Last week we covered the Chakra system as well as how to ground yourself through the balancing of your Base Chakra.
Today, it’s all about the Sacral Chakra, or in Sanskrit (yoga language), we call this Svadisthana Chakra. The Sacral Chakra is linked directly to pleasure, sensuality, creativity, movement, flow and emotion.
BUT before we get into everything f you’d really like to dive deep into the Chakra system… you should download the Free Beginners Guide to the Chakras eBook Today!
You can grab your copy HERE. It’s a 30 page eBook, filled with great info and free!
Svadisthansa translates to ‘one’s own place’. It is located above the pubic bone and below the navel.
Remember, our Chakras are wheels of energy up and down the spine (Shushumna Nadi). Each Chakra directly links to different types of energy within the body, mind and spirit, as well as bodily functions and organs.
What is the Sacral Chakra?
As I mentioned, the Sacral Chakra is linked directly to pleasure, freedom, sex, sensuality, fun, creativity, movement, flow and emotion. Physically. it’ is linked to your reproductive organs, bladder, kidneys, adrenals and lower back.
Pleasure. That got your attention!
And NO we’re not just talking about sexual pleasure… even though this Chakra is linked to the reproductive system and when awakened will allow you to feel more sexual pleasure and connection… we’re also talking everyday pleasure, simple moments of joy.
How much do you allow yourself to actually feel pleasure? When a joy-filled belly laugh is on the brink, do you let it out or do you squish it back down? Do you hold the laughs in because you fear the judgment from others?
It is time to LET. IT. OUT!
The Sacral Chakra is a water element, which means it is yin focused. Yin = fluid, flexible, flow. A turning inward. Just like water when placed into any object is flexible and will make the exact same shape. This is what the Sacral Chakra is all about, no matter where you are, you can still find and feel balanced in ‘your own place’.
It’s all about following the path of least resistance. Where on our path does life flow? And can we welcome more of that in? Of course, it doesn’t mean it’s always slow progress… just like a river when it reaches the waterfall, it gains power and momentum as it flows further and further downstream.
Yin can also be linked to the lunar phases. The moon. And so just like the moon pulls on the tides of the ocean, our passions and desires can move great oceans of energy. This is Svadisthana.
It is mysterious. It is the unseen. Feminine energy.
Sometimes we hide these feelings in our shadows. But it is when we look inwards and move from our depths where we create change in the world.
When the Sacral Chakra is blocked we may feel numb, co-dependent, ruled by our emotions, lack of motivation, lack of creativity, lack of authenticity, you may feel unaccepted by others (and yourself), you feel confused by your emotions, you may have a lack of libido, you feel ‘stuck’.
When the Sacral Chakra is open, flowing and awakened, we feel balanced with our emotions, we allow ourselves to feel pleasure (in a healthy, safe way), we welcome FUN and JOY and we feel inspired to look after our body and give it what it needs.
Remember, Chakras can also be over-active! So maybe it’s that we’re experiencing TOO MUCH pleasure, this is a practise to be aware of.
Ask yourself, how do you feel? Actually, acknowledge that feeling and then (perhaps) make a movement toward change.
No matter what you feel, know that you are 100% amazing right here, right now.
So… how can we ignite more pleasure in our lives? More balance? More fun? More joy?
We can awaken, cleanse and align our Sacral Chakra.
How can we start to awaken, cleanse and align our Sacral Chakra?
See orange
The colour for our Sacral Chakra is orange. We can visualise a glowing orange, swirling, below the navel.
Chant Vam
The Bija Mantra (or the seed Mantra, a one-word syllable, and vibration) is Vam (said like Vuuu-uuum). We can chant this mantra out loud or even within our minds. This vibration will awaken our Sacral Chakra. Serious magic in mantra.
Breathe with Mudra
The Mudra (mudra = energy seal or lock created with the body) we can use is Shakti Mudra (place your thumbs inside your palms, wrap all of your fingers around your thumbs and then bring the knuckles to connect. Then release your ring fingers and pinky fingers and connect finger pad to finger pad). Bring Shakti Mudra down to your Sacral Chakra.
Using this Mudra we begin to breathe in and out through the nose.
Take the breath all the way down to the space just below your navel, feeling Svadisthana Chakra begin to spin and awaken. As we exhale feel the energy rebound back up through the spine, out the crown of the head.
We can do Yoga!
Yes we can! Here are some of my favourite yoga poses to awaken and align the Sacral Chakra:
- Start on all 4s, hands and knees, and begin to make big hip circles, be as creative as you like!
- Follow with a cat/cow sequence where you inhale, arch the spine and gaze up toward the sky, exhale curl under, press the Earth away, gaze toward the navel as your stretch the back of the shoulders.
- Malasana, or a low yogi squat is one of my favourite Asanas to place in a Sacral Chakra sequence. It will stretch the inner thighs and open Svadisthana.
- I love a low lizard lunge with several different arm sequences, from cactus arms, to arm circles, to heart ripples of the spine.
- Frog pose, Mandukasana, is super amazing for Sacral! Perhaps try this one and hold for 2-5 minutes. Yes you heard me right! Place a blanket under the knees if you need.
- Natarajasana, or Dancing Shiva.
- Pigeon or Kapotasana.
- Gomukasana or cow face pose.
- Hero or Virasana.
You can see there’s a big focus here on hip opening. Really feel the energy within the space just below the navel as you move through these postures.
If you struggle with your own at-home practice and knowing how to do each posture and sequence your own practice in a flowing, body-smart way, come and try a Yoga Classes inside the MerryBody Online Studio! We even focus on the chakras in some of the classes.
MerryBody is the only gym membership you need, everywhere you go, MerryBody goes with you. Each week you gain access to a brand new Yoga/Pilates or Fusion class, as well as the entire current MerryBody library, which you can go back to again and again for the length of your membership!
Get creative
Oh yes! No matter what it may look like, allow your creativity to SHINE! Perhaps you love to write, paint, sing, draw, dance, PLAY. It doesn’t matter what it looks like, all that matters is what it feels like. Let your creativity flow. Let it out.
Let it out!
A quote to inspire your Sacral Chakra
“Sometimes we’re taken into troubled waters… not to drown but to cleanse.” – unknown.
Next up, it’s all about the Solar Plexus Chakra!
Always merrymaking,
Carla (Your MerryBody Yoga Teacher).