When you set out to construct your dream home there are many important things to take into consideration. First and foremost, however, is to start with a solid foundation, as it is the base that everything else is built upon.
I love this analogy as it is exactly how I like to look at our body’s foundation: our pelvic floor and core. Whether constructing a home or a strong physical foundation, each must begin with a solid base of support. By focusing on the small muscles that make up your core and then moving outward to the larger muscles, we build that foundation with greater inner stability and strength.
Although all of our chakra centers are important, as they each hold unique benefits, this article will focus on the root chakra.
If giving more attention to your base of support, your root chakra, is new to you then take a moment to acquaint yourself.
Did you know that we have far more body confidence and the ability to endure more lifts, twists and bends without pain, discomfort or pelvic floor dysfunctions when our root chakra is strong and stable? Yep, when your foundation is compromised your body becomes imbalanced and misaligned leaving you at risk for injury or dysfunction.
Take Care Of Your Roots
Did you know that your root chakra is the home of your sense of security and belonging and contributes to your physical sense of well-being?
It includes your low back, lower spine, and pelvic floor. This chakra supplies the foundation of support by which all other movement and power originate.
Pelvic floor dysfunctions such as urinary incontinence, abdominal separation or pelvic organ prolapse are indicators that you are suffering from not only a dysfunction but a root chakra imbalance. Men, women and children can all suffer pelvic floor dysfunction and root chakra imbalance. It important to understand the type of dysfunction you are suffering from and then how to best bring your body into balance.
Anything we do with our bodies related to exercise, sports and the tasks of daily living stems from the strength provided by our core. I’m not talking about six pack abs here but the small muscles internally that we can’t see that offer the greatest benefit for overall strength and power.
Seeing Red
If you are not familiar with your chakra system the easiest way to visualize it is by the colour each point represents. There are 7 points in the system and the bold colour red is your base. Many people who suffer from a chakra imbalance involving their base of support struggle with things like anxiety, fear, nightmares, colon imbalances, bladder issues, low back pain, leg and foot pain.
When your body has become imbalanced in one or more of your chakras, the flow of energy from the base of your spinal column to the top of your head is blocked. If a dysfunction exists, the bright light it illuminates becomes muted. Your base of support becomes weakened and so does your strength and confidence.
Going back to the house analogy, it would be like constructing a house on a sandy foundation or soggy bog. The structure required to support the entire house (or in our case, our bodies) must be optimal to prevent or repair from something like birth, trauma or injury. Lack of muscle tone and function in your core displays as weakness, lack of energy and power at times when you need it most.
Unblocking Your Blocks
In my opinion, there is nothing more disempowering then being told or accepting within yourself a false idea that “there is nothing you can do” to change your situation. The way things are right now, be it urinary incontinence, low back pain, painful sex or an overall feeling of core weakness, does not have to be your story for the rest of your life.
There any several ways to approach healing and retraining the body. One of the simplest things you can do is learning how to unblock your chakras. In order to do this, you must first understand what causes a block in the first place.
The main causes are things like emotional upset, conflict, loss, injury, accident, fear, anxiety and stress. Each of these cause an energy disruption throughout your body and affect how strongly you feel anchored to the earth. It’s only when you begin to address the problems at the root (pun intended), that you can begin to self correct.
My favourite ways to bring proper flow and healing to the root chakra are:
- Dancing
- Yoga
- Taking a shower
- Going for a walk in the forest
- Getting a pedicure (I don’t do this nearly as often as I should)
- Low note vocal toning (my wife’s specialty)
- Pelvic floor exercises
- Deep breathing
- Stretching
Each of these practices are rooted in our feminine energy system and therefore support our body’s realignment at the base.
When you experience a major dysfunction or your base of support is imbalanced you may also become controlling, quick to anger, lack confidence you once had, and your drive to achieve simple goals may be affected. By engaging in any of the activities suggested above, you are bringing forth more flow through your energy system and helping to support overall healing.
As we all know, there are many ways to better our health and recovery. From experience, I can tell you that it always takes a complimentary approach. It’s typically never one single incident that causes our bodies to break down in the first place and therefore healing usually requires a trial of a few different methods.
Whether you need support to restore your body after babies, are suffering a pelvic floor dysfunction, chakra imbalance, injury or trauma, I encourage you to seek the support of a pelvic floor physiotherapist, core confidence trainer, massage therapist, Chiropractor, Acupuncturist or any other energy healer that resonates with you.
You truly never know where exploring something new might lead you. Sometimes it can be the small things that make the biggest impact. Nurture and build a strong foundation because everything starts at the core.