The root chakra or Muladhara is the first chakra within each of our energetic systems, this vital red light energy center is a stable foundation from which we experience life and can move up to activate the awareness of higher energy centers.
This chakra is said to activate while we were a baby within the womb or during birth.
This energy center offers us the first chakra perspective that we experience as little humans: a primal and basic focus on survival and stability.
Survival, stability, safety, and support are what the energy of the root chakra is all about.
Muladhara chakra is associated with our experience of groundedness and belonging.
This chakra is located within and around the base of the spine and perineum region of the physical body.
Our root chakra is the energy portal that allows us to connect with the energy of our home, the earth.
This is the energy center that we can use to root into the earth's abundant, stable, cyclical, nourishing, and infinite energy.
This chakra is our priority to maintain and due to a variety of common reasons the root chakra energy flow can become underactive or blocked.
Within this article, our main aim is to learn about the key signs of a blocked or underactive root chakra so that we can conscientize and identify what we are experiencing in order to choose the relevant practices that allow us to unblock and rebalance a blocked root chakra.
What Causes An Underactive Or Blocked Root Chakra?
To more fully understand what causes an underactive or blocked root chakra we have to gain a basic understanding of what actually is a blocked chakra and an underactive chakra.
Our chakras are points or portals of a specific frequency of energy within our etheric body.
When the amount of energy flowing through your root chakra is lacking it can result in the chakra becoming underactive and when the energy is not flowing through this chakra it can indicate that there is a severe lack of energy or a blockage preventing the energy from keeping this chakra aligned and active.
The cause of the blockage or lack of energy within the root chakra is often due to traumatic experiences we had during the most formative years of our life, trauma, and neglect as a baby or child that made us feel unsafe or threatened our survival can cause us to become stuck in a fear mode which results in underactivity or blockage of the root chakra.
Because this chakra is our very first chakra for some people the cause of imbalances within this chakra can start from a very young age.
It can also be due to trauma from a past life or ancestral trauma.
The chakra becomes blocked because this energy has not yet been integrated and transformed.
Any practice that deals with inner child healing, past life regression and integration, and ancestral lineage healing can be really beneficial to revealing and healing the specific cause of your root chakra imbalance.
The main cause of the imbalance within this chakra is any trauma that threatens our innate sense of survival, belonging, and safety.
It is not only childhood trauma that can be a cause of this but trauma during your adult years can also cause imbalance within your root chakra.
11 Signs Your Root Chakra is Blocked or Underactive
1. You often experience states of anxiety and fear
When your root chakra is blocked a prominent sign may be that you often experience anxiety.
You may find that you are generally in a fearful state.
Because this chakra is our energy center linked to survival and survival instincts when this energy center is lacking or blocked off our survival instincts and flow of nurturing life-sustaining prana is compromised.
This can leave one feeling depleted and anxiously concerned for survival.
2. You may have negative feelings about physical existence
Another key sign that your root chakra is blocked is that you will often feel quite disconnected and apathetic towards physical existence.
You may find yourself complaining and viewing your physical needs as unimportant or annoying.
The root chakra offers the energy that is our primal drive to survive and so when this energy is lacking it can really impact our perspective, motivation, and emotions towards life.
3. You feel disconnected from your body
This sign is related to the sign above, when your root chakra is underactive you can feel a disconnect from the needs and instincts of your physical body.
You may slip into neglectful behavior because you are not well tuned in or properly tending to your physical health.
4. You feel disconnected from the earth
The element that is associated with this chakra is the element of earth, it has a strong relation to our interconnection with our planet earth.
Earth is energy, in physical form and collective consciousness.
It is the elements that truly sustain our survival.
When your root chakra is blocked you can feel and behave as if you are cut off from this energy.
You will probably forget to notice how the earth sustains you and shares the abundance of food, medicine, and raw materials that we can create in order to survive.
5. You may lack a sense of belonging
When your root chakra has blocked another sign can be that you often feel out of place, estranged, or like you don’t know where you belong.
This is linked to the two signs of a blocked or underactive root chakra above as this lack of belonging stems from a disconnection from your body and earth which are effects of a blocked or underactive root chakra.
6. You often struggle to focus
When your root chakra is blocked or underactive you are likely feeling undernourished or depleted.
This is not an optimal state and it makes it more difficult to maintain focus and clarity in each present moment.
A constant struggle to focus can be a sign of root chakra blockage or underactivity.
7. You feel like you don’t have enough energy
Another sign of an underactive root chakra that you may experience is low energy levels, feeling like you don’t have enough energy or vitality to do the things you need to.
The root chakra is our first energy center that offers primal energy that powers us to survive; when this chakra is blocked it can block off the flow of energy to all the other areas of your energy body and this can leave you feeling very depleted.
8. You often experience emotional, mental and physical instability
When your root chakra is blocked or underactive you will likely experience a general feeling of instability which can manifest as an unstable mentality and physical reality.
A balanced root chakra allows one to feel secure, safe, and nourished and so when these experiences are lacking it can easily have an impact on emotional, mental, and physical health.
Instability in these aspects can be due to root chakra underactivity or blockage.
9. You have recurring health issues
If you are generally in bad health and have recurring health issues this can be a sign of root chakra imbalance.
