I Am That

 I Am That

By Jennifer Kelleher

Chakras are concentrated energy centers in and around the physical body that are thought to affect our mental, emotional, physical, and spiritual well-being. Today, we will explore the Root Chakra, or ‘‘Muladhara’’ in Sanskrit. Also known as Chakra One, ‘‘Muladhara’’ sits at the base of the spine and translates to mean, “root of existence.” It is our foundation, linking the physical realm to our internal energetic system. When Chakra One is in balance, we feel safe, grounded, stable, confident, and strong in the world. On the contrary, an imbalanced Root Chakra could bring up feelings of insecurity, anxiety, stress, and loss of control.

In large, ‘‘Muladhara’’ is not something that you have, it is what you are. Chakra One is about anchoring the Soulful Self in the body. “I am not the body, I am not even the mind. I am the Soulful One, in a body (my home, which I co-create), creating a life with the help of the tool that is the mind. I am That.” Can you shift your perspective, even if just for a moment, and be the Soul seated in the body, instead of the body or the mind trying to find the Soul?

This idea is something fun to play with. Often when we are in pain or needing clarity, we look outside ourselves for answers. I believe that all beings and all of nature are made of the divine. At our core, we are pure essence, unconditional love, boundless creativity. What if you were to practice walking, talking, and breathing as That? How would the sincere, loving part of you show up in relationships, jobs, conversations, actions, thoughts, and throughout all of the aspects of your life? Can you embody That? Can you show up as That for the more human parts of you that hurt?

If you feel like your Root Chakra is off-balance, one thing you can do is to practice being present. The more present you are, the more Soul exists in the equation. Contrarily, a lack of presence puts you in the sympathetic nervous system, bringing out more protective personality, survivorship, and feelings of “fight-or-flight.” When the protective personality is up, you will feel tension, stress, worry, fear, and anxiety in your body and mind. Be aware of and notice when you start to project out into the personality so that you can stop yourself and come home to being the Soul.

Maybe you’re wondering, “How can I tell if I am being the Soul?” The Soulful Self creates experiences of calm, joy, delight, adventure, curiosity, stability, ease, and open heartedness. The Soulful One in the body takes easy, smooth, deep breaths. In the mind, They know that there is nothing to win or lose, and They lean on what sparks joy.

They take one step at a time and trust that by being fully here, loving fully into this current body and life, everything will work out exactly as it’s supposed to.

Another practice that can help to balance and fortify ‘‘Muladhara’’ is practicing the feeling of ‘‘belongingness,’’ which is different from fitting in. The Soul always belongs exactly where you are. Take a breath. What does undeniable belongingness feel like in your body? Can you drop in and feel as if you are meant to be right here, no doubts attached? If you are not fitting in somewhere, perhaps it is to show whoever you are with another perspective, or to expand your own bandwidth of what is comfortable.

I invite you to join us at Ocean Bliss Yoga for yoga classes, Pilates classes, and monthly specialty workshops. Sign up at oceanblissyoga.net. If you’re really looking for a deep dive this winter, call me at 917-318-1168 and ask about our Yoga Teacher Training, which begins on February 21, 2025.

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