What is the Sacral Chakra?

Published by lisabeachy on

I’m so glad you’re here exploring the sacral (splenic) chakra with me. As a Reiki Master, I’m passionate about helping others learn about energy healing and holistic wellness. Our chakras, or energy centers, have such a profound impact on our health – physical, emotional, and spiritual. When we keep our chakras balanced, we can build nourishing relationships, express creativity, and find meaning in life.

The sacral chakra is our center of intimacy, emotions, pleasure, passion, and creativity – all the juicy stuff! Yet it’s so often blocked by past traumas, limiting beliefs, or cultural taboos. My intention with this article is to empower you with knowledge and practices to unblock this beautiful part of yourself. You deserve to live fully and vibrantly!

The sacral chakra gifts us the vitality to embrace intimacy, unlock creative flow, and feel all our emotions. I hope you feel inspired to nourish your sacral chakra through movement, creative arts, crystals, mantras – and most importantly, radical self-love. You are so worth it.

What is the Sacral Chakra?

What physical parts of the body does the Sacral Chakra govern?

The Sacral Chakra, also sometimes called the Splenic Chakra, governs the reproductive organs and lymphatic system. Specifically, the Sacral Chakra includes:

• Ovaries and testes
• Uterus and prostate gland
• Lymphatic system
• Pancreas
• Bladder
• Lower intestines
• Pelvis and genitals

The Sacral Chakra is located in the lower abdomen, about 2 inches below the navel. It is considered the center of creativity, pleasure, intimacy, and emotions. When the Sacral Chakra is balanced, we feel confident in our sexuality, able to connect deeply in relationships, and in touch with our creative potential. Physical imbalances in this chakra can manifest as reproductive issues, urinary problems, or lower back pain.

What emotional issues does an imbalanced Sacral Chakra cause?

An imbalanced Sacral Chakra can lead to various emotional problems:

• Excessively blocked chakra: Rigidity, frigidity, emotional numbness, intimacy issues
• Excessively open chakra: Emotional dependency, sexual addiction, obsessiveness

Specifically, some common emotional issues from Sacral Chakra imbalances include:

• Difficulty experiencing pleasure and joy
• Disconnection from emotions
• Fear of change
• Poor social skills and lack of empathy
• Addictive behaviors
• Anxiety about sex or intimacy
• Creative blocks

Restoring balance to the Sacral Chakra can help resolve these emotional blocks. This may involve counseling, energy healing, practicing creativity, addressing addictions, and developing healthy intimate relationships.

How do you know if your Sacral Chakra is out of balance?

There are various physical and emotional signs that can indicate your Sacral Chakra is imbalanced:

Physical signs:

• Reproductive issues
• Menstrual problems
• Low back pain
• Frequent urinary tract infections
• Kidney dysfunction
• Swollen lymph nodes
• Digestive issues like constipation

Emotional signs:

• Lack of enthusiasm
• Difficulty experiencing pleasure
• Feeling emotionally numb
• Anxiety about intimacy and sexuality
• Addictive behaviors
• Poor social awareness

Other signs:

• Lack of creativity
• Loss of interest in hobbies
• Feeling stagnant in life
• Financial difficulties
• Blaming behavior

If several of these signs feel familiar, it may indicate your Sacral Chakra needs balancing through practices like meditation, yoga, energy healing, or counseling.

What foods are good for the Sacral Chakra?

Some foods are particularly nourishing and grounding for the Sacral Chakra:

Fruits: tropical fruits like mangos, passionfruit, pineapple, oranges, melons

Vegetables: carrots, sweet potatoes, squash, peas, olives

Grains: buckwheat, quinoa, millet, rice

Nuts/seeds: coconut, cashews, chestnuts, flaxseed

Spices: cinnamon, vanilla, carob, cumin

Herbs: marshmallow root, lemon balm, chamomile, dandelion leaf

Liquids: coconut water, orange juice

Foods that are overly processed, fermented, or high in preservatives can irritate the Sacral Chakra. A whole foods, plant-based diet rich in fresh produce, nuts, seeds and legumes keeps this chakra balanced. Staying hydrated with water also nourishes it.

What are some Sacral Chakra healing crystals?

Some beneficial crystals and stones for healing and balancing the Sacral Chakra are:

• Carnelian – Boosts creativity, sexuality, confidence
• Orange Calcite – Uplifting, motivational, relieves emotional blocks
• Moonstone – Connects us with divine feminine, helps emotional balance
• Tiger’s Eye – Grounding, enhances willpower and motivation
• Citrine – Abundance, vitality, creative inspiration
• Garnet – Prosperity, self-empowerment, creativity
• Unakite – Promotes healthy reproductive system and sexuality

Ways to use these sacral chakra crystals include: wearing as jewelry over the sacral region, placing stones around your home/office, holding during meditation, or creating gem elixirs to drink. Using an orange crystal can help energize and heal this chakra.

What yoga poses are good for balancing the Sacral Chakra?

Here are some excellent yoga poses to bring balance to the Sacral Chakra:

• Bound Angle (Baddha Konasana) – calms sacral area
• Reclining Bound Angle (Supta Baddha Konasana) – releases tension in sacrum/lower back
• Wide-Legged Forward Fold (Prasarita Padottanasana) – stimulates sacral nerves
• Pelvic Tilt (Chakki Chalanasana) – improves sacral flexibility
• Boat (Navasana) – strengthens sacral area and digestive organs
• Bridge (Setu Bandhasana) – opens hips and sacrum
• Half Frog (Ardha Bhekasana) – stretches groin and sacrum
• Half Lord of the Fishes (Ardha Matsyendrasana) – wrings out sacral area

Focus on hip openers, pelvis tilts, and floor stretches for a balanced Sacral Chakra. Be sure to practice at your own pace and comfort level.

