SACRAL CHAKRA - SELF WORTH
LOCATION: Lower abdomen (just below belly button)
PURPOSE: Desire, Sexuality and Pleasure
ELEMENT: Water
IDENTITY: Emotional/Self-worth
COLOR: Orange
The sacral chakra is located in the lower abdomen area about two inches below your belly button. Your sacral chakra helps you relate to your own emotions and the emotions of others. It also governs your creativity and sexual energy. While the root chakra is about our survival, the sacral chakra is focused on pleasure and enjoyment. This chakra is all about movement, transformation, change and creativity.
When we feel dull and “stuck” in patterns or a boring repetitive routine, pleasure can be the perfect motivator to get you out of the rut. A fun night out with friends is a great motivation to get us up, moving and out the door. Whether is it a fun vacation, earning a degree or even getting off the couch to pour yourself something to drink these are all pleasure motivated.
All living beings gravitate towards pleasure, including humans. Humans first instinct is survival (root chakra) and the second is pleasure (sacral chakra). The trick to developing the sacral chakra it to maintain healthy pleasures. Pleasure that enables you to move further into our body and that have a foundation in love, power and creativity are healthy. Unfortunately, some people are taught to avoid pleasure, but it is in the excess that danger lies.
Guilt is the detrimental emotion to the sacral chakra. There are absolutely times when we should feel guilt. When you have lashed out at others for no reason or have been harsh and judgmental in your treatment of others is when guilt is warranted. This type of guilt leads us to examining your behavior and making the appropriate changes and apologies. However, the sacral chakra is shut down with unwarranted guilt.
A great way to open your sacral chakra is by connecting with water. The sacral chakra’s element is water and represents your ability to flow and change. By working with water, you begin to activate and open this chakra. Spending time by water whether it be the ocean, lake or stream is beneficial. Also, relaxing in a hot bath provides you with the connection to water. Though most people find being by naturally moving water more enjoyable, having an artificial feature such as a water fountain of some sort in your home is helpful.
I have found really learning to go with the flow of life and anything creative helps my sacral chakra. While sitting in meditation and focusing on my sacral chakra, I can tell a difference when it has been a week where I focused on not controlling all my circumstances, but taking life’s challenges in stride. I am not an artistic person, but you do not need to be to activate your creativity. Cooking, writing and putsing around my house rearranging things fills that need for me.
As with all the chakras, there are changes you can make to your diet that will help to activate and open this chakra. Since the color associated with this chakra is orange, orange foods should be included. Some helpful fruits include oranges and because fleshy fruits are also helpful, mangoes, peaches and papayas can be included. All seeds are helpful such as poppy, pumpkin and sunflower. Coconuts with their healthy oils and fats have health benefits and sacral chakra benefits as they can increase your energy and help boost your desire to be creative.
There are several crystals you can use to help open and activate your sacral chakra. Orange calcite is not only helpful because it is orange, it also helps enhance your creativity. Moonstone comes in many colors including peach. This stone helps reduce worry and carries a loving energy. It is one of my favorites! Carnelian, with its reddish-brown color, is linked to your creativity and artistry. Citrine is yellow and, though sometimes called “stones of the mind”, is a great choice for helping with the sacral chakra if your sacral chakra block is leading to confidence or jealousy issues. Though I have made some suggestions, go to your local crystal and set an intention of being drawn the best crystal for YOU to work with your sacral chakra and see which one you are drawn to.