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[post_content] => A couple weeks ago, I wrote an article introducing the Indian concept of
chakras and explained them from a variety of different perspectives. The prevailing classical perspective is that they are distinct centers of the subtle anatomy of the human body, affecting our physical, emotional, mental, and spiritual lives (though, some would say, only in spiritual aspirants who have awakened them).
The prevailing modern perspective is that the locations of the chakras correspond with major neurological centers, and whether or not they also exist as the subtle lotuses or wheels described in ancient scriptures, they function as important stations of mind-body connection, plus they represent a useful system for understanding psycho-spiritual health and evolution.
I want to be reverent of the origins of chakra philosophy (which has often been co-opted in the West without regard for accuracy), however, I believe that some insightful Westerners have contributed to this science in a significant way. If I continue to try to address every perspective while also attempting to avoid ruffling any feathers, I think these articles won't be any fun to read, so I'm going to be a bit looser about mixing the old and the new. If you have questions, feel free to ask in the comments section at the end of the article.
Now, let’s dive into the First Chakra, called Muladhara, which is located in the region of the perineum (halfway between the genitals and anus) and or just in front of the tip of the tailbone (coccyx). In the last article I said this is arguably the most important chakra for the average human, and that’s because it relates to survival. When your survival is threatened, you might reflexively tighten up here, or even lose all control of your eliminatory functions. Your health at this state of being can be experienced as a
fundamental sense of trust about getting your basic needs met, and a feeling of safety, security, and stability.
Muladhara is also known as the
root chakra because it relates to the Earth Element and our sense of groundedness. It’s also the chakra most closely associated with the physical body, the physical world, and our relationship with worldly things and material possessions. It governs the legs and feet – which connect us to the earth – as well as the long, thick sciatic nerves, which, like roots of the nervous system, run from the sacrum all the way down the legs to the feet.
Balance at this state of being can be difficult for modern humans because we are generally more immersed in our thoughts, more surrounded by material goods, less present in our bodies, less on our feet, and less connected to the earth and the natural world than ever before in the history of our species. Meanwhile, although actual crises of survival are much less common than in the past for most people in the developed world, we have learned to fabricate “life or death” feelings about all sorts of everyday occurrences, which taxes the foundation this chakra provides.
It is sometimes said that there’s no reason to work on our upper chakras before the lower ones are in order, and this is especially true of the First Chakra. If, for example, you haven’t sorted out your basic needs; if you look to possessions to provide happiness and belonging; if you haven't yet owned what Anodea Judith calls your “right to be here,” then you’re bound to be undermined in the pursuit of higher personal and spiritual development.
According to Caroline Myss, this is the chakra of “tribal power.” She says it relates to group identity, power, and beliefs. Our sense of belonging to our community “grounds” us in a manner similar to the earth and the security of home. We deeply associate
belonging with survival itself, since our life begins with total dependence on our tribe to supply our basic needs. (They may also supply our deepest fears, limitations, and wounds.) In addition, our tribe teaches us core moral virtues – loyalty, honor, and justice – although, depending on our interpretation, our relationship with these concepts may be harmful rather than fortifying. Myss advises making peace with our culture because resentment toward it (regardless of whether it’s warranted) can impair our power by blocking our awareness of the sacred truth that All is One.
Imbalance at the Muladhara level of being can manifest in a variety of ways, often marked by insecurity and instability. Some examples are given below. (It should be noted, however, that while First Chakra imbalances can manifest in these ways, these symptoms could also result from imbalances of other chakras or from issues unrelated to the chakra system.)
- Anxiety, panic, depression, living in “survival mode,” fear in general, and specifically fear of abandonment, fear of running out of resources, fear of loss of physical order
- Difficulty standing up for oneself
- No sense of home; not knowing where you’ll sleep tonight or where your next meal will come from
- Difficulty making money and/or holding onto it
- Clinging to material possessions
- Self-centeredness
- Inability to perceive one’s self-worth
- Feeling undeserving of having things, of having enough; “poverty consciousness”
- Rectal disorders, sciatica, varicose veins, immune disorders, problems with the bones, legs and feet
Establishing balance in the First Chakra often entails hard work; frequently, it’s the work of an entire lifetime. It’s hard work mostly because it’s
deep work. It requires a willingness to go as deep as possible into one’s belief system and one’s oldest memories, and to challenge, reframe, and heal what you find there. The following strategies may provide additional support:
- Spend time in nature, preferably with your bare feet on the ground.
