Muladhara
I am going to be working on a series of posts, one based on each of the seven chakras. I may post "off topic" things between each one, but this is the beginning of that series. I suppose I ought to start off with a little background about chakras in general, then I'll move onto Muladhara (or the Root Chakra). There are different systems with varying numbers of chakras, but I will focus on the seven most commonly known here in the West.
To begin, chakras come from Hindu Tantrism. The word "chakra" is derived from the Sanskrit word for "wheel" or "turning". Each chakra can be thought of as a spinning vortex of energy. Each one exists on the surface of the etheric "inner you" and permeates the physical body in a particular area. Here is an image demonstrating the area of the body that each chakra is thought to correspond to:
Feel free to look further into chakras on your own. Even if you don't buy into their existence, I've found the concept quite fascinating on its own. Anyway, onward with chakra one: the root chakra or Muladhara.
Muladhara is a Sanskrit word meaning "root place". It is depicted as a four-petaled, red lotus and is located at the perineum, near the very end of the spine. It's seed sound is "lam" (some of you may be familiar with the seed sound of the sixth chakra, "om"). It is associated with the element earth and the physical aspects of being. The basal instinct of "survival" rests here.
A closed or underactive root chakra may lead one to a disconnection from one's body or the physical word in general, fearfulness/anxiousness, insecurity, and inability to be still, among a number of other things. Alternatively, an over-active root chakra can lead to a different set of issues such as lethargy, material fixation, hoarding, and resistance to change. It is possible to have some characteristics of both.
A balanced root chakra is associated with physical healthy, prosperity & career happiness, stability, goundedness, and a sense of safety.
And so, my post today centers on the possible issues I may have in this area. I'll begin with the positive aspects. In general, I am a grounded person. I quite stable. I have never been overly emotional (although I can be quite passionate) and I feel I have a good grasp on my situation in general. My career path, although freshly budding, is presently making me happy. My financial situation is not perfect, but I have a roof over my head and food in my fridge. That's enough to keep me feeling safe and to allow me to live peacefully. I am grateful for those things. I am grateful for my Master, who has helped keep me grounded and stable during times when I faltered.
My main struggles associated with the Muladhara chakra come from within. My body and I don't get along well. Ever since I was a child, I never placed much value on the physical realm. The whole thing is transitory. You can't take it with you. Why should I bother with it? The intellectual and spiritual worlds were so much more stimulating and pleasing to me. I placed (and still to place) my focus there. This has lead to an extreme disconnect with my body. Before I met Master, I was effectively asexual. I didn't have an interest in sex. Like most human beings, I longed for someone to share with and I wanted someone to just "be" with. But sex was never on my list of things that interested me.
I was living somewhere else. The world outside of myself is lovely. I find being inside of myself repulsive. I have severe body image problems (I think most people have issues with this, to some degree). I feel like my body is nothing but a handicap or a hinderance at times. Often times, when Master and I are eating at a restaurant together or just lying in bed, he'll stop and ask me "Where did you go?". I go outside of myself. I like it better there. I'm not even entirely sure what I think about when I'm out there, sometimes I'm not even sure where I went either and I can't answer him... but I go away a lot. I leave the physical world and go either deep inside the inner world, or far outside of my body to some other region of time and space. I know that Alnitak is nice at this time of year.
Through my relationship with Master, this disconnect has improved. Somewhat. I still refuse to dance (I am capable of prescribed ballroom style dancing, but nothing else). I lack grace almost entirely, except for when I practice Tai Qi. I still despise my body. But I'm willing to inhabit it for now. For him.
The reality is that my body is not of no value. And I know that even though I don't usually recognize it, I am beautiful. The physical world may be transitory, but it's here. I need this body to perform the things I do. I could not work without it. I could not serve without it. I could not be present without it. If I continue to neglect my flesh, I will likely suffer the consequences of health problems and (potentially) an early death. I do not want to have to put Master through such things, if I can help it. I will be working harder to care for my body, both as a temple to the divine within and as an offering to Master.
I could not serve without this body.
LAM.
*~zelda...
If any pictures in this post belong to you and you would like them removed or credited, please email me and I will be happy to comply.
