Sacral Chakra

This month, we’re discussing the fourth chakra, Svadhisthana, or our Sacral Chakra.

A Recap of the Chakras

Chakra is the Sanskrit word for “wheel.” The seven chakras as we know them are a modern Western interpretation of an ancient concept from Hinduism. However, there are parallel ideas and observations from healing systems and healers across cultures and time periods. The chakras are energy centers in and around the body. Each corresponds to a color and specific parts of the body. It also corresponds to particular mental and emotional experiences. These beautiful wheels of color are a brilliant way of illustrating the inseparable mind-body connection in human health and wellness. In this series, we’ll be exploring each chakra and holistic approaches to caring for them.

Svadhisthana

Svadhisthana, or the Sacral chakra, is the second major energy point in the body. As one of the three lower chakras, it’s deeply tied to the physical body and our experiences as incarnated beings. In the case of the Sacral Chakra, this connection manifests through the themes and needs of our reproductive system. Svadhisthana calls to our creativity, our pleasure, and our pure emotions.

The Sacral Chakra is represented by a warm orange six-petaled lotus. The flower encircles an inner circle and a crescent moon. Its particular shade of orange evokes a sense of the womb when viewed with a light during fetal development. Just as the womb, other reproductive organs, and nearby kidneys and bladder are all associated with water, so is Svadhisthana. Through this energy center, we flow, both creatively and cathartically.

A healthy Sacral Chakra allows us to freely commune with ourselves. When it’s strong, so is our expressive power. We feel capable of communicating our needs and desires, and we’re able to create without fear.

Body

Embodiment through the Sacral Chakra can allow for pure expressions of joy. This part of the body is known, of course, for its procreative potential as the seat of our reproductive health. For a deep dive on the physical side of this chakra, check out last month’s blog on the reproductive system. The universal presence of this energetic center regardless of a person’s gender expression, sexuality, or parental status, is a testament to the fact that this part of the body warrants our attention throughout life’s phases.

The correspondence between the Sacral Chakra and the element of water is so essential to the physical. This makes perfect sense for the governor of our emotions. When we are sufficiently moved, we release water through tears of joy or sadness. In fact, tears come in different types and include different hormones as a response to the emotions that prompted them. For instance, emotional tears contain stress hormones and even some of your body’s natural painkillers. Tears produced when your eyes are irritated, on the other hand, can have antibodies to fight off infection.

Water is also, of course, vital to our sexuality. It is the basis of our sexual fluids and our blood itself. It is an absolute necessity for sexual health. The mind-body connection is strong here. If we’re dehydrated, we may feel closed off and protective of our bodies, while having enough of what we need allows us to be more open.

When our body isn’t able to properly produce the liquids it needs, we outsource them. Lubricants and lotions are essential tools from our eyeballs to our mouths to our skin to our sex lives. That’s why our number one tip for taking care of the Sacral Chakra on the physical level is to stay hydrated. This doesn’t just mean pounding water, which may quickly exit the body. (Though your kidneys and bladder will thank you for keeping things flowing in that regard.) It also means making sure you have the electrolytes you need to actually use all the water you’re taking in. The best way to get your nutrients is through your diet, of course. In addition to drinking plenty of fluids, eat a wide variety of fruit and vegetables which also carry water.

When our Sacral Chakra is out of balance, it’s believed to impact our libido and exacerbate any issues with joint pain, stiffness, and arthritis. It can also lead to imbalance in the urinary system and irritation in the nasal and throat passages.

We recommend focusing on the hips to work out Sacral Chakra issues.

A simple forward bend can be a great assist for your Sacral chakra. With legs together, allow yourself to hinge at the waist, slowly bending forward. It’s ok if your hands don’t touch the ground, and you can always keep a slight bend in the knee for stability. Look toward your knees and imagine being able to fold your body neatly in half. To add a helpful neck and shoulder stretch, grab opposite elbows and sway back and forth. The weight of your head should gently stretch the vertebrae of the neck.

Mind and Spirit

If you’ve had the opportunity to study any esoteric practices like tarot reading, you know the water element corresponds to our emotions. When people are really feeling it, they may use the expression “in my cups.” A blocked Sacral Chakra can easily send us too deep into our cups or cut us off from the well entirely. Mood swings can be a major indicator that our Sacral Chakra needs our attention.

Staying in touch with our emotions and being able to name them is one key way to take care of this Chakra. We recommend expressive exercises like painting and journaling. Journaling can be especially helpful if you have a hard time speaking about sexuality out loud. You can even do a practice where you erase, burn, or otherwise release what you’ve written if you don’t feel prepared to let it be permanent. Dive into creation without any specific outcome in mind. Invite yourself to speak your truth. You may be surprised what you have to say!

When the Sacral Chakra is out of balance, it can also lead to feelings of deep shame. Our society has a very complex relationship with sex, and when it certainly shows up in our mind and spirit. We may have the capacity for a great deal of pleasure, but we’re frequently told that it’s bad to engage with our sexuality. Sometimes, this dichotomy leads to hypersexualization, and sometimes it leads to avoidance. In both cases, it usually means we’ve disconnected the spiritual and emotional body from the physical body.

To bridge the gap, you can try breathwork that draws the energy all the way down into your Sacral Chakra. As you breathe in, imagine the air flowing all the way down into your pelvic region. When it connects, imagine a warm orange glow building. As you exhale, envision this orange light moving out from your Sacral Chakra, flowing through your veins into the rest of your body. As you continue to breathe, the light will move further and further till your whole body is infused with the vibrant, passionate energy of the Sacral Chakra. When you’ve completed this breathwork, you may be feeling energized. Try dancing to your favorite song or asking yourself what you desire and seeing if it’s something you can offer.

A warm bath or long shower are other great ways to settle into Svadhisthana. A great mantra for Sacral balancing while you’re scrubbing up is the following:

I am a passionate and beautiful expression unto myself. I feel my emotions and desires. I co-create with the universe.

Additional Support

We always like to be very cautious with essential oils. Plants are magical things, but when we engage with their concentrated essence, we can often go overboard. Having said that, appropriately diluted, flowers like rose, jasmine, and ylang ylang are great scents to help you get in touch with your Sacral Chakra. You can even try wearing a light organic fragrance with cinnamon or vanilla to remind you of the connection you’re striving for internally.

Aphrodisiacs can be other great nutritional and herbal options for moving your focus to this region. Try sitting down for a treat like strawberries, pomegranates or chocolate while focusing your energy in the Sacral region. Remember, everything doesn’t have to have an end game. Sometimes, just deepening our awareness of ourselves can make a world of difference.weigh on the heart.