The black chakra is one of the lesser known and more mysterious chakras in traditional Indian medicine and spirituality. Located at the perineum, between the anus and genitals, the black chakra is said to be the seat of primal instincts, sexual energy, and deep unconscious desires. Understanding this chakra can help unlock deeper self-knowledge and tap into powerful creative and spiritual forces within us.
What is the black chakra?
In Sanskrit, the black chakra is called the muladhara or root chakra. Like the roots of a tree that dig deep into the earth to draw up nourishment, the root chakra draws up primal life force energy from the deepest levels of our being. This chakra is located at the base of the spine, in the area between the anus and genitals. Some also call it the sex chakra or earth chakra.
The black chakra is associated with the following:
- Survival instincts
- Sense of security and grounding
- Tribal or group identification
- Physical energy and vitality
- Sexual energy
- Creativity and manifestation
- Deepest unconscious desires and repressions
When the black chakra is balanced, we feel grounded, secure, confident, and in touch with our raw creative power. When it’s overactive or blocked, we might feel fearful, threatened, obsessed with physical pleasures, or cut off from our authentic selves.
Black chakra symbols and imagery
The black chakra is associated with the following symbols and imagery:
- The color black or dark red
- The earth element
- The square as a geometric shape
- Elephants or other large, grounded animals
- Plants with deep roots like trees
- Dense, heavy materials like wood, stone, or metal
- Downward pointing triangles
These earthy dark symbols reflect the black chakra’s connection to primal instincts, physicality, and the depths of the unconscious mind.
Black chakra functions and aspects
As the root chakra, the black chakra performs some core functions and has the following key aspects:
- Survival instincts: The black chakra governs our most basic urges to survive and feel physically safe and secure.
- Fight or flight: When threatened or unsafe, the black chakra triggers adrenaline and our instinct to either stand and fight a threat or flee to safety.
- Tribal identity: This chakra grounds our sense of belonging to a “tribe” or group for physical and emotional security.
- Physical energy: The black chakra channels primal life force energy from the earth up through the body, energizing us.
- Sexual energy: Our libido and sexual urges flow through the black chakra.
- Creativity: The strong life force here fuels our creative powers.
- Manifestation: By tapping into the black chakra’s raw energy, we can manifest goals and desires.
- Unconscious depths: This chakra holds our deepest unconscious memories, urges, repressions, and latent potential.
Black chakra healing and activation
There are many practices that can help heal, balance, and activate the black chakra. Here are a few to try:
- Grounding exercises like walking barefoot on the earth
- Hip openers and squats in yoga
- Dancing, stomping, or drumming to awaken earthy, primal rhythms
- Chanting “lam” the black chakra seed mantra
- Visualizing dark spiraling energy sinking down through your body
- Working with black or hematite crystals
- Expressing creativity through art, writing, or music
- Exploring sexuality in healthy, conscious ways
- Examining and releasing deep fears or traumas
As you work to heal your black chakra, be patient, gentle, and compassionate with yourself. This chakra holds our most vulnerable instincts and patterns. By bringing consciousness here, we gain self-awareness and access to our innermost power.
Black chakra signs of imbalance
When the black chakra is imbalanced, either overactive or underactive, we may experience the following physical, emotional, or mental signs:
| Overactive Black Chakra | Underactive Black Chakra |
|---|---|
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Physical signs may include issues with legs, feet, pelvis, rectum, immune system, and reproductive organs. By bringing more awareness to the black chakra, we can rebalance it.
Black chakra meanings in different traditions
The black chakra is acknowledged in different forms across various traditions:
- Hindu tantra: The adhara or muladhara chakra, associated with the earth element, Brahma, and Dakini Shakti.
- Tibetan Buddhism: The secret chakra, representing enlightened mind and bliss.
- Chinese medicine: The gate of life, linked to kidneys, essence, and ancestral chi.
- Kabbalah: The malchut or kingdom, the plane where divine energy is made manifest.
