Sacral Chakra Properties
Number: Second Chakra
Location: About 2 inches below the navel
Basic issues: Creativity, sexuality, pleasure, reproduction
Colour: Orange
Mantra: Vam
Musical Note: D
Element: Water
Right: The right to feel
If we are stuck in the base chakra life’s survival issues, life can become one dimensional, as we are stuck in the pain of working at a job just to make ends meet with little energy left over for anything else. But once we get our survival issues handled, we can move up to the pleasure, movement, energy, desire and emotions of the second chakra.
Life becomes more colourful and fun in the second chakra.
One of the sacral chakra’s significant roles is to take the energy gathered by the root chakra and send energy through our bodies. This creates sensations in our bodies and allows us to start feeling what is happening energetically in our bodies and the emotions that arise.
In the second chakra, we move from the number 1 of the root chakra and into number 2, which is yin and yang, duality and contrast. Our emotions let us know what we like and what we don’t like, allowing us to develop desires for the pleasures we would like in our lives.
This chakra also awakens us to our senses of sight, sound, touch, smell and taste. These are the ways we take in information from the world around us. We often make up stories and meanings, from this information, about life which can develop into belief systems. For example, suppose we are out driving, and we get cut off by two different people driving red cars. In that case, we might start to mutter to ourselves about people who drive red cars and how dare they cut us off and what bad drivers they are and who do they think they are driving that way and they should be penalised for such lousy driving and on and on we go. By the time we have run through this conversation several times, we could come out with the belief system that all people who drive red cars are bad drivers. From then on we will be hypervigilant looking for any slight misdemeanor by any red cars thus reinforcing our new belief.
The meaning we make up about the events in our lives are often more important than the events themselves. But we have the power to create these meanings, so why not create an empowering meaning?
As a fun little exercise start to be aware of the information coming to you from your senses and the meanings you are giving these things.
Exercise mindful eating.
One of my favourite mindfulness practices which relates to the sacral chakra is mindful eating. Most people gulp down there food without really tasting it. Here is an abbreviated version of mindful eating.
When you place the food in your mouth, try something surprising – actually slow down and taste it. Also, feel it in your mouth, what is the texture like? Become aware of your tongue moving the food around in your mouth. Close your eyes and really experience the food in your mouth, the chewing, the flavour, what your teeth and tongue are doing and finally the sensation of swallowing. Trust me, this can turn the act of mindlessly scoffing your food into one of the most blissful feelings you can have.
To find out about the third chakra – the solar plexus chakra click here