Meaning and Symbolism
   Mooladhara means "root place; the place of basic support". It is the resting place of the dormant kundalini shakti. There are in fact even lower chakras in animals and humans, but it is at Mooladhara that true human development begins. Its yantra (archetypal geometric form) includes a 4 petalled dark red lotus with a yellow square. These are the symbols for the tattwa (element) of earth (prithvi). There is a blood red, downward pointing triangle (symbolising the psychic pubis and womb of Shakti) with a smoky grey lingam (the causal body or phallus of Shiva) representing their union at this lowest level.

Location
   In women, Mooladhara is located at the cervix where the uterus meets the vagina, and in men is at the perineum just under the skin between the base of the penis and the anus. Making a muscular contraction in these areas is called Moola Bandha and is a very important energy control technique in the tantric system. The frontal trigger point for Mooladhara is the nose tip. Concentration on this point has the same effects as direct meditation upon the chakra itself.

Bodily Systems
   Mooladhara governs the excretory

system (anus, rectum and colons) and the skeletal system (bones, joints and marrow), as well as the sense of smell, since all these are our most solid and earthy parts and functions. Other associated organs are the legs, the cervix, the nose, the coccygeal plexus.

Self Expression
   The attributes of energy and consciousness as represented by Mooladhara are our most instinctive human needs - survival, basic life force motivation, territorial and material attachment, procreation, maintenance of family lineage, sense of smell, fear of death, groundedness. Abilities such as a good sense of smell; good rhythm and dance; abounding energy; fearlessness; a cervix which is responsive to the stimuli of labour; are all attributes associated with a well functioning Mooladhara. Conditions such as low constitu-tional life force; laziness; constipation; bowel cancers; depression; suicide; violence and viciousness; obsessive fearfulness including fear of animals (or one's own animal nature); biting and kicking others; obsessive attachment to money, property and family lineage; fear of childbirth; a cervix which is unresponsive to the triggers of labour; are things which are indicative of an afflicted Mooladhara.