- Get connected to your self-worth. Hint: it’s the same worth as everyone else, and it isn’t affected by your looks, your deeds, or your abilities. Believe that you deserve to have your needs met and you have a right to be here.
- Exercise, eat well, and in general, take good care of your body.
- Eat some protein. As the most dense and slow-to-digest component of our diet, it is good for helping to ground us (although excessive amounts can dull our consciousness).
- Retrain your survival mechanisms. Ask yourself, when your adrenaline is flowing, if this is a genuine “fight or flight” situation. Breathe deeply, imagining the breath goes all the way down to the bottom of your pelvic bowl, and anchor yourself. Meanwhile, avoid getting emotionally charged unnecessarily – cut out the horror movies, for instance – and remember that you can be present and fully participating for your boss, your friends, and your family even without taking on their drama.
- Don’t let your mind monopolize your attention. Keep some of your awareness in your body, feeling what comes up throughout the day.
- Establish financial stability. When money comes to you, accept it without guilt. Really receive it with total willingness. If necessary, modify your image of yourself such that you can comfortably see yourself as a person who has enough.
- A wide array of exercises and yoga poses are prescribed for strengthening or balancing Muladhara. Two of my favorites are squatting and mula bandha – “root lock” – one of the locks or bandhas of yoga. You can look up articles on mula bandha - it’s similar to doing Kegel exercises to strengthen the pelvic floor, but a little more subtle.
Often, First Chakra work seems never to be finished. Most of us are “householders” – we live in the physical world, we have piles of stuff, and it’s an incredible challenge to be at peace in the midst of it all. Meanwhile, our animalistic survival instincts, including pleasure seeking and pain avoidance, are wired into our nervous system. It takes real devotion to personal growth to override these instincts and take our own driver’s seat, but I believe it's the work we're all here to do and we all have the ability to succeed at it.
Be well,
Dr. Peter Borten
Sources:
- Johari, H. (1987). Energy Centers of Transformation. Destiny Books.
- Judith, A. (2004). Eastern Body, Western Mind: Psychology and the Chakra System as a Path to the Self. Berkeley, CA: Celestial Arts.
- Judith, A. (1999). Wheels of Life: The Classic Guide to the Chakra System. St. Paul, MN: Llewellyn Publications.
- Khalsa, G. K. (1991). Energy Maps: A Journey Through the Chakras. La Crescenta, CA: CyberScribe.
- Myss, C. M. (1996). Anatomy of the Spirit: The Seven Stages of Power and Healing. New York: Three Rivers Press.
- Svoboda, R. E. (1995). Aghora II: Kundalini. Albuquerque, NM: Brotherhood of Life Publishing.
- White, J. W. (1990). Kundalini, Evolution, and Enlightenment. New York: Paragon House.
- Woodroffe, J. G., & P. (1931). The Serpent Power: Being the Shat-chakra-nirūpana and Pādukā-panchaka; Two Works on Laya yoga. Madras: Ganesh.
[post_title] => Getting to the Root of the Matter: Understanding Your Foundation in Your Root Chakra.
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In the past two weeks, I wrote about what I consider to be the basic principles of a cleanse. This week I’ll discuss a few additional practices that can further promote clean spaciousness of the body and mind.
We usually focus on the digestive tract, but there are several organ systems involved in the processing and removal of toxins. Besides the intestines, the liver, kidneys, lymphatic vessels, skin, and lungs all play important roles. You can support these systems to make a cleanse more thorough or to promote detoxification even when you’re eating your normal diet.
The liver and kidneys are the powerhouses of detox. While the liver actually has around 500 functions, the most well-known is breaking down toxins and things that could become harmful to us if they were to build up – like hormones, drugs, and metabolic waste products. Nutrients and toxins from the digestive tract go directly to the liver (via the portal vein). Our kidneys are a bit simpler, acting primarily as filters that clean our blood, removing toxins and hormones, and balancing fluid and salt levels.
There’s a lot of hype around liver and kidney cleanses, and in some cases a fundamental misunderstanding as to how these systems work. Generally speaking, the liver and kidneys themselves don’t need to be “cleaned out.” They don’t become “dirty” when we’re exposed to environmental toxins, though it is possible for them to become injured by such exposure. In these cases, blood tests will sometimes show elevated levels of liver enzymes or creatinine, which indicate impairment of the liver or kidneys, respectively. But most people who do a cleanse don’t have any testing done, nor would testing likely show anything abnormal. Therefore, it’s best to proceed with an aim of protecting and supporting – rather than “cleaning” – these organs.
