Swadhisthana – The Sacral Chakra

One who meditates on swadhisthana gains mastery over their internal enemies (false identifications) and all other Doshas (unique physical and mental constitutions and life energies)…such a person becomes a lord of Yogis, and shines with the brightness of a sun, dispelling the darkness of illusion (existential Ignorance about the nature of self).

 – Shat Chakra Nirupanam – Schlokas 18

Metaphysics of Swadhisthana

Swadhisthana means “the abode of the self.” It is located just above the genital organ. How we have cultivated muladhara or the root chakra will determine the condition of swadhisthana or the sacral chakra. The significance behind the sacral chakra is that it gives us a lens through which we can measure and improve our mental, emotional, and physical flexibility through our relationship with our self.

So strongly do we identify with the body and construct a false and limited self based on it due to the strength of the biological imperative, that is, our drive for reproduction. This drive, when our root chakra is left uncultivated, is understood by us as purely biological in nature. In reality, this drive pertains to the Divine faculty of creativity, which we only awaken to if muladhara is properly cultivated and the energy of the Divine is felt in us as a deeper yearning and wonder about existence itself.

Each chakra is associated with a corresponding god and goddess, which in reality are personifications of the Divine into masculine and feminine energies; all of us have both energies within us as essential forces. These personifications are the Attributes of God that manifest and are expressed in masculine and feminine Principles, which in turn are emanations of the unitary Divine Principle. By personifying a Divine Attribute, we may relate to it through certain aspects of our humanity, and by relating to it through those certain aspects of our humanity we may relate to God through those certain aspects of our humanity. And by relating to God through those certain aspects of our humanity we are making immanent the transcendent, as in, our experience of God becomes personal and particular.

In the sacral chakra, the Divine Masculine energy is represented by Vishnu and the Divine Feminine energy is represented by Rakini, which represents the intimate coupling of the Divine Masculine and the Divine Feminine energies within us. As the site of intimacy of both energies, the sacral chakra represents the site of creation and creativity. It is thus seen as the realm of the waters of life.

The Element of Swadhisthana

It is said that within the swadhisthana chakra lies the realm of water, symbolized by the silvery crescent moon. Traditionally, the moon symbolizes the spiritual realm and silver light representing the light of the soul. The crescent moon represents the process of birth, and thus creation. In the Islamic tradition, it represented Divine Theophany, God’s Divine Act of creation from nothingness. It is the manifestation of the spiritual here in the physical world. It is from the spiritual realm that the earthly realm was created. It is this part in the body that the water element is dominant, and because it is said that the self came from the imaginal realm and will return there, the sacral chakra can be said to be the seat of the self or the entry point of the self.

Water is the element of creation, and so this chakra is associated with our creative energies, from reproduction to the creation of art as an expression of Beauty. But to express Beauty, we must be attuned to Divine Beauty, which takes root in muladhara. 

This water element and the silver-colored crescent moon represents the link between the energy of the water and the moon. Water has also been a symbol for consciousness, with surface of the water representing the conscious mind while the depths of the water representing the unconscious mind. Such symbols point to the strong relationship between moon phases and the fluctuations with the water and with the emotions, which are like the waves on the surface of consciousness.

It is said in all spiritual-religious traditions that God created all things from water, both the metaphysical waters as a reference to the Ocean of Consciousness, as well as the physical waters as the field of evolutionary life. Emerging from the waters of life, from the imaginal realm, is the self. And it is from these waters that we may create and recreate a new self during our process of growth. It is from the sacral chakra that our sense of self emerges.

Characteristics of Swadhisthana

When the energies of swadhishthana are dominant then one becomes far more alert to life that is happening all around us. We become aware of the ocean of consciousness in which all manifested forms are swimming. Swadhishthana sadhana gives you a certain freedom that arises out of perceiving distance between one’s essential self and one’s body, and so it has the characteristic of freedom and flexibility of thought and emotion when active.

A balanced sacral chakra allows us to embrace change fearlessly instead of clinging to our notions of what the past or future should look like. Think about this in terms of the notion of a self, or, the self-concept that we have adopted. Do we understand the notion of a self as permanent? If so, then it represents clinging to our notions about the past and the future, to expectations of how things ought to be, and thus represents the darkness of illusion. But if we understand our self concept as impermanent, as a projection of the mind used to navigate the world of form, then we do not identify with it, and thus, we do not identify with notions of the past or the future. When we do not identify with these, then we are not entangled with them, we are not fixated on establishing them and forcing the world to conform to them. We therefore attain a certain level of freedom of thought and action due to the absence of such expectations.

