Root Chakra

The Root Chakra or the Muladhara, carries on each of its four red petals a letter of the Sanskrit alphabet inscribe in shining yellow or gold: va, sa, sa, sa. These letters are contained within a yellow square representing the earth element, together with the seed mantra Lam. The four letters represent the root vibration, and are related to the vital breath known as Apana.

The Root Chakra governs issues around physical self-preservation. These issues include survival, security and safety, as well as primal erotic and procreational urges. This chakra is the grounding force that allows us to connect to the earth energies and empower our being. A blockage in the Root Chakra creates a block for every other chakra in the body as they receive the energy that the root chakra can pass through to it.

Balanced energy:
Centred, grounded, healthy, fully alive, unlimited physical energy, can manifest abundance, takes good care of the body. People who have open root chakras love their lives – love their physical incarnation in their present bodies.

Excessive energy:
Egoistic, domineering, greedy, sadistic, sexual energy entirely genital, judgment and biased opinions.

Deficient energy:
Lack of confidence, weak, can’t achieve goals, suicidal, sexual energy, feel unlovable, little interest in sex, masochistic, fear and insecurity.

Blockage in this energy centre of the body can result in a core sense of unworthiness, self-doubt and shame.

Glands/organs:
Adrenals, kidneys, spinal column, colon, legs, bones.

The Root Vegetables associated with this chakra are:
Carrots, potatoes, parsnips, radishes, onions, garlic, ginger, beetroot, etc.

Details on how to grow a few of them are listed below:

Onions:

• Onions grow to a height of around a foot and a half and require full sun light.
• Sow onion seeds or the bulbs to a depth of around 3 cm and at a distance of 6 inches. i.e., around 4 onion bulbs can be grown in a square foot.
• Onions are ready to harvest when the leaves lose their colour, weaken at the top of the bulb and flop over. This happens in around 4 months from planting the seeds or the bulbs.
• Avoid growing beans, peas & parsley with onions as they affect the plants health and productivity.

Beetroot:
Beetroot are a rich source of potent antioxidants and nutrients, including magnesium, sodium, potassium and vitamin C, and betaine, which is important for cardiovascular health while its juice has been shown to lower blood pressure and thus help prevent cardiovascular problems. While the bulb is what we use in salads, the green leafy portion of the beet is also edible. It is most commonly served boiled or steamed, in which case it has a taste and texture similar to spinach. Beetroot grows to a height of 35 cm and are sown 15 cm apart.

• Harvesting of beetroot can begin around nine weeks after sowing the seed.
• At this stage the bulbs will be about 2.5cm in diameter and they will be at their most tender – important for salads. These first pickings should be evenly applied over growing area to give the remaining beetroot good room to grow larger.
• Continue to harvest as required until the beetroot reach about 8cm in diameter. At this point it is best to harvest all the beetroot and store them. If they are left in the ground much longer, they will become woody and not taste so good.
• Another sign that the roots are ready for harvest is when the foliage starts to go limp.

Garlic
Garlic is regarded as the best herb to lower blood sugar as well as repair cells of the pancreas and stimulate it to produce insulin. Garlic can significantly lower blood sugar as its extract reduces blood sugar levels during oral and intravenous glucose tolerance.

• To grow garlic, carefully break the cloves from the bulbs, a process also known as cracking, and plant around 16 of them in a sq. ft.
• They require moderate amounts of water, but adequate sunshine.
• Your garlic should be ready to harvest in around 2 months
• Garlic loves the company of tomatoes, peppers, potatoes, broccoli and carrots.
• Avoid planting them around beans, peas and parsley.

Ginger
Ginger is a rhizome, a perennial reed-like plant with annual leafy stems, about a meter (3 to 4 feet) tall. Ginger produces clusters of white and pink flower buds that bloom into yellow flowers and because of its aesthetic appeal and the adaptation of the plant to warm climates; ginger is often used in landscaping.

• To grow ginger, select a piece of ginger that is large or midsized, and very well-branched.
• Leave it undisturbed in a dry indoor spot – not in total darkness, but not in direct sun either – a room with indirect light works best. Within a few weeks, sprouts will form at the tips of each branch.
• A few days later, place the sprouting hand of ginger on, or slightly beneath very well-draining soil. Fine roots will grow downwards first; stalks or canes will begin rapid upward growth a week or two later.
• It takes about five months before the root will be ready for harvesting. This may seem like a long time to wait but bear in mind that perennials generally require little help to keep coming back once they get started!
• To harvest the ginger root, it is not necessary to unearth the entire plant. Simply pull up the tubers growing around the tuber that was planted originally and cut the quantity needed.

Carrots

• Cultivate carrots periodically and mulch to control weeds.
• Keep the soil evenly moist.
• Ensure that the spacing is correct as growing carrots too closely together will result in small yields.
  In an area of a sq. Ft around 8-16 carrots can be grown.
• Harvest them after 2 months by loosening the soil around the carrot then gently pulling from the base.
• Plants that love carrots are tomatoes, onions and lettuce.

Other kinds of food that help balance the Root Chakra are:
Protein-rich foods: eggs, meats, beans, tofu, soy products and peanut butter
Spices: horseradish, hot paprika, chives, cayenne, pepper

Author: Vaibhav Dugar
Me, I am a Green Warrior and yes you are either with me or against me! On paper I’m a telecommunication engineer but professionally, a farmer. Work takes me setting many-a-farms, tilling many-a-lands and playing with soil which I thoroughly enjoy. I love playing football (avidly), going cycling, watching Formula 1 and writing!

If you need company to watch Formula 1, pit stop at Vaibhav.Dugar [at] EkTitli.org

This article has been co-authored by Sheetal Vaidya. She is a life skills coach, Reiki Grandmaster – who heals through Chakras & Vedic mantras.

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