The best way to protect the liver and kidneys is to avoid exposure to toxic chemicals in the first place. Some of the most common liver1 and kidney2 toxins include pesticides, cleaners, air fresheners, paints and solvents, heavy metals, pharmaceuticals, certain herbs and essential oils3, and alcoholic beverages. It’s important to state that (1) not all of these substances are intrinsically toxic, and (2) many of these substances can be readily metabolized by the liver and/or kidneys with zero harm. They become toxic – i.e., damaging – to these organs when our exposure level exceeds the capacity of the organs, and that’s a factor of the health of the individual and the sum total of all such substances a person is exposed to. Thus, a single dose of acetaminophen in an individual with a healthy liver is completely safe. But the maximum daily dose, taken over a course of weeks, and combined with alcohol or other environmental toxins could be a recipe for liver failure.
Keep toxins moving through your body by staying well hydrated (this is especially important for healthy kidneys) and exercising regularly. Consider supplementing with herbs that have an established tradition (ideally supported by scientific research) of protecting and supporting healthy liver and kidney function, if you know you’re going to be exposed to toxins. According to Portland-based naturopathic physician, Tori Hudson, ND, the five most important liver-protecting herbs are: milk thistle, turmeric, licorice, schizandra, and Chinese skullcap (Scutellaria baicalensis).
All of these are very safe herbs, though it’s worth reading her article for information on potential interactions. Also, licorice can cause a small increase in blood pressure, which goes away when it’s discontinued. Of these five, milk thistle is the most remarkable, as it has been shown to restore function in damaged livers.
For kidney support, again, hydration is crucial. Also, diets that are very high in protein can be taxing to the kidneys, so it’s probably advisable to be moderate with protein consumption especially when you’re dehydrated, doing a cleanse, or managing exposure to toxic substances. The mushroom Ganoderma lucidum, AKA Reishi or Ling Zhi, has been shown to help protect the kidneys from chemical damage. Also, tea of stinging nettle (it doesn’t sting after it’s been dried or cooked) is nourishing and supportive to the kidneys.
~
The lymphatic vessels run throughout the body and carry immune cells, help maintain fluid balance, and facilitate the removal of debris, such as damaged cells, germs, and the waste products of injury and infection. These vessels move fluid from the extremities and trunk toward the heart, though they have no central pump the way the heart pumps blood. Therefore, lymph flow can sometimes become sluggish, especially after injury, during an infection, when lymph nodes are swollen, and when lymphatic tissue has been damaged by surgery. When sluggish lymph causes an area of the body to swell, it’s called lymphedema, and infections on limbs with lymphedema can be slow to heal.
Before I get into what you can do to support your lymphatic system, let’s discuss the roles of the skin and lungs, since there’s a lot of overlap. In comparison to the kidneys and liver, these three aren’t major detoxifiers, but their roles aren’t insignificant, so they’re worth enlisting in the cause of internal cleanness.
The lungs keep us clean primarily by bringing in fresh oxygen and releasing the waste product carbon dioxide, though they are also capable of expelling certain other toxins through exhalation. The one you know best is alcohol – this is how we can use a breathalyzer (or our nose) to determine how intoxicated a person is – but the lungs also release other volatile organic compounds (VOCs).4
The skin is sometimes spoken of as the “third lung” since it “breathes” through its pores. With more and more drugs being delivered through the skin as a cream or patch, it’s indisputable that the skin is highly permeable. A wide range of substances can pass into the body through it. Likewise, our sweat is able to carry toxins out of the body through the skin. Studies have shown that heavy metals and the plastic additive bisphenol-A (BPA) are present in sweat.
While the quantity of toxins in sweat and exhaled air is very low, these processes are occurring throughout the day, so some researchers have proposed that over time they actually constitute a significant mechanism for detoxification. Overall, I believe that the fad of “detox through the skin” has been over-hyped, but I have known many people (myself included) who simply feel good from doing these practices. And, in any case, we might as well optimize skin, lung, and lymphatic function, regardless of the actual impact on internal toxins.
Practicing self massage with light strokes, moving from the extremities toward the heart, can help move stagnant lymph. It can also be performed with a dry skin brush: using small circular motions or long strokes, always directed toward the heart, work your way from the ends of your extremities to your trunk, and then from the belly and back toward the heart. Dry skin brushing is exfoliating and invigorating to the circulation, which may help with detoxification through the skin.
