The Sacral Chakra is located at the hips, just below the navel.
While the Root Chakra is motivated by what we need to survive, the Sacral is driven by what we want or desire.
A balanced sacral chakra manifests as a person with a free-flowing connection to their limitless creativity, an attitude of gratitude, a healthy libido, positive body image and the ability to express themself without fear.
In contrast, signs of a sacral chakra imbalance include:
- Reproductive, urinary, or menstrual ailments as well as sexual dysfunctions.
- Addiction, especially to things and activities that bring pleasure such as shopping, sex or food.
- Poor body image, body dysmorphia and eating disorders
- Feeling stuck in a creative rut or not acknowledging yourself as a creative being
- Living in fear of what other people think; feeling immobilized by the unwavering gaze of the “other”
- Fear of change, abandonment and loss of control
- Depression, or lack of zest for life; feeling disconnected from your passions
- Co-dependency
- Jealousy
Characteristics of Sacral Chakra Imbalance
Underactive Energy
The sacral chakra encompasses many facets of our being, but the underlying key is desire. It is akin to the fertile Kundalini life force, fueling us with passion that sparks creativity and sensuality alike.
When you lose your connection to that force, life can appear grey and lifeless. This is what an underactive sacral chakra looks like. It may be accompanied by any of the following: loss of interest in things that previously brought you joy, low sex drive, denying yourself what you want, poor body image and fear of what others might think.
Remember that the virile sacral energy is always available and you can draw on it at any time, even if it seems like you’ve lost access to it. Although a little sacral chakra healing may be in order first.
Overactive Energy
An overactive sacral chakra will present itself in a very different way, but it is still an imbalance. Excessive sacral energy may be expressed as: addiction to pleasurable activities (such as shopping, sex or food), difficulty with emotional regulation (overly emotional/histrionic), manipulating people, acting irresponsibly and exhibiting codependent behavior.
Our culture itself seems to be suffering from a Sacral Chakra imbalance. Consumerism spreads the idea that we need more, more, more! There is an inherent pressure to keep up with the Joneses (or Kardashians) and that shinier, newer, and bigger is better.
Such an attitude can spawn feelings of jealousy, especially towards those who have what we want. And we want it all! However, in our quest for having it all, we end up with a whole lot of possessions and material things that don’t really matter in the long run. Sadly enough, the resulting emotion of this complex is often emptiness. Things will never be able to satisfy the hollowness.
In addition to the materialism complex, there is also pressure to look a certain way in order to be considered “beautiful.” These perfectionistic, airbrushed images are plastered all over billboards, tv and social media. Look like this… or else.
From a young age we are bombarded with unrealistic expectations and oftentimes torture ourselves for not living up to them. This results in poor body image, low self esteem, eating disorders and the like.
Luckily, the tide seems to be turning as of late and brands are striving for greater inclusivity. A greater variety of people now feel seen and represented. Photoshop and airbrushing is losing popularity in favor of realism and transparency. Our society should encourage people to strive for health rather than perfection.
Finally, there is the issue of shame surrounding sexuality. I don’t want to discuss this too deeply, but treating women (and men) as sexual objects and then consequently shaming them for exploring said sexuality is harmful and confusing to say the least.
Ironically enough, society as a whole is very uncomfortable with the nude human form and even talking about sex is considered taboo. Why these double standards still exist is beyond me, but it feeds the unhealthy state of the sacral chakra.
I am heartened to see however, that more progress is observed in this area every year and baby steps are being made towards greater balance.
5 Ways to Heal the Sacral Chakra
- Practice gratitude for what you have. Every day write down at least five things you are grateful for. Studies have shown that this action is correlated to increased feelings of contentment. For example, I am grateful for: 1) The ability provide healing to others 2) My blog 3) The stack of unread books by my bed 4) My generous husband 5) A healthy and able body. In this same vein, instead of getting into the habit of buying new things, take care of the items you have. When you express thanks for what is already in your life instead of focusing on what you don’t have, you are more likely to magnetize what you desire anyways. It’s a principle of the law of attraction.
- Establish a daily habit of writing Morning Pages to establish and maintain a strong connection to your creativity. I also like Julia Cameron’s concept of Artist Dates, where you take yourself on a “date” to do fun things that inspire your creativity. This could be as simple as watching a favorite childhood movie with a bowl of popcorn such as “The Last Unicorn,” visiting an art gallery or museum, or planting a flower or vegetable in the garden (you could also buy a plant if you live in a small space).
- Reconnect with your inner child
- Engage in shadow work to address your fears and/or examine what unconscious forces may be influencing your behavior
- Practice self care! Ideas include: prepare an indulgent ritual bath, go for a hike, paint your nails, listen to a podcast, schedule a reiki session or facial, pick out a library book, etc.
Alternative Ideas for Sacral Chakra Healing
Other ideas for rehabilitating the sacral chakra include:
- Wearing orange
- Eating tropical fruits
- Performing twisted triangle yoga pose
- Dancing while no one is watching
- Alternate nostril breathing
- The use of: orange, ylang ylang, jasmine, sandalwood and patchouli essential oils.
