Svadhisthana Chakra – The Sacral Chakra
Svadhisthana is the 2nd Chakra in the human energy system, sitting slightly above Muladhara Chakra.
Location- Sacrum/Lower Belly. You can connect to your chakras in the front, or the back of the body. The spinal column holds the ‘root’ of the chakra, where as the front of the body is the ‘flower’- how it expands.
Element- Water
Colour- Orange
Sound- Vam (pronounced more like Vum)
Our Relationships with other People and the World
Whilst the Root Chakra (Muladhara- read our previous blog about this chakra) relates to our physical environment, our Sacral chakra relates to our relationships with other people outside of the family unit.
Muladhara is very much about our family relationships, and their formation between the ages of 0-7 years old. Svadhisthana Chakra is concerned with the relationships we make independently, outside of the family unit, between the ages of 7-14 years.
Creativity
Svadhisthana Chakra houses our creativity. This doesn’t necessarily mean in a artistic or musical sense (although it can), but it also refers to our ability to be creative in our lives. We can be creative in our parenting, our cooking and in planning our holidays, for example. It’s our ability to visualise a possible outcome, and be able to work creatively towards it.
Relationships
Svadhisthana Chakra also governs our sexuality, including sexual preference and how comfortable we feel with expressing our sexualities. It also affects our influence and control over other people.
Power and Money
Svadhisthana Chakra also governs our ability to realise our POWER to create the life that we want for ourselves, but also our ability to let go and go with the flow (the water element) when things perhaps don’t go our way. It’s this delicate balance between creating and achieving, and with surrendering and going with it when it seems as if you are swimming up stream.
The chakra also governs our relationship with money. What is your relationship with money like? Do you envisage it flowing with ease into your life? Or do you feel like money is always hard to come by? Our attitudes and beliefs about money nearly always translate into the amount of money that we actually have.
Energy Connections to the Physical Body & Possible Dysfunctions
Svadhisthana Chakra is related to our sexual organs, pelvis, large intestine, the lower vertebrae of the spine, our hips and our bladder.
Imbalances within this part of our body’s energetic system can result in lower back pain, urinary problems (frequent urine and kidney infections) and sexual potency. You may also experience tightness or pain around the hips and pelvis or bladder problems.
When in balance-
- There will be an abundance of creativity in your life. You will really relish in your power to create.
- You will be very adaptable and have the ability to ‘go with the flow’ when things don’t go your way. Often we keep gripping and resisting the direction our lives are taking, when it wasn’t in our grand plan. It’s trusting that you are moving in the right direction, even when it isn’t what you envisaged.
- Good and balanced relationships with other people. Feeling connected, without feeling the need to control or manipulate for personal gain.
- Ability to express yourself sexually.
When out of balance-
- It may manifest as an inability to let go of control. This may be letting go of responsibility within your business or your household role or with in family relationships and partnerships.
- Using your sexual power to manipulate others. or perhaps feelings of shame or guilt around giving/receiving sexual pleasure.
- Inability or fear of expressing yourself creatively and/or sexually.
- Physical Dysfunctions within the body (see above).
Practices for Svadhisthana Chakra
Meditation
- Come to a comfortable seated position, whether cross legged, in hero pose or on a chair. Ensure that your spine is straight so that energy can flow freely through your Sushumna Nadi (main energy channel of that body that runs from the base of the spine to the crown of the head. All of the chakras are situated along this energy channel, so it’s important to keep the spine long). If sitting upright isn’t comfortable, you can also lye down.
- Draw your attention into your body. Feeling your physical presence. Really arriving into this moment, in time and space.
- Become aware of your natural breath. How it enters and leaves your body. Where it is in your body. Is it high in your chest? Is it short or long? Don’t change it, just observe it.
- Bring your attention to Svadhisthana Chakra, either the sacral area or the lower belly- a couple of inches below your belly button.
- Deepen your breath as you keep your awareness in this area.
- Chant Vam (Vum) 5 times. Taking a big inhale, and then exhaling for the full duration of the sound. Afterwards, sit in the vibrations of the sound. How does it feel in your body?
- Visualise a pool of water within your pelvis. A calm and soft body of water. Keep your awareness there as you breath. Within the body of water is the reflection of a beautiful orange sunset. The water glows with a beautiful orange hue. Water has the ability to take many forms. From the ocean, to the rain. From a flowing river, to a deep and still lake. Acknowledge it’s adaptability. The human body is mostly made from water and is in constant motion (even when we are sitting here in stillness, so much is happening on a cellular level) and you are also adaptable.
- Sit for 5-10 minutes (or longer if you are able to stay focused) breathing with awareness into your glowing and beautiful lake. There are no ripples on the surface, just complete stillness and reflection of the orange setting sun.
Photo credit- @wildmoonseed (Instagram) – beautiful woman!
Asana
Asana (yoga postures) are a great way to work with this chakra. Perhaps trying a vinyasa flow style of practice, adopting the fluidity of water as you move through a sequence.
Hip openers are traditionally related to this chakra, such as Lunges, Lizard pose and Pigeon pose. Also, poses that stimulate the kidneys and lower back such as Sphinx Pose.
Affirmations
Affirmations can be great to work with if you feel Svadhisthana is out of balance. When we work with affirmations, we speak as if we already are or have what we are affirming. They help us to invite more of what we want into our lives.
- I allow creative energy to move through me.
- I am adaptable.
- I am able to go with the flow of my life path.
- I am comfortable in my body and my sexuality.
Thank you for reading everyone!
If you have any questions or comments, please get in touch or leave a comment below and we will get back to you. We would love these blog posts to become a space for all to ask questions and discuss yoga practices, or just leave some love!
If you are interested in learning more about the chakras, perhaps you would like to learn more about our 7 week Journey through the 7 Chakras Programme. We also regularly hold chakra themed yoga classes during our beach and poolside classes in Palm Cove.
Again, massive shout out to Nicki Bailey for her Svadhisthana Chakra art work. Nicki has illustrated each of the 7 chakras, which will be shown in every chakra’s blog. Prints will be available to purchase in the near future!
All my love,
Beth Hartig