The root of everything

First Chakra-Muladhara (or Root) Chakra

Your first chakra is your basis for functioning and survival. Just like in Maslow's hierarchy of needs you're not going to be able think of anything but surviving if you're faced with problems like getting food, shelter, air, etc. Your first chakra has to do with presence-being here, now. You can definitely function with an out-of-balance root chakra, but it makes it a lot harder to deal with everyday life.

Your root chakra grounds you, which means it makes you present. It brings you into your body, establishes boundaries for you and your energy, and helps you maintain a separateness from other people's energy bodies. Grounding is basically saying "I am me, you are you, we are different people, this is what I'm doing now and I'm fully present while I'm doing it, what you are doing may effect me, but it doesn't disrupt my energy body."

Root Chakra Basics:
Sanskrit name- muladhara (root)
Location- base of spine/perineum
Anatomical Feature- bone marrow
Color- red
Number- four
Element- earth
Purpose- foundation, grounding, survival, stability
Issues- work, home, family, health, structure, nourishment, security
Examples of Physical Manifestations- immune disorders, depression, rectal tumors/cancer, varicose veins, sciatica, knee/ankle problems, problems with digestion, adrenal problems
Developmental Stage- womb to 12 months
Identity - physical & tribal(your family/cultural upbringing/beliefs)

A healthy chakra is balanced, it's not too receptive to outside influences, yet it's not so closed that it inhibits energy from flowing through. (Chakras are energy centers in your body that receive outside influences and also project energy outwards, they're filtering channels for your body to give and receive energy. All chakras strive to be balanced within themselves and also in relation to the other chakras in your body.)

Balanced Characteristics:

• physical health
• groundedness
• being comfortable in your body
• a sense of safety and security
• stability
• prosperity
• right livelihood
• ability to be still
• gracefullness
  
• presence in the here and now

Excessive Characteristics:

• heaviness, sluggishness, slow movements
• resistance to change
• overeating, obesity
• hoarding
• greediness, material fixation
• workaholism
• excessive spending

Deficient Characteristics:

• fear, anxiety
• resistance to structure
• anorexia
• spaciness, flightiness, vagueness
• disconnection from your body
• restlessness, inability to be still
• difficulty manifesting or getting anything done

If your chakra isn't balanced, you may develop excessive or deficient characteristics. It's also possible to have both excessive and deficient characteristics in the same chakra, pertaining to different parts of your life (this happens more often in upper chakras however).