It is said that when the self is no longer a barrier between one’s very existence and the surrounding environment then the plants will speak to you and you will obtain the wisdom of nature.

Symptoms of a Blocked Swadhisthana

If we left muladhara uncultivated, then swadhisthana becomes an abode of delusion. In this case, our sense of self will become entangled and enmeshed with the physical body and its fluctuating thoughts and emotions, and especially our fundamental sexual reproductive drive; we may become dominated by the energy of lust, thus we become fixated on facilitating it. The creative energy behind sex is lost, and now we exist only to chase after sex itself as a biological drive.

As far as relationships go, it typically includes poor boundaries, especially sexual boundaries. When we become distant from our sexual nature due to an uncultivated muladhara, then our sexual energy becomes corrupted. We cannot relate to that aspect of ourselves in a healthy way. Sex is understood in this case as something shameful, and it may lead us to either avoid any expression of our sexuality, even through healthy channels, or by overcompensating by indulging in unhealthy ways. This represents a lack of control around our sexual urges due to sexual repression, and so there is this desperate attempt to integrate our sexual nature while only achieving the opposite.

Signs of an Open Swadhisthana

If muladhara has been cultivated, then we are able to experience the sweetness of pure consciousness. In this state, we are able to perceive distance between self and physical body, and in this case, we remain undominated by the sexual impulse. Because the greatest constrainer of human activity is the impulse to reproduce, when there is distance from this impulse, when we do not reduce our existence down to it, when we do not feel a deep sense of compulsion with respect to it, then we obtain true freedom. Because freedom is the basis of creativity, the greatest sign of an open sacral chakra is the power of our creativity. Creativity is the energy of the imagination, and imagination is only possible when there is freedom without constraint.

As far as relationships go, it means that we have a healthy attitude about sexuality and our body and emotions related to sexuality. We feel accepting of others and compassionate to their imperfections. Through this ability of healthy relating, there is a curiosity and desire, and thus we are vibrant, optimistic, and playful. Because we do not identify with and reduce ourselves to physicality, relationships move beyond the need for external validation from our partner. Rather, true connection between consciousness

Color

The color that is commonly used to represent and activate swadhisthana is orange.

The color orange radiates warmth and happiness, combining the physical energy and stimulation of red with the cheerfulness of yellow. Orange relates to gut reaction or our gut instincts, as opposed to the physical reaction of red or the mental reaction of yellow. Because it pertains to gut reactions, it emanates from the creative or imaginative realm of the sacral chakra.

The color psychology of orange is optimism and upliftment, which is rejuvenating to our spirit. It brings spontaneity and a positive outlook on life because we approach life with a creative mind where the possibilities feel endless.

Healing Stones

Sacral chakra healing stones include citrine, carnelian, orange calcite, and other orange stones. Moonstone can also be used because of this chakra’s association with water and the moon.

Activating the Chakra

The bīja (बीज) mantra that resonates with the water element of swadhisthana is “Vaṃ” (वं). Each chakra has an element, and each element has a specific seed syllable or frequency that activates it.

Aside from the various herbs that are also traditionally used, another way, in addition to the bīja mantra, is by meditating upon the color orange while focusing on the location of the sacral chakra, either through visualization or through focused concentration on the color orange, such as a light or an object.

As we concentrate, our physiology will respond to the perceived color, and it will cause emotions to stir within, especially those associated with creativity. This is the entry point. A skilled meditator will be able to enter into deeper states of consciousness by meditating upon the manifested experience within consciousness. By exploring this deeper experience within consciousness, one will travel deeper within through this psycho-emotional pathway, through swadhisthana. There will be thoughts and experiences pertaining to the characteristics of swadhisthana, such as optimism and creativity. In doing so, one is cultivating the sacral chakra and its creative energy because the connection and sense of intimacy with it is increasing.

We may have repressed sexual trauma, and so there may be feelings of guilt and shame that start to surface. However, the unconscious mind releases trauma in the form of anxiety at a level of intensity that the conscious mind is able to handle. By projecting the energy of gratitude and compassion upon these feelings, and especially on the personifications or attributes of the Divine that are associated with this aspect of ourselves, we may engage in deeper healing and sacral chakra activation through pure acceptance.

References

[1] Complete Description& Activation of Sexual Centre- svAdhiShThAna

[2] The Swadhishthana Chakra – The Abode of the Self

[3] Intro to Ayurveda: The Three Doshas

[4] Chakra Tune-Up: Intro to the Svadhisthana