How The Root Chakra's Shadow Could Be Keeping You From Authenticity

Though chakras are not physical structures, they can be the source of wounds and dysfunction in the body. Each of the main seven chakras is a point of highly concentrated energy, and that energy relates to a unique set of themes.

When the energy of a particular chakra is out of balance, it can affect one's physical, mental, and emotional experiences associated with the corresponding theme of that chakra. Energetic wounds are simply chaotic fields in the subtle, or energetic, body, and this is often where illness and dysfunction begin.

This is the oldest wound there is. It usually forms at a very young age as we repress parts of ourselves in an attempt to secure love and acceptance. In the early years of life, being loved and accepted by our primary caregivers is critical to survival because we actually do need them to care for us to keep us alive. So when we feel as if that love is threatened, the primitive fight-or-flight response kicks in and we fear for our survival.

We quickly and instinctively learn to repress the parts of ourselves that we believe are unlovable, and we selectively express the characteristics and behaviors that our caregivers respond lovingly to.

These moments in early life when we feel unloved are often simple misunderstandings. But whether we are truly loved or not is irrelevant. What drives the wound of repression is the perception that expressing ourselves may result in rejection or abandonment and threaten our security. The ways we respond to this belief begin to shape our personalities and the rest of our lives.

Many of my clients with root chakra issues are very unhappy in their corporate jobs. They desperately want to pursue another career path, but they are terrified of losing the stable paycheck and benefits, and they're equally fearful of what their friends and family will think. When we explore their dissatisfaction, we always find dysfunction in the root chakra. We discover that they didn't choose their current career path because it's what they truly wanted. They chose it because it made their parents proud, or it paid well or provided job security or social prestige. We discover that they have been repressing parts of themselves for so long, they cannot even remember who they authentically are and haven't a clue what will actually make them happy.

Healing the shadow of the root chakra is about cultivating a sense of safety in an unsafe world. We cannot fully express ourselves if we don't feel safe to do so—so learning to trust life is essential. One must trust that whatever happens is in service of their unique path, and even if it's the worst thing imaginable, it will still be OK. Trust is essential to creating a strong foundation in the root chakra, and that gives us the stability to rise into the higher frequencies of the upper chakras.