The First Chakra Relates To All Things That Are Solid, Earthy And Grounded.
Located at the base of the spine, the first chakra is associated with the physical body and the world of matter. Called Muladhara in Sanskrit, this energy center is referred to as Malkuth in Qabalistic literature where it is the 10th sephirah on the Tree of Life. More specifically, the first chakra is located at the peritoneum, which can be found midway between the anus and the genitals. Affiliated with the color red, the 1st chakra is considered the densest and the slowest moving of all the major chakras.
Characteristics Of The First Chakra
The first chakra relates all things that are solid, earthy and grounded. According to Qabalistic texts, the first chakra permits “God’s will” to manifest. It allows consciousness to manifest and spiritual patterns, which were conceived of in the 7th chakra, to be expressed in physical form.
On physiological levels, the 1st chakra is associated with the adrenal glands, the coccyx and the coccyglelganglion as well as the large intestines. As the center of manifestation into the physical world, its association with the large intestines only makes sense. It is through the large intestines that solid matter is passed out of the body and into the world around us.
The first chakra is responsible for the generation and identification of our needs. We are all motivated by our unsatisfied needs. Our needs, especially our need to survive can exert an enormous influence over our action. According to Abraham Maslow and his “Hierarchy of Needs”, there are different levels to our needs, with our basic needs wanting to be satisfied before more our more complex needs can be identified and ultimately met.
Maslow’s Hierarchy Of Needs
- Physiological Needs – our need for air, food, and water. These needs can be very strong and if deprived over time, the person will die.
- Safety Needs – our need to have stability and consistency in our lives and our environment.
- Social Needs – include our need to escape loneliness and have a sense of belonging.
- Esteem Needs – our need for self-esteem and respect from others.
- Self-Actualization Needs – at this level, all of our lower needs are met and we are able to be our authentic selves.
Our base needs can be so compelling that they can lead a person to lying, cheating, stealing and even violence. Abraham Maslow believed that humans aren’t inherently evil. Instead, he felt that people who were deprived of their base needs were driven to getting them met by whatever means necessary. This is especially true when it comes to our most basic needs including the need for air, food and water.
Base Needs Of The Root Chakra
Our need for physical survival, that is our need to keep our bodies alive, is vital. We witness this need for physical survival when we see a tree bent over to one side in order to stay in the sunlight or when we hear stories of animals who, when caught in a hunter’s trap, chose to chew off their own paw rather than stay. We also encounter a need for physiological survival when we hear of someone in distress fighting for his or her life.
Our ability to have our base needs met has changed as we have grown as a society. We are no longer hunters and gatherers concerned with what we will eat. Nowadays, we have jobs, bank accounts and credit cards that allow us to buy food and pay for shelter. It is through these means that we are able to satisfy our basic need for survival.
When our ability to take care of our basic needs becomes threatened, we experience the same reaction as our ancestors. We go into fight of flight, which shuts down the first chakra and activates our adrenal glands. If this is you, if you are chronically stressed out or unable to rest, consider that the function of your first chakra has been compromised.
If you think your 1st chakra is blocked or unbalanced, check out our free first chakra guided meditation.
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