The base chakra or Muladhara chakra is located at the base of the spine, or more accurately the perineum (the piece of tissue between the anus and vagina/scrotum). It is a wheel of red light, about three inches in diameter which spins to form a funnel of light, pointing towards the earth. It governs our life on the physical plane helping or hindering as the case may be when it comes to finding material security and founding a family to ensure the survival on the species. Basic bodily functions – eating, sleeping and having sex are ruled by the base chakra. The base chakra is associated with the adrenal glands which are located on the kidneys and govern the fight or flight response. From a broad perspective this chakra protects us from threats to our survival and keeps us here, until we do what we came here to do.
If your base chakra is balanced, you feel grounded, stable and secure. You probably bonded well with your mother or other primary carer and have a healthy attitude towards your physical body. A balanced root chakra produces a sense of belonging, good self esteem and a deep primordial trust that your needs 
will be provided for by a benevolent Universe.
If your base chakra is underactive you may feel lost, ungrounded, fearful and anxious. You will drift through life without a sense of purpose or destination and your self esteem may be poor.
If your base chakra is overactive you may be very materialistic and greedy. You may ignore the needs of your body for healthy nourishment, sufficient rest and a balanced way of life. You are probably obsessed with being secure and resist change.
Crystals to balance the base chakra are most commonly black or red in colour. Smoky quartz, hematite, black tourmaline, red jasper, red calcite and black obsidian are all inexpensive and commonly available.
View base chakra stones available for purchase here.