Sacral Chakra: Home to our Emotional Self!
The Sacral Chakra is our second chakra, and is related to our emotions and to relationships of all kinds! While our earlier blog about this chakra gives all the basic information, here we will explore more deeply the expansiveness of this energy’s impact on our lives!
This chakra energy center sits right above the Root Chakra and connects directly with its energy. Depending how securely we were able to develop a sense of belonging, the Root Chakra foundation offers openness or restriction, flow or limitation. The Root Chakra question of “Do I belong... here... on this Earth?” shifts into “How do I belong in relationship to others?” in the Sacral Chakra. We primarily begin with figuring out how we get our needs met, as this chakra is the center for our pleasure-seeking behaviors. Its battle cry can be distinctly heard and felt: “I want what I want, when I want it”!As babies and very young toddlers, we begin to experience our emotional reactions to the world, and need others to provide what we want…on demand…when we want it! To the extent that this happens, or not, begins the formation of our emotional/relational patterns. We begin learning how to avoid people and situations that bring pain and learn to perform behaviors that bring pleasure. When we have experiences where our needs are met on a consistent basis, we begin to form beliefs that others out there in the world are caring and loving, and that we matter! If, however, we don’t get what we want and need in positive ways, the energy flow becomes a bit restricted and we become primed to find ways to close off to painful realities. Over time, the energy of the Sacral Chakra becomes increasingly blocked and our foundation for developing relational patterns may include detachment or over attachment, neediness or defensiveness, and our emotional self holds shame, guilt and unworthiness that perpetuate these patterns.As the energy of the Sacral Chakra is also about seeking pleasure, we learn to find ways to become numb to the pain that is inherent in the shame-based reality in which we live and seek pleasure in ways that are not necessarily healthy. There are many ways we can choose to do this, such as through addiction – to alcohol or drugs, but also to food, work, gambling, sex or just plain busy-ness! We can become quiet or withdrawn – avoiding the pain of relationships as we have given up on the belief that others will ever meet our needs. Or learn to hide our true feelings behind a smile, in a futile attempt to seek pleasure by giving everyone else what they want, with the hidden hope that they will in turn meet our needs. And when this does not happen, we become resentful. We may withhold what bits of pleasure we do get, as trust that sharing will bring reciprocity has not been our experience. Jealousy can be present as we can only see that others get what we want. Our own creativity to generate such a life for our Self is blocked when this chakra energy gets blocked. It’s easy to see how shame and unworthiness that once started at the hands of others, can get to be a self-fulfilling pattern that we then keep alive in our life, long after we have grown up. After a while, even we are not aware of what we truly feel or who we are, and we lose touch with our authentic Self.We see these patterns in our relationships more clearly as they play out in the many roles we assume throughout our life – child, sibling, parent, friend, co-worker, etc. But this energy also relates to other relationships such as our relationship with money, food, and even with God or Divine Consciousness. The good news? There are many ways out of these shame-based or unworthiness patterns! We have learned them, so we can change them! Let’s consider what else this Sacral Chakra has to offer..An important aspect of the Sacral Chakra to explore is the element with which it is associated: Water
Think of the characteristics that water embodies. In its healthiest forms, it is fluid, clear, and pure. It can flow, stream, pour, drizzle, dampen, and deluge. It transforms itself while still holding its own core identity in ever-changing environments... it can be liquid, steam, fog, puddle, pond, river, ocean, frost, ice or glacier – all while still being water! Its nature allows it to move fluidly in and out of its various forms throughout its existence.Think of its functions... It is an element that can sustain life, wash away dirt and toxins, and cool us off when we are hot. In its absence, we are left parched, dry, and thirsting for its gifts. It has the ability to offer a most peaceful setting, or to present itself for playfulness, and yet it can support and transport weighty vessels. When out of balance and chaotic, water can whip into a frenzy of destruction. Are you beginning to see the parallels to our emotions?What if we take the cues for changing patterns, from this mighty water element that is such a fluid, changing element? What if instead of seeing our Self in a narrow reflection of how others have defined us, we begin to expand our consciousness and own all of our aspects! Even though water changes in many ways, it always holds its identity as water! What if we were to allow expressions of all our emotions to be embraced? Let ourselves be playful, or sometimes gentle while at other times, assume a commanding presence? What if we welcome our angry, frenzied emotions with the same embrace as our peaceful, joyful emotions? We could also choose to set very firm boundaries when needed, like the glacier, but equally live with our hearts wide open when we encounter love, like the ocean!The key to using the water element as our model for change? Use it with intention! Physically, as we wash our bodies, we can begin to attune to the vibration of the water’s cleansing abilities with the intention to release the toxins in our lives. Emotionally, when we are in a hot temper mode, we can visualize ourselves standing under a cool waterfall, feeling its reality and allowing ourselves to resonate with the cool temperature. When we are feeling trapped or stuck, we can take a few moments, and in our mind’s eye, see how easily the water flows around the rocks or other obstacles, and as our mind syncs with the image and attunes to the vibrational flow, we begin to have new insight about our lives. These are just a few ways to help you open your awareness to the powerful energies of the element of water!Of course, this takes practice, guidance from a teacher to learn more about how this works, and a commitment to making changes in behaviors. It means moving out of the comfort zone, the old ways, and the old beliefs. Remember too, that when water simply stands still, it becomes stagnant – and so do we! When we embrace all of who we are, we can be authentic in any moment, in any environment!