The Second Chakra - The Sacral Chakra

THE SECOND CHAKRA : The Sacral Chakra

‘The center of emotions, sensuality, sexuality, pleasure and creativity. This Chakra helps with our body awareness and aids us in our sense of strength ad grounding into the physical body.’

Location: Lower Abdomen

Colour: Orange

Sense: Taste

Element: Water

Note: D

The Sacral Chakra is symbolised by a white lotus within which is a crescent moon with six orange petals. The Sacral Chakra vibrates at a similar frequency to the Root Chakra, and is also related to survival however it is more on  an emotional/ gut instinct level. The Sacral chakra is connected to our emotional body, ruling creativity, intuition, fertility, relationships and sensuality. Unlike the masculine energies of physical gratification of the Root Chakra, the Sacral Chakra has a more feminine feel, celebrating the union of two people. It is connected to our sense of taste, and thus the emotional relationship some people have with food.  The sacral Chakra is connected with emotions, the element of water, the moon, yesod on the tree of life and the lower astral plane. 


Physically: It governs sexual organs, large intestine, lower vertebrae, pelvis, hip area, bladder, appendix, reproduction
Mentally: It governs creativity
Emotionally: It governs joy
Spiritually: It governs enthusiasm


Symptoms that Sacral energy is…


Balanced:
You find it easy to access and share creativity. You are able to give and receive love comfortably and are able to sustain healthy loving relationships (including emotional and sexual intimacy) People with balanced Sacral energies tend to be confident about their body image and trust their instincts about other people. They tend to have a strong and regenerative physical body. 
In Excess:
When your Sacral Chakra is too open you tend to have boundary issues - i.e. you smother people or get too deep in a relationship. You feel everyone else's emotions and absorb them as your own. You are more likely to struggle with depression, and hold on to grief  for extended periods. You are likely to hold onto grudges or keep memories of when you have been mistreated  or bad relationships. You become overly attached to possessions and the things you have created, such as your home or children.
Deficient:
When your Sacral Chakra is out of balance it can lead to sexual dysfunctions. It becomes hard to attract and maintain love relationships. Further, eating disorders can be a symptom of an imbalance.  You are likely to feel flat and lifeless, cold or distant, out of touch with your emotions or sexuality. Life is lack lustre, and may feel a little black and white - empty of emotion, passion and love.

Physical symptoms of lack of sacral chakra energy are:

Kidney problems, urinary tract infections, chronic lower back pain, sexual disorders, infertility, gynaecological problems, dysfunctional menstrual cycles and problems with the intestines and gall bladder. Eating disorders, addictions, low self confidence, dependancy issues, low libido and unbalanced emotions.


How can you balance this chakra?

1. Hip-opening yoga postures.  If you’ve ever taken a yoga class, you’ve likely heard a teacher say at least once that we store emotional and physical tension in our hips—hence yoga’s many hip-opening postures. This directly connects to your sacral chakra. If you doubt at all the validity of this, notice where you grip or clench your muscles the next time you’re in a stressful situation. It’s likely your throat area (another emotional center) and your hips and lower abdomen. Remember also that your hips move in many directions— even though many people think of hip-openers as external rotation only. While it’s ideal to do a few postures that stretch your hips through their full range of motion, holding one pose and focusing on completely letting go is a great place to start. My personal favorite is cow pose, but bound angle is another ideal asana to hold and breathe into.

2.  Dance like no one’s watching. Dancing is one of the best—and easiest—ways to open your sacral chakra. So close the door, turn on your favorite music, and move. For double the cleansing effects, get out with friends as you move your hips to your favorite rhythm.

3. Tone up. While learning to let go of unnecessary muscular gripping and tension is ideal for chakra health throughout your body, it’s also important to take care of your body and keep your muscles strong and healthy. One of the main reasons to have a physical yoga practice is to make the body a fit—no pun intended—vehicle for the spirit and to prepare your body for seatedmeditation (another reason for hip-opening postures), and the lower abdominals are frequently an area that people let go. Some of my favorites for strong lower abs are boat pose (really hug the knees in towards the chest), pendant pose and yogic leg lifts.

