By Athena Perrakis, Ph.D.
The Earth Star Chakra sits about 12 inches (30 cm) below your feet. It is a spinning wheel of light that connects you to Mother Earth, as well as our ancestors, the spirits living within our gemstone and mineral tools, the faerie folk, and humankind’s collective consciousness. Many people feel that the Earth Star Chakra is the most important of the central nine energy centers. Connecting to the Earth Star, or Vasundhara, allows you to ground and root our collective energy more firmly into Gaia’s mortal matrix. Mother Gaia is the mother of all life on Earth, the keeper of ancient and grounded feminine wisdom. The Sanskrit name Vasundhara literally translates to “daughter of the Earth.” Thus, this energy center is your oldest spiritual home.
Embodiment Exercise: Earth Star Chakra Induction
Call your energy gently into present time by speaking your name out loud, over and over, in a soft voice, or by imagining your name written into sand on a beautiful beach. Your energy is the most powerful resonant tool you can use: Speaking it out loud or imagining it written brings your personal energy and focus into the present.
Bring your attention to this moment. Here begins a journey to encounter the Earth Star Chakra—your closest energy connection to Mother Gaia herself, and the part of your energy field that resides closest to the gemstone and mineral kingdoms, as well as the sacred plant medicines that grow in Gaia’s jungles. The Earth Star is represented by the Mother archetype, the essence of safety and compassion that wants nothing more for you than happiness, safety, and wellness. Let this meditation guide you.
1 –Bring your attention to your feet, and notice the way your feet make easy, intimate contact with the Earth. Curl your toes and then relax them, stretching them out and then curling them in and down to push your energy into the ground. Roll your feet back and push your ankles down toward the ground, curling your toes up and back. Feel the muscles down the backs of your legs tighten as you hold this position. Then relax your feet and let them rest softly on the floor in front of you.
2 –Now imagine that you are walking in a heavily wooded forest. On all sides of you are trees so tall you cannot see their tops. Their trunks are so large you cannot fit your arms around them. Breathe in the forest scent and let the clean, crisp, clear air fill your lungs. Notice how grounded you feel in this moment; it is almost effortless to find safety among the trees.
3 –Return your attention to your feet and imagine the vast strength and power of Mother Earth under them. Think of the centuries, the millennia, for which Gaia has existed, and how much change has taken place on her continents, in her cities, and across her countries. Try to access and pull up as much of that strength and power as you can. Bring up fire and heat from the core of the planet; bring up soil and bedrock and layers of limestone; bring up fistfuls of quartz and tourmaline; pull up fruit and vegetables to nourish and sustain
you. Pull up tree roots, branches, and limbs to build a solid foundation for your growth and expansion.
4 –Fill your lungs with the scent of ancient soil, soil that has been buried for hundreds, if not thousands, of years. Once you feel that you can see, hear, and smell Gaia clearly, give thanks for the connection you have made with her. Stay in this space for as long as you feel called to do so.
5 –Say, silently or aloud, “Pachamama, see your children today as they gather strength from your deepest reserves and bless them as they call this energy into present time, into their daily lives, to strengthen, solidify, and support them through change and transformation. Amen, A’ho, So it is.”
6 –With a breath of love and gratitude, release Pachamama’s energy from your space by offering words of thanks to her and sending her sweet blessings for her return to the spirit realm.
Earth Star Chakra Herbs and Essential Oils In Native American practice, Ceremonial Tobacco is considered a sacred offering to the Great Spirit and is commonly added to medicine bundles, bags, and pouches, in particular for healing rites and ceremonies. White Ceremonial Sage (Salvia apiana), when burned, is revered for its power to clear low, negative, or stuck frequencies. Light one end of a ceremonial white sage bundle, blow the flame out, and then place the bundle inside a fireproof dish, fanning the smoke from east to north. Allow the smoke to envelop you and your sacred space, and into it release any energies, sensations, or emotions that are no longer serving you. Black and Pink Peppercorn, either in whole, powdered, or essential oil form, bring protection, grounding, and courage. Red Clover detoxifies and purifies while Myrrh Resin invites angelic energies. Frankincense Resinalso purifies and is typically used in liturgical practice to prepare for religious ceremonies. Finally, Galangal Root facilitates astral projection, as well as contact with spirit guides during divination. It is also very protective of overall physical health, especially the central nervous system.
In Peru, one way to honor the Mother is to create a despacho, or organic offering that can be buried within Tierra Madre, or Mother Earth, as a way of creating a sacred exchange with our planet. After all, we receive so much from her that it can be rewarding and healing to give something back.
Despacho de la Madre—An Offering to the Mother
Ingredients
• 1 ounce (28 g) whitesage leaves
• Pinch of ceremonial tobacco
• 6 black or pink peppercorns, or a pinch of black pepper
• Frankincense or copal resin
• Brightly colored candies or dried fruits
• Pinch, or one large crystal, of sea salt
• Seashells, gemstones, or other organic materials
• 1 piece (12″ x 12″ [30 x 30 cm]) canvas or biodegradable fabric
• Twine or thread to tie the package
Make sure that all the items you use are organic and biodegradable, as you will be burying, burning, or floating this despacho off to its permanent home—that is, offering it back to Gaia. Include a variety of ingredients, and make sure some are sweet and brightly colored. The Mother enjoys candies and sweetsas well as non-edible offerings that bring sweet, loving energies back to Earth.Place all of the ingredients inside the piece of canvas or fabric, then fold the despacho into a square or rectangle. Wrap it three times with your thread or twine, whispering a prayer for our planet each time you do so. Then either bury or burn the despacho, or set it out to sea. Release it to the elements and ask that your offering be received by the Mother with love and gratitude—just as it was created. Amen, A’ho, So it is. (While the despacho is meant to honor Gaia and is notoften used for personal intentions, some shamanic groups do create them for group intentions related to Pachamama.)
Athena Perrakis, PhD (Torrance, California) is the bestselling author of The Ultimate Guide to Chakras, Crystals Lore, Legends & Myths, and The Book of Blessings and Rituals She is the Founder and CEO of Sage Goddess, the world’s largest source of sacred tools and metaphysical education.
She holds a PhD from the University of Southern California in educational leadership, and has 15 years of experience as a professor, corporate trainer and consultant, and educator. Athena has traveled the globe and worked with CEOs and senior executives from the Fortune 50 companies. But her metaphysical experience, in which her current work is largely rooted, spans more than 30 years. During that time, she has become an expert in gemology, astrology, Tarot, aromatherapy, Reiki, and herbal medicine. Her Etsy shop was the first online metaphysical storefront to reach the Top 10 stores in the handmade category around the world. Today, there are more than 3000 products available through SageGoddess.com.
Tap into the nine major chakras that affect your power, health, and well-beingwith The Chakras Hand book, the essential portable reference for the experienced energy worker, available now from Fair Winds Press, an imprint of The Quarto Group. Learn more at QuartoKnows.com.
