Root Chakra Yoga Poses

The root chakra, or Muladhara, is the foundation of our energy system. When it is balanced and functioning optimally we feel a sense of security, safety, and grounding. This allows us to be present at the moment and fully engaged with life. 

Yoga poses are an excellent way to balance this important chakra so that we can begin to experience more joy and abundance in our lives. 

In this article, we will explore ten yoga poses that help bring balance back into our root chakra and promote feelings of groundedness and stability. 

These poses can be practiced alone or incorporated into your regular yoga practice for maximum benefit.

10 Effective Yoga Poses To Balance The Root Chakra

Mountain Pose 

Mountain Pose or Tadasana, helps you feel balanced and rooted while also allowing energy to move freely through your body. It is a foundational yoga pose and is often used as a starting point for other poses.

How To Do Mountain Pose:

1. Stand at the top of your mat, with your feet hip-width apart, and arms at your sides.
2. Elongate your spine and activate your core
3. Gaze to the tip of your nose (Nasagrai drishti)
4. Bring awareness to the connection between your feet and the ground beneath them, and engage Pada Bandha
5. Breathe deeply for 4-8 breaths

Thunderbolt Pose

Thunderbolt Pose or Vajrasana is an incredible grounding and stabilizing posture that helps to activate the root chakra. The pose itself is quite simple, as it simply involves kneeling with your feet together and your hips resting on your feet. 

How To Do Thunderbolt Pose:

1. To begin, start in tabletop position, with your legs together.
2. Then slowly lower your hips down onto your feet.
3. Bring yourself into a seated position, with your hips stacked on your feet.
4. Elongate your spine and rest your hands on your legs. 
5. Bring awareness to your breath as you hold this pose for a few moments.

Goddess Pose

Goddess Pose or Utkata Konasana is one of the most popular poses used in yoga to connect with the root chakra. This powerful pose helps to activate and balance the energy found at the base of the spine, helping to create a sense of grounding and stability. 

How To Do Goddess Pose:

1. Start standing with your feet wider than hip-width apart, toes pointing outward. 
2. Bend your knees deeply into a squatting position and raise your arms up towards the sky like the branches of a tree, or bring them together into Anjali Mudra. 
3. Feel the connection between the soles of your feet and the ground beneath you, whilst engaging Pada Bandha.
4.  Hold this pose for 4-8 deep breaths. 

Tree Pose

Tree Pose or Vrksasana is a balancing pose that helps to strengthen the muscles in your legs and activate the root chakra. 

How To Do Tree Pose: 

1. Begin by standing with your feet hip-width apart
2. Shift your weight onto one foot, and bring the sole of your other foot as high as possible for you, against the inner thigh of the grounded leg. 
3. Gently press your palms together in front of your chest and hold the pose for 4-8 breaths.
4. Repeat on the other side

Seated Forward Bend

Seated Forward Bend pose, Paschimottanasana is an excellent pose for activating the root chakra and promoting a sense of grounding and stability. This forward-bending posture works to deeply stretch the entire backside of your body, from your lower back, hamstrings, and calves all the way up to your neck and shoulders.

How To Do Seated Forward Bend:

1. Start by sitting on your mat with your legs outstretched in front of you 
2. Take a deep inhale as you elongate your spine and activate your core and leg muscles.
3. On your next inhale, lift your chest and as you exhale, reach forward toward your feet
4. Try not to round your back but rather lead with your chest towards your feet.
5. If you can’t bend any further, place your hands, either on, or around your feet if that is possible for you. You can also use a strap to help gently pull you toward your feet.
6. Hold the pose for 4-8 deep breaths while focusing on the connection between yourself and the ground beneath you.
7. Finish by slowly releasing yourself out of the pose and allowing your body to relax naturally.  
8. Take a few moments in silence, feeling balanced and connected to the earth beneath you.  Enjoy the peace and serenity that this connection brings.

Bound Angle Pose

Bound Angle Pose, or Baddha Konasana, is a great pose for activating the root chakra as it helps to connect us to our body as well as the earth beneath us.

How To Do Bound Angle Pose: 

1. To begin, sit on your mat and bring the soles of your feet together in front of you. 
2. Place your hands on your ankles and draw them towards your body, allowing your knees to open wide. 
3. With each inhale feel your spine growing tall and with each exhale, gently press into the ground beneath you. 
4. Stay here for 4-8 deep breaths as you connect with the energy from the earth beneath you. 

