Root Down to Rise Up! How to Create Strong Foundations for Lasting Growth?
- Tamara Tirjak
- Jun 8
- 5 min read
Updated: Aug 18
When was the last time you watched trees swaying in the wind? Their branches tossing like human hair, their trunks gently bending, but still standing firmly rooted.
Don't you wish sometimes that you were more like a tree? Weathering life's storms with grace, flowing with the winds of change, yet standing strong, deeply rooted and unwavering.
Instead, we often feel uprooted in the face of challenges. We lose our footing and feel powerless to withstand the turbulent currents of the world around us.
We can choose to become like that tree. We can cultivate strong roots to grow strong and tall, and to face life's torrents with confidence.
Yogic science speaks of seven chakras, spinning energy centres along the spine, each governing key aspects of our physical and emotional wellbeing. In the West, the idea of chakras is sometimes dismissed as 'esoteric humbug'. If I can't see them on an MRI, then surely they can't be real, right?
But what if chakras are simply a visual representation of our endocrine and nervous systems, the (almost) invisible control centre regulating most of our body functions and emotional state? That is how I like to view them.
As with any solid structure, we start from the ground up. The first chakra is the muladhara/root chakra (mula = root, dhara = support/base), located at the base of the spine.
It is associated with our fundamental needs for survival, as well as a sense of grounding, security and safety.
Element: Earth
Colour: Red
Physical body: Lower back, digestive organs, legs, feet, kidneys, prostate and adrenal glands
Processes: Digestion, elimination of toxins, cortisol production (the ‘fight or flight’ response)
Our Roots Ground Us
What does grounding mean in this context? Hint: it has nothing to do with safe electrical circuits or with moody teeangers being sent to their rooms.
Grounding refers to emotional stablity, inner stillness and a sense of belonging. It means being fully present in our bodies, aware of physical sensations and connected to the present moment. Being grounded helps us as leaders approach difficult situations with a sense of calm, clarity and focus. When we are grounded, we are less likely to be swept away by our own emotions, or the emotional turbulence of others around us.
Our Roots Nourish Us
Plants absorb nutrients from the earth through their roots. Similarly, we are fulfilling our fundamental need for nourishment using our digestive system connected to our root chakra,. This mirrors Maslow's hierarchy of needs; we first need to meet our most basic physiological needs for survival before we can pursue higher levels of fulfillment.
In a professional context, this relates to job security, financial stability and a sustainable work–life balance. These are the basics we must have in place to feel safe and supported.
What Happens When the Root Chakra Is Out of Balance?
On the physical level, imbalances in the root chakra may manifest as lower back pain, digestive issues, or persistent fatigue.
On an emotional level, symptoms of a blocked root chakra can include feelings of insecurity, lack of ambition, depression or anxiety, or a general sense of feeling stuck. We may get sucked into other people's emotional fluctuations more easily, and we lose control over our own emotions. Our mood can fluctuate in response to external factors, such as politics, stock prices or the weather.
The feeling of insecurity and the lack of trust in continuous sustenance can also lead to hoarding material possessions in an attempt to create a false sense of safety.
How to Bring the Root Chakra Back into Balance?
There are many ways to support the rebalancing of the root chakra, helping you to find stability and inner strength.
Your roots, your way of growing them!
Try a few of the tips below, stick with what feels right, and let me know which ones work for YOU.
🌿 Connect with earth, the element associated with the root chakra by spending time in nature (waking barefoot, if you like!), tend to your garden, or nurture indoor plants.
🔴 Bring the colour red into your home and wardrobe.
🥕 Introduce more red and earthy foods into your diet, such as carrots, beets, poatoes, turnips, strawberries, pomegranates, cranberries, tomatoes, red peppers and paprika.
🥰 Mindfulness Practice: whether walking or sitting, become aware how your body is supported by your environment, and ultimately by earth itself. While walking, focus on the soles of your feet making contact with the ground at every step. While sitting, uncross your legs and place your feet flat on the floor. Notice how the chair you sit on supports your weight.
🧘♀️ Meditation Practice:
Begin any meditation by grounding into your physical body. Feel where it makes contact with the floor, cushion or chair, and let this be your anchor. When your mind wanders, gently return your focus to that point of contact. I found the practices outlined in Deeper Mindfulness especially valuable for this.
Using your hands, form one the hand gestures for this energy centre: muladhara mudra
Chant the seed mantra of this chakra (LAM), or find a track on your favourite music player with this chant. Alternatively, use a track with the Solfreggio frequency of 396Hz, which is said to resonate with this chakra.
💬 Affirmation Practice: Choose a grounding affirmation to repeat to yourself daily, saying it aloud to yourself while looking into your own eyes in a mirror. Repeat this until you start believing it. Or turn it into a piece of lettering art to put on your wall, desktop or phone lock screen to keep reminding yourself. Some examples:
I feel safe and secure.
I have deep roots.
I trust more, I am fearless.
I trust the universe to support me.
The earth provides a safe place for me.
🙏 Yoga Practice: Regularly include the following poses in your asana practice. Garland pose/Squat (mallasana), Mountain pose (tadasana), Tree pose (vrikshasana), Forward bend (uttanasana), Child pose (balasana), Thunderbolt/Hero pose (virasana) and Warrior I (virabhadrasana).
Benefits of a Balanced Root Chakra in Leadership
We feel safe, secure and confident, thus able to lead from a place of inner stability.
We show resilience and steadfastness even amidst chaos or uncertainty.
We cultivate a sense of belonging and trust, in ourselves and in our team.
We respond to challenges with calm and clarity, rather than reacting out of fear or anxiety.
We create a stable environment for others, becoming an anchor for our teams.
We maintain emotional balance, less influenced by external turbulence or others’ moods.
We are present and connected—in our bodies, our work and our relationships.
Thank you for reading, and have a wonderful week ahead.
The light in me honours the light in you.
Namaste
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