The chakras on the feet are in the center of the soles, and they can become energetically or physically blocked.  Our feet bear the weight of not only our physical frame, but our burdens; They carry us through all life has to offer from the good and the bad. Emotional disturbances that affect safety, belonging, or trust in life often manifest in the foot chakras.

    When life becomes overwhelming energy can retract leading to a sense of feeling disconnected, avoidance, dissociation, fear of responsibility, or general unsafety in the world, this can lead to physical feelings of being unfocused, or chronically fatigued, as if your spirit and body are no longer fully aligned.

    When we are resistant to seeking support the energetic flow between the earth and you can also be disrupted. Whether it’s pride or mistrust due to past disappointments, asking for help from others can be difficult. The truth is we were not intended to shoulder everything life throws at us by ourselves; Humans are social and have a support system for the bad times and someone to celebrate with during the good is vital not only for our mental health but also our energetic health. When we lack that support system our energy can contract around the lower chakras, this can manifest stiffness in the ankles, tension in the arches, or exhaustion that follows acts of service. Energetically, it reflects an inner refusal to receive the same nourishment we so freely give to others.

    When we fear change the energy of that fear can act as roots keeping us in place and preventing us from progressing. Fear of the unknown no matter how minor can act like friction in our lives slowing us down and preventing us from manifesting our desired lives. Emotional hesitation from things like anxiety or fear of failure can keep the energy from rising and propelling you forward. Physically this block can feel like heaviness in the feet or a cold, stagnant sensation in the soles, often accompanied by a restless uncertainty about one’s path.

   The chakras in the feet anchor us to the earth star chakra and this anchor is shared by the collective. When personal, ancestral or collective grief are unacknowledged it can show up as energetic blockages in the lower chakras. Feelings of inherited guilt, cultural displacement, or sorrow for humanity’s suffering often appear as dull pain or subtle vibration in the soles. Walking barefoot or meditating on the Earth may stir unexpected emotion, signaling the need to release energy that no longer belongs solely to you.

    There are times when too much energy comes in from the upper chakras and the lower chakras, including those in the feet struggle to handle the energy influx causing us to become ungrounded. This overload can come from a lack of balance between the earthly planes and the higher planes. This is common when we push ourselves mentally, spiritually, or creatively without grounding the influx. Burnout, overstimulation, or spiritual bypassing can also contribute to this state your feet may tingle, heat, or buzz as the body struggles to discharge energy downward; this can lead to sleep disturbances or as an imbalance between rest and action. 

   Aside from the emotional reasons the chakras can be blocked there are some physical ways to assist in releasing that energy. When it comes to opening and balancing the chakras in the feet there has never been a better time for a foot massage. The most direct method for working with these chakras is massage since it gets the blood flowing and circulating, allowing the energy to do the same, These chakras are both electrical and mechanical so to get the full range of activation massage should be included in the process. 

   When massaging the feet you are simultaneously working the muscles of the feet and guiding energy your goals determine which foot you start with and which way you rub.

>> Click for diagram of massage points <<

Right foot: Represents Yang, Solar, Electric, and Grounding Output side of the body. Energy should descend from the body and discharge into the earth. The purpose is to clear the pathway for the Yin current to flow upward.

The left foot: Represents Yin, Lunar, Magnetic, and Receptive side. Energy should flow up from the earth through this channel. After the right foot grounds and clears, the left foot receives and replenishes.

    The natural circular spin of energy for the right foot is clockwise and for the left foot is counterclockwise. If the chakra feels blocked, you want to start by massaging in the opposite direction of its natural spin for a few minutes and then continue in the appropriate direction. If the energy is overactive the massage should be in the opposite direction until balance has been restored.

  So how can you tell:

  A blocked foot chakra can show up as numbness, coldness, or heaviness in the feet. Clumsiness or imbalance when walking or standing or it can also manifest as a feeling of floating when meditating or possibly as difficulty manifesting. Energetically it can feel like dullness, density or even a lack of feeling the vibration when you focus into a point on the feet almost like the energy isn’t responding.

  When these chakras are overactive you may feel a burning or tingling sensation in the soles of the feet. A restlessness or inability to sit still, maybe even a “buzzing” energy that wont go away even after grounding. Simply feeling drained can also be a symptom of an overactive energy point. Energetically the energy may feel too hot, rapid vibration, or leaking outward.  

   First you want to soak your feet in either warm Epsom salts or Himalayan salt for about 1 – 2 minutes. Couple this with some slow deep belly breathing really focusing in on the feeling of the warm water and the experience. If you are unable to soak your feet you can also brush them off before you get started, anything that disrupts the auric field and removes any stagnant energy can be helpful.

  Next you want to start with the right foot first massaging in a clockwise direction (if already balanced) you work through the points starting at the heel then moving to the arch, sole, and toes.  You want to finish the right foot before moving on to the left. In the beginning it is best to clear and ground the channel before bringing new energy in.

The heel:

This is the discharge and foundation part of the massage, and each foot is a little different.

Right foot: Establishes stability and opens the grounding gate it activates Apana Vayu otherwise known as the downward energy.

Left foot: Establishes the upward flow and draws energy upward into the system nourishing and replenishing the energy that was discharged through the right side.

The Arch:

This is for polarity and balance; the massage is the same for both feet with slight differences in purpose and the effect. Alternate inward (toward the inner arch) and outward (toward the outer edge) strokes with both thumbs.