How can I open up my blocked Sacral Chakra?

If you feel your Sacral Chakra is blocked or deficient in energy, here are some ways to help open and rebalance it:

• Wear orange – the color of the sacral chakra can energize it
• Carry or wear sacral stones like carnelian, citrine or orange calcite
• Practice hip opening yoga poses like bound angle, frog pose, and bridge pose
• Dance freely and creatively to energizing music
• Get a massage focusing on lower back, abdomen, hips
• Spend time by water – take a beach vacation or baths
• Journal or art therapy to process emotions
• If ready, explore your sexuality and sensuality
• Eat sacral nourishing foods like oranges, mangos, carrots
• Try psychotherapy or counseling to overcome emotional blocks
• Address any addictive behaviors and seek support
• Give yourself permission to feel all emotions, positive and negative
• Take up a new creative hobby like painting, singing, or writing

Be patient, consistent, and compassionate as you take steps to open up this chakra center.

What are the signs of an awakened and balanced Sacral Chakra?

When your Sacral Chakra is awakened and balanced, you may experience these signs:

• Sense of grace and flow in life
• Comfort with your body and sexuality
• Strong intimate relationships
• Enjoyment of senses, pleasure, joy
• Confidence in expressing feelings
• Creativity flourishes
• Healthy boundaries
• Motivated and engaged with life
• Emotional balance and stability
• Strong willpower
• Healed relationships with parents
• Good social awareness and connection
• Positive attitude and enthusiasm
• Freedom from addictive/compulsive behaviors
• Aligned with divine feminine energy
• Powerful kundalini rising
• Healthy reproductive organs

Keep nourishing this chakra through movement, creative expression, emotional work, and spiritual practices to maintain this center in its awakened state.

What mantra is associated with the Sacral Chakra?

The bija (seed) mantra associated with the Sacral Chakra is:

VAM

Chanting VAM focuses energy and intention on healing, empowering, and balancing the Sacral Chakra.

Other Sacral Chakra mantras include:

• I am creative
• I have healthy boundaries
• I embrace pleasure
• I am safe to feel all my emotions
• I am open to intimacy
• I am confident in my sexuality

You can repeat these mantras during meditation, yoga, sacral massage, or simply anytime you need to restore Sacral Chakra equilibrium. Speak them aloud or internally with devotion. Mantras help unblock this center.

What are some Sacral Chakra affirmations I can use?

Affirmations are positive statements that can reprogram our thought patterns. Here are some positive affirmations to open, heal and bring positive energy to the Sacral Chakra:

• I embody a healthy divine femininity
• I am open to give and receive intimacy
• Pleasure, passion and sexuality are natural parts of life
• I deserve to feel joy and share it with others
• I am deeply connected to my feelings
• I am creatively inspired every day
• My sensuality is sacred
• I have healthy boundaries and respect myself
• I am safe and free to express my true emotions
• Change brings new blessings into my life

Repeat these affirmations outloud, write them down or put them on notes around your home or office. Infuse them with feeling and intention to manifest the openness and healing of your Sacral Chakra.

Conclusion

In summary, the Sacral Chakra is our center of pleasure, intimacy, creativity and emotion. When balanced, it allows us to live, love, feel, and create with openness, passion and joy. Physically it governs the reproductive system, lymph, and lower abdomen. Imbalances manifest as emotional numbness, intimacy issues, addictions, or physical symptoms. Rebalancing practices involve using sacral-healing foods, stones, yoga poses, mantras, affirmations and embracing our sensuality and self-expression. Keeping this chakra aligned provides the freedom and inspiration to live life fully and vibrantly.

Summary

FAQ

What is the sacral chakra responsible for?

The sacral chakra, located in the lower abdomen, is responsible for sexuality, emotions, intimacy, pleasure, and creativity. It governs our passions, sensuality, and connection to others.

What causes sacral chakra blockages?

Causes of sacral chakra blockages can include trauma, sexual repression, trust issues, addictions, cultural/religious conditioning, and excessive intellectualization. Releasing past baggage through counseling and practicing self-love can help clear blocks.

How can I open my sacral chakra?

Ways to open the sacral chakra include hip opening yoga poses, dancing, orange crystals, baths, creative activities, tantric practices, releasing emotions, and developing intimacy with self-love and trusted partners.

What are sacral chakra yoga poses?

Great yoga poses for the sacral chakra include bound angle, wide leg fold, bridge, frog pose, half lord of the fishes and cosmic dancer. Focus on hip and groin openers.

What foods are good for the sacral chakra?

Oranges, mangoes, tropical fruits, carrots, sweet potatoes, cinnamon, ginger, flaxseed, coconut, and nuts help nourish the sacral chakra. Stay hydrated with water.

How do sacral chakra crystals help?

Orange crystals like carnelian, orange calcite, and sunstone stabilize emotions, boost libido and confidence, enhance creativity, and energize the sacral area when worn over lower abdomen.

What is the sacral chakra mantra?

The bija mantra for the sacral chakra is VAM. Chanting this focuses energy on empowering and balancing the sacral center.