Safety, belonging, abundance: It all starts here


The Energy of You Volume XX Issue #32

​
​

Hi Reader,

September has sped by, full calendar, full mind, full days. It had me thinking about something I return to again and again when life gets busy: foundation. When everything feels a little chaotic, it is your inner stability, your energetic roots, that help ground and steady you.

Have you ever noticed how a walk on the beach or sitting under a tree makes you feel calmer and steadier? That's your root chakra in action, quietly anchoring you to stability and safety.

This month, let's take a look at the root chakra, the energetic center that governs your sense of safety, stability, and belonging.

Think of your root chakra as the foundation of your house. If it is strong and steady, everything built on top feels safer and more secure.

Chakra work is a core practice for me. It doesn't take much time and can be easily woven into a daily routine.


The Root of It All

  • Name: Root Chakra (Muladhara)
  • Symbol: Four-petaled lotus
  • Color: Red
  • Mantra: Lam
  • Element: Earth
  • Crystal: Tiger’s Eye or Smoky Quartz
  • Essential Oils: Ylang Ylang or Sandalwood

The root chakra sits at the base of the spine, in the area of the perineum. It governs your connection to physical reality, safety, and survival. It is the base of your journey, the foundation upon which you build. Its essence is the ability to provide for life’s necessities and to feel a sense of belonging.

How It Feels When Balanced

When your root chakra is steady, you feel grounded, secure, and supported. You have a sense of abundance, of being and having enough. It allows you to give and receive in healthy ways, to feel connected to community, and to trust in your ability to meet life’s challenges.

Signs of Imbalance

Thought patterns may include:

  • Scarcity: “There is never enough.”
  • Isolation: “I don’t fit in.”
  • Struggle: “Life is always a battle.”
  • Distrust: “I always have to watch my back.”

Behaviors may include:

  • Avoiding change or new experiences
  • Focusing on what is lacking
  • Feeling trapped in family or community expectations
  • Difficulty being yourself
  • Blaming others or feeling like the victim

Physical signs may include:

  • Chronic low back pain
  • Fatigue
  • Immune challenges
  • Depression or anxiety
  • Sciatica or varicose veins

An underactive root chakra often feels fearful, anxious, or disconnected. An overactive root chakra may appear as resistance to change, controlling behavior, or excessive focus on material possessions.

Simple Practices to Rebalance

  • Physical activity or yoga
  • Barefoot walking on natural ground
  • Listening to steady, primal rhythms such as drumming
  • Reading stories of resilience and transformation

A Mini Root Chakra Practice

Sit comfortably. Breathe deeply into the base of your spine. Imagine a warm red light glowing there. With each exhale, repeat softly to yourself:

  • My worries and fears about safety and security are dissolving.
  • My needs are continually and abundantly met.
  • I am safe. I am secure. I am free.

Spend a few minutes here, breathing, visualizing, and repeating whichever affirmation feels right.

Reflection Questions

  • Am I struggling in any area of my life right now?
  • Do I feel tense, moody, or ungrounded? If so, what triggers it?
  • Am I able to stay focused and meet my personal goals?

Your answers can guide you to a more personal affirmation or practice.

Explore Further

If you would like to go deeper:

I would love to hear from you. Have you ever noticed your root chakra out of balance? What helps you feel most grounded and secure?

See you next week.

​
Be Inspired,

Cathy

​
​

P.S. I've been working on a course on Mind-Body Medicine to support longevity for women to start in the fall (click here if you want to be on the early notification list).

P.P.S.If you like this newsletter and want to support it, there are 3 Ways! PICK ONE right now before you forget🌺

  1. If this note made you think, or gave you a little exhale, please forward it to a friend. We’re not meant to do this chapter alone. If this was forwarded to you, subscribe right here​
  2. Hit reply and say hello.
  3. Paid subscription here​

Cathy Gatto-Brennan

Mind-body researcher, Energy Healer, RN & author fascinated by how thoughts, beliefs, and subtle energy influence our lives. Helping midlife women create vibrant second acts.

Read more from Cathy Gatto-Brennan
A hand holding a chocolate cake with four lit candles on a gold plate

The Energy of You Volume XXI Issue #32 Hi Reader, I leaned in to blow out the pink, blue, and yellow candles spread out on the cake in a six three formation, too many to have the actual number of candles on the cake. Celebrating another trip around the sun always has me ponder a bit on what’s coming and what’s passed. When I turned sixty I started thinking of the decades as levels in a game. Last year was level 6.2, and it was a challenging one and I’m planning on level 6.3 to be a little...

Dancers in traditional costumes perform in a temple

Volume XXI Issue #31 Hi Reader, One afternoon in Bali, my writing assignment was a single blade of grass. I lay on the ground and stared at it for a long time. The color where it met the soil. The way it bent when the breeze moved through. How it felt between my fingers. I was there for a writing retreat, my first solo trip outside the country. Each day we were asked to write the details of an experience. One day it was that blade of grass. Another day, a busy farmers market. Another, a...

Volume XXI Issue #30 Hi Reader, She leaned over and whispered, "I hate to bother you, but what are you working on? You seem so happy." I was at my favorite coffee shop, pen in hand, drafting that week's newsletter. I love writing longhand. The pen glides across the paper and the words spill out of my head into something visible. There's a creative flow to it, and apparently it showed on my face. We ended up talking for a while. She had so many questions about energy and mindset, and on the...