Swadhisthana a.k.a the sacral chakra is the second of the seven major chakras, and also the next step towards our development in consciousness. It is located in the lower abdomen a few inched below the navel and a few inches above the root chakra, between the tail bone and the sacrum. It is the seat of our subconscious mind, where all of our sensory experiences and impressions are stored. When broken down this word translates into a few different meanings. It can be transcribed as "ones own home", "residence of the soul", "to delight in" or "take pleasure in".
"sva" - one's own, self, soul
"adhisthana" - seat, establishment, home, dwelling place
"svad" - delight, take pleasure
Element - Water
Colour association - Orange (a combination of Yellow = happiness, red = energy)
Essential Oils - sweet orange, ylang ylang, sandalwood, rose, patchouli, neroli, cardamom, clary sage
Corresponding Mantra - VAM
Animal - Crocodile (represents laziness, insensitivity, danger that lurks below the surface)
Our sacral chakra is connected to our desires, creativity, sensuality/sexual health, and our connection to other people. When this chakra is aligned we are able to express our emotions clearly without feeling overwhelmed and we enjoy a good balance between rest and self care as well as good food and enjoying quality time with loves ones. A healthy sacral chakra is evident when we are able to enjoy healthy sexual relationships and explore our sensuality without shame and we are capable of setting healthy boundaries and adapting to change. When awakened we are able to connect to our feminine energy (yes, even if you are male) and surrender to the flow of life while nurturing ourselves and others. This chakra brings clarity and development of our personality and is expressed through the colour orange, which represents enthusiasm, joy, and well being.
So, how do we know when our sacral chakra might need a tune up?
Remember, unbalanced can refer to either direction on the spectrum, feeling a lack of something or feeling an overabundance of something.
Having a blockage in this chakra is especially troublesome for artists and people that thrive on filling their world with creativity. Whenever you feel writers block, a creative stagnation or loss of motivation towards a creative vision, it's a good indication that this sacral chakra may be unbalanced. Sexual dysfunctions, addictions or loss of sex drive are also indications of an imbalance. Imbalances can also present themselves through physical ailments (painful or irregular menstrual cycles, urinary tract infections, reproductive issues, incontinence, liver and kidney issues).
If the sacral chakra is lacking energy, we have a tendency to block our emotions in an attempt to not feel "good" or "bad", which can leave us feeling lonely and distant from wanting any form of close relationship. If the sacral chakra is low in energy you may experience some of the following emotions or behaviours;
- holding onto guilt or shame
- decrease in libido
- lack of interest, desire, passion, enthusiasm or concern
- rejecting any form of pleasure
- Pessimism
- Introversion
- not eating enough (or at all) due to physical vanity, obsessing over weight
Inversely, when we have an over active sacral chakra, we can be hyper sensitive to emotions and experience frequent mood swings by getting caught up in the drama created by our thoughts. Examples of an over active sacral chakra may exhibit the following emotions/behaviours;
- stubbornness
- close mindedness
- over indulging (pleasure seeking)
- over abundant sexual drive/desires
- manipulative/overly dependent on others
- self serving
- disregarding the needs of others
- arrogance
It's no surprise that the sacral chakra is associated with the element, water. It can be calm and placid or destructive and tumultuous. As water ebbs and flows, so do our emotions, and just as a waves will come and go, so do our feelings and we get to choose which ones to surf.
Remember, our chakra's respond to intention, so by surrounding yourself with as many associations to this chakra as possible you'll increase the connection and the capacity to heal. This means including scents, colours, visual imagery, and sounds in your surroundings that represent the specific chakra you wish to work on. Some examples of things that will help create harmony in the sacral chakra;
- Try not to keep emotions bottled up and dive into something creatively expressive (even if it feels out of your comfort zone): dancing, painting, writing etc.
- Get out and try new things that you think you might like, or go back to things you used to like that you haven't done for a long time: hiking, cooking, swimming, singing, getting a massage etc.
- Create a calm space to retreat to when you feel the need to relax or wind down. A so called, ZEN DEN.
- Allow for some YOU time every day, whether that means going to the gym, taking a bath, reading, or even taking a nap.
- Meditation, yoga or any form of energy movement.
- Focus on BREATHING techniques. Breathe is vital for us to flow in life.
Sending you all so much love, and in case no body has told you today,
You Are Worthy.
We have a beautiful meditation available for balancing the Sacral chakra, with some breath work included which Is lead by the beautiful Alaynne West-Tweten, see Link below;