Garland Pose or Yogi Squat

Garland Pose otherwise known as Malasana or  Yogi Squat, is an effective yoga pose for activating and balancing the root chakra. The pose teaches us to find our balance and stability in a low squatting position, encouraging us to stay grounded and connected to the earth beneath us. 

How To Do Garland Pose:

1. To enter the pose, begin standing at the top of your mat with your feet abit wider than hip-width apart. 
2. Bend your knees and lower into a deep squat, bringing the heels of your feet flat against the ground and extending your arms out in front of you.
3. As you hold this pose, place your palms together at your heart center into Anjali mudra.
4. Take 4-8 deep breaths while focusing on the energy coming up from the soles of your feet and the ground beneath you.

Chair Pose

Chair Pose or Utkatasana is a powerful pose that activates the root chakra by grounding and stabilizing the body. 

How To Do Chair Pose:

1. Begin by standing with your feet hip-width apart or together
2. Bend your knees deeply into a squatting position
3. Reach both arms up towards the sky. 
4. Keep your gaze slightly forward (Nasagrai Drishti)
5. Hold this pose for 4-8 deep breaths, while focusing on the connection between your feet and the ground beneath you.

Childs Pose

Child’s Pose or Balasana, is a pose that is deeply calming and helps to activate the root chakra.

How To Do Childs Pose:

1. Start by sitting on your heels. 
2. Then, lower your forehead to the ground 
3. Rest your arms either at your sides with palms facing up or stretched out in front of you with palms facing down. 
4. Take 4-8 deep breaths and let gravity stretch you 
5. Focus on the connection between your body and the ground beneath you, feeling deeply grounded and balanced.

High Lunge

High Lunge or Utthita Ashwa Sanchalanasana is a standing yoga pose that can help to strengthen and stretch the legs, groin, and hips. It also helps to open the chest and shoulders and bring balance to the root chakra.

How To Do High Lunge:

1. Stand in Mountain Pose with your feet hip-width apart. 
2. Step your right foot back and bend your left knee
3. Raise your hands toward the ceiling
4. Press the ground away and engage your legs, glutes, and core as you deepen into the pose.
5. Lift your chest and take 4-8 deep breaths.
6. Repeat on the other side.

Corpse pose

Corpse Pose or Savasana is a very important pose that helps to restore balance to the root chakra. It brings a sense of groundedness and peace. 

It might be an easy pose to physically do, but it is often the poses that seem boring or too easy that can balance us the most, by calming the mind. If we do them correctly.

How To Do Corpse Pose: 

1. Begin by lying flat on your back on your mat 
2. Let your arms rest at your sides and your legs more than hip distance apart.
3. Allow your feet to fall open
4. Close your eyes
5.  Allow yourself to relax into the pose by focusing on your breath for several minutes before slowly transitioning out of it.
6. As you lie in the pose, bring your awareness to the ground beneath you and the energy that it brings, feeling deeply connected and balanced.
7. If any thoughts arise, let them pass by.
8. Stay in this pose as long as you need. 

Other Ways To Balance Your Root Chakra

To add to your Yoga practice you can also make use of the following to help balance your Root Chakra even better:

• Use affirmations for the Root Chakra, like I am deeply connected to the Earth and feel grounded and secure.
• Make use of the Mantra “LAM”
• Practice the Muladhara Mudra
• Practice Meditations for the Root Chakra
• Practice Sitali or Nadi Shodana Pranayama Technique

Final Thoughts

Yoga is a powerful tool for activating and balancing the root chakra. The poses mentioned in this article can help to increase strength, stability, and balance while also allowing energy to flow freely. Practicing these poses regularly can be incredibly beneficial for both physical and emotional well-being. Enjoy exploring each of them with an open heart and let your practice be one of self-discovery, empowerment, and peace. 

Remember to take your time with each pose and focus on the connection between your body, your breath, and the ground beneath you. The more connected you are to these three elements, the more balanced your root chakra will become. 

Namaste!

Yoga Flow For The Root Chakra

FAQ’s

What is the fastest way to activate your root chakra?

Often small and simple daily practices are enough to activate your root chakra. Taking a walk outside in nature, gardening or going for a hike in the mountains, can all be great ways to activate your root chakra.

Is Tree Pose good for the Root Chakra?

Tree Pose is a great pose to strengthen your balance and stability. As the name suggests, imagining that your standing foot anchors you to the ground, tree pose is a great pose for the root chakra. It helps you to increase stability and feel grounded.

What does an unbalanced root chakra feel like?

If you have an imbalance root chakra you can feel insecure, restless, and drained.