Root chakra: signs it is blocked and how to release it (meditation included)

As I announced, I have begun a series of live streams in which we work on one chakra each evening. And, as we should, we began with the first: the root chakra. I even dressed in red to be in its energy. Why start at the bottom, rather than with the “higher” chakras? Because we are, in essence, energy manifesting in matter, and the chakra system manages the body's entire energy field. When the chakras are not working, we stop manifesting and operating at our best.

What is the root chakra (Muladhara)?

The word “chakra” comes from Sanskrit and means wheel or disc. Chakras are energy centres positioned along the body, from the base of the spine to the crown of the head. There are seven main ones, but there are more: in the palms, above the head and even beneath the ground.

The first is called Muladhara: mula means “root”, while adhara means “support” and “foundation”. The root chakra is the body's first energy centre, the foundation of our being: our connection with the earth and sense of safety. It is low down, in the pelvic area, with vital energy at its base. Tradition describes this as a serpent coiled at the base of the spine. The root chakra is the engine for the entire body — that is why we start with it.

It is represented by a red lotus with four petals — the four directions in which you can expand on a solid foundation — with a square in the centre, symbolizing stability. Its element is earth: stability and grounding.

The first three chakras — root, sacral and solar plexus — are those that let you operate in 3D. Trying to rise spiritually with a damaged base chakra is like building a house without a foundation. It does not hold; life brings you back to the lesson below. The root chakra is your alphabet: it is difficult to write without it.

What the root chakra supports: safety, money, family and the body

The root chakra's existential question is: “Do I have a place here?” Do I have a place in this world, this family, this 3D reality? If the answer is not a clear “yes”, you have work to do on chakra 1. It influences safety and the sense of belonging: to family, lineage and earth. We are daughters and sons of both heaven and earth.

Here is what the root chakra holds:

• Survival and basic needs: food, water and shelter.
• Money, work and material stability. If you have problems with money, are not manifesting or lack confidence in yourself, work is done on chakra 1.
• Physical strength and self-confidence: the ability to move forward in life, the courage to go out into the world, put forward your ideas and speak confidently. These come from the masculine energy within you, whose connection with the root chakra is very direct.
• Grounding on the awakening path. If you are on the awakening path, you certainly have moments when it takes you upwards and your body seems to disintegrate: you absorb very high energies. At those times, grounding is essential. The same applies in therapy when you encounter a wound. When I feel it is too much, I stop and ground myself through gardening, work in 3D or music.

And a message for those dreaming of the stars: it is good to go to the stars and do astral work; we are in a period of change. But if you stay only there, while here in 3D you have no money, no home and are not manifesting, it means you have not done your homework. Since you are on this plane, you have something to do here. And if you sometimes feel you have come to the wrong address or miss “home” somewhere far away, you can be sure: you did not come to the wrong address. Your soul wants to learn this lesson.

Signs that the root chakra is blocked

A blockage in chakra 1 shows up in the body, emotions and practical life:

Physically:
- chronic fatigue — whatever you eat or do, you are exhausted;
- digestive problems and lower back pain;
- problems with the legs, spine or bones.

If you have physical symptoms that persist, see a doctor first. Chakra work goes hand in hand with caring for your health; it does not replace it.

Emotionally and psychologically:
- excessive fear, anxiety and insecurity: any new development — and new things are neutral — makes you panic. Then there is work to do with “I ground myself on this plane”;
- difficulty trusting others;
- lack of concentration and pessimism;
- an unbalanced relationship with food and self-care;
- the relationship with your father, if it is difficult, is also addressed here.

Energetically and practically: money that does not stay, work without progress, and the feeling that you belong nowhere.

And yes: the root chakra can also be overactive

A chakra can be blocked, but also overactive — neither is good. When it is overactive, you become aggressive, figuratively speaking: you want to prove something to everyone and stop caring about others. An overactive chakra also rejects useful things from your life.

I have written more about understanding a blocked chakra within the system of seven in the guide to blocked chakras.

I want the PDF guide to the root chakra →

How to harmonize the root chakra: what I use

Spirituality does not have to mean only paid courses or someone doing something for you. There are very subtle ways to work on your own, with persistence: I listened to chakra music for months, day and night, and still play it because each chakra rises to other levels. Here is what I use for chakra 1:

• Music and the mantra. The root chakra's mantra is Lam, and its associated sound frequency is 396 Hz. Listen to chakra 1 music when you want to ground yourself. I have playlists on my YouTube channel.
• The colour red. Eat red foods, dress in red and put red decorations in your home. It really helps; these are very subtle approaches.
• Food: red fruits and vegetables — strawberries, beetroot and tomatoes — plus protein, nuts, legumes and root vegetables: carrots, potatoes (not fried) and ginger. Roots ground you, and beetroot is perfect: it is both a root and red.
• Crystals: red jasper (stability and courage), black tourmaline (protection and grounding), hematite (strength and balance), garnet (vitality and grounding) — essentially all red crystals. Cleanse them in salt water or put them directly in the earth.
• The body: walking barefoot on the earth, yoga, dance, gardening and work in 3D. Everything physical grounds you.
• Massage and salt baths — massage is truly useful; I received guidance to do it.