We can facilitate sweating through exercise and use of sauna. Exercise, as you know, has many health benefits beyond whatever detoxification value sweating may offer. However, if you’re depleted or weak, such that vigorous exercise makes you feel exhausted or worsens your condition, the use of a sauna can be preferable. With a sauna, I believe it’s best not to strive for an intense, profuse sweat, but rather, a mild glistening sweat for a longer period of time (say, half an hour). Always remember to re-hydrate.
Bathing seems to offer modest support for detoxification through the skin. Some bath additives that are used for this purpose include Epsom salts (magnesium sulfate), apple cider vinegar, and clay. It’s questionable just how deep the cleansing through these agents might be, or what exactly the mechanism is, but if nothing else, baths clean the skin and might therefore facilitate better clearance through sweating. Also, the heat helps open our blood vessels, and baths are just plain relaxing – and metabolism and elimination work better when we’re relaxed.
To support lymph movement, be sure to avoid clothing that’s overly tight (unless you need compression stockings) – especially around the underarm and groin areas. Sleep always in loose fitting pajamas. In addition, shaking the body – as in Qigong Shaking, using a trampoline, or standing on a vibration plate – appears to facilitate lymphatic circulation.
Breathing deeply as a regular practice is supportive to the lungs. We can train ourselves to inhale more deeply and to exhale more fully. Try making the exhale as long as possible, and then, when you feel there’s nothing more to exhale, push out a little bit more, and a little bit more, until your lungs are absolutely empty. If you feel your breathing is weak, you can buy a cheap spirometer which will let you see clearly the strength and duration of your breaths. Using it over time, you’ll see and feel a difference. Also, there are many specific breathing practices that are meant to cleanse and oxygenate the body, such as Rebirthing or Conscious Breathing, and pranayama exercises such as “breath of fire” and Kapalabhati.
Finally, forgiveness, as I see it, is the most valuable psychological instrument for cleansing. I’m talking both about everyday forgiveness and radical forgiveness. By everyday forgiveness, I mean forgiving and releasing the various grievances you have with others and yourself that are relatively easy to perceive. For example, this means forgiving others for: not letting you in when you wanted to change lanes in your car; saying something unkind to you; showing up late; sleeping with the milkman/milkwoman; etc. And it means forgiving yourself when you have a pimple; when you botch a presentation; because you’re overweight; when you accidentally slap your boss three times in a row; when you yell at your kids; and really, even when you do something that’s severely hurtful to yourself or others.
By radical forgiveness, I mean large-scale forgiveness of the world and life for not always being the way you’d prefer them to be. Forgiving the world for the presence of violence and greed; forgiving humans for damaging the environment; forgiving God or the Universe for allowing you to suffer; and so on.
When we harbor these grievances instead of accepting, forgiving, and releasing them, it’s like holding onto toxins. I believe that the impact of all of our hundreds and thousands of mini- and mega-grievances often amounts to a “toxic burden” that more significantly degrades our lives than any physical toxins do.
As usual, I love to hear about your personal experiences. Please share below.
Be well,
Dr. Peter Borten
[1] The National Institutes of Health’s LiverTox site allows you to search for drugs and herbs for data on potential liver toxicity.
[2] The most common causes of serious kidney damage, it should be noted, are not environmental toxins, but dehydration, high blood sugar (diabetes) and high blood pressure.
[3] There are a small number of herbs and essential oils containing compounds that are toxic to the liver or kidneys. There have also been some cases of poisoning from herbal supplements in which the toxicity was due to a chemical adulterant rather than the herb itself. On the one hand, these relative outliers are sometimes used to make sweeping claims against the safety of natural medicine. On the other hand, it’s naïve to assume that herbs and essential oils are universally safe. Caution is important with essential oils (see this study) and especially whenever ingesting any essential oil. That said, there are also herbs and essential oils which have been shown to protect the liver or kidneys from damage.
[4] See Human Breath Emissions of VOCs and Exhaled Breath Analysis: from Occupational to Respiratory Medicine
[post_title] => More Ways to Make a Clean Space Within Yourself
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Before we get swept up in all the material aspects of the holidays, I thought I’d write a bit about the opportunities for inner growth and awakening presented by the autumn season. We can view the cycle of seasons as a metaphor for the cycles of life, and the autumn phase seems to be challenging for more people than any other.
While spring and summer were marked by lots of new leaves, flowers, and fruits, in autumn the outward growth ends and decay begins. It’s much like the shift that occurs in humans’ later years.
