Previously, I did an introduction to the 7 chakra system. We saw that having its roots in Sanskrit, an ancient language in Hinduism, Chakras are centers of energy that we find throughout our bodies. Translated, the word Chakra literally means «wheel» because it acts as a vortex, a disk of spinning energy where matter and consciousness meet. At the core of each of us, spin 7 main chakras aligned along the spine starting from the base up to the crown of the head.
The Chakras are important for anybody on the Spirit driven path and so we will go deeper into our understanding of each one of these ever-spinning wheels of life energy.
So let’s get into it ! Our journey up the spine continues as we arrive to the Sacral Chakra.
Svadhisthana, the Second Chakra
The second Chakra’s Sanskrit name is Svadhisthana which comes from the root sva and translates into ‘one’s own abode’. And if we look at the root svad, it translates into ‘to taste sweet’ or better yet ‘to taste with pleasure’. The second chakra is our center of pleasure, emotions, sexuality, sensations and movement.
It is associated with the moon which pulls and pushes the oceans in a dualistic motion. The first chakra was all about our survival instinct, and if we watered well those roots, then the fruits will be sweet. That’s when the second chakra comes into play, as to open the second chakra is to drink in the sweet waters of pleasure.
Sacral Chakra : Location in the body
The second chakra is located in our lower abdomen between the navel and the genitals. It corresponds to the nerve ganglion called the sacral plexus, hence its name, the Sacral Chakra.
Sacral chakra : Water Element
The element associated with the Sacral Chakra is water. This chakra represents the more liquid parts of our bodies such as blood circulation, urinary elimination, sexuality and reproduction. It also speaks to our water-like qualities such as flow, fluidity, change and surrender.
Same as water, the second Chakra is dominated by movement which is its overall purpose in the chakra system. While the root chakra was all about getting grounded and become still, the second chakra’s purpose is more of letting go and creating space for flow.
Sacral Chakra : Colour Orange
The Svadhisthana corresponds to the colour orange which is composed of equal parts of red and yellow. This sun-kissed colour represents vitality, strength and duality as well as a more gentle, nurturing and positive side of ourselves. Orange is at the lower end of the visible light spectrum and is a very powerful physical and spiritual energy.
Sacral chakra consciousness : Pleasure, sensation and emotion
The Sacral Chakra’s consciousness is oriented towards pleasure, sensation and emotion and is stimulated by the dance of polarities. Our bodies have this natural inclination to go towards pleasure and avoid pain. This reaction is an intimate biological pattern that is very closely related to the survival instinct we saw in the root chakra.
While pleasurable things show us that the situation is safe, pain is more of an indicator that something is a threat to our survival instinct. But, pleasure, as the seat of the second chakra, is a double-edged sword. You’ve guess it, it is an easy chakra to get trapped in. One can get trapped into too much pleasure or on the contrary avoid pleasure and not allow it into one’s life.
To balance the Sacral Chakra, we must learn to open ourselves to pleasure without becoming excessively attached to it. Although most of us are taught to repress our need for pleasure, we must learn to move away from this preconceived idea and dive more deeply into the temple that is our body and through our sense build a foundation for power, love and creativity. Those are all aspects represented by the Svadhisthana. Pleasure and emotions are the root of desire. Through desire we create movement. Through movement we create change. And Consciousness thrives on change. This is the essence and function of the Sacral Chakra.
Our journey up the spine through the Chakras continues
When we began our journey through the chakra system, we started by the Root Chakra, going down to the beginning of the spine and also into earth, stillness and solidity. We saw that we needed to grow our roots in order to build a foundation of safety, health and warmth. By continuing our journey up the spine, we have now reached the Sacral Chakra and a new dimension.
We have moved from the earth element to that of water, from solidity to liquid, from stillness to movement. We gained a degree of freedom but also of complexity. We have found the Sacral Chakra, center of our passion and pleasure, located in the pelvic area which teaches us to experience our lives through sensations, pleasure, and emotions.
With Love,
