Flavie Fournial Causse
Coach and yoga teacher, for over 10 years.
In search of inspiring methods and approaches from coaching, personal growth, yoga philosophy, Reiki, neuroscience, NLP, EFT… with one goal in mind, to bring more consciousness and balance into everyone’s daily life, making it exceptional. “Well, in one’s body, in one’s mind, and with others is my motto”.
The literature around the chakras has been a revelation for me, the common thread, and the crossroads between all my learnings.
Today, I share a bit of this fascinating world of chakras through my classes and retreats, making it tangible through simple exercises and experiments that bridge the gap between a world of matter and the world of subtler and more spiritual energies. Often overlooked, delving into the chakras means delving into self-discovery and self-awareness, into something greater than oneself, into the connection between the body, mind, and universe to live in harmony in the world.
We are spiritual beings experiencing human life.
In our world of distractions, noise, and disorder, it’s difficult to be attentive to what’s happening within us, it’s difficult to let go of bodily desires, material desires, performance.
The chakras are energy centers that coordinate energy throughout our system. Each chakra receives, assimilates, and transmits vital energy.
It’s important to understand that we are these energies through consciously or unconsciously chosen states of being, expressed through emotions or ideas, thoughts that make us act and interact in life according to patterns. The result of our conscious or unconscious choices has consequences on us and others, and in turn generates new states of being, new feelings, new thoughts. By assimilating this, we can act at all levels and change the course of things. And if we don’t like what we’ve created, then let’s make a new, higher choice.
Let’s learn to observe ourselves by being aware of our sensations, feelings, and thoughts.
Let’s be aware that we are creators of our sensations, feelings, and thoughts, not the other way around.
We are not our thoughts, we are not our emotions. We are ENERGY. An energy that vibrates and it’s up to us to tune it to the most melodious sound of life.
Let’s go back to our chakras…
The chakras connect us to all universal elements: earth, water, fire, air, sound, light, consciousness…
The chakras are linked to our inner demons, our emotions, our wounds: fear, guilt, shame, grief, lies, illusions, attachments…
Each chakra has a specific function: survival, sexuality, willpower, love, communication, intuition, understanding.
The chakras govern our physiology and our immunity: our systems, organs, glands…
Even though they may seem difficult to grasp because they exist within our energetic body, they provide us with a unique insight, another perspective of how we function. Working on our chakras allows us to evolve in life by becoming aware of everything that obstructs serenity, joy, and fulfilment.
Engaging with the body and with matter helps us to understand it, to connect with it, and that’s what I will try to convey to you.
“We can only change what we are aware of.”
The first chakra, or energy center, is called MULADHARA in Sanskrit, or the ROOT chakra. Located at the level of the perineum, it CONNECTS US TO THE ENERGY OF THE EARTH:
I always spend time with my students, in yoga or coaching, working on grounding.
Grounding connects us to the present moment, stabilizes us, centers us. It deeply nourishes us, soothes the mind, allowing us to delve into our inner self and develop intuition.
From this first energy center, we ascend. Muladhara serves as the foundation for all other centers.
In our societies, we are generally more inclined to develop our spirituality, while materiality remains the basis for reaching higher and higher.
This chakra transmits our instinct for life and survival, the ability to satisfy our basic needs, hunger, thirst, shelter, rest, warmth, security, health… It is then understood that the anxiety-inducing climate of recent years can undermine stability in this chakra, leading to blockages in life, such as fears or loss of meaning.
Let’s dive into the earth… and ground ourselves.
For this meditative exercise, I recommend recording yourself and listening to the audio afterward.
- – Ideally, be barefoot on the earth or simply on the ground.
- – Position yourself standing or sitting upright, eyes closed, in mountain pose, with arms alongside the body and palms slightly open. Your feet are firmly grounded in the earth, solid. Your feet are firmly grounded in the earth, solid.
- – Become aware of your left foot and its contact with the ground, feel each toe touching the ground, a part of the sole of the foot in contact with the ground. Imagine the imprint left by your foot in the ground. Imagine the imprint left by your foot in the ground.
- – Bring life and consciousness into every space of your left foot.
- – Feel the left heel. Imagine the imprint of your foot in the ground.
- – Become aware of your right foot and its contact with the ground, each toe touching the ground, a part of the sole of the foot in contact with the ground, the heel. Imagine the imprint left by your right foot in the ground.
- – Feel both feet leaving an imprint in the ground, heavy…
- – Now imagine roots growing beneath your feet, they grow, branch out far around you, and extend deep into the earth. Visualize the golden filaments reaching down into the depths of the earth, finding their way deeper and deeper.
- – Continue to feel your feet in the ground or soil. Is one side of your feet heavier?
- – With each inhale, feel the earth nourishing you with everything you need: minerals, vitamins, oxygen, but also a sense of security, stability, belonging…
- – Continue to feel your feet in the ground, maintain this sensation of contact and imprint in the earth.
- – Visualize the roots spreading out, branching out, like filaments weaving their way to the center of the earth.
- – You are now connected by these filaments to the core of the earth.
- – Feel your legs solid and heavy, you would even struggle to lift them if needed. You are solid, nothing can reach you, no storm.
- – Inhale the energy of the earth through your roots and exhale deeply.
… stay for a few breaths. - – Grow taller and stretch towards the sky, feel your spine elongating, feel your chest rising, chin up, feel tall. Feel your posture powerful, solid. It’s time to send the message to the world: “I am strong, I am grounded.”
- – Inhale
- – Exhale and send this strength to every cell in your body, anchor the memory of this powerful sensation in each of your cells and in every corner of your body.
- – Inhale and exhale deeply while integrating this sensation of solidity.
- – Now take a few moments to set an intention for your day, what you want to focus on today, like a wish that you freely allow yourself. Repeat this wish clearly and mentally 3 times. Have confidence that your body will do everything to fulfil this wish.
- – Inhale and exhale…
- – Prepare to return to our world. Gently lower your chin, slowly move your toes, fingers, reconnect with the space around you, visualize yourself in the space around you, in front, behind, on the sides, above, and below.
– Blink slowly, and open your eyes calmly. Look down at the ground, you are grounded, solid, and ready to face this beautiful day ahead of you.
Namaste