People vary, but generally speaking, we spend twenty years growing into adult bodies and a few more decades actively focused on outward building and growing – wealth, a family, reputation, etc. Then the outward growth diminishes and eventually a period of physical decline begins.
In Chinese Five Element philosophy, this phase presents a lesson in true value – it urges us to let go of what is already departing and to focus on what can’t be lost. It reminds us that physical forms are temporary; it points us to what’s eternal.
If we accept these prompts, when a form falls away, we can more readily see the essence behind it – the growth we experienced, the love that was ignited, the connection that developed. And as our own form ceases to be the main priority of our life, so can the formless light of our being more easily shine through us.
Besides the seasonal journey of a whole lifetime, this cycle occurs on a smaller scale many times through our lives – such as the end of a project, when our children leave home, or with the passing of a loved one. If we haven’t been conscious of our connection to the essence of these relationships, this autumn phase is likely to be painful because we perceive it only as a loss.
It’s possible, however, to witness the bare trees of life’s autumns not with grief but wonder and appreciation. The more in tune we are with the richness and consistency of the spiritual dimension of life, the easier it is to accept whatever life brings. Spiritual connection not only enriches our lives, it also makes us more resilient.
Like any relationship we value, our relationship with Spirit is strongest and most supportive when we tend to it regularly. Many people never learned how to do this, so I’d like to offer a few suggestions through an excerpt of our book, The Well Life.
What Are We Connecting To?
It’s important to have a term that feels comfortable to your mind. God is easy for most people, but too loaded for some. If you’re uncertain, here are some ideas.
- There are religion-specific equivalents of the word God, such as: Allah, Jah, Yahweh, Elohim, etc.
- In many traditions, the primary conception of God is in male form, such as: Divine or Heavenly Father, Lord, Shiva, Father Sky, etc.
- Other traditions focus on the female form: Goddess, Divine Mother, Shakti, Ma, Guanyin (Kwan Yin), Mother Earth, etc.
- Frequently, people relate best to the holy human or avatar form of God: Jesus, Mohammad, Krishna, Rama, Buddha, etc.
- If you shy away from anthropomorphic notions of God, there are more abstract terms, like: Spirit, Almighty, Dao (Tao), Guru, Holy Spirit, the Divine, the One, Divine Light, the Absolute, the Force, Infinite One, and Source.
- As an expression of the idea that God is our identity, there are names such as: Higher or Highest Self, Great Self, Universal Self, Divine Self, Buddha Self, I Am, Supreme Consciousness, and Awareness.
- There is the understanding of God as our World, with names such as: Nature, Universe, Cosmic Oneness, Ultimate Reality, and Totality.
- Finally, if all of these words feel too grand to you, you may wish to choose a simple term such as prana, qi (chi), love, light, truth, or life force.
Choose a way of relating to Spirit that feels the least threatening or complicated. Just as importantly, go with the way that feels most awe-inspiring, most all-encompassing, most benevolent, most peaceful, most intelligent, and most lovable.
How Do We Connect?
In truth, you are already connected. You’re sitting in the lap of Spirit. Spirit moves through you. Though, if you’re like the rest of us, you’re usually unaware of it. As many spiritual traditions explain, this is one of the trappings of being surrounded by the stuff of the material world. We can get so wrapped up in our bodies and possessions, in our relationships and drama, that we lose sight of the most fundamental quality that is always here and has always been here—a deep sense of belonging to the oneness that encompasses everything.
Here are thirteen approaches to connecting with your Highest Self. Hopefully, you’ll resonate with at least a few of them. Try several and then make a practice of the ones that feel the best.
Thirteen Ways to Connect with Your Highest Self
- Approach life with innocence and humility. Don’t assume that you know what a situation holds in store for you. Pretend you’re a baby or a traveler in a foreign land. Be willing to go deep. Dive in with something or someone you might otherwise skim over.
- Connect to what inspires you. Whatever it is—art, music, writing, healing, gardening—that stirs something in you, make it an integral part of your life. Make it your religion. And when you feel this stirring, ask it where it comes from, what it has to say, and how it wants to move you.
- Be in nature. Let yourself experience awe in the splendor and power of the elements. Put your feet on the earth. Get among trees. Venture high up a mountain. Feel the expansiveness of the desert. Experience the rush of a river, the glassy reflectiveness of a tranquil lake, and the push and pull of the ocean. Let the rain pour over you. Let the snow land in your hair. Hold your face up to the sun. Look at the stars and moon. Feel the wind. Light a fire. Examine grains of sand under a magnifying glass. Admire crystals, plants, and animals. This isn’t just scenery; it’s an extension of You. Awaken the connection.
