What is the Sacral Chakra?

The Sacral is the second chakra connected to the human body. and second from the root, according to the chakra system. It’s situated in the lower abdomen, just below the navel, or belly button.

In Sanskrit, it’s referred to as the Svadhisthana Chakra, and in the west is also sometimes called the second, or orange chakra.

This powerful energy center is responsible for creativity, and how we begin to relate to others and the world beyond our immediate sense of self. It holds sexual energy, pertains to pleasure and emotions.

The sacral chakra is also thought to be connected to the lymphatic system.

PinSacral CHAKRA QUICK REFERENCE:

Sacral Chakra Meaning

This chakra pertains to sexuality and creativity.

Sacral Chakra Position

This is the second chakra, and is located just below the navel (it’s sometimes also referred to as the navel chakra).

Sacral Chakra Name

The Sanskrit name for this chakra is Svadhisthana, and it means dwelling place of the self.

Sacral Chakra Colour

This chakra is orange in color.

Sacral Chakra Symbol

The symbol is a six-petalled flower around a circle. Within this is a crescent moon, all depicted in orange and white.

What is a Chakra?

A chakra is a spinning wheel or disk of energy. In the human body, there are 7 main chakras that run along the spine, each of which holds and carries a specific energy. Yet there are also as many as 114 minor chakras spread over the rest of the body.

They are believed to relate to different glands within the physical body, as well as to energetic impulses, strengths, and weaknesses.

Mention of Chakras can be found in the ancient Vedic Texts, dating from 1500 BC. Yet more recently, the concept of chakras has entered the mainstream spiritual lexicon in the West too.

The seven main chakras are listed below in descending order. It’s important to understand that they’re all equally important. Where a chakra is located on the body has nothing to do with its value.

What’s the Difference Between a Healthy Chakra and an Imbalanced Chakra?

When a chakra is open and operating optimally, it’s spinning with ease. This allows it to receive information from outside, AND transmit information from within, through the physical, emotional and mental bodies, and beyond into a person’s auric field.

Quite simply, this feels good! When our chakras are balanced, we’re functioning healthily.

Yet, it’s not uncommon for chakras to be imbalanced (over, or underactive), or worse still, have blockages. When this occurs, an individual will experience negativity – in the form of fearful or destructive thoughts, difficulty learning of holding focus, depression or anxiety, or any host of other emotional and physical disorders. Long term chakra imbalances can also result in chronic physical illness, so true physical healing needs to take this into account, and go deep into the body’s energetics.

Symptoms of an imbalanced or blocked Sacral Chakra

An imbalance in the sacral will likely manifest in low levels of creativity, and general disengagement with sensory experiences of the world. Also, sexual misfunction, or issues relating to trauma are usually stored here so these will continue to play out, until the imbalance is tackled.

Connected to the lymphatic system, and the element of water, problems with this chakra may also manifest as bladder or kidney issues, as well as other problems around the abdomen.

If you think that your second chakra may be out of balance, and you want to heal it, here are the signs of look out for:

Signs of an Overactive Sacral Chakra

Addictions, or addictive tendencies
Need for constant stimulation (TV, social media, sex…)
Emotionally needy or frequent emotional outpourings
Very high libido
Often overreact to situations
Needs drama
Chronic lower back pain
Issues with kidney, bladder, sexual organs or reproductivity

Signs of an Underactive Sacral Chakra

Emotionally detached
Low physical sensitivity
Doesn’t seek or desire physical pleasure
sexual frigidity
Low energy, often tired or uninterested
Closed off to people and experiences
Chronic lower back pain
Issues with kidney, bladder, sexual organs or reproductivity

5 Chakra Healing and Balancing Exercises for the Svadhisthana

1. Embrace Your Creativity

Because this energy center is all about creativity, a great way to heal an imbalance or chakra blockage is to get those creative juices flowing!

What do you like to do, creatively? It’s likely you already have some interests, but how long have you been neglecting them? For some people, creativity was discouraged when they were children as more academic (mind-centric) pursuits were valued more highly. So it means going waaaay back into childhood, and doing some serious self-inquiry to unearth their creative spark.

It may be easier to go to a class, or buddy up with somebody, to put creativity back into your schedule. Try any of the following:

Dance
Cookery
Playing/learning an instrument
Songwriting
Fiction writing
Sketching
Crochet or knitting
Jewelry making
Garden design

2. Start Sexual Healing

If you feel like you have work to do regarding sexual blockages, trauma resolution, or simply sexual shame or unhealthy beliefs around sexuality that you have picked up throughout your life, you need to deal with it.

Your sacral will not heal until you do the work.

Start by writing down a list of your attitudes and beliefs around sex and sexuality. Be totally honest with yourself, no-one needs to see this. Then see if you can figure out where they came from. This is the first step in distancing yourself from any beliefs you don’t wish to identify with. What do you want to call in instead?

It may be a good idea to talk about any issues with a trained counselor or professional therapist.

3. Work With Your Emotional Triggers

Aim to become aware of what triggers you emotionally as you move through your days. Perhaps you get impatient and angry when waiting in lines? Or are you triggered by people interrupting you in conversations? Or maybe it’s a lack of courtesy shown by a stranger?

Sure, many of these experiences are unfair, but if they trigger you – meaning you respond in a way that harms you emotionally – then its a sign that you have work to do.

If you’re triggered, dig in deep into your inner experience (this isn’t the same as blaming your circumstances or the other person involved!)

What happened?
What’s the underlying emotion that rose in you?
Where did it come from?
What needs to be healed in you so it doesn’t affect you like that again?

4. Use Crystals

Orange crystals are great to balance and heal the sacral chakra. Place them around your home, and beside your bed when sleeping. You can also try meditating with them. Here are some ideal crystals to work with:

Carnelian
Citrine
Jasper
Orange Flourite

5. Use Chakra Affirmations

A powerful daily way to balance the sacral chakra is through affirmations. You can write them down, and stick them up around the house where you’ll see them, or repeat them to yourself in meditation.

These go hand in hand with yoga or other healing modalities you’re using. Try the following:

“It is safe for me to feel my emotions fully”.
“I am a strong, creative, and sexually powerful person”.
“I create healthy boundaries to preserve my energy and creative life force”.
“My creativity is an unending well of power. Nothing anybody says or does will stop my creative flow”.