Do you need to catch up on what the chakras are and how they work? Head over to An Introduction to the Chakras to read the basics.
Now, we’re going to explore the qualities of Swadhisthana — the sacral chakra. It is the second chakra and the name roughly translates from Sanskrit to English as ‘dwelling place of the self’.
Swadhisthana Chakra and the Body
Located at the coccyx (the tailbone), Swadhisthana’s colour is orange and it has 6 petals. It’s associated with joy, sexuality and pleasure, and is closely related to the water element. This element represents the flow and flexibility of the chakra.
Swadhisthana is associated with the sense of taste, and with the tongue. It regulates and purifies bodily fluids through the kidneys, bladder and lymphatic system. It’s also associated with joint mobility and muscle flexibility.
Swadhisthana Chakra and the Mind
This chakra’s mental focus is on close personal relationships and sexual activity; and activities or material gains which enable comfort in life.
As the dwelling place of the self, Swadhisthana can support a sense of ease and confidence. A flowing and evolving sense of connection and freedom.
When this chakra is blocked you may feel lacking in creativity, motivation and love. You might experience repetitive issue within your close relationships and feel uninterested in physical intimacy. Emotional confusion and feeling unimportant and unaccepted are also signs of an unbalanced Swadhisthana chakra.
Because of its association with material comfort and security, an overactive Swadhisthana chakra can cause addiction or obsession with pleasurable experiences; or spark a sense of greed or obsession with work.
But when in balance, Swadhisthana energy is feminine and joyful. Undisturbed by impressions or oppression from the environment around you, this energy is expressive and creative; gentle yet powerful.
How Does Swadhisthana Influence Your Spiritual Journey?
This chakra holds experiences within it. It’s often said that we store memories and emotional pain in our hips, and that is related to Swadhisthana’s position in the body — at the very bottom of the spine, where the spine and the hip bones meet one another.
Working with Swadhisthana allows us to move forwards in life with acceptance of our past. It enables us to recognise how our personal history has affected the way we exist in the world and to work with the knowledge and wisdom gained through those experiences.
Bija Mantra
A bija mantra, or seed mantra, is a single-syllable sound used to aid concentration and a sense of freedom during meditation and yoga practice.
Each chakra has an associated bija mantra. For Swadhisthana, the mantra is VAM.
Flowing Movement and Deep Acceptance
Cultivate openness and energy within the Swadhisthana chakra to move; live; and interact with others from a state of acceptance and uninhibited connection.
This term in Yoga for the Soul Retreats weekly classes at Sydney’s South Narrabeen, we’re working closely with the chakras to explore how yoga and meditation can open and release energy. Would you like to learn more? Click here to find out how, where and when you can attend these classes.
And even if you don’t live anywhere near Sydney, don’t worry! Bookmark An Introduction to the Chakras so that you can come back and discover how the other chakras affect your body, mind and soul.
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