Move slowly, following the natural contour of the arch and focus on breath rhythm rather than circular spin here. You want to visualize the energy as two ribbons, one Yin, and one Yang, weaving back and forth through the foot. This action equalizes the ida (left, lunar, cooling) and pingala (right, solar, warming) channels. For the right foot you are directing the flow outward and for the left foot you are directing the flow inward. By alternating thumb pressure inward and outward, you help these channels communicate with each other reestablishing harmony between emotional Yin and active Yang.

The Central Sole:

This is where you open the chakra itself by activating the chakra gate. The primary Foot Chakra, also known as Talapadma or the Yongquan (Kidney-1) point in Chinese medicine is activated by applying gentle pressure to the point. Press and hold for several breaths then release. Slowly circle the point while breathing through your crown (Put your focus on your crown chakra and take a breath.) and then release the breath through the point on your feet (again place your focus on the point and exhale). This will connect your personal energy to earth’s energy. 

The ball of the foot and toes:

   This is where you work with the upper energy fields, more specifically the diaphragm, throat, and mind. You want to use rolling or tapping motions. Massage gently and rhythmically while imagining the energy flowing upward through the legs into the root chakra. This releases residual tension and unblocks upward flow and bridges the connection. 

Top of the foot and ankles:

   As a final step you want to take long sweeping motions from the toes up the ankles integrating the energy and sealing the auric field.

At this point you can also do grounding meditation for the Earth star chakra. 

Rest your hands lightly on the soles.

Visualize two roots descending from the foot chakras into a glowing reddish-brown sphere about 12 inches below you (the Earth Star Chakra).

Feel the energy circuit complete.

Other ways you can work with the feet chakras is through meditation:

Sit or stand comfortably with feet flat on the ground.
Close your eyes, breathe deeply, and visualize your breath traveling downward through your spine into your legs.

Focus on the center of each sole (about one inch below the ball of the foot).

Imagine small red-orange or earthy brown lights glowing there.

On each inhale, feel them draw in clean, nurturing Earth energy.

On each exhale, feel them release tension and excess charge.

Visualize both soles pulsing together, the left drawing energy up, the right sending energy down, until both move in rhythmic harmony.

You may feel warmth, tingling, or gentle magnetic pulling.

Imagine a radiant sphere 6–18 inches beneath your feet (reddish-brown).

From each sole, send a golden root or cord downward into this sphere.

Let that energy rise back up into your legs, merging at the Root chakra.

When you feel balanced, visualize a soft reddish-gold glow enveloping both feet, anchoring you firmly to the Earth.

Stay here for a few breaths, then gently open your eyes.

   Walking barefoot helps to support these chakras as well as Yoga, or copper and hematite jewelry. One thing I have learned when it comes to the chakras is that there is a correlation between physical stretching and chakra health. What follows is a brief list with descriptions on how to perform the poses and the stretches for those of you who are interested in the movements. 

• Hero’s Pose (Virasana) or Toe Stretch

Physical effect: Deeply opens the soles and tops of the feet.

Energetic effect: Clears stagnation in the Earth Star and Root circuits; strengthens grounding and presence.

How to do:

• Kneel with your toes tucked under (for a more intense stretch).

• Sit back gently onto your heels for 20–30 seconds.

• To release, lean forward and tap your feet lightly.

• Standing Mountain (Tadasana)

Physical effect: Aligns posture from soles to crown.

Energetic effect: Activates all seven major chakras, uniting them through the grounding current of the feet.

How to do:

• Stand tall, feet parallel and evenly weighted.

• Slightly lift your toes, feel the arches engage, and settle them back down.

• Visualize energy rising from Earth through the soles, up the spine, to the crown.

Stretches:

• Toe Spread & Curl

Physical effect: Opens small muscles, tendons, and nerves in the feet.
Energetic effect: Activates the minor chakras at the toe pads (linked to clarity, balance, and direction).
How to do:

• Sit or stand barefoot.

• Spread your toes wide, hold for 5–10 seconds, then curl them under and hold again.

• Repeat 5–10 times per foot.

• Heel Press & Rock

Physical effect: Stimulates heel fascia and Achilles tendon, grounding energy into the Earth.
Energetic effect: Activates the Earth Star and Root chakras; stabilizes and centers.
How to do:

• Stand barefoot, feet hip-width apart.

• Press your heels firmly into the floor, then slowly rock forward onto the balls of your feet.

• Repeat slowly 10–15 times, syncing breath with motion.

• Arch Roll

Physical effect: Releases fascia and tension in the arches (Plantar fascia).
Energetic effect: Balances Yin–Yang polarity through the inner and outer arches.
How to do:

• Use a tennis ball or wooden roller under your arch.

• Roll slowly from heel to ball of the foot, focusing on tender points.

• Breathe deeply and visualize light circulating through the foot’s sole.

• Ankle Circles

Physical effect: Improves joint mobility and lymph flow.
Energetic effect: Clears blockages between Root, Knee, and Foot chakras—encouraging energy to spiral freely.
How to do:

• Lift one foot slightly off the ground.

• Rotate your ankle clockwise for 10 circles, then counterclockwise.

• Repeat on the other side.

• Forward Fold (Uttanasana)

Physical effect: Stretches the calves, hamstrings, and soles.
Energetic effect: Grounds and channels energy downward; releases excess energy through the feet’s chakric centers.
How to do:

• Stand with feet hip-width apart.

• Hinge at the hips, allowing the upper body to hang loose.

• Keep a gentle bend in the knees.

• Feel the weight transferring through your soles into the ground.