The First Chakra: How do you stay grounded?

[awakenedsoul]

Rob,
True Balance by Sonia Choquette is excellent. Shirley MacLaine wrote one, too. I can't remember the name, but you could probably google it. I used to use her meditation tape for balancing the chakras.

rodeosweetheart,
That's great. Yes, that was also what I thought about the top notes. The crown chakra is your connection to your spiritual source. So, prayer, meditation, higher thought, inspirational reading, etc... open and balance that one. Incidentally, the first chakra and the crown chakra are connected. So, probably you'll see improvement by working with both. Our voices drop as we go through menopause. I can no longer sing a high C. Most singers have to lower their music around 50. Most of the parts for women 40-60 in musical theater are for mezzos and altos for that reason. Most women can't sing that high at this age. It doesn't mean something is medically wrong. You may have gained an octave in the other direction...on your low notes.

[rodeosweetheart]

Hi Awakened,
I know what you mean, and I should have pointed out that due to age, I already could not sing a high C, could not get above a G without strain, due to age.

but this loss was dramatic, and I really need that space between a D and F, you know?

And for the best example of what you are saying, look at Marianne Faithfull (or rather, listen to!)

Thank you for the very interesting awareness about the crown chakra--I am researching it now, things to do!

[awakenedsoul]

I was thinking about this on the way to my sight singing lesson. Things like art, beauty, and culture all balance and heal the upper chakras. Classical music, going to museums, seeing live theater, Broadway musicals, ballet, and opera. (Even just watching DVD's from the library.) All of these activities are medicine for the chakras.

I noticed the students and the teacher in this class had very balanced throat chakras. They were polite, they listened, they were respectful, and all were excellent students. Part of his teaching is that is has to be a safe environment. No one tried to make us feel stupid or untalented. It was very inspiring and uplifting.

The teacher was very grounded. He was on time, organized, prepared, and patient. He told us to practice a little bit everyday, not wait till the day before the next lesson and try to cram. The material is very structured and ordered. That's all first chakra stuff. I loved it!

[gimmethesimplelife]

I was thinking about this on the way to my sight singing lesson. Things like art, beauty, and culture all balance and heal the upper chakras. Classical music, going to museums, seeing live theater, Broadway musicals, ballet, and opera. (Even just watching DVD's from the library.) All of these activities are medicine for the chakras.

I noticed the students and the teacher in this class had very balanced throat chakras. They were polite, they listened, they were respectful, and all were excellent students. Part of his teaching is that is has to be a safe environment. No one tried to make us feel stupid or untalented. It was very inspiring and uplifting.

The teacher was very grounded. He was on time, organized, prepared, and patient. He told us to practice a little bit everyday, not wait till the day before the next lesson and try to cram. The material is very structured and ordered. That's all first chakra stuff. I loved it!

I don't know much about chakras - but about art, beauty, and culture? I was at the Phoenix Art Museum recently and there was a collection of Madeline Allbright's (former secretary of state under Clinton) pins that she wore while out on the world stage - apparently she used pins to communicate how she was feeling or what type of mood she was in or how she felt about various negotiations. It was utterly fascinating and I left the museum in a good mood. So my point is I do think there is something to this. Rob

[catherine]

I've been spending some thinking about this. I stay grounded by staying in the moment, most of all. And as you said, simple household tasks of everyday living is a great way to do that--the Zen "washing the dishes" is exactly the kind of grounding I try to achieve.

I also stay grounded by monitoring my time around people with negative energy. I have a bad habit of wanting to be a savior, and sometimes spend too much time enveloped in toxic energy. I am starting to really "feel" it, and I've just realized that toxic energy really is almost like carbon monoxide--you can take one step back or try to disengage mentally, but sometimes that's not enough--you have to seek out fresh air. I remember when my father was drinking when I was a kid, his pattern was to spend a few weeks sober and then go out and get a six-pack and then just sit in the chair in the living room and drink and drink and drink in his robe. I couldn't see that chair from the kitchen door when I entered the house after school, but I felt the downgrade in the energy the minute I walked in and it was always heartbreaking.

Yoga also helps--I like the standing poses for just a quick "grounding check."

[reader99]

AW, hi! I have a question for you. If I wanted to learn more of the basic of the chakras and how this all works, do you know of a good beginner's book? Just curious.....Rob

Careful Rob, years ago I tried to balance my chakras using a book, screwed them up and had to pay to get them professionally rebalanced.

[awakenedsoul]

Your feelings are the best guide. Anything that inspires you is good for your chakras. Like Rob said, most of us feel uplifted after spending time in a space that opens our mind...higher thought. Like Catherine, I limit my exposure to toxic people and situations. Some people thrive on negativity and conflict, but I don't. As reader99 said, some people have negative experiences if they go about it in the wrong way. (I did that by doing imbalanced kriyas that I was making up myself from a book.) So, the common sense stuff is safe and healthy. (Fresh air, nature, exercise, order, cleanliness, etc...)

I'm amazed at how much better I feel in the a.m. after doing two hours of housework each day. Instead of feeling guilty for procrastinating, I feel energized and on track.

[Soundinjoy]

Hello awakendsoul,
I'm new to these boards but very familiar with chakras and various forms of natural healing (working in the field for 20 years). I would love to respond but found the tone of the first few posts in the thread very odd. Is there a history in these boards that would explain it? I'm not trying to derail your thread, just wondering about this site in general.

[shadowmoss]

I believe she was saying she wanted to discuss how to balance the chakras, not debate whether they are valid or hokey pokey woo woo or not. Just the way I read it, and I've been on these boards over a decade. We sometimes have people here who want to make fun of things they don't understand. She was saying (I'm assuming) that this isn't the thread for that.

[awakenedsoul]

Hi Soundinjoy,
Yes. There is a history on these boards that would explain it. I'll send you a PM. Sorry for the negative tone. I would love to hear about your work with the chakras and what you've learned.
Thanks shadowmoss. That's exactly what I meant. I find it very helpful to stay grounded. I ended up starting some other threads that gave me the same answer to the question.
On this thread, I'm not interested in convincing someone that the chakras exist. I thought there might be more people on this forum that have studied the system and use it in their work or daily life. It's one of my favorite subjects...