22. Sacral: The Chakra of Sweetness
** TW: I don’t specifically go into detail about sexuality/abuse - but it is implied. One of the wounds of the sacral chakra is sexual abuse and sexual interference. I caution extreme gentleness and slow pace in working with the emotional wounds in this area. If needed please find resources linked at the bottom of this teaching. **
Svadhisthana - Sacral chakra.
The Sweetness
In Hindi, the sacral chakra is called svadhisthana, which means “dwelling place of the self” or “where the self comes into being”. It is where we balance the first dualities of existence as one becomes two. If we’re successful at this balance than we can experience the “sweetness” that the sacral chakra brings to all of life.
The sacral is the basis of our emotional identity and is characterized by movement and flow. This is the place of balance between all dualities: the connection between inner and outer worlds, self and other, Land + Spirit. The sacral chakra right and obligation is:
The right to feel and enjoy pleasure.
This chakra is watery, fluid and deeply mysterious. It is also the spontaneous wonder of a child and simple delight at being. The challenge of the sacral chakra is guilt and the gift is the right to feel and enjoy pleasure.
The sacral embodies emotion, feelings, sexuality, passion and desire - which are all aspects of intelligence and source knowledge that has been predominantly repressed and devalued in Western society. We have been given a very British “the stiff upper lip”, “keep calm and carry on” kind of attitude towards life and living.
Originally found here.
Sharing feeling, showing emotion and being vulnerable are characterized as weak and shameful. Unconscious repression of sensation, feeling and emotion in the sacral show up as deficiencies or excess in other chakras - an inability to express emotions, and self in the throat chakra, or an addiction to image in the third eye as examples.
The entire Western scientific world view is based in a false and inaccurate view of an “objective” Universe based in emotionless logic. Unattached emotionlessness is an impossible state. It doesn’t exist and quantum entanglement proves that it’s never been true. (Click here if you want to watch a video about how quantum entanglement proves that the local Universe isn’t “real” until we interact with it and “decide” what’s real.)
The observer effect has been active all along, in all scientific method (see my video below about creativity - also, please be gentle about my terrible production levels - this was made over 10 years ago. lol.). Those who reject the “messiness” of emotions feel relief in retreating to the safety of the mental realm where there are no feelings and everything is logical and controllable. (Which doesn’t sound at all reflective of real life).
Emotions, feelings and vulnerability have been devalued for centuries by our society as “feminine” and undesirable. “Hysteria” is women’s emotions reproductive organs set free to wander about the body causing chaos and uncontrollable upset.
Women have emotional intelligence. They have been “allowed” by Western society to feel and express emotions (but not too much), and also been held responsible for the emotional labour and well-being of whatever men are in their sphere. Women have been feared and hated for their ability to connect, feel and express emotional intelligence and insight into the world. This is a courage that many lack, particularly men; and the reason it has been devalued. What men fear and cannot control must be relegated to unworthy and unimportant.
Quantum mechanics is hard-wired into my Spiritual world-view. I can’t help but see particle physics as symbolic of the mystical basis of reality. Physicists and mathematicians hate this so much. lol.
Duality + The Shadow
The sacral is the point where unified psychic oneness becomes two, and the main focus is to balance the dualities that emerge from one becoming two. This chakra is characterized by movement and flow. This flow is never static and the balance is found in dynamic flow. Perfect still balance is stagnation at this level. The heart continues to beat, the lungs fill and expel air, electrical current pulses continually throughout our bodies. This characterized the kind of movement of svadhisthana.
At this level we start to judge good vs. bad based in the experiences of pleasure or pain. We connect our internal feeling self with our experience and understanding of the world outside us, which is created in part through empathy and accurate emotional mirroring from those around us. The Root is the container that holds the “water” of emotion and sensation.
Separation and attachment figure prominently in this chakra. This is the time of “hatching” in our lives as we move from physic oneness with the mother and begin to individuate into a separate and secure human being. The experience of hatching rests in feelings and sensations and become the basis for all our stories of good and bad. The somatic experience of the family is hardwired into our reality. Was our family environment calm, angry, fearful, loving? These expectations of reality become the background of our lived experience and can’t be accessed by conscious thought or analyzed intellectually. They can only be felt through sensation in the feeling and physical bodies. We must be very gentle and patient with ourselves and hold ourselves in empathy and love and understanding. We are all doing the best that we can.
“Emotions are instinctual and offer raw information.
Feelings are our conditional responses to emotions in situations and what we make those things mean in the world. ”
The shadow shows up in all the ways that we reject our Self. We reject our feelings, sensations, thoughts, beliefs, ideas, wants, desires and needs. These all show up as Shadow parts looking for acceptance and integration. The shadow is the tasty treat that we try not to eat so we shove it into the back of the pantry and forget about it until it turns into a stinky, moldering mess. Our rejected selves become our demons and parade around as demons in the “others” in our lives. Next month we will focus completely on the teachings of the Shadow.
Life is a constant state of sensation and information to teach and guide us in the world. Change, flow and transformation are the emotional and sensation default, not an occasional disruption and discomfort.
Emotions and body sensation are a profound source of wisdom to teach and guide us on a path filled with passion, pleasure and enjoyment.
SA Support Resources:
https://www.salalsvsc.ca/indigenous-support-programs/
https://www.reescommunity.com/resources/
https://www.sadvtreatmentcentres.ca/
https://www.sadvtreatmentcentres.ca/other-services.html
https://endingviolencecanada.org/sexual-assault-centres-crisis-lines-and-support-services/
https://littlewarriors.ca/about/information-resources/regional-resources/ontario-resources/
The Practice
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Simply stand with hands on sacral - move hips gently in whatever way they want.
be alert to stiffness, jerkiness - what is needed to move in a flowing, smooth way?
How do you feel?
What sensations do you recognize?
What thoughts?
Judgements? Admonishments?
Does this remind you of anything in childhood?
Record and reflect.
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For next week just be aware and record when you recognize resistance to receive or express emotion and when you receive or express excessive emotional responses. Basically, keep up awareness around the emotional experiences in your life.
How do you feel?
What sensations are you having?
What thoughts?
Judgements? Admonishments?
Does this remind you of circumstances or situations from your childhood?
Let go of judgement - just reflect and record.