This is the chakra that governs survival which includes having your very basic needs met and when these vital needs are not met it can obviously compromise your physical health.
10. You constantly struggle to have your basic needs met
The root is our connection to the nourishment of earth both energetically and physically and when this chakra is blocked we lose the clarity and connection to the consciousness or perspective that allows us to rightfully synchronize with the earth and experience our optimal state of health and well being.
We become disassociated with our landscape and surrounding that contain the nourishment we need to survive.
It is worth mentioning here that as a collective we are currently going through a process of realigning and becoming reacquainted with the earth and more sustainable and regenerative ways of taking care of our basic needs.
On an energetic level, the disconnect from earth energy caused by a blocked root chakra can manifest as an experience of struggle to receive your needs.
11. You find it difficult to trust
When we lack the support and nourishment we need it can become a lot harder to trust those around us, life, god, the universe, or even ourselves.
When your root chakra is blocked you may experience emotions of frustration, feeling like a victim, feeling stuck, and depleted.
All of these feelings are side effects of the lack of energy flow and these feelings and experiences can make it really difficult to deeply trust that you will survive and that you can grow beyond just the focus on survival.
Trusting that you deserve the basics of survival is the first step to cultivating your subtle energetic state in order to find clarity, drawing through your roots the nourishment that earth has to offer.
Something worth acknowledging while we delve into this topic of the root chakra and survival is that we are each born into vastly different life situations but we all truly deserve to be nourished as needed.
We may see these situations as unfortunate, random, karmic, or as catalysts.
We have to remember who we are, we have to remember that we have physical bodies but we also have an energetic body that can have a huge impact on what goes on in our physical world.
We are collecting overtime When we are nourished we can nourish others and so as tempting as it can be to blame this energetic blockage on external circumstances the truth is that we do have always control of our internal energy field.
This information is free and so are many of the practices that can be used to balance and open the root chakra.
When our roots are strong and grounded we can contribute to the collective rooting and collective survival with a fully aligned energy.
When we are each grounded we can grow, reach out to strengthen our collective consciousness and experience.
Rebalancing An Underactive Or Blocked Root Chakra
These are some powerful practices that we suggest for unblocking and healing an underactive root chakra.
These practices will help you to release stagnant energy as well as to reenergize and get the energy flowing again.
The root chakra blockage or underactivity is often due to stored trauma and subconscious programming.
Dedication to practice helps you clear space to release negative patterns and to intentionally welcome new patterns of energy, thought, and being.
Grounding
Grounding is a practice where you place your bare feet directly onto the earth's natural surfaces.
This allows your physical body and energy body to synchronize and align with the earth's powerful energy field.
This earth's energy is nurturing and healing.
You can ground intentionally by spending more time in nature exposing your bare skin to the elements.
You can spend time present, gardening, hiking, or meditating in nature to enjoy the benefits of grounding.
The root chakra is revitalized and nourished through regular grounding and so this technique can help to rebalance and heal an underactive or blocked root chakra.
Earth energy meditation
Preferably when you are immersed in natural surroundings but also if you are in an urban environment you can practice an activating visualization during your meditation that can help to unblock and heal root chakra imbalances.
Visualize the earth's vital energy in whatever ever way you perceive it ( you could imagine deep green light, golden light, or whatever comes to your awareness).
Imagine and feel the earth energy entering into your body through your root chakra and swirling around this area automatically and easily realigning and coding this earth-based chakra with the original primordial knowledge for survival as a human being on earth.
Eating pure and nourishing foods
The root chakra is the chakra that has the most impact on our physical experience and so the substances that form and power us physically can have huge healing potential for this chakra.
Eating the cleanest diet of food in its most natural and freshest form is the best decision for your energetic vitality and physical wellbeing.
The food you consume literally transforms into your physicality and powers your energetic functions.
Breathwork
Breathwork is the intentional use of breath to cultivate, direct or release energy within your energetic system.
There is a variety of styles and techniques that are considered as breathwork and any intentional breathwork especially when paired with a meditation practice will reenergize and realign your root chakra.
Our breath is one of the first absolutely essential elements for survival. Connecting to the power, freedom, and limitlessness of intentional breathing allows us to move through what we need to, cleanse energetically and harness our energy in a more aligned way that is beneficial to all aspects of our health.
Underactive or Blocked Root Chakra Conclusion
These are just a few of the practices that you can consider working with to unblock and balance you root your chakra.
As with any holistic practice, dedication and intention are key in your approach to any healing practice.
You can choose the practices you feel intuitively drawn to or research other practices such as guided root chakra meditations, crystal healing for the root chakra, color therapy, affirmations, and reiki.
Unblocking and balancing the root chakra is a foundational necessity and it honestly opens you up to enjoy doing the things you need to do to survive and thrive and experiencing the expansion of the other higher chakra.
When we are rooted and energy is flowing through this center harmoniously we can rise to embody and experience our most realized potential.
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Yasmin is a freelance creative, working through the mediums of fine art and writing. She loves deeply exploring themes related to the natural world, the metaphysical world, concepts and embodiments of spirituality as well as esoteric contemplations. An overview of some of her work can be viewed at https://www.instagram.com/faeiirie/