Introduction to Svadhisthana Chakra
swa = vital force, soul
adhisthana = seat or abode

This information has been collected from many books and Web sites, and from my own knowledge and experience from teaching Yoga for more than 35 years. It will help you to understand the meaning of Chakras and why it is important to know about them.

The Svadhisthana Chakra defines how we connect with others, how we choose relationships and what they mean to us, and is situated at the base of our sexual organs. People refer to this Chakra as the place where we receive and give, how we respond to others and what motivates us in our lives. It is also about reproduction and self-indulgence.

This is the realm of life that hovers around issues regarding blame, guilt, money, sex, power, control, creativity, and morality. There is more to come in Part 3 (see below) about blockages and how to unblock this Chakra.

As I wrote about the 1st Chakra, this one also receives energy from the earth's physical force and the vitality of the Sun. A person's sexual energy can be experienced here, and its strength, or weakness. A strong Sacral Chakra can be assumed with people who attract others to them, knowingly or unknowingly, in a sensual way. Many movie stars have a very strong 2nd Chakra.

If it is overactive, it's easy to imagine the outcome. Sex will become an attitude about life, a way of thinking and being. Everything will revolve around sex. If it is balanced, a person will have a very healthy sex life and usually have a good feeling about their own sexual energy. Perhaps you know someone who walks as if they are holding their groin in as far as they can? This is a typical blocked 2nd Chakra response.

To understand what can happen to a person when the 1st and 2nd Chakras open, click on My Story when you have time to read a remarkable story about what happened to one of my students. There is a link to it also in the navigation bar (above left).

 

ANATOMICAL DESCRIPTION OF CHAKRA LOCATION

This image from Probert Encyclopaedia Picture Gallery (212.84.179.117/list.htm), is of the sacrum, which is where the sacral plexus is. The sacrum is a triangular wedge-shaped bone formed usually by fusion of 5 embryonic spinal segments below the lumbar vertebrae, constituting the posterior wall of the pelvis (wedged in between the hips and forms the base of the spine). It's just below the navel in the genital area behind the pubis in the spinal cord. The opposite side of the second Chakra relates to the seat of the subconscious. It is linked to the adrenals and the release of adrenaline into the body.

The sacral plexus are the last nerves to exit the spine at the bottom. They exit from the 4th and 5th lumbar and 1st through 3rd sacral nerves. They exit the pelvis as the sciatic nerve. They control the large and small muscles of the buttocks as well as the muscles of the back of the thighs and everything below the knees. The sciatic nerve is the largest nerve in the body and the muscles in the back of the thighs are very powerful. This nerve is involved with locomotion, standing, and therefore greatly affects your body in diverse ways. It doesn't take much to imagine what it means when this Chakra is blocked.

The sacroiliac joints are held together by powerful ligaments, which allow for enough movement to enable you to walk with a natural rhythmic gait. If the sacrum becomes fixated (stuck), normal walking and movement of the lower extremities is not possible. This is how important it is to make sure the sacrum gets proper exercise and attention. Normal motion of the sacrum is dependent upon this 3-dimensional balance of the lower back area, the pelvic area, as well as the integrity of the numerous ligaments that connect the sacrum to the bottom vertebra of the spine, and the hip bones (iliac), hence the name sacroiliac joints.

Because the sacrum is at the center of mass of the body, pressure applied at or near to it has a much bigger effect on the entire body. The meninges (the covering of the spinal cord) attach to the sacrum and puts it in reciprocal motion with the cranial bones as the cerebral spinal fluid is produced and liberated into the spinal canal.

The sacral plexus affects the pelvic organs, including the lower part of the digestive tract, and together with the coccygeal plexus controls the rectum, ankles, feet, arches, toes, lower legs, sciatic nerve, and prostate gland. It also contains gray matter of the parasympathetic nervous system where there are cell bodies connecting the nerves that come from the spine to the nerves that go to the actual organs themselves. The parasympathetic nerves control organ function and are not usually under conscious control when they stimulate function. Their counterpart, the sympathetic nerves, balance their function.

 

OTHER ANATOMICAL AREAS AFFECTED

Adrenal glands, kidneys, bladder, body fluids, appendix, gallbladder, genitals, hips, large intestine, Leydig or lyden gland (testes or ovaries, relates to lymphatic system), lower abdomen to navel, lower back, lower vertebrae, liver, mammary glands, middle spine, pancreas, pelvis, prostate, sexual organs (inside and out), skin, spleen, stomach.

To get a visual of where this is, go just above your pubic hairline, about 2 inches below your navel. This is the sexual center for women. This is also the area that in QiGong is called The Dantien for women and is often used as a visualization in medical QiGong self-healing. It is here that a balanced yin-yang connection is maintained.

If this Chakra is balanced, there will be enormous capacity for creativity and partnerships with others, not only relatives. If this Chakra is out of balance, there will be emotional problems that have to do with sex. There will be addiction to feelings of guilt. The ability to be nurturing and giving to others will be hampered by self-denial and the inability to receive without a feeling of being obligated. Giving will be more out of duty, not from the heart.

When out of balance, a person is unable to let their creative juices flow. Instead, they are stuck in routine and sameness.

If this Chakra is underactive, the person just doesn't feel good about who he or she is. There is uncertainty, indecisiveness, constantly questioning what to do.

If this Chakra is overactive, there will be self-love and more masturbation than love with a partner. The person will be stubborn. Eating disorders are common (eating too much or not at all).

A perfect example of this Chakra being out of balance is someone who needs to sleep too much to feel good, and then doesn't feel rested anyway. Chronic lack of energy.

With orange the main color here, it can be helpful to use everything that is orange to awaken this Chakra when you are working with it. This means in the clothes you wear below your waist, in the foods that you eat and drink (mango, orange peppers, cantaloupe, and such). Use your imagination. There is more about this in coming pages. One doesn't need to go crazy with this. It's more for fun and to get a sense of the energy that comes from the color orange.