Want Real, True Sexual Energy? Look to Your Root Chakra.

The tantric treasure map – the one that leads to pleasure and bliss – is dotted with chakras along the way. Being able to decode this map helps us understand why our lives work the way they do. When it comes to chakras, it’s no longer just about figuring out how to align them anymore. While we often hear about chakras during yoga and meditation gatherings, their importance goes far beyond that. I define chakras as the subtle metaphors hidden within the human body that help us understand our lifestyles.

Khajuraho Tantra temple in India where spirituality and sexuality are blended together. 

There are seven chakras in the body; the first one in the series is the root chakra. The root chakra’s Sanskrit name is mooladhara chakra. Mool translates to “root,” or “the foundation of a being.” Your root chakra is located in the area of your coccyx between the anus and the perineum. It’s right near the base of the spinal column. This is your body’s root. If your root is not strong, you are always going to feel misaligned with your own energy.

All of your sexual energy is stored within the root chakra. Because of that, society has significantly ruined the power of this chakra. I grew up in India, and I moved to America in 2004. I’ve been traveling the world ever since. It doesn’t matter where I go, unfortunately I continue to see that the root chakra is not active in many people.

The root chakra has three aspects to it:

Oral

A child begins her life with an oral fixation. Breastfeeding is one of the first things that she encounters. If a child is not satisfied with her mother’s breasts, her lips will always crave them. Why do you think men all over the world are obsessed with breasts? Overeating (or eating for emotional reasons), smoking, chewing gum, and even obsessively kissing are all signs of a blocked root chakra. Many seekers who experience an incomplete or unfulfilled childhood face heavy troubles with their root chakra.

Anal

When stuck in the anal aspect of mooladhara, you are often constipated. This problem originates from making a child go to the bathroom at fixed times. The toilet, then, becomes more of a psychological routine than a physical one. If you don’t go to the bathroom when you’re supposed to, you feel unnatural. You’ll force yourself to control your bowel movements, which results in a blockage of your inner growth. Forcing or suppressing these natural movements can cause a blockage in the root chakra.

Genital

If not facing a problem with the oral or anal aspects of the root chakra, one may get fixated on the genital aspect. A blockage in this area can lead to a repression of sexual energy. You’ll start to look at sex as either a sin or just as simple, casual fun. Or for others, sex is simply about reproduction. If you believe any of these ideas about sex, you will never be able to experience sex in its totality. Your sex life will always remain unfulfilled.

So, what’s the solution?

If you have a newborn or young child, you must start by giving them the freedom to express his or her emotions and desires. The only way you can truly do this is if you too live a life of sexual freedom. You have to fully understand that sexual energy is evolving every day, in every way. Sex isn’t sinful or complicated. It is what makes you creative and playful. The teachings of Tantra put a profound importance on accepting your sexual energy. Our obsession with sex is ruining our existence. Society and the media continue to objectify men and women in the name of sex appeal, and this disconnects us from the root chakra.

Sex is the starting point to crossing the bridge of healing your root chakra. You must be aware of your sexual energy, but also be prepared to move beyond it. Kundalini awakenings and other forms of spiritual awakenings have their foundation in a clear root chakra. If you can move beyond sex, you can truly join the dance of life.

Try this meditation to heal the root chakra*:

1. Start with slow, conscious breathing through the nostrils. 3 minutes

2. Move on to breathing quickly and rigorously. 5 minutes

3. Express your emotions without any inhibitions. (It’s okay here, in this moment, to laugh, cry, scream, dance, or do whatever you feel necessary.) 5 minutes

4. Sit deeply in silence. Relax your being and feel stillness. If you’d like, you may repeat one of the three affirmations listed below. 5 minutes

I trust the process of life.

I am connected to the shrine in my body.

I am in harmony with Mother Nature.

* This meditation is typically performed under the careful guidance of Chandresh Bhardwaj at Break the Norms workshops and meditation centers. If you choose to meditate by yourself, please do so consciously, and seek the help of a qualified spiritual teacher in the process.