Last week, we started our series on the seven chakras, the energy centers of the body, and explored how we can understand and heal our root chakra. Over the next few weeks, we will work our way up the chakra system, and delve into what makes each individual chakra tick, as well as play with the unwinding exercise that I introduced in this blog post. My hope is that you will follow along with us as we unwind and open each chakra, and give me feedback about what the experience is like for you. If you want to join in on the fun, join my mailing list for reminders! Today, we are moving up to the second energy wheel of the physical body, called the sacral chakra. It is called the Svadhisthana in Sanskrit, which roughly translates to “sweetness”, and this couldn’t be more true of the energy that is held there. This chakra is located in the pelvic area, about 2-3 inches below the belly button, and is all about intimacy, creativity, sensuality, connection, and joy. The sacral chakra is where we tap in to our primal desire for passion and self-expression, and when it is open and healthy, we experience balanced emotional expression, healthy relationship dynamics, and feel sexually empowered and fulfilled.
In a symbolic sense, because the sacral chakra governs the reproductive organs, it holds the energy of fertility and creativity, since making/growing a child is an inherently creative process. We can “make new life” every time we sing, dance, paint, arrange flowers, decorate a room, or otherwise express our natural imagination and inventiveness. Other things about the sacral chakra include:
Color: orange
Physical associations: sexual organs, large intestine, pelvis, appendix, bladder, lower vertebrae, hips
Emotional associations: abandonment issues, sexual dysfunction, fear of loss, risk-taking, personal expression/identity, rebellion, relationship dynamics
Sense: taste
Mantra: Vam
Element: water
Going back to Caroline Myss’s interpretations of the chakras, each chakra holds a sacred truth, and the one for the sacral energy center is, “honor one another”. She notes that every union holds spiritual value, and that every connection we make (whether casual or intimate) helps us become more conscious.
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It is in our nature as humans to create, as well as form relationships with others. We are powerful, clever, and social creatures, and having a balanced second chakra is crucial to interacting with the world in a healthy way. Through this lens, you’ll see that the sacral chakra is still in the realm of the physical, or tangible world (the first three chakras are concerned with “matter” or “material” things), as we build relationship structures and creating new things to share with others.
Remember that the root chakra is associated with the shamanic archetype of the serpent (in the Munay-Ki tradition), and for the sacral chakra, the archetype of the jaguar appears. The jaguar stands for sudden transformation and rejuvenation, as we fluidly move from one life (or life stage) to the next. Just like the metaphor of cats having 9 lives, we can acknowledge the jaguar as we make our transitions. This sleek and powerful animal represents the life force of the jungle, and our desire for constant renewal.
Over the past week, our little group has played with the chakra unwinding technique, and here are some of the responses I got, for the sacral area:
“I saw purple and had a sensation while it was unwound that bordered on feeling good, but also needing to rewind it. When I was done rewinding, I felt calm and rejuvenated.”
“Didn't feel a lot of change from clearing but it did feel like I was moving my hand through water as I moved it over my chakra.”
“As I unwound the sacral chakra, I felt a lot of heat releasing. I also felt some sadness pass through me as the chakra began to slow down. I thought it was open and clear and waited. Then I felt what seemed like an umbilical cord wrapped tightly around the chakra, a connection to my mother and her mother before me. I unwound a few more times and the cord loosened and eventually fell away. I waited in the stillness, feeling open and free. I felt a wave of giddiness pass over me as my hand began to wind me back up. Afterwards my stomach felt lighter and a little buzzy.”
“During the sacral chakra unwinding, it felt like a cool breeze passed through that area of my body, and I stopped unwinding when I felt the muscles in my lower body release and relax. I waited for a couple of minutes in the quiet, and I got a glimpse of younger myself running through a field. I noticed that I suddenly got hungry, and felt goosebumps break out on my abdomen. I rewound until I felt some warmth return to the area, and felt lighter afterwards.”
I invite you to join us as we take this little journey through the chakras, and get hands-on experience of what it’s like to unwind and rebalance each one. Get in touch via the email form if you want to take part, and stay tuned for my next blog, when we will dive into the solar plexus chakra!