#1 RED - the First Chakra

The color signifies passion. But at this chakra the sexual aspect is less to do with the pursuit of sex than the teleological aspect of it, in other words the end purpose for which sex has us biologically wired, and that folks is reproduction. If we get our kicks along the way then great, but that’s not the primary concern here. This chakra is fuelled not by a relational desire, but rather a deep instinctual drive towards survival at a genetic level. We often see our children as an extension of the self, and any perceived danger to them will likely trigger survival fears. I think every parent has experienced this at some time. Sleepless nights wondering if the kids are safe.

Red, the blood color, binds us to family, tribe, heartland. Some illnesses can manifest at this level, notably lower back pain, also colon cancer. Lower back pain according to statistics costs the US 50 billion annually. That’s huge! Not surprising though, we all know someone who suffers from lower back pain, or we have ourselves, at some time.

For myself, I have had sciatica, twice quite severely. The most recent time was when I decided to take the plunge and set up this website! The other time was when my mother got cancer and before she died. I know it is a part of me wanting to move forward while another part wants to hold back. One part of us wants to embrace our truly blissful self, another part fiercely resists. This creates a pulling in the body, leading to stiffness and dis-comfort.

Fear at this level is often experienced as a short stabbing panic, like ‘oh my God I’m going to die!’ feeling. Think of a time when you thought you lost your keys. Panic! I'm shut out! Now, just for those few seconds, milliseconds even, before we discover them we are back in the root chakra. This fear goes right down to the ‘spine’ of our being. For that second our survival is threatened.

If you practice observing your feelings regularly you will be able to mark this fear from other fears. Actually, it’s very distinctive.

Incidentally, should we have actually lost our keys, or had them stolen, we quickly get out of the first charka and move elsewhere (usually to our third) where we deal with that issue. After all it’s not a life threatening situation, more of an inconvenience. But in those first moments of awareness it was perceived as life threatening, and hence fear at the root charka kicks in.

What if it were a life threatening issue? Death for instance?

Well, death will always elicit a survival response; however, the root chakra, despite its survival drive, does not have exclusivity over death. Depending on our spiritual and emotional development, death can elicit different reactions, felt at several, or all of the chakras. I remember one time when I thought I was going to drown, experiencing fear at several different chakras. Remember, at the first chakra, embedded in the survival drive, is its opposite, the unconscious death urge; the need to self destruct, abandon the self and die.

Red is also the color of the planet Mars. This was the ancient Roman god of war. We often experience struggle here, a sense that there is something ‘outside’ us, and that this something may harm us, and it must be challenged, and if need be destroyed. This is a metaphor for the struggle with the self, a struggle to understand and master ones own power. Money issues are critical at this chakra level; day-to-day survival, paying the mortgage, meeting financial commitments. For many people these seem to be life threatening. A lot of root chakra issues are being played out in these recessionary times. A lot of scarcity issues originate at this chakra.

Enquiry:

Do you find yourself getting stuck in ‘life or death’ situations?

What about money? Do you find yourself struggling with it all the time?

Is struggle in general an issue with you?

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