Wk 174 – Subtle Body – Chakras – 2. Svadhisthana Chakra

Svadhisthana Chakra, also known as the Sacral Chakra. It is associated with emotions, creativity, sensuality, and the element of water. Chakras were experienced, felt and seen by previous Yogis and have been past down which we have added western psychology and philosophy onto them too. 

Before we go into the sacred geometry and imagery of this chakra, I want to recap on the three subtle energy channels that make the chakras.

• Pingala Nadi/Right Channel/Solar/Rajasic Guna/Fiery Dynamic Energy
• Ida Nadi/Left Channel/Lunar/Tamasic Guna/Dark Heavy Energy
• Sushumna Nadi/Central Channel/Light/Sattvic Guna/Clarity Harmony and Equanimity. 

Where these three energy lines cross makes a chakra. We are studying the 7 Chakra model. We practice Yoga to harmonise and balance the physical and subtle body so we can sit embodied with the clarity of consciousness.

Chakras are closed in waking states, yet open in meditative and contemplative states. So what we are working with in our asana practice is a part of the Brahma Granthi/Knot around our lower torso and regarding 2nd chakra, it’s main issue is how we hold guilt. 

• Rajasic Characteristics – poor boundaries, being over emotional, obsessive, compulsive, addictive, emotionally reactive and attached to desire. HOT WATER
• Tamasic Characteristics – fear pleasure, the feel of being impotent, numb or the lack of the creative force within, we are averse to sensual experiences. Block of ICE
• Sattvic Characteristics – healthy desire, providing the permission to enjoy what brings you pleasure, celebrating your sensually, sexuality, creativity or if it is your dharma, procreation. This flow state provides the right to feel, desire and to create.

Our Yoga practice gifts us the opportunity to become self-aware, self-understanding and find self-acceptance in which we can refine the tools of our practice to cultivate lasting fulfilment, contentment and freedom from the suffering as a result of being human. Yoga is skilful action with loving awareness celebrating our embodiment just as it is!

The image that represents the Svadhisthana Chakra includes sacred geometric patterns that emphasise the interconnectedness of life, celebrating the divine feminine and the harmonious flow of emotions and creativity. The location is at the lower belly, the womb area in all of us no matter what gender. It is seen as a six-petaled lotus. Each petal is associated with specific qualities and colour of orange.

• Deep Red-Orange Petal: is associated with desire (Kama) which is a natural and powerful force that drives human motivation and creativity giving us the experience of pleasure and seek enjoyment in life.
• Coral Petal: represents sensuality and attraction It embodies our ability to experience physical pleasure, sensuality, and attraction to others. 
• Orange Petal: represents adaptability and flexibility giving us the ability to flow with life, adapt to change, and be emotionally resilient. 
• Light or Pale Orange Petal: represents our emotional balance. To express our feelings in a healthy and balanced way to maintaining harmonious relationships with ourselves and others.
• Golden Petal: symbolises creativity and fertility opening us to our creative potential, artistic expression and the ability to give birth to new ideas and projects and babies.
• Burnt Orange Petal: represents our emotional fantasies and unconscious desires It relates to our dreams, fantasies, and the deeper layers of our emotional life. This can be a source of inspiration as well as a potential challenge if they are not understood and integrated.

On the whole the lotus symbolises purity, growth, and the unfolding of spiritual potential celebrating the unique part about being human, without emotions, creativity and sensuality…we be a robot.

The Svadhisthana Chakra is the abode of the Water element. Jala Hasta Mudra is where you place your thumb to the little finger creating the loop that represents the water element. VAM is the bija mantra for the water element which can be chanted or mentally spoken. 

It is also associated with the sense organ of taste. To feel our emotions deeply, we can taste life more fully. Think of the water within you, saliva that you swallow to taste life, water you drink to hydrate and nourish you as well as the water to cleanse you. Water is life. The water that creates the bonding within your body as well as fluidity, water that is either too cold and/or too hot can’t sustain life. We desire a healthier flow of our emotions, think back to the series of Rasas that we explored.

Within the lotus is a White Crescent Moon which has a few meanings. The moon’s crescent shape reflects the waxing and waning of emotions, much like the phases of the moon. Emotions and creativity, like water, can flow and change, and they are an essential part of the human experience. The moon’s phases, from new to full moon and back again, represent cycles and rhythms in nature, embrace both the light and dark aspects of our feelings. It reminds us that just as the moon goes through phases, our emotional states can also ebb and flow which encourages us to navigate the ever-changing currents of life with grace and flexibility. 

The moon’s soft and reflective light is symbolic of our intuition as we turn inward to self-reflect. It encourages us to explore our inner emotional landscape, connect with our feelings, and gain insight into our emotional experiences. The moon has long been associated with feminine energy relating to the receptive, intuitive and nurturing aspects of our emotional nature.

In some representations, the Svadhisthana Chakra features a Yoni symbol at its centre. The yoni is a stylised representation of the female reproductive organ, the womb and is associated with fertility, creation and the divine feminine energy.

The animal that is associated with this chakra is the fish or the crocodile which symbolises the fluid and emotional nature of our primal raw instincts to get our basic needs and desires met. 

This all serves as a visual focal point for us Yogis to practices as we seek to become more aware and therapeutically understanding of ourselves as we practice.

Enjoy this flow practice!!!!