4. Visualize orange. Orange is the sacral chakra’s color. Imagine a bright, healing orange glow filling up your entire lower abdomen—keeping in mind that we’re three dimensional. I have SI joint problems and often focus specifically on this region, so feel free to send your breath—and the color orange—to any particular area of disease or tension. (Courtesy of Mind Body Green)

5 Tips for balancing your sacral chakra:
1. Get support on any emotional issues going on in your life. This may include finding a form of therapy such as counselling or energetic healing, etc.
2. Try not to keep feelings bottled up, but find safe ways to express and release emotions. eg. talking to a friend, chanting, dancing, painting, writing a journal.
3. Find a regular practice to help keep you emotionally balanced eg. meditation, yoga, chi gung, relaxation exercises, chakradance etc.
4. Create opportunities for pleasurable feelings in your life. Find the time to do things you really enjoy; create some ‘you’ time everyday; spend time with positive and uplifting people.
5. Create an emotionally calming environment in your home by cleansing your personal space with incense and burning candles.  Moon Meditation:
Imagine you are standing at the edge of an ocean. Directly above you is a luminous full moon, lighting the sky with a soft glowing light.You feel bathed in this gentle light and feel it calm and relax your senses. Take a deep breath and tune into the moon’s connection to all living waters.…the movement of the tides of the ocean; the flow of blood within your own body. As you become more in tune with the moon you feel more connected to her wild and sensual feminine spirit. Everyday ways to balance your sacral chakra:
Experiment with playing in the sacral chakra – swim, play in water; wear orange clothes or bring the colour orange more into your life (the colour of the sacral chakra); take relaxation baths with candles and oils; drink lots of cleansing and nourishing fluids; take pleasure in cooking meals and really tune into the smells and tastes; surround yourself in beauty (art, flowers, music, colour – whatever makes you feel good); invoke your inner child and play!

Try opening this Chakra by using colors, scents and crystals:

Gems/Minerals: Orange crystals - Carnelian, Amber, Orange Calcite and Orange Kyanite

Scents: Bergamot, Cardamom, Clary Sage, Neroli, Orange, Patcholi, Rose, Sandalwood, Yland-Ylang


You can also balance your sacral chakra by using positive affirmations such as:

- I love and enjoy my body.
- I have healthy boundaries.
- I am passonate
- I feel pleasure and abundance with every breath I take.
- I value and repeat my body
- I am open to touch and closeness
- My sexuality is sacred.
- I am at peace

The First Chakra - The Root

THE FIRST CHAKRA : The Root Chakra

‘Connection to the earth, the energy center for survival’

Location: The base of the spine, at the region of genitals and the feet.

Colour: Red

Sense: Smell

Element: Earth

Tone: E

Note: C

The Root chakra is also known as Muladhara and is symbolised by a lotus with four petals and the color red. This center is located in the coccygeal region, at the base of the spine. It is said to relate to the gonads and the adrenal medulla and is responsible for the fight or flight response when survival is under threat. Muladhara is related to instinct, security, survival and also to basic human potentiality.

This chakra has the lowest vibration of our body, and the lowest energy wavelength, thus the colour red is obvious, being the colour with the lowest frequency of a humans visible light spectrum

Physically: It governs sexuality

Mentally: It governs stability

Emotionally: It governs sensuality

Spiritually: It governs a sense of security

Symptoms that Root energy is…

Balanced:

You feel centered, grounded, healthy, fully alive, unlimited physical energy, can manifest abundance.You tend to take good care of the body. People who have open root chakras love their lives and their physical incarnation in their present bodies. 

In Excess:

People with root chakras that are too open tend to be egoistic, domineering, greedy, sadistic, have mass sexual energy, judgment and with biased opinions.

Deficient:

People who have too little root energy tend to suffer with lack of confidence, feeling weak, inability to achieve goals, suicidal thoughts, lack of sexual energy, feel unlovable, little interest in sex, masochistic. They also tend to face fears and insecurities. Blockages in this energy center of the body can result in a core sense of unworthiness, self-doubt and shame. Thought forms such as "I don't deserve love," "I'm ashamed of who I am," and "I'm always misunderstood," are common in people with a blocked Root Chakra. They try to compensate for these feelings by acquiring, keeping and controlling material possessions, by becoming addicted to material things.

The ultimate root chakra failure is suicide 

Physical symptoms of lack of root chakra energy are:

Drug addictions, anemia, cancer, arthritis, heart disease, gynecological problems, Aids, herpes, candida. Decreased immune system. Lower back pain. Constipation. Physical problems with the coccyx, anus and genitals are associated with the First Chakra.

Glands/organs:
Adrenals, kidneys, spinal column, colon, legs, bones.

How can you balance this chakra?

In order to counteract the many unpleasent symptoms you need to first ground yourself. Dancing is very good for grounding. In the summer, try going barefoot. Cleaning the house and cooking are also grounding activities (believe it or not...housework does have a silver lining!) 

Try hugging a tree, and taking care of your plants.  Focusing on the color red can help bring your energetic body "down to earth" and in alignment with your physical body. 

