These grounding practices will help you to balance your first (root) chakra by building a healthy earth element in your body, which then translates to a healthier mind since the body and mind are so deeply interconnected. They are inspired by the Indian Goddess Shailputri, also known as Mother Earth, and all these practices help you restore your connection with nature as your own mother who can nurture and care for you when you align yourself with her eternal rhythms.

A great teacher in nature during seasons of instability and uncertainty is the mountain, which is full of the earth element embodied by Goddess Shailputri. "Solid as a rock" is a great way to describe the earth. You can also see the sturdiness of the earth in the grounded nature of trees, the hardness of nuts, and the rooted quality of vegetables that grow underground. In your body, the earth element expresses itself in your skin, bones, nails, teeth, hair, and tendons.

There is a special mantra of gratitude toward Goddess Shailputri, our beautiful Mother Earth, that you can simply remember or chant when you wake up each morning. Mantras are like spiritual medicine that help you overcome draining repetitive thoughts so you can be more stable and present in each moment. The word mantra itself literally comes from two Sanskrit words: tra, which means "to protect," and man, the "thinking mind."

I love chanting this mantra before stepping my foot onto the ground. The meaning of the gratitude mantra to Mother Earth acknowledges Nature as Goddess Shailputri, who "has the ocean as her garment and mountains as her breasts. We ask for forgiveness for touching you with our feet."

"Samudra vasane devi [pronounced samu-DRA vas-NEY day-vi]

Parvata stana mandale [PAR-vata stana MUN-duley]

Vishnu patni namastubhyam [VISH-nu pat-NI na-MAS-tu-bhi-UM]

Paada sparsham kshama svame [PAA-da spar-SHUM sha-MA sva-MAY]"

Tree Pose is an excellent practice to root and balance your first chakra, as well as to stabilize your legs and feet (any discomfort in these areas of your body is a definite sign of first-chakra imbalance). Studies have shown that the practice of Tree Pose has positive effects on overall balance1, stability, and physical coordination.

Begin in Mountain Pose (see prior description for details). Close your eyes here and imagine your favorite tree. It could be a tree you used to climb during childhood. I personally love to imagine the bodhi tree, under which the Buddha gained enlightenment. Though I have not yet seen it in real life, its large roots and widespread branches suggest comfort and security.

Trees inspire because they are stable, rooted firmly in the earth. As you plant one foot firmly in the ground, feel yourself rooting more deeply into the earth. Imagine that you are as grounded as Goddess Shailputri, that nothing can shake your resolve. From this place of inner resolution, slowly lift your opposite leg and place your foot on your standing leg, either below or above your knee, but never right on your knee.

You can awaken to Goddess Shailputri through the soles of your feet—one of the main locations of the root chakra. This stabilizing practice is calming for anyone feeling ungrounded, anxious, or insecure. Spending time in nature is often the best way to bring about a sense of refuge, security, and protection.

Take off your shoes and walk in nature, ideally near a body of water, such as the ocean, a lake, river, or stream. As you walk barefoot, feel the connection between the soles of your feet and the ground beneath them. Sink your feet even deeper. Close your eyes if you can, and allow the stabilizing energy of Goddess Shailputri's manifestation as Mother Earth to calm your worries and fears as it brings balance to your root chakra through your feet.

Because your feet are full of subtle energy centers (called marma points in Ayurveda) that relieve stress, oiling your feet before bedtime helps you get the deepest, least disturbed sleep possible.

Warm up sesame oil (in cold seasons) or coconut oil (in warm seasons) and then rub your feet with it. Make sure to do so slowly to relieve stress and tension in your feet. Massage between each of your toes, really press on the soles of your feet, and move in a circular motion around your ankle joints.

Sneha is a Sanskrit word that means "to oil." Sneha also means "to love," making this a beautiful practice to awaken the love of Goddess Shailputri in the soles of your feet.