Guided meditation for the root chakra: the steps

At the end of the live stream, we did the exercise together, and those in the field worked at the same time, each at home. You can do it too, following the steps below:

1. Get comfortable and close your eyes. Breathe. Even if you see nothing — if there is only darkness — allow yourself a little time in the energy and quiet your mind. Do not force images.
2. Connect with the root chakra. What is the energy like there? What colour comes to you, what shape, does it have a smell? The person in the live stream saw colours other than red; do not get stuck on that. There is only one thing to know: the root chakra should be a disc, rather than a ball.
3. Rotate the disc. Turning it to the left cleanses it; turning it to the right charges it. Test both directions and feel what it needs. You set the speed and safety of your reality, and this is where it begins.
4. When cleansing, remove everything that does not belong to it. If needed, ask for help in consciousness from your guides. And get phrases like “I cannot” out of your head: the moment you accept that you can, you open to that reality. Tell yourself: “I am safe. I know how to rotate it. I know how to work with it.”
5. Let what comes out leave with love. Thank those energies for serving you, and let them leave gently.
6. Extend the grounding cord. Imagine a cord going from your chakra straight into the earth, like an anchor. It can reach the centre of the earth. Ask Mother Earth to ground you — you are her son or daughter — and thank her for carrying you on her earth.
7. Feel your body. If you are lying down, feel your body pressed against the bed. If you are sitting or standing, place your soles firmly on the ground. There is no separation between you and the planet: you are part of it. Open the field: “I belong here and now.”
8. Receive. When you charge the chakra clockwise, you take energy from the earth through that cord, and she gives it with love, gentleness and healing. You have nothing to do, only receive. You are not here by chance: you have something to do, a lesson to learn, and you are worthy and loved. The planet is like a good mother: she gives freely, without a loan, and wants you to blossom as flowers do.
9. Put your hands on your chest and feel the love coming to you from the centre of the earth. Let the root chakra rotate and charge, and allow yourself to grow.
10. Return whenever you need to. When life is difficult or you are too caught up in your mind, return to this meditation and go into nature to reconnect. In the evening, you can fall asleep to the chakra 1 music playlist — not too loud — and see how you sleep.

See the complete root chakra collection →

Essential oils that support chakra 1

Aromatherapy works beautifully with chakras. For the root chakra, I use essential oils of patchouli, cedar and vetiver — I put them directly on the chakra. Patchouli is my main grounding oil: you can find it here, and I have written extensively about using it in rituals in the article on patchouli essential oil. And if you want to diffuse them at home, I also share my recipes for essential oil blends for a diffuser.

Do the meditation with me

If you want the exercise guided by me, with the field open too, start the live stream below and follow the steps.

I will begin chakra 1 work with the PDF guide →

Frequently asked questions about the root chakra

What is the root chakra and what does it support?

Muladhara is the first chakra, at the base of the spine. It is the foundation of being: it holds safety, belonging to family and earth, basic needs, money, work, material stability and self-confidence. All spiritual rising rests on it, as a house rests on its foundation.

How do I unblock the root chakra?

With the meditation above: close your eyes, see the chakra as a disc, rotate it to the left to cleanse what does not belong to it, then to the right to charge it, and extend the grounding cord to the centre of the earth. Support the work with the Lam mantra and 396 Hz frequency, the colour red, root vegetables, walking barefoot, and patchouli, cedar and vetiver oils. With persistence, for months.

How can I tell whether my root chakra is blocked?

The clearest signs: excessive fear and anxiety, panic at anything new, insecurity, pessimism, fatigue you cannot shake, money problems and a sense of not belonging. For the overall picture, I have written here about the seven signs of blocked chakras.

Which essential oils do I use for chakra 1?

Patchouli, cedar and vetiver. I put them on the chakra or diffuse them; patchouli is my favourite for grounding, and you can find it here.

How long does it take to see results?

Work persistently: I listened to chakra music for months and still work on them, because every chakra keeps rising to another level. The larger your root chakra, the more you can manifest.

At the end of the live stream, the field opened beautifully and I saw Gaia — a luminous feminine presence, happy that we had connected to her planet. She is always with us, but sometimes we go too far into our minds and forget. And remember: where one heals, everyone heals, because we are one. Put your hands on your chest, breathe, and remember that you have a place here. Sending you a kiss, and I look forward to seeing you at the next live stream.