To begin, chakras come from Hindu Tantrism. The word "chakra" is derived from the Sanskrit word for "wheel" or "turning". Each chakra can be thought of as a spinning vortex of energy. Each one exists on the surface of the etheric "inner you" and permeates the physical body in a particular area. Here is an image demonstrating the area of the body that each chakra is thought to correspond to:
Feel free to look further into chakras on your own. Even if you don't buy into their existence, I've found the concept quite fascinating on its own. Anyway, onward with chakra one: the root chakra or Muladhara.
Muladhara is a Sanskrit word meaning "root place". It is depicted as a four-petaled, red lotus and is located at the perineum, near the very end of the spine. It's seed sound is "lam" (some of you may be familiar with the seed sound of the sixth chakra, "om"). It is associated with the element earth and the physical aspects of being. The basal instinct of "survival" rests here.
A closed or underactive root chakra may lead one to a disconnection from one's body or the physical word in general, fearfulness/anxiousness, insecurity, and inability to be still, among a number of other things. Alternatively, an over-active root chakra can lead to a different set of issues such as lethargy, material fixation, hoarding, and resistance to change. It is possible to have some characteristics of both.
A balanced root chakra is associated with physical healthy, prosperity & career happiness, stability, goundedness, and a sense of safety.
And so, my post today centers on the possible issues I may have in this area. I'll begin with the positive aspects. In general, I am a grounded person. I quite stable. I have never been overly emotional (although I can be quite passionate) and I feel I have a good grasp on my situation in general. My career path, although freshly budding, is presently making me happy. My financial situation is not perfect, but I have a roof over my head and food in my fridge. That's enough to keep me feeling safe and to allow me to live peacefully. I am grateful for those things. I am grateful for my Master, who has helped keep me grounded and stable during times when I faltered.
My main struggles associated with the Muladhara chakra come from within. My body and I don't get along well. Ever since I was a child, I never placed much value on the physical realm. The whole thing is transitory. You can't take it with you. Why should I bother with it? The intellectual and spiritual worlds were so much more stimulating and pleasing to me. I placed (and still to place) my focus there. This has lead to an extreme disconnect with my body. Before I met Master, I was effectively asexual. I didn't have an interest in sex. Like most human beings, I longed for someone to share with and I wanted someone to just "be" with. But sex was never on my list of things that interested me.
I was living somewhere else. The world outside of myself is lovely. I find being inside of myself repulsive. I have severe body image problems (I think most people have issues with this, to some degree). I feel like my body is nothing but a handicap or a hinderance at times. Often times, when Master and I are eating at a restaurant together or just lying in bed, he'll stop and ask me "Where did you go?". I go outside of myself. I like it better there. I'm not even entirely sure what I think about when I'm out there, sometimes I'm not even sure where I went either and I can't answer him... but I go away a lot. I leave the physical world and go either deep inside the inner world, or far outside of my body to some other region of time and space. I know that Alnitak is nice at this time of year.
Through my relationship with Master, this disconnect has improved. Somewhat. I still refuse to dance (I am capable of prescribed ballroom style dancing, but nothing else). I lack grace almost entirely, except for when I practice Tai Qi. I still despise my body. But I'm willing to inhabit it for now. For him.
The reality is that my body is not of no value. And I know that even though I don't usually recognize it, I am beautiful. The physical world may be transitory, but it's here. I need this body to perform the things I do. I could not work without it. I could not serve without it. I could not be present without it. If I continue to neglect my flesh, I will likely suffer the consequences of health problems and (potentially) an early death. I do not want to have to put Master through such things, if I can help it. I will be working harder to care for my body, both as a temple to the divine within and as an offering to Master.
I could not serve without this body.
LAM.
*~zelda...
If any pictures in this post belong to you and you would like them removed or credited, please email me and I will be happy to comply.
Interesting because I think this falls into the realm of energetic concepts that I tried to do some justice to on my blog but I think it just left lot of people confused lol.
ReplyDeleteYou rarely see energy talked about in a D/s context, partly I think, because it's not an easy thing to describe. It never occurred to me to use the Chakra's as an example. Though I suppose it may not have helped much because my knowledge of them is less than extensive lol.
Hi zelda,
ReplyDeleteYour description is so interesting to me. I check out a lot too, not sure where I go..disconnect from my body I guess. You make a good point about remembering all the ways our bodies serve us. Look forward to reading more.
Great to meet you too,
K