Explore and unlock your sacral chakra

Are you feeling out of kilter, or just a bit unsure of yourself at the moment? It could be that your sacral chakra is blocked. Let’s take the plunge into the world of chakras, and work out how to balance our energy centres to feel more in harmony with the world around us.

Everything in the universe is energy. Within our bodies, we have vortexes or centres of power, where the energy currents come together. The word chakra literally means ‘spinning wheel’ in Sanskrit. Some styles of yoga believe there are different dimensions of existence, and the chakras are a portal between the physical body and higher consciousness or realisation. Stay with me… all this means is that the chakras are related to our physical and spiritual experiences.

Indian traditions believe there are over 100 chakras in the human body, and the primary ones run from the bottom of the spine to the top of the head. The seven main chakras are the root chakra (Muladhara), the sacral chakra (Swadhisthana), the solar plexus chakra (Manipura), the heart chakra (Anahata), the throat chakra (Vishuddhi), the third eye chakra (Ajna) and the crown chakra (Sahasrara). Every chakra has its own set of properties, symptoms, and emotional identity that indicate whether they’re flowing and in good balance.

We’re going to take a look at the second chakra in the system, known as the sacral chakra or Swadhisthana.

What is the sacral chakra?

The sacral chakra is situated just below the navel. It resonates with the colour orange and the element of water. This energy centre calls us to feel our emotions with a deep self-awareness. It’s in charge of our sense of pleasure and our ability to connect with a deep feeling of joy in the world. 

The sacral chakra is the source of our creativity and passions, governing our desires and the ability to take risks. This chakra nudges us to express our emotions creatively, moving our energy to manifest into purpose and pleasure.

What are the symptoms of a blocked sacral chakra?

If your sacral chakra is blocked, you may feel physically, emotionally, or spiritually unaligned. Sometimes, there can be ‘too much’ energy in the sacral chakra and sometimes ‘not enough’. Physical symptoms may include lower back pain, hip problems, fatigue, period pain, sinusitis, and kidney issues.

Some emotional repercussions of an overactive sacral chakra are:

• overindulgence
• repetitive sexual thoughts
• mood swings
• poor boundaries
• extreme sensitivity
• overly affectionate or attached
• restlessness

Some symptoms of an underactive sacral chakra are:

• low libido
• lack of excitement
• tiredness
• lack of purpose
• detachment or numbness
• feeling undeserving of desire
• lacking in creativity

There can also be mental health reasons for the above symptoms, so please seek help from your GP or from a qualified counsellor who can work out what kind of support you may need. 

How do I unblock the sacral chakra?

When the chakras are balanced and give the right amount of energy (not too much, not too little), we feel good and in flow with life. Most of us will have a blocked sacral chakra some of the time, but there are things you can do to experience more energetic harmony.

To unblock your sacral chakra, it’s important to understand the underlying causes and how in your physical body these imbalances are manifesting. A way to be more in tune with your sacral chakra is to journal your feelings. Delve into what motivates and inspires you in life and, most importantly, what stops you from accessing this.

Meditation, yoga poses, and positive affirmations can be a gentle but powerful way to bring your sacral chakra back into balance and get to know yourself on an energetic level.

Sacral chakra affirmations

Saying some affirmations to yourself out loud or in the privacy of your mind can help challenge negative patterns that may be sabotaging the sacral chakra, such as:

• I am deserving of pleasurable experiences.
• I get to know my feelings with gentle curiosity.
• I celebrate my sexual worth.
• I have good boundaries with people. 
• I adapt to the natural changes in life with ease.
• I manifest positivity and feel excited about the future.

Sacral chakra yoga pose

Practising yoga can be a great way to reawaken the sacral chakra. Hip opening poses such as goddess pose and wide-legged forward fold can create a sense of emotional balance. Forward folds can also have a calming effect on your mind if there’s too much going on in your sacral chakra.

How to practise wide-legged forward fold:

1. Set the feet wide apart from standing and ground the feet onto the mat to make sure you’re stable. 
2. Put your hands on your hips and slowly fold forward at the hips on your next exhale, keeping your spine long.
3. As you fold, put your hands wherever feels comfortable for you.
4. When you have reached as far as feels comfortable for you, release the head down. Remember to only go as far as feels good, making sure you don’t go any further than this.

You could also try using a mantra during your meditation or yoga practice. Chanting the mantra, “har har har” can be a powerful way to connect to the sacral chakra.

Crystals to help heal the sacral chakra

Another way to connect with our sacral chakra is through crystals. It’s thought that different crystals have specific energies that affect our physical, emotional, and spiritual well-being. There are several crystals that can be used to balance the sacral chakra, such as:

• tiger’s eye
• citrine
• moonstone
• sunstone
• carnelian
• red jasper

By making friends with our chakras, we can feel and hear the energetic beat of the body more clearly, channelling these natural energies to expand our desires and joyful expression in life. Wishing you many moments of joy; now and always.