- Meditate. Make space without anything else to occupy your attention. Space for the sake of space. Space for an unmanipulated experience.
- Pray. If you have a way of praying that works for you, keep it up. Some people feel drawn to the traditional supplication form of prayer—making a humble request to a higher power. Others prefer a more casual conversation with Spirit. Still others do it through dance, singing, chanting, or running. If you’re interested in prayer but don’t know how to begin, consider this basic format for meditative prayer, and feel free to change it however you like.
- Remove yourself from distractions if possible.
- Say hello. Open the connection.
- Welcome the intelligence, love, and guidance that are available to you.
- Express what you’re ready to let go of—blocks, limiting beliefs, damaging behaviors, emotional pollution—and ask that it be taken away.
- In the space that has been made, ask a question or make a request for something you wish to invite into your life. See it in your mind’s eye, feel it, intend that it shows up in a way that is healthy and supports the common good.
- Be open. Listen.
- Say thank you.
- Repeat mantras, names of the Divine, blessings, or prayers. This is something of a combination of meditation and prayer, and a bit different than either. In Catholicism it’s called praying the rosary, in Buddhism and Hinduism it’s called japa, and similar traditions exist in other religions. A string of beads (rosary, or mala in Sanskrit) is customarily used to count the repetitions, though it’s not required. The value of repetition of mantras or prayers isn’t just in the meaning and energetic influence of the sounds, but perhaps even more in the effect on your consciousness. It can put you in a deeply peaceful and connected meditative or trancelike state. It gives the busy mind something to focus on, and in the process you’re liberated from its monologue. Some common mantras from various traditions include: Om (Aum), Maranatha, Om Namah Shivaya, Om Mani Padme Hum, God, Nam Myoho Renge Kyo, Elohim, So Ham, Om Shanti Shanti Shanti, Sat Nam. [In material accompanying the book, we explain these mantras in greater detail and offer some additional suggestions.]
- Connect to what encompasses and guides you. Although it seems that between you and the nearest objects is just empty space, imagine that Spirit is meeting you at every point on your body, that you’re fully held and embraced from all sides. Feel the flow, the trajectory by which your life moves along. See if you can become aware of its contours, its gentle nudges.
- Expect magic. Ask Spirit to reveal itself to you in the form of coincidences, gifts, and serendipities. Your Higher Self wants to be seen. Tune in and open your awareness to the ways you’re taken care of, the lessons you’re shown, the answers you’re given, and the delight and humor that’s sprinkled throughout your days. If you believe in this magic, you start to see it everywhere, and ultimately it doesn’t matter if you’re making it up or not because it has a positive subjective impact either way.
- Go to holy places and sites dedicated to spiritual practice. Even if it makes you a little uncomfortable, check out beautiful, spacious old churches. Visit a Jewish synagogue, a mosque, an ashram, Hindu and Buddhist temples, a zendo. If you like travel, see some sacred shrines and natural places of power, such as Mount Kailash, Giza, Chichén Itzá, the Ganges River, Glastonbury Tor, Lake Titicaca, or Machu Picchu.
- Do something charitable, help someone, serve your world. These kinds of actions have the potential to align you with Spirit because you’re doing “God’s work” by making yourself an emissary of love and kindness. Plus, you’re serving the common good, which can only benefit you. Finally, there’s little opportunity for connection when you’re immersed in your small self’s worries and interests all the time. Broadening your awareness to include others is a valuable first step to opening to Spirit.
- Make an offering. Offer up a dance, offer your sweat, offer your exhale, offer your time, offer your labors, offer your tears, offer your love. It’s a symbolic thing we do out of reverence for Spirit, for our Highest Self. Your intention can be to offer yourself for Divine infusion. You can offer your pain, your karmic residue, or your sadness to be liberated from it. Connection through exercise can be powerful because you’re naturally breathing deeply, you’re focused, you’re sweating, and your body is open and in the flow. It’s easy to get out of your mind and to give yourself over to the activity. Connection through your work is also potent, as it inspires you to work hard, to do it with care, and to feel grateful in the process. Give everything to this moment in recognition of the tremendous gift that it is.
