Body Wisdom: Understanding the Chakras

 

September 2026 Issue

Mind, Body & Soul Series
By Leslie Slemmons

 

If you’ve spent time around yoga studios or wellness conversations, you more than likely have heard the word chakra. As we understand it in the West, the chakra system became more widely known through the work of Carl Jung, a Swiss psychologist who used it as a practical framework for understanding how emotions and stress show up in the body.

Each chakra represents an energy center connected to different physical areas and emotional patterns. When these centers are balanced, we tend to feel steady and resilient. When they’re out of balance, the body often lets us know through tension, fatigue, anxiety or emotional overwhelm.

This is where somatic practices, or therapeutic movement, come in. Somatic work focuses on how the body stores emotional experiences and how breath, awareness, and gentle movement can help the nervous system release tension and restore balance.

This is the first in a series of seven articles over the next seven months, starting with the first, the Root Chakra which is located at the base of the spine.

The Root Chakra is associated with our sense of safety, stability, and trust. It governs our most basic need—feeling secure in our environment, supported in our lives, and grounded in the
present moment.

When the root center is in balance, people often feel grounded and are present in their lives. They are better able to take care of their own needs, as well as the needs of others. Because there is a strong foundation and sense of self, people are more able to manifest ideas and bring fruition to their dreams.

When someone is depleted in root energy, he or she usually has a sense of instability and difficulty focusing. Individuals may feel fearful, anxious, or unsettled. When there is an excess of root energy, people can feel stuck, unable to move forward, even when they want to. The body often signals these imbalances before the mind fully recognizes them.

Tight hips, lower back discomfort, restless legs, or a general sense of unease can all be signs that the nervous system is working overtime to find stability. Grounding practices can help restore balance to the Root Chakra.

Spending time outside, walking slowly, or simply becoming aware of the body’s connection to the ground can help signal safety to the nervous system. Gentle yoga, stretching, and mindful breathing can also support regulation and calm. Before we can grow, create, or transform, we need a foundation that feels secure. The Root Chakra reminds us that healing often begins by reconnecting with the body and the ground beneath our feet.

 

Somatic Practice to Try
Stand with both feet firmly on the floor. Take a slow breath in through your nose and release it gently through your mouth. Notice the weight of your body and the support beneath your feet. Stay here for five slow breaths, allowing the body to settle.

Then, grab a journal and reflect upon these questions:

What would it feel like to trust my body?

What repairs need to happen between me and my body
for that trust to evolve?

______________________________________________________________________________________

 

 

Leslie Slemmons is the founder of Peace by Piece Therapy in Bluffton, where she blends traditional therapy with somatic, mind-body practices to help people reconnect with themselves and create lasting change. Visit www.peacebypiecetherapy.care to learn more and subscribe to the monthly newsletter for workshops, classes, special events, and wellness inspiration.