The Sacral Chakra
The sacral chakra is the second of the seven main chakras. In ancient Sanskrit it is called Svadhishthana which means ‘sweetness; one’s own abode’. The sacral is known also as the lower belly chakra or orange chakra, the colour that links to warmth and emotion.
This chakra is located in your pelvic area, about three inches below your navel (belly button) in the centre of your lower belly. Whereas your root chakra was to do with basic needs for survival, being grounded and linked with the element of earth; your sacral chakra is the centre of pleasure, sexuality, intimacy and experiencing emotions. It corresponds with the element of water.
The Svadhishthana chakra relates to the intestines, kidneys, bladder and womb. The womb is where creation takes place and this chakra is thereby associated with creativity and the development of projects or ideas.
What is a balanced sacral chakra like?
When this chakra is in balance we feel full of energy, hope and life if full of joy. You may have an immense feeling of delight and you seek excitement and pleasure even in the small, everyday tasks.
A balanced sacral chakra creates in you, a relationship with the world and people around you that is nurturing, empathetic and warm. The motivation behind this chakra, is pleasure and our enjoyment of life, experienced through our senses, whether that is though smell, taste, hearing, sight or touch. This chakra is all about how we feel what goes on around us and our feeling of well-being.
Like water, your life flows easily and you may find that you relish new projects to get stuck into either at home or work. You probably find yourself enjoying meeting new friends or getting stuck into a new book. Maybe you are super creative in the kitchen, throwing ingredients together to make a wonderful meal and making it look effortless. A balanced sacral chakra has developed flexibility in you, surprise guests are not an issue and you make everyone feel welcome in your home. You take new things in your stride without feeling overwhelmed, because you are full of energy and life.
Svadhishthana is the core of desire and when this energy is healthy it brings a powerful and natural feeling of intimacy to the individual. It is considered strong and healthy when the notion of passion and intimacy are seen as enjoyable and natural, and bring a feeling of delight to your body and spirit. Life is blissful and happy.
Any kind of distressing incident can cause an imbalance in this chakra. Both outside pressures for example, heavy workload or house move, and inside pressures from the past for example parental pressure to work harder and play less, may have influenced your ability to experience pleasure and relaxation. It may be that you are holding on to pain and anger if your parents went through a messy divorce while you were a child. These are just some of the examples of how energy can become stuck in this chakra, reducing the ability to feel happy and joyful.
What happens if the chakra becomes imbalanced?
When the sacral chakra is weak and not spinning as well as it should, life can seem dull. Symptoms of a weak chakra are that passion and love can be hard to come by. There isn’t anything to get excited about in the future.
You may be hard working to support yourself and family, but you are just getting through each day and it’s a drudge. You eat for the sake of eating, not really bothering to make sure it is good, nutritious food and although you may see family, it is out of duty, not close bonds.
It is hard to mix with people and the world around you. You make excuses to not see friends and avoid parties like the plague. People see you as unemotional, insecure and lacking in self-confidence. Sex is not fulfilling, it is just another chore to get through and you may seem cold and aloof.
On the other hand your sacral chakra may be too strong, spinning out of control. If that is the case, you may be feeling like you are on an emotional roller-coaster, one minute on a wave of joy and the next engulfed in hopelessness and anxiety. You may suffer with addictions to drink, sex, shopping or change; you feel bored unless you are constantly changing your current job, partner or home.
Do not despair, there are lots of things you can do to improve your sacral chakra.
How can a blocked sacral chakra be healed?
One of the most effective ways to alleviate the symptoms of blocked chakras is through a Reiki treatment. Reiki is a beautiful, holistic practice that balances the energy flow through the chakras. This can be experienced in person or through distant healing, both are equally as effective. If you would like to experience a Reiki session for yourself or find out more information, please message me at Suffolk Reiki. As mentioned in my previous blog post, I integrate crystals into my sessions. For the sacral chakra crystals like Tiger's Eye, Amber and orange calcite are used.
In addition, there are things you can do to improve your sacral chakra, things that I am sure you will enjoy. You need to start by giving yourself permission to have fun, relax and feel happy. Find time for you, to do the things that make you happy.
Organise a pamper day at a spa if finances allow. Try booking a massage, facial, reflexology session, hot shave or just sit in the Jacuzzi or sauna. Whatever makes you feel relaxed, but most importantly, take time out for you. It’s a great idea for a gift from family members, you could ask them to club together for a day-pass. You don’t have to book treatments, you could just laze by the pool and let the steam room melt away your worries.
Focus on your love life, bringing joy and intimacy back into your relationship. If this is a problem area for you, consider finding a healer or therapist that can help you reconnect with a fulfilling love life.
Look after the organs that lie within the sacral chakra area. Alter what you eat, try more orange fruit and vegetables, there are so many varieties and each mouthful will be full of goodness that helps to support your gut. Be mindful of how you eat and where you eat; try sitting at the table, consciously enjoying every mouthful so that you get pleasure from eating. This is a really good practice for improving your digestion. Drink lots of water to help your kidneys and bladder, flush away all those toxins that make you feel sluggish. To discover more about bridging the gap between what you eat and what you should eat every day click here Juice Plus+.
Listening to chakra music in the background while working, sleeping etc. is also a very calming experience. The frequencies in the music resonate with the sacral chakra. The link Sacral Chakra Healing Music promotes the healing of the sacral chakra, thereby helping to remove the blocks, boost energy and positivity
Guided meditations are also a very good way of helping to balance chakras. This link is to a sacral chakra guided mediation Sacral Chakra Guided Meditation. It starts with information about the chakra with a meditation starting about 9 minutes in.
Don’t change everything all at once, choose something that resonates with you and give it a go, see what happens. Whatever you choose, know it will be having a positive effect on your sacral chakra.