- Let yourself fall in love. Rather than confining your devotion to a particular image or idea of God, realize that God is in everything. Therefore, you can pick the sweetest thing, the easiest to love, and love it purely, deeply, and unconditionally. Then use this as a portal to loving and connecting with the greater Whole. As you effortlessly experience love in relation to this expression of Spirit, allow this love connection to open up into a broader connection with the Totality. Love the flowers. Love the children. Love the animals. Love your family members. Practice perfect love. Love the ugly parts as well as the pretty ones. Then recognize that this small part of the Divine is connected to all the other parts.
- Practice mind-body arts that cross over into the spiritual, such as Qi Gong, tai chi, yi quan, and yoga. These disciplines promote the perception of energy, expand your awareness, and help you integrate the nonphysical into everyday life. The East Asian arts specifically train in the cultivation and focus of power, while yoga is also especially good at promoting flexibility and openness and undoing resistance (the single greatest impediment to your power). Try both yoga and Qi Gong or a martial art, since they develop you in different ways. [In the material that accompanies the book, we offer some basic pranayama (yogic breathing) and Qi Gong exercises.]
(If you enjoyed this excerpt, check out the audio version of The Well Life book on our site or through Audible.)
Here’s hoping that as the leaves fall to the ground and more space is revealed, you’ll take the time to experience that spaciousness within yourself and see what arises. Feel free to comment below about your experience with these techniques or other ways of connecting.
Be well,
Peter
[post_title] => 13 Ways to Connect
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[post_content] => A couple weeks ago, I wrote an article introducing the Indian concept of
chakras and explained them from a variety of different perspectives. The prevailing classical perspective is that they are distinct centers of the subtle anatomy of the human body, affecting our physical, emotional, mental, and spiritual lives (though, some would say, only in spiritual aspirants who have awakened them).
The prevailing modern perspective is that the locations of the chakras correspond with major neurological centers, and whether or not they also exist as the subtle lotuses or wheels described in ancient scriptures, they function as important stations of mind-body connection, plus they represent a useful system for understanding psycho-spiritual health and evolution.
I want to be reverent of the origins of chakra philosophy (which has often been co-opted in the West without regard for accuracy), however, I believe that some insightful Westerners have contributed to this science in a significant way. If I continue to try to address every perspective while also attempting to avoid ruffling any feathers, I think these articles won't be any fun to read, so I'm going to be a bit looser about mixing the old and the new. If you have questions, feel free to ask in the comments section at the end of the article.
Now, let’s dive into the First Chakra, called Muladhara, which is located in the region of the perineum (halfway between the genitals and anus) and or just in front of the tip of the tailbone (coccyx). In the last article I said this is arguably the most important chakra for the average human, and that’s because it relates to survival. When your survival is threatened, you might reflexively tighten up here, or even lose all control of your eliminatory functions. Your health at this state of being can be experienced as a
fundamental sense of trust about getting your basic needs met, and a feeling of safety, security, and stability.
Muladhara is also known as the
root chakra because it relates to the Earth Element and our sense of groundedness. It’s also the chakra most closely associated with the physical body, the physical world, and our relationship with worldly things and material possessions. It governs the legs and feet – which connect us to the earth – as well as the long, thick sciatic nerves, which, like roots of the nervous system, run from the sacrum all the way down the legs to the feet.
Balance at this state of being can be difficult for modern humans because we are generally more immersed in our thoughts, more surrounded by material goods, less present in our bodies, less on our feet, and less connected to the earth and the natural world than ever before in the history of our species. Meanwhile, although actual crises of survival are much less common than in the past for most people in the developed world, we have learned to fabricate “life or death” feelings about all sorts of everyday occurrences, which taxes the foundation this chakra provides.
It is sometimes said that there’s no reason to work on our upper chakras before the lower ones are in order, and this is especially true of the First Chakra. If, for example, you haven’t sorted out your basic needs; if you look to possessions to provide happiness and belonging; if you haven't yet owned what Anodea Judith calls your “right to be here,” then you’re bound to be undermined in the pursuit of higher personal and spiritual development.
According to Caroline Myss, this is the chakra of “tribal power.” She says it relates to group identity, power, and beliefs. Our sense of belonging to our community “grounds” us in a manner similar to the earth and the security of home. We deeply associate
belonging with survival itself, since our life begins with total dependence on our tribe to supply our basic needs. (They may also supply our deepest fears, limitations, and wounds.) In addition, our tribe teaches us core moral virtues – loyalty, honor, and justice – although, depending on our interpretation, our relationship with these concepts may be harmful rather than fortifying. Myss advises making peace with our culture because resentment toward it (regardless of whether it’s warranted) can impair our power by blocking our awareness of the sacred truth that All is One.
