Name in Sanskrit | Swadistana - sacred home of self |
Symbol | Crescent Moon |
Location | Abdomen - between the naval and base of spine |
Essence | I feel, I am abundant, I am creative |
Function | Sustains sense of self |
Quality | Centering |
Colour | Orange |
Element | Water |
Sound | Vam |
Gland | Gonads,Testes, Ovaries |
Sacral chakra
The Sacral chakra sits just above the navel and is orange in colour. It’s Sanskrit name, Swadistana, can be translated to “the dwelling place of the self”. It is the centre of feeling, emotion, sensuality, sexuality, connection, intimacy, pleasure-seeking and enjoyment.
When the Sacral chakra is open you are in touch with your feelings and are able to express them. This opens your creativity and allows you to be who you are.
Creativity is the expression of the self and that can be achieved in many ways. Exploring the self and the expression of it, releases energetic congestion, creating a connection to knowing yourself and being confident in your life choices.
This emotional energy centre stimulates feelings and the expression of them, which then need to be shared and explored through love, touch and the nurture of yourself and other beings. Spiritually, this is a chakra connected to being centred and working in harmony with others and ourselves.
The main challenge for the Sacral chakra is the conditioning of society, where feelings can be undervalued and where we learn to hide vulnerability and weakness. The sacral chakra is one that demands you pay attention to yourself, to love and value yourself but more importantly get to know yourself.
Imbalanced chakra
The Sacral chakra governs your ability or inability to relate to others, yourself and the world around you. If there is an imbalance, you may feel unable to cope with life’s changes or another’s point of view and may have a need for rigidity within your routine.
Related psychological or emotional ailments
Emotional instability, low self esteem, self worth, shame, guilt, uncertainty, lack of control over your life, fear of change, repressed emotions, lack of empathy, judgemental behaviour, sexual dysfunction. stagnation of creativity, co-dependency, writers block, lack of creative expression, emotional issues relating to sexual abuse, intimacy issues.
Related physical ailments
Addictive and or abusive behaviour, eating disorders, musculoskeletal issues from lower back, fertility problems/endometriosis. gynealogical problems, fibroids, testicular conditions, sexual dysfunction, bladder/ kidney issues, cystitis
Healing the Sacral chakra
This is the chakra which needs working upon to create a flow of self-value, the understanding you need in order to make time for yourself, and to express your emotions and not worry about ‘blending in’ or fearing judgement.
Self-love is one the hardest practices to master. Low self esteem, self doubt, being taken for granted and putting yourself last come easily because they are all demonstrative of not ‘being worthy enough’ of something – for example, love, connection, appreciation or praise. To allow yourself or others to recognise the value of who you are and what you can achieve, become or give is essential to emotional confidence and growth.
Continual criticism and self-limiting behaviour can erode the sense of self and identity, resulting in self-destructive behaviour. If you treat yourself with disrespect and ignore the voice within of nurture and recognising that you deserve to be loved and respected by yourself then you are laying the foundations for those around you to be disrespectful too and may end up in unhealthy relationships that compound a deep rooted lack of self worth. Resentment can easily flourish and erode the perception of yourself and the relationships around you.
The process of creativity contributes to forming a connection with our self and others. To be truly creative requires not worrying about how your creation is received and viewed by others. It is a truly ‘self-ish’ pursuit whereby you can allow yourself to be vulnerable in the moment – ignoring doubt and the fear that the outcome of what you create is not ‘good enough’ – it is simply an expression of what is within. If you connect with yourself by briefly disengaging from your own self-conditioning or the assumptions of another’s perception of you, what you create is truly authentic and in that authenticity will be honest reflections that others recognise and connect with on a deep level.
We are inherently creative beings. At one time, we were all used this creativity everyday. We use this when we cook, garden, problem-solve, write or furnish our homes. All ancient civilisations made the utensils they needed to hunt, forage, feed and clothe themselves, thinking creatively to use every part of an animal to aid their survival. They expressed their beliefs of their culture and the gods they worshipped in the artefacts and antiques we see in museums and ancient buildings throughout the world. We made everything by hand because we had to and that ability to create is increasingly viewed as the sole preserve of artists because it is regarded as no longer essential within society.
Using creativity to express your self is something that many people struggle with and usually starts with a need as adults to conform and follow the rules to fit it, in order to gain acceptance. When we are children we are encouraged to express ourselves creatively all the time through painting and playing. As we mature the focus is shifted to more conservative pursuits and we mould ourselves into less creative beings losing elements of our creative identity and unique ideas. Working with the Sacral chakra encourages us to know ourselves to take risks and let go of the fear of not being good enough.
Psychologically the benefits of self-exploration and expression can be a sense of:
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Connection to others
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Emotional freedom
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Being present
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Accomplishment
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Expression of the inner self
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An understanding of your identity
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Confidence to own your ideas and share them with the world, regardless of perceived criticism and judgement
Allowing your self to be vulnerable and learning to detach from the fear of another’s reaction and being OK with that either way creates a deep sense of fulfilment, accomplishment, confidence and self-belief. Being understood and developing empathy is healing, as you are able to feel and express love and compassion. This connection leads to more exploration and expression of the self and, ultimately, to answering spiritually what you are here to achieve.
Crystals to support the Sacral chakra are:
Orange Kyanite, Amber, Orange Calcite, Carnelian, Golden Rutilated Quartz, Moonstone and Fire Opal