The Sacral Chakra (Sanskrit name: Swadishthana) is the second chakra or energy centers of the seven that govern different aspects of our life and well-being. The alignment of the chakras in the human body is read from the bottom up: root chakra (Muladhara), sacral chakra (Swadishthana), solar plexus chakra (Manipura), heart chakra (Anaahata), throat chakra (Vishuddhi), eye chakra (Ajna – pronounced Aagnya), and crown chakra (Sahasraara). Picture the sequence of colors in a rainbow: violet, indigo, blue, green, yellow, orange, and red. Reading upwards from red, the sacral chakra is associated with the color orange, or a deep orange red (as seen in the pic with the seven colored chakras).
Touch healers and Reiki practitioners believe that any disturbance in these energy fields or blockages can manifest in physical or emotional illness. In particular, the physical location of the sacral chakra is between the navel and the pelvis. Seated right above the root chakra, the sacral chakra governs the visceral, pelvic and abdominal organs of the body: kidney, bladder, uterus, sex organs, intestines, stomach, liver, pancreas, adrenals, and gall bladder. In chakra healing, the svadhishthana is responsible for emotional well-being. Think of those times when you have had to make a difficult choice. The most common piece of advice you will have received during these times is “What does your gut tell you?” Or “Listen to your instinct”. The sacral chakra is also rooted in this concept: your dearest decisions are the ones that are made by your “instinct” or your “gut”.
It is said that the sacral chakra is functioning well when the yin and the yang in each of us is balanced. Any upheavals in emotional well-being: making a difficult decision, accepting one’s sense of self, rejecting the web of hurt and anger that poisons us spiritually, embracing life’s possibilities, welcoming energy in the form of food, and sexual connection with another comes naturally when the yin and the yang are in harmony with one another. Blockages in the svadhishthana energy field usually manifests as a negative emotion (guilt, anxiety, depression) or physically as an ailment in the lower half of the body (pain, sciatica, bladder and kidney issues, sexual dysfunction, lack of libido), etc.
How to Energize Your Sacral Chakra
If you’re facing any kind of difficulty or negativity in your personal life (sexual and emotional), chances are your sacral chakra needs some help in aligning with the other energy fields, or your yin and yang energies may not be in concert. Balancing your chakrasis of the essence for a fruitful, harmonious life, say chakra experts. If you want to specifically focus on the sacral chakra, here are some recommendations:
- Color/Gemstone Therapy: Choose gems that are orange to blood red in color, like garnet and tourmaline, and introduce an array of clothes on the orange-red spectrum into your wardrobe.
- Aromatherapy:Essential oils that are said to work wonders on your sacral chakra are sensuous scents, scents you associate with pleasure, relaxation, and sensuality. Some recommended ones are bergamot, patchouli, ylang ylang, sandalwood, neroli, and not surprisingly, orange. Use a few drops in your burner or buy reed diffusers. Meditating to low orange light suffused in an aromatic embrace of any of these oils is said to be hugely beneficial.
- Exercise: If you practise Yoga daily, particularly helpful are the butterfly pose (Baddha Konasana) or One-legged King Pigeon pose (Ekapada Rajakapotasana). The rabbit pose (Shashankasana), which is one of the relaxation poses, is also recommended. If not into yoga, practise core and stability exercises with a Swiss ball, or do core or abdomen workouts at the gym.
- Food: Look for fruits and vegetables in the same palette (orange to red) – mango, melon, strawberries, passion fruit, egg with yolk, papaya, pumpkin, acorn squash, yam, carrots, etc. Essentially, produce high in anti-oxidants and carotenoids.
Carve Your Sacred Path with the Sacral Chakra
The sacral chakra is the seat of your self-actualization. Your creativity stems from here. Acceptance and rejection, two key choices that we make that go on to make us who we are, are said to stem from this energy field. Choosing the foods we eat, our sexual partners, creating life, sustaining life, and the connectivity we feel to those who become an integral part of our lives: all of these are informed by our sacral chakra. If you feel there is a blockage, you may want to consider using the techniques detailed above, along with seeking the help of a chakra therapist.