Try opening this Chakra by using colors, scents and crystals:

Gems/Minerals: Ruby, garnet, bloodstone, red jasper, black tourmaline, obsidian, smoky quartz.

Scents: Patchouli, cedar wood, lavender, musk, hyacinth, cinnamon and sandalwood.

You can also balance your root chakra by using positive affirmations such as:

- I know who I am and know what is right for me.

- I feel supported in life through all my choices.

- My body supports me in living a creative and happy life.

- I am open to the spirit of life, which carries me beyond my original limits to a higher, more creative space.

- I am thankful for all the opportunities for growth and development that have come my way.

- I am grateful for the challenges that have taught me who I truly am.

- I love life.

Introduction to the Chakras

Chakras

The earliest written account of the Chakras are believed to be part of the Vedas, an old written tradition in Indian said to have originated between 2,000 - 6,000 B.C. and started by the Indo-European invaders of India known as the Arians. 

Generally speaking, Chakras are accepted in the east and are incorporated into many of the eastern healing methods. The acceptance of energy pathways, or meridians throughout the body enables treatments such as acupuncture, reflexology and Indian head massage to be understood and used in everyday healing. Unfortunately, however, it is not so readily recognized in the west.  In fact it is not so uncommon to be greeted with a look of absolute incomprehension at the very mention of the word, followed by a look of utter scepticism and confusion when attempting to explain their existence let alone their purpose.  

We all seek freedom, and interestingly it is ignorance that keeps us confined to a mundane dysfunctional life, and truth that can set us free. Humans have a wonderful ability to rationalise and understand the existence of ‘things’. Everyone has the ability to develop a higher state of being but it is not yet a reality for most people.  In order to develop this higher state of mind we must first accept that it exists, enabling us to move past this primative existence and opening our eyes to the wonderful life we have in and around us.  Understanding the importance of colour and frequency, and how to incorporate all these things into our lives to deal with the hurdles presented to us.

Within our body there are 7 energy centers known as chakras.  Each one of these is connected to certain parts of the body on a spiritual, emotional and physical level.  Some people claim there are also other subsidiary ones too. In an ideal world these chakras would be fully open with free flowing energy passing through them in a vortex in and around us.  Modern physiology shows us that these 7 Chakras correspond directly to the 7 main nerve ganglia, emanating from the spinal column. Modern science has not gone much further than this – possibly because the chakras are not found on the physical body but the etheric.

Having said that…it is possible that modern science hasn’t found the chakras because they have not been looking at the right place. In 2007, a book was published entitled ‘The Body has a Mind of its Own’ (by Sandra and Mathew Blakeslee). In this book, they traced the history of “body maps” from the time of neuro-scientist Alfred Penfield. Penfield effectively identified the functions of specific parts of the brain that control our bodies. He called this body map ‘The Humunculus”. 

The diagram below is purposely out of proportion, however in proportion with the number of sensory  connections to the brain. Certain parts of our body are more sensitive than others and therefore are depicted with a larger surface area in the diagram below. If you draw a person with these distortions you ge the homunculus below: 

If you were to overlay a diagram of the chakras on the human brain you find a surprising match. The amazing coincidence is that, not only are the parts of the brain consistent with the thought processes of the chakra groupings, they are also the exact anatomical equivalents of the human body as found in the table below.

