Sanskrit name: Svadhisthana (sweetness)
Element: Water
Color: Orange
Shape: Circle with crescent
Petals of the lotus: Six
Rights: To feel, to want
Physical association: Womb, genitals, kidney, bladder
Psychological function: Movement and connection
Challenge: Guilt
Plane: Astral plane
Planets: Mercury, Jupiter, Moon
Incense: Gardenia, damiana
Herb: Fennel, corriander
The most common Sanskrit name for the sacral chakra is “Svadhisthana”, which means “your own place”. This chakra is your passion and pleasure centre and it is located in the pelvic area. While the Root Chakra is satisfied with survival, the 2nd chakra seeks pleasure and enjoyment. The gift of this chakra is experiencing our lives through feelings and sensations.
The symbol of the Sacral Chakra is composed of a circle with six petals and a moon crescent. The circle represents the elements of water. Typically, the moon crescent is colored in silver and represents the connection of the energy of the moon with water. These symbols point to the close relationship between the phases of the moon and the fluctuations in the water and the emotions.
The energy of this chakra allows you to let go, to move, and to feel change and transformation occurring within your body. It allows you to experience this moment as it is, in its own fullness and it is also the centre of creativity. Motivated by pleasure, it’s the driving force for the enjoyment of life through the senses, through taste, touch, or sight. Opening your sacral chakra allows you to “feel” the world around and in us. For this reason, it’s an important chakra at the foundation of our feeling of well-being.
The main challenge for the second chakra is the conditioning of our society. We live in a society where feelings are not valued, where passion, and emotional reactions are being frowned upon. We are being taught not to “loose control”. And we get disconnected from our bodies, our feelings. That’s why we have so many issues with our passion centre, the wellspring of feelings, enjoyment, and sensuality.
But how can you open and rebalance your Svadhisthana?
- Hip-opening yoga postures (as for example, “the cow”). This may directly connects you with your Sacral Chakra. While it’s ideal to do a few postures that stretch your hips through their full range of motion, holding one pose and focusing on completely letting go is a great place to start.
- Dance like no one’s watching. One of the best and easiest way.
- Tone up. While learning to let go of unnecessary muscular gripping and tension is ideal for chakra health throughout your body, it’s also important to take care of your body and keep your muscles strong and healthy. By the way, one of the main reasons to have a physical yoga practice is to create a fit body.
- “Visualize orange”. Orange is the sacral chakra’s color. Imagine a bright, healing orange glow filling up your entire lower abdomen, keeping in mind that we’re three dimensional.
- Learn how to “let go”of unhealthy emotions, people, and memories. This is so important. When we learn to let go of the baggage that we don’t need to carry, we create space and energy for new and better opportunities.
- Work on these believes you may have consciously or subconsciously in order to figure out where they come from and solve them:
Sacral Chakra Affirmations
I love and enjoy my body.
I have healthy boundaries.
I am open to experiencing the present moment through my senses.
I am passionate.
I feel pleasure and abundance with every breath I take.
I nourish my body with healthy food and clean water.
I know how to take care of my needs.
I value and respect my body.
I am open to touch and closeness.
I allow myself to experience pleasure.
My sexuality is sacred.
Emotions are the language of my soul.
I take good care of my physical body.
I am in peace.