By Dr. Andrea Wick EBS CONTRIBUTOR
The world of energy medicine focuses on a basic
understanding of your body’s energy centers—or chakras—and how our wellbeing is
affected by and can influence those energies.
Chakras have been receiving a lot of publicity during the
last decade; even the famous Dr. Oz has taken up the topic of energy medicine
in his full television special dedicated to chakra healing modalities. Chakras
can be a powerful tool in learning how to heal the body and figure out what
sorts of ailments may be going on within.
The theory of chakras originated in early Hindu teachings
that referred to chakras as energy wheels in the body. There are seven chakras
in the body and each one is matched with a particular color, aromatherapy and
sound vibration. These vortexes are linked to a certain part of the
musculoskeletal system, organs and glands.
Dr. Christine Northrup, a well-known women’s health
practitioner and “New York Times” best-selling author, describes chakras as “a
link between your vibrational anatomy and your physical anatomy. Chakras act as
transformers that take refined emotional, psychological and spiritual
information and distribute it to your cells.”
Physical, emotional and mental stress can impact the chakras
and cause these energetic wheels to shrink, expand or shut down. Here we will
begin a series of columns exploring each of the seven chakras and how to
balance their energies.
The first chakra is known as the root, base or muladhara.
The root chakra settles at the base of the spine, and is associated with the
color red. This chakra is related to the feet, knees, spinal column, coccyx,
adrenals, bladder and kidneys. Basic survival needs, safety and security
encompass this chakra.
Physicality is at the forefront of the first chakra’s health.
If your basic needs aren’t being met, such as food, security, physicality and
safety, this may lead to stress that can cause a health issue. Emotions connected
to the root chakra include excessive fear, anxiety, paranoia and instability, and
may manifest as knee and foot injuries, sciatica, low back pain and adrenal or
kidney stress. The kidneys and adrenal glands are what generates our life force
and vitality. If we are living in a constant state of fear or anxiety, there
may be an imbalance within.
Self-healing methods to balance your root chakra include
grounding techniques and yoga. Aromatherapy application of vetiver or cedarwood
oils to the lower abdomen or bottom of the feet can create a sense of calm in
the body. Eating protein is essential—if you are a meat eater, bison is one of
the most grounding forms of food.
Getting outside in nature is vital for balancing the root
chakra. Put your feet in the sand or dirt. Visualize red, especially if you do
a meditation practice. Crystals that are beneficial for the root chakra include
black tourmaline, hematite, onyx, shungite and red jasper.
Side effects of root-chakra balancing include feeling a
strong sense of purpose in who you are and living comfortably day to day.
This article is the beginning of a series that will
explore the seven chakras and how to balance them. Watch for the next edition
of Yours in Health published in EBS on March 13 to learn more.
Dr. Andrea Wick is a chiropractor and applied kinesiologist. She graduated from Life University in Marietta, Georgia, and now practices at Healing Hands Chiropractic in Big Sky. She has a passion for holistic health care and being active in the outdoors.