Chakra	Root	Sacral	Solar Plexus	Heart	Throat	Third Eye	Crown
Location	Coccyx Perineum	Lower Abdomen	Solar Plexus Stomach	Centre of Chest	Throat	Forehead	Top of Head
Colour	Red	Orange	Yellow	Green	Blue	Indigo	Violet
Psychological Functions	Survival, Vitality, Reality, Grounding, Security, Support, Stability, Sexuality, Individuality, Courage, Impulsiveness	Feelings, Emotions, Intimacy, Procreation, Polarity, Sensuality, Confidence, Sociability, Freedom, Movement	Personal Power, Will, Knowledge, Wit, Laughter, Mental Clarity, Humor, Optimism, Self-Control, Curiosity, Awareness	Relationships, Love, Acceptance, Self-Control, Compassion, Guilt, Forgiveness, Harmony, Peace, Renewal, Growth	Communication, Wisdom, Speech, Trust, Creative Expression, Planning, Spatial, Organization, Caution	Intuition, Invention, Psychic Abilities, Self Realization, Perception, Release, Understanding, Memory, Fearlessness	Knowingness, Wisdom, Inspiration, Charisma, Awareness, Higher Self, Meditation, Self Sacrificing, Visionary
Emotions	Passions	Emotions, Desires	Purpose, Sunshine	Balance, Love	Expansion, Healing	Imagination, Intuition	Bliss, Spirituality
Glands	Adrenals	Gonads	Pancreas	Thymus	Thyroid	Pituitary	Pineal
Associated Body Parts	Spine (Chi, Life Force) Legs, Feet, Bones, Teeth, Large Intestines, Prostate, Bladder, Blood, Circulation, Tailbone	Ovaries, Testes, Womb, Kidneys, Urinary Tract, Skin, Spleen, Gallbladder, Recharges Etheric Body/Aura	Digestion, Liver, Stomach, Diaphragm, Nervous System, Pancreas Metabolism, Small Intestines	Lungs, Heart, Bronchia,Thymus Gland, Arms, Hands, Respiratory, Hypertension, Muscles	Throat, Vocal System, Mouth, Jaw, Parathyroid, Tongue, Neck, Shoulders, Lymphs (Perspiration), Atlas, Menstrual Cycle	Eyes, Nose, Ears, Sinuses, Cerebellum, Pineal, Forebrain, Autonomic Nervous System, Heals Etheric Body/Aura	Upper brain, Cerebral Cortex, Cerebrum, Pituitary, Central Nervous System, Hair Growth, Top of Head
Physical Disfunction	Anemia, Fatigue, Obesity, Anus, Rectum (hemorrhoids), Constipation, Colds, Body Temperature, Bladder Infection, Rebuilds Blood Cells & Haemoglobin, Sciatic, Numbness, Leukemia	Impotence, Frigidity, Ovaries, Uterine Problems, Candida, Eating Disorders, Drug Use, Depression, Alcoholism, Polarity Imbalances, Gout, Allergies, Asthma (Oxygen Deficiencies)	Ulcers, Diabetes, Hepatitis, Hypoglycemia, Blood Sugar Disorders, Constipation, Nervousness, Timidity, Addictions to Stimulants, Parasites & Worms, Toxicity, Jaundice, Poor Memory	High Blood Pressure, Passiveness, Lethargy, Asthma, Immune System, Breathing Difficulties, Pneumonia, Emphysema, Cell Growth, Muscle Tension, Heart Problems, Chest Pain	Thyroid, Flu, Fevers, Blisters, Infections, Herpes, Itching, Sores, Tonsillitis, Toothaches, OCD, Speech Disorders, TMJ, Hyperactivity, Melancholy, Hormonal Problems, Swelling, Hiccups, PMS, Mood Swings	Blindness, Vision, Headaches, Migraines, Earaches, Nightmares, Sleep Disorders,Fear, Manic Depression, Anxiety, Schizophrenia, Paranoia, Equilibrium Imbalances	Depression, Alienation, Mental Illness, Neuralgia, Confusion, Senility, Veins, Blood Vessels, Lymphatic System, Bacteria, Warts, Skin Rashes, Eczema

Whole Earth Healing Through Meditation

Preparation

Preparation for Practice

Take several centering breaths.We recommend you start each session with a healing affirmation and close by giving thanks. 

"We unite with each other in love, as together we come into complete harmony with Divine Being.

With humility and gratitude, we build this network of light to serve the highest good of all concerned.
We pray for healing and awakening for ourselves and our world, so that we may learn to trust unconditionally in Divine nurturance and act with compassion in all we do.
We give thanks for the blessings and assistance of Divine Grace and the highest and most holy spiritual guides. So Be It."

Hold your hands in prayer if you wish. This is very centering.
To add depth to your meditation and healing practices, visualize yourself connected to a field of love and light within, above and about our earth. 

Intend that you may send energy to a healing focus. Visualize a field of light and love about yourself and flowing from yourself to a healing subject. Do this for several moments. Then rest in the glow of this light.

Healing Practices

As you send healing energy intend to unite the whole earth in love.
Visualize a field of Divine Light around our globe. You can focus on the photo above (and enlarge it by clicking on it). Feel the light flow to the photo. Feel how that flow simultaneously surrounds you and comes to you from all directions as you send it.
As you take part in this healing, notice if you feel a sense of wholeness within yourself as well.
For a longer practice, you can meditate on light filling your self. Then in your mind's eye, travel, seeing:

Light filling your room.
Filling your neighborhood.
Light in your community.
Then your bioregion.
Then your continent and soon the globe.

Going up, see the beautiful earth.
The moon.
The brilliant sun.
Light through the moon and earth.
Surrounded and suffused with peace and love and light.

Rest.

Rest radiant in this global love and light.

Then come back down slowly.
Light and love in the sky.
Light over and through your continent.
Your community.
Your room.
Light in your self.Know that peace and love surround and fill the earth and all its beings.
All are one in love and light

So Be It.

Many thanks to http://www.reiki.org/GlobalHealing/gwhole.html