Chakra Series: Second – Sacral Chakra (Part 2 of 7)

Your Second Chakra – The Sacral Chakra:

Your Sacral Chakra lives in your hip space, your lower abdominal area, associates with the color orange, the water element, and the mantra ‘I FEEL.’

Second Chakra Quick Reference:
Sanskrit: SVADHISTHANA
Color: ORANGE
Lotus: SIX PETALS
Element: WATER
Mantra: I FEEL
Chant: VANG
Asanas: HIP OPENERS & TWISTS
Mudras: LEFT HAND UNDER RIGHT, THUMB TIPS TOUCHING
Scents: ORANGE, ROSE, JASMINE, GARDENIA
Tea: GREEN TEA, MANGO, ORANGE OR ROSEHIPS
Stones: CITRINE, TANGERINE QUARTS, MOONSTONE

Sacral Chakra: Where the body holds energy from relationships with other people, our passion for life, creativity, sexuality and money issues.

When it is Out of balance: This chakra can manifest itself in intimacy issues, boundary issues, passive aggressive behavior, difficultly expressing feelings,  and anxiety or depression can build if money issues take over.

Bring Back in Balance:

• Sit in a quiet space and listen to sounds or chants associated with this chakra.  Tip: My favorite is to pull up a chant, song or singing bowls of healing chakra music on YouTube – specifically targeted at the chakra needing balance. Search “second chakra healing” or “sacral chakra meditation.”
• In meditation, you have the option to close your eyes and chant VANG or simply concentrate on the mantra I FEEL (poem below), with hands in the sacral chakra mudra or in a sacral chakra yoga asana (posture).
• Turn on your favorite music and practice the yoga flow I outlined below.  Even 10-15 minutes would feel beneficial.
• All practices combined would be incredibly beneficial (chakra specific meditation, yoga, music, scents, colors, mudras, chants, and stones nearby)
• Get those hips moving and dance! In the privacy of your own home and favorite tunes, or out in a dance space you feel comfortable in.
• Chakra energy clearing massage or energy work by a professional.
• Incorporate the color orange in your wardrobe, wear the stones associated with this chakra in jewelry or place in your pockets, and place something orange in your work space, meditation area or bed (it may act as a simple as a reminder to pay attention to your chakra intention.
• Write out a card with the mantra quote below and place it on your desk at work or on your bathroom mirror at home – repeat it several times a day.  Optional to place your hands on your low belly while you close your eyes or simply smile.

Sacral Yoga Postures: Anything that opens the hips or belly is a beautiful manifestation of this chakra – twists are wonderful to create this connection.  Below are some examples of how to best create a short sequence to heal your second chakra.

Try these yoga postures to connect to your sacral chakra, which will help to balance your body’s energy (try all of them together in sequence for a beautiful flowing Second Chakra meditation practice!):

Child’s Pose (to feel breath in sacral chakra) Dancer Triangle (Twisting) Wheel of life Frog Pose Half pigeon Supported bridge pose End in Savasana with both hands on top of your belly to feel the breath

Sacral Mudra: Mudras are another way of capturing energy between mind and body, and used to heal and focus on certain afflictions in your mind and body. Just as powerful as the asana (yoga exercises), this movement of your hands removes blockages in the body and aids in focus in meditation.

• Find a comfortable seated position and sit with a tall, long spine. Pull your shoulders down and back to open up your chest. Place your left hand underneath your right hand, and bring the tips of your thumbs together to touch. Relax your hands comfortably at naval level.
• Try this position for at least three deep inhales and exhales, concentrating on the sound ‘VANG,’ which is the sacral chakra chant. If you are new to meditation or calming breath, challenge yourself to sit for one minute or longer, the longer, the better effects.

Sacral Essential Oil Therapy: The sense of smell is the most powerful tool the human body has to effect the mood. It is the fastest thing to bring back memory or to lift your spirits. Use this in conjunction with a sacral yoga sequence, mudra, meditation, and mantra, and your will have powerfully strengthened your svadhisthana. Come back to the base of ‘I FEEL.’ When using essential oil, dab a bit on your wrists and neck, in a diffuser (amazing to use in-home and easily found online), dilute into a spray bottle with a few drops oil the rest water, a few drops into your bath tub, or to rub on skin topically with a vehicle like coconut oil.

• Four examples of scents related to the Sacral Chakra: Citrus focused, such as Orange, or with Rose, Jasmine, and Gardenia.

Sacral Mantra: “I acknowledge my uniqueness. I am a unique manifestation of unique energy from the divine energy in physical form. I acknowledge the physicality and sensuality of my body. I am a sensual and creative being. I attract only whole and nurturing relationships into my life.”

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Seven Chakra Overview~

This seven part chakra series is designed as a tool to help you focus your attention and energy on yourself, in order to improve how you feel and react to the world around you. If one of the descriptions in this seven part series speaks to you, or you feel a connection with the information, listen to that intuition and try a few of the exercises and test out how you feel. In daily life there are negative and positive events everyone must come across; however, negative energies can take a toll on our bodies, and areas can become “blocked” or “choked.” These exercises are methods to break through those blockages and clean out the body to regain strength with peace of mind and body. The spine is a very powerful and central part of the human anatomy. Along your spine you have tiny nerve endings that flow energy out to all different parts of your body to perform everyday activities. Just like exercise and stretching helps strengthen muscles and ultimately bones, the spine is in need of attention as well.

There are seven main energy points along the spine, each connected to very specific body and mind function. If one of these energy centers is off or unhealthy, both the body and mind become unbalanced. Yoga and meditation practice are important to every day health, because they both allow constant unclogging of these seven energy points.

For more on each of the seven chakras:

First Chakra: Root Chakra – Muladhara 
Second Chakra: Sacral Chakra – Svadhisthana 
Third Chakra: Solar Plexus Chakra – Manipura
Fourth Chakra: Heart Chakra – Anahata 
Fifth Chakra: Throat Chakra – Vishuddha
Sixth Chakra: Third Eye Chakra – Ajna
Seventh Chakra: Crown Chakra – Sahasrara

The light in me honors and respects the light in each and every one of you,
Azahar

~Next in Series: Third Chakra – Solar Plexus

Do you have any practices you like to incorporate into Chakra healing?