Getting Grounded

So this week my focus is on bringing balance back into my life.  My hope is as you follow me on this journey, you will be inspired to find some balance too.  This couldn't be a more appropriate time for me to practice this, because the holidays tend to be the most de-stabilizing time of year for me. I tend to miss my family more, I overindulge in goodies, I drink more alcohol due to the increase in seasonal festivities, and I get totally burned out from holiday gift-crafting and shopping.

My plan is to restore balance through exercises that help me balance my chakras.  If you are new to the chakra system, here is a brief explanation:  Chakras are rotating vortices of energy within our bodies that start at the base of the spine and and exist at 7 different points along that center line up to the crown of the head.  They are associated with certain organs and psychological states.  When these subtle energies are unbalanced, then we have dis-ease in that area of the body.  When they are balanced, we feel physically well healthy, stable, and energized!

I am going to focus on balancing a different chakra each day this week.  I will first do a chakra yoga practice with Adi Amar from www.yogatoday.com for the particular chakra I'm working on that day and then complete a short art exercise guided by a meditation that relates to the chakra.

It all starts with a healthy foundation so tonight I began with the root chakra, which is located at the base of the spine or the tailbone.  The root chakra is associated with grounding and stability.  The artwork I did in response to my yoga and meditation is the artwork I included at the top of this text.  This artwork gives me the sense that I feel especially grounded, firmly rooted in my existence, and secure in who I am. (YAY!)  That rich red earth that my roots reach way down into resembles the red clay of Alabama where my parents live.  This makes sense to me since I feel very supported by parents in addition to all the wonderful social supports that are geographically close to me.  This is a far cry from where I was at 4 years ago when I did this same exercise:

eeeeesh.  Do I need to even explain why that drawing is indicative of a jacked-up root chakra?  When I last did this exercise in 2007 I was in a dark place due to an extremely toxic relationship.  I have a come a long way since then and I only have myself to thank for that.  Thanks, Brookie B!

Okay, now YOUR TURN!!

If you were draw your roots and the earth in which they live...what would the root system look like?  How about the soil?  How about the surrounding environment?

A balanced root chakra has the following characteristics:

*  Groundedness

*  a secure sense of identity

*  stability

*  a healthy relationship with food  (oof...this one I gotta work on)

*  a present-mindedness

*  healthy digestion

ACTIONS:  Play more, laugh more, move more, get outside

                     Eat right, work right, spend right, be organized!

MANTRAS:  I have the right to be here, I have the right to have.

                       I have the right to joy, happiness, and health.

                       I know who I am, and DAMN, I love that person!

SONG:  "Just Fine" by Mary J. Blige

Happy balancing, y'all!

NAMASTE!

Brooke