Traveling up from the root, the sacral chakra is the second of the seven major energy centers.
The Sanskrit word for this chakra is Svādhiṣṭhāna, which breaks down to swā = self and ādhiṣṭhāna = dwelling place. Another English translation is “where your being is established.”
The sacral chakra energy system is our center for emotional connection. Located right below the navel, this chakra has a feminine essence, connecting us with our intuitive, creative, unashamed nature.
Ruled by the water element, it holds our ability to connect, whether to ourselves, or through intimacy with another. As such, it corresponds to the body areas and organs of the womb, testes, bladder, bowels, and large intestine, hips, lower back, and pelvis.
Sacral chakra energy is associated with:
- Creativity
- Giving and receiving love
- Self-expression
- Co-creation
- Pro-creation
- Endurance
- Self-confidence
- Self-worth
- Sensuality
- Sexuality
Represented by the color orange, this feminine essence also supports expressing one’s emotional body through mediums including art, sexuality, and self-worth. It’s symbolized by an orange six-petaled lotus with a crescent moon at the center to represents water as well as the link between the moon phases and the tides of bodies of water. Each of the six petals are associated with a quality to overcome in order to purify this chakra – anger, cruelty, desire, hatred, jealousy, and pride.
Signs your sacral chakra is balanced
When the sacral chakra is balanced and unblocked, we experience:
- Inspired creativity
- The ability to feel and express passion and pleasure
- Confidence in and attunement to feminine energies
- Stronger connection to our intuition
- Healthier connections with others
- The full spectrum of our true selves
- Ease in navigating and expressing our emotions
When in open flow, the svādhiṣṭhāna brings us joy and vitality. It guides us to enjoy ourselves and surrender into our authentic expression. It opens us to access creative potential and provides us options to meet challenges with curiosity and playfulness, rather than emotional reaction that leads to shutting down or becoming defensive. It allows us to experience life without judgment, as well as connect with others with intentions.
Signs your sacral chakra is imbalanced
When the second chakra is out of alignment or blocked, one may experience:
- Lack of creative drive
- Lack of self-confidence
- Physically, mentally, or emotionally rigid
- Suppressed authentic expression
- Dullness
- Lack of inspiration
- Difficulty with trust vulnerability
- Inability to receive pleasure
- Meeting challenges with emotional reactions, shutting down, or becoming defensive
Repressed emotions can also manifest as issues in the areas of the body that are governed by the sacral energy center. This can block our access to connection, pleasure, self-esteem, and more.
As the link between ourselves and others, a balanced svādhiṣṭhāna chakra gives us the ability to freely express our needs and desires, manage the flow of emotions, and source energy for creativity, movement, and relationships. For these reasons, it’s helpful to understand how to bring this chakra into optimal flow.
How to activate the sacral chakra
There are many tools available for you to engage and balance the energy of the second chakra.
There is no one-size-fits-all or a single practice that works for everyone. You will be drawn toward specific approaches at different times. Direct your intention towards creativity, nurturing, and pleasure. Trust your inner guidance and be open to explore because your system knows what will serve you best.
Energetic tools for the sacral chakra
Meditation is a dynamic and powerful mindfulness practice that deepens our awareness and fortifies our emotional stability. There are many forms of meditations that are attuned to sacral energy, such as sitting in silence with your breath and envisioning you are breathing in a sacral quality you want to call in and exhaling any blocks to receiving it.
While meditating, visualizing the color orange, focused just below the navel can support this chakra into harmonizing itself. Give yourself permission to define a sacred meditation practice that works for you.
The use of sacral chakra-related gemstones during meditation (like amber, carnelian, and moonstone) is another simple tool to incorporate into your meditation practice and enhance its benefits. Hold gemstones in your hand or place them on or around the area of the sacral chakra if you are laying down while meditating.
You can also incorporate crystals and gems into your altar or sacred space, wear them as jewelry, or place them in a pocket.
Holding the Shakti Mudra helps to harness sexuality and sensuality.
Thinking, speaking, writing or creating art with the following affirmations can also support bringing your second chakra into alignment and full expression:
- I am safe to freely express and feel my emotions
- I am creative
- I am worthy of joy
- I am abundant
- I am beautiful
- I deserve to feel pleasure
- I love my uniqueness
- My authenticity is valued
- Creativity runs through me endlessly
- I surrender to the flow of life
Physical tools for the sacral chakra
Activities
Yoga asanas, or postures, can be used to support sacral energies, such as:
- Virasana, Hero
- Anjaneyasana, Low Lunge
- Utkata Konasana, Goddess
- Viparita Virabhadrasana, Reverse Warrior
- Mandukasana, Frog
- Baddha Konasana, Bound Angle or Butterfly
- Supta Baddha Konasana, Reclining Bound Angle
- Kali Asana, The Diver
A gentle abdominal massage releases tension and tightness of the physical body and “softens” the rigidity of the sacral chakra so it can move freely in our energetic body.
Creative expression (even if you feel uninspired) births greater inspiration. It doesn’t matter what you choose to create or what medium you use, nor does it need to be shared with others, unless you’re moved to.
Being in/around water (like the ocean, lakes, streams, waterfalls, baths) or looking at such videos or images nourishes this chakra. Water represents emotion and when we are directly connected to this element, we create an inner environment for our emotions to be fully supported and expressed appropriately.
Dancing activates our feminine and receptive energy, which everyone has regardless of gender expression.
Wear orange (or incorporate this color into your environment) to boost this chakra’s energy. This color is known to stimulate the appetite, increase energy, and boost metabolism. Orange clothing or accessories can draw this energy into the flow of your day.
Foods
The sacral chakra is supported by eating a variety of foods, such as leafy vegetables (like bok choy, kale, spinach, collard greens, cabbage, and watercress) as well as melons, oranges, and squash. Incorporate some of these foods into your meals and notice if they make your energy shift.
Herbs and essential oils
The Damiana plant can help enhance sexual health, regulate menstruation and menopause symptoms, and help treat bladder & urinary issues. It also supports relaxation by calming the nervous system.
Raspberry leaf is known to regulate hormones, help ease period cramps, and support & fortify the body across the stages of pregnancy.
Cardamom, clary sage, neroli, orange, patchouli, rose, sandalwood and ylang ylang can also activate the inherent abundance of the Sacral Chakra.
Explore more chakras:
Chakras: A beginner’s guide
Root Chakra
Solar Plexus Chakra
Heart Chakra
Throat Chakra
Third-Eye Chakra
Crown Chakra
The information provided on the site is for educational purposes only, and does not substitute for professional medical advice. Consult a medical professional if seeking medical advice, diagnoses, or treatment.