or "base".
• This chakra is considered the foundation of the chakra system and represents our feelings of safety, security, and stability. It's where our basic needs for survival, such as food, water, shelter, and safety, are centered.

2. Characteristics & Associations:

• Color: Red
• Element: Earth
• Sense: Smell
• Mantra: LAM
• Physical association: Adrenal glands, spine, blood, and circulatory system.
• Emotional association: Issues related to survival, safety, and security.

3. Imbalances:

• A blocked or imbalanced root chakra can manifest as feelings of insecurity, fear, lack of confidence, or being ungrounded. Physically, it might manifest as problems in the legs, feet, rectum, tailbone, immune system, and fatigue.
• An overactive root chakra might lead to feelings of greed, paranoia, and a heightened sense of self-preservation at the detriment of others.

4. Balancing the Root Chakra:

• Physical activities: Engaging in grounding activities like walking barefoot on the earth, gardening, and physical exercises can help balance the root chakra.
• Meditation: Visualizing a red glowing orb of energy at the base of the spine and chanting the associated mantra can help in aligning the root chakra.
• Crystals: Stones like red jasper, garnet, black tourmaline, and bloodstone can be used for healing and balancing the root chakra.
• Diet: Eating grounding foods, especially those that are red or root vegetables like carrots, potatoes, beets, and red fruits like apples, can help balance the root chakra.
• Affirmations: Positive affirmations like "I am safe," "I am grounded," and "I trust in the goodness of life" can be powerful tools for balancing the root chakra.

5. Importance in Spiritual Practices:

• In the Kundalini yoga tradition, the Kundalini energy, depicted as a coiled serpent, lies dormant at the base of the spine in the root chakra. Awakening this energy and allowing it to rise through the chakras is a primary goal of many spiritual practices.
• The root chakra serves as the foundation for the rest of the chakras. If it's imbalanced, it may be harder to effectively work on the other chakras.

Overall, the Root Chakra plays a significant role in our sense of grounding and our connection to the earth. It's a foundation for our energy system and has a profound effect on our feelings of safety, security, and stability,

Yoga Poses in this Sequence for the Root Chakra:

The root chakra is all about grounding, strengthening, rooting, stabilizing and feeling an overall sense of safety and security.  The root chakra starts in the base of the spine and also includes all of our lower body parts, such as our feet, ankles and legs.  In this root chakra yoga flow  sequence, we've included the following yoga postures for the Muladhara Chakra to help you ground and center, aligning your root (muladhara) chakra:

Child's pose (Balasana)

Cat/Cow pose (Bitilasana / Marjaryasana)

Downward Facing Dog pose (Adho Mukha Svanasana)

Forward Fold pose (Uttanasana)

Mountain pose (Tadasana)

Chair Pose (Utkatasana)

Warrior I Pose (Virabhadrasana I)

Humble Warrior Pose (Baddha Virabhadrasana)

Warrior II pose (Virabhadrasana II)

Extended Side Angle pose (Utthita Parsvakonasana)

Wide Legged Forward Fold Pose (Prasarita Padottanasana)

Goddess Pose (Utkata Konasana)

Yogi Squat / Garland Pose (Malasana)

Wide Legged Squat - 1 Leg (Skandasana)

Pigeon (Kapotasana)

Forward Bend (Paschimottanasana)

Happy Baby Pose (Ananda Balasana)

Relaxation Pose (Savasana)

Pranayama for Root Chakra: Breathwork for Muladhara Chakra

We have included the following breathwork in this Root Chakra Yoga Flow Sequence to help you feel grounded and stabilized:

Sama Vritti

"Sama" means "equal" or "same" in Sanskrit, and as mentioned earlier, "vritti" refers to the modifications or fluctuations. So, "Sama Vritti Pranayama" refers to a breathing practice where the inhalation and exhalation are of equal length, creating a balance.

Sama Vritti Pranayama (Equal Breath Technique):

1. Purpose:

   • Helps to calm the mind and reduce stress.
   • Can aid in focus and concentration.
   • Helps in balancing emotions and grounding the practitioner.

2. How to Practice:

   • Sit comfortably in a meditation posture with your spine erect.
   • Close your eyes and take a few deep, natural breaths to center yourself.
   • Begin inhaling to a count of four.
   • Exhale for the same count of four.
   • The key is to keep the inhale and exhale smooth and even without any jerks or pauses.
   • As you become more comfortable, you can gradually increase the count, ensuring the inhalation and exhalation remain equal.

3. Variations:

   • Box Breathing: This is a variation where after the inhalation, you hold the breath (retain) for the same count, then exhale for the same count, and then hold the breath out for the same count. This creates a "box" pattern: inhale – hold – exhale – hold.

4. Benefits:

   • Calms the nervous system and reduces anxiety.
   • Enhances focus and clarity of mind.
   • Promotes balance and equanimity.
   • Improves lung capacity and breathing efficiency.

5. Precautions:

   • Always practice pranayama on an empty stomach.
   • If you ever feel dizzy or uncomfortable, stop the practice and return to your natural breathing rhythm.
   • While Sama Vritti is generally safe for everyone, if you have any health concerns, always consult with a yoga instructor or health professional before starting a new practice.

Practicing Sama Vritti can be particularly useful in moments of stress or anxiety as it can help anchor the mind and reduce erratic thought patterns. It's a versatile technique that can be practiced almost anywhere to restore calm and balance.  We like this pranayama technique for the root chakra because it is so grounding.

Save it, practice it, teach it!

We hope you will save this Chakra Balancing Yoga Flow sequence, practice it and teach it.  Feel free to teach it exactly as it is, or tweak it if that works best for you.  Let us know how you like it!

Related:

Chakra Balancing Yoga Flow Sequence

Standing Yoga Sequence for Motivation

Sacral Chakra Yoga Flow Sequence

Understanding the 7 Chakras

Chakras in Daily Life