- Shinto: The hara, located below the navel, as the seat of spiritual power and center of balance.
Across traditions, this lowest chakra represents the root connection between matter and spirit, earth and life force, unconscious and consciousness.
Kundalini awakening and the black chakra
In yogic philosophy, the black chakra is crucial in kundalini awakening. Kundalini is visualized as a coiled serpent sleeping at the base of the spine. When kundalini rises up through the chakras, immense energy is released, leading to higher states of consciousness.
To awaken kundalini safely and effectively, the black chakra must be strong and balanced. Its earthy, grounding energy provides stability for the intense spiritual forces of kundalini to flow through the body. A weak black chakra can lead to physical and energetic imbalances when kundalini rises.
Practices like yoga, meditation, chanting, and service can purify the black chakra and prepare the body and mind for kundalini awakening. A gradual, wise approach helps access kundalini’s spiritual power while maintaining sanity and health.
Black chakras in different locations
While the perineum is considered the main black chakra location, some systems say there are also black chakras at:
- The soles of the feet – grounding
- The knees – strength and stability
- The pelvic floor – sexual energy
- The shoulders – bearing burdens
Focusing healing practices on these spots can further energize and balance the full root chakra system.
Black vs red chakras
In some interpretations, the black chakra and red chakra (muladhara) are seen as distinct but interconnected:
- The black chakra at the perineum connects to primal instinct and earth.
- The red chakra at the base of the spine channels raw life force energy.
Balancing both together allows us to access our deepest power in a grounded, integrated way. The red gives raw energy, and the black gives it solid roots.
The black chakra and the shadow self
Our “shadow self” refers to the aspects of ourselves we deny or repress – things like buried traumas, rejected parts of ourselves, immoral urges, or embarrassing memories. The shadow holds great power that is unlocked when brought into the light of awareness.
Since the black chakra holds our unconscious depths, it is strongly linked to our shadow. By healing and activating this chakra through mindfulness, creative expression, and therapy, we can embrace our shadows and reclaim our full identities.
Black chakra crystals
Certain crystals have strong grounding, cleansing energy that resonate with the black chakra. These stones are ideal for black chakra healing and activation:
- Hematite – grounding, calming
- Black tourmaline – protection, purification
- Obsidian – releasing negativity
- Smoky quartz – stress relief
- Flint – sparking creativity
- Jet – stabilizing, centering
- Garnet – passion, motivation
Wear these black chakra crystals as jewelry, place them around your home, or hold them during meditation to benefit from their healing energies.
Black chakra yoga poses
Certain yoga asanas are helpful for stimulating and balancing the black chakra. Here are some good root chakra yoga poses:
- Mountain pose (grounded foundation)
- Tree pose (steadiness)
- Triangle pose (centered stance)
- Chair pose (strength in legs)
- Squats (pelvic floor)
- Bridge pose ( sensitizes sacrum)
- Legs up the wall (reverses energy)
A complete root chakra yoga sequence should move energy in the pelvis and legs, strengthen the lower body, and promote a sense of stability.
Black chakra affirmations
Working with positive affirmations can help unblock a closed black chakra or calm an overactive one. Here are some black chakra affirmations to use in meditation:
- “I am grounded and connected to Mother Earth.”
- “I am strong, stable, and secure.”
- “I welcome new experiences.”
- “It is safe for me to be powerful.”
- “I manifest my desires with ease.”
- “I allow my creativity to flow freely.”
Write these affirmations down, repeat them to yourself, and let the words reprogram your root chakra energy.
Conclusion
The mysterious black chakra holds the keys to profound instinctual wisdom within us all. When properly balanced, it allows us to feel safe, strong, and sexually vibrant. By bringing consciousness to this foundational energy center, we become grounded enough to express our full spiritual potential.
The black chakra shows us that we can only rise high when our roots run deep. Understanding and healing this core part of ourselves brings confidence, creativity, and connection to life’s heights and depths.