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When your sense of stability is threatened, anxiety and a general sense of imbalance can follow and persist. Moving, changing careers, a break-up, losing a loved one – these are normal parts of life that we all go through which can destabilize us, and they are unavoidable to some extent. However, as yogis, we have a toolset available to help us regain stability and return to baseline faster.
There is a lot we can do to take care of ourselves using yogic wisdom, and one method is to become more connected with and aware of the Chakras. Chakras are “wheels” of energy within us that receive, assimilate, and transmit the vibration of various experiences/consciousness. When all the Chakras are balanced, we experience physical, mental, emotional and spiritual stability. If we are not experiencing holistic well-being in the here and now, we can work to bring the chakras into better balance.
Every Chakra processes a different aspect of one's life experience, so which Chakras(s) work with should be based on what is happening for you in the moment. As an example, let’s just say you are in the middle of a big move to a new town or city. The move is disconcerting; it can be exhausting to pack up and physically move all your possessions, everything is in a new place so things are hard to find, the normal daily routine becomes difficult to maintain, self-care is likely to suffer for at least a little while and life just feels off-balance. Until you are settled into your new home, life is inevitably going to be less comfortable; you can't change this fact but you can practice acceptance. Your work is to accept the discomfort that is naturally occurring and the emotions that discomfort brings up. Self-acceptance is a part of self-love. The energy center in our body that receives, assimilates, and transmits the vibration of love is our Anahata Chakra at the heart center, so the Anahata Chakra would be a good Chakra to work with to regain a sense of stability.
Once you have located the Chakra you would like to work with (the Anahata Chakra, for example, is located underneath the breastbone and about four to five inches below the collarbone), the next step is to simply find awareness of whatever is occurring in this area without judgment. Is this area feeling tight or relaxed? Empty or full? Light of heavy? Allow yourself to sense the quality of its energy field, whether that energy is pleasurable, painful, or numb. Just feel into it and breathe for a while. Let it be just the way it is. If there is pain or discomfort, try bringing some loving-kindness and compassion to the area. Stay with that for as long as it feels right, not trying to change the sensation, but just offering it your kind attention until you feel complete. Practice this regularly and notice if your sense of stability shifts.
One more Chakra that is particularly connected to stability is the root chakra, located around the base of the pelvis. The root of Muladhara Chakra is associated with the element of Earth. It processes our experiences related to survival and self-preservation, desire to be here in the physical world, trust, grounding, and stability. Once you take the time to observe the states of both your root and heart Chakras, try this grounding practice for stability:
- Create a sanctuary where you feel safe and comfortable. This could be a place in the forest or your favorite room.
- Expand your sanctuary out in all directions, creating a great plain.
- Drop a cord of energy deep into the earth from the base of your body
- Let the cord draw you down into the earth
- Expand the cord out in all directions
- Imagine your root Chakra opening
- Bring the earth’s energy into you
- Send your energy into the earth
After practicing, reconnect to both your root and heart Chakras and send them loving-kindness. Notice any changes in your inner stability, and repeat as often as you need.
Want to get more in touch with your Chakras?