Imbalance at the Muladhara level of being can manifest in a variety of ways, often marked by insecurity and instability. Some examples are given below. (It should be noted, however, that while First Chakra imbalances can manifest in these ways, these symptoms could also result from imbalances of other chakras or from issues unrelated to the chakra system.)
- Anxiety, panic, depression, living in “survival mode,” fear in general, and specifically fear of abandonment, fear of running out of resources, fear of loss of physical order
- Difficulty standing up for oneself
- No sense of home; not knowing where you’ll sleep tonight or where your next meal will come from
- Difficulty making money and/or holding onto it
- Clinging to material possessions
- Self-centeredness
- Inability to perceive one’s self-worth
- Feeling undeserving of having things, of having enough; “poverty consciousness”
- Rectal disorders, sciatica, varicose veins, immune disorders, problems with the bones, legs and feet
Establishing balance in the First Chakra often entails hard work; frequently, it’s the work of an entire lifetime. It’s hard work mostly because it’s
deep work. It requires a willingness to go as deep as possible into one’s belief system and one’s oldest memories, and to challenge, reframe, and heal what you find there. The following strategies may provide additional support:
- Spend time in nature, preferably with your bare feet on the ground.
- Get connected to your self-worth. Hint: it’s the same worth as everyone else, and it isn’t affected by your looks, your deeds, or your abilities. Believe that you deserve to have your needs met and you have a right to be here.
- Exercise, eat well, and in general, take good care of your body.
- Eat some protein. As the most dense and slow-to-digest component of our diet, it is good for helping to ground us (although excessive amounts can dull our consciousness).
- Retrain your survival mechanisms. Ask yourself, when your adrenaline is flowing, if this is a genuine “fight or flight” situation. Breathe deeply, imagining the breath goes all the way down to the bottom of your pelvic bowl, and anchor yourself. Meanwhile, avoid getting emotionally charged unnecessarily – cut out the horror movies, for instance – and remember that you can be present and fully participating for your boss, your friends, and your family even without taking on their drama.
- Don’t let your mind monopolize your attention. Keep some of your awareness in your body, feeling what comes up throughout the day.
- Establish financial stability. When money comes to you, accept it without guilt. Really receive it with total willingness. If necessary, modify your image of yourself such that you can comfortably see yourself as a person who has enough.
- A wide array of exercises and yoga poses are prescribed for strengthening or balancing Muladhara. Two of my favorites are squatting and mula bandha – “root lock” – one of the locks or bandhas of yoga. You can look up articles on mula bandha - it’s similar to doing Kegel exercises to strengthen the pelvic floor, but a little more subtle.
Often, First Chakra work seems never to be finished. Most of us are “householders” – we live in the physical world, we have piles of stuff, and it’s an incredible challenge to be at peace in the midst of it all. Meanwhile, our animalistic survival instincts, including pleasure seeking and pain avoidance, are wired into our nervous system. It takes real devotion to personal growth to override these instincts and take our own driver’s seat, but I believe it's the work we're all here to do and we all have the ability to succeed at it.
Be well,
Dr. Peter Borten
Sources:
- Johari, H. (1987). Energy Centers of Transformation. Destiny Books.
- Judith, A. (2004). Eastern Body, Western Mind: Psychology and the Chakra System as a Path to the Self. Berkeley, CA: Celestial Arts.
- Judith, A. (1999). Wheels of Life: The Classic Guide to the Chakra System. St. Paul, MN: Llewellyn Publications.
- Khalsa, G. K. (1991). Energy Maps: A Journey Through the Chakras. La Crescenta, CA: CyberScribe.
- Myss, C. M. (1996). Anatomy of the Spirit: The Seven Stages of Power and Healing. New York: Three Rivers Press.
- Svoboda, R. E. (1995). Aghora II: Kundalini. Albuquerque, NM: Brotherhood of Life Publishing.
- White, J. W. (1990). Kundalini, Evolution, and Enlightenment. New York: Paragon House.
- Woodroffe, J. G., & P. (1931). The Serpent Power: Being the Shat-chakra-nirūpana and Pādukā-panchaka; Two Works on Laya yoga. Madras: Ganesh.
[post_title] => Getting to the Root of the Matter: Understanding Your Foundation in Your Root Chakra.
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