As I eagerly await this month’s Awakening in a Box, I’ve taken some time to reflect on the chakras I’ve missed from previous months. My first box arrived in August with the Heart Chakra theme, and September is the Throat Chakra, but it’s important to work through all the chakras to build a healthy foundation. Whether you believe in chakras or not, the lessons offered by each are beneficial for a happy, well-adjusted life. You can’t argue that root chakra’s strong bones and regular digestion are a product of the food you put in your body, or that sacral chakra’s sexuality and emotional stability are a result of hormones produced by the reproductive organs. The chakras provide the focus and structure to keep us mindful of all facets of life. I would like to work on a chakra series of my own, so today I’ll be covering the Root Chakra individually.

Root Chakra

Muladhara, The Root Chakra, is your foundation. It is the most physical, the most basic, the most essential level of existence. It is your survival instinct, seeking shelter and nourishment. It is tactile, seeking sensation for pleasure. An imbalance in this area of life can set you up to be underweight or overweight, leave you feeling confused and anxious, or sluggish and underwhelmed. The goal for Root Chakra is to put healthy food in your body, get regular exercise, and do things to affirm your security without overindulging your senses. An example of imbalance would be spending money on fast food, because it will immediately sate your appetite and pleasure center, when you know you should be saving money for bills and unexpected emergencies. A deficiency in this area can either be the result of simply not having access to resources or of denying yourself in order to pool your efforts into other areas (eating disorders tie in a number of chakras, so they can be a real puzzle to beat).

Affirmations

The Root Chakra is located at the base of your spine and your mantra is “I Am.” Affirmations vary greatly depending on need, and you are free to create your own, but the central focus is you are safe, secure and grounded. You are connected to the world and have a right to be in it.
Examples: “I am safe. I trust more; I fear less. I am centered and grounded.” “I am powerful, rooted, safe and strong; I am divinely supported at all times.” “I reach down deep into the earth. I feel my roots. I am grounded. I am strong.”

Questions

In addition to an affirmation, you may spend some time reflecting on how your root chakra impacts your daily life. For the root chakra especially it can be helpful to write down your thoughts on paper as it connects you physically. Consider the following questions.
What is your most prized possession and why?
What can you do to feel more secure in life?
Describe your perfect meal.
Describe yourself using only physical descriptions (facts only, nothing subjective; don’t say “I’m short/tall,” instead write down your height).
What does home mean to you?
Tell the story of a scar.
What does family mean to you?

Activities

Go for a walk
Get a pedicure
Cook a meal from scratch
Organize your closet
Lift weights
Tend the garden
Visit family or friends

Foods

Root Chakra foods are good for your bones, muscles, intestines and bladder. These foods include dairy (if you can have it) for calcium; free-range chicken and eggs, and grass-fed beef for healthy protein; and whole grains to regulate digestion. Processed foods make for lazy guts, and artificial sweeteners can set your digestive tract on fast forward, so avoid those things. Other foods you can enjoy include root vegetables like potatoes, carrots and beets, and red fruits and vegetables like peppers, tomatoes, rhubarb, cherries and strawberries.

via memd.me

Stones

Stones associated with the Root Chakra are deep red, brown, grey and black.
Hematite
Red Jasper
Ruby
Snowflake Obsidian
Mahogany Obsidian
Red Tiger’s Eye
Black Tourmaline
Red Coral
Garnet
Smoky Quartz
Onyx

I’ve put together a Root Chakra themed Polyvore collection designed to make you feel fierce and physical.  Red is the color of this chakra, and it has the subconscious effect of making you feel faster, stronger and more competitive (just keep it out of your kitchen and dining area; it also makes you eat more food faster).