Reproductive health, emotional well being & swadhisthan chakra!

Dr Ashwini Anil Kumar *

"Working with the Swadhisthana chakra (sacral chakra) is among the most complex and beautiful as swadhisthan means where your being is established" Have you ever wondered what fuels your creativity, or where your zest for life comes from? If yes, then let's explore the Sacral Chakra, an incredible energy centre located just below your belly button.

This chakra isn't just about sensuality and pleasure; it's your creative powerhouse! It's where you connect with your feelings and the pleasures of life. When this chakra is balanced, you feel alive, passionate, and ready to embrace life's joys.

What is Sacral chakra? In Sanskrit, swadhisthanoften translated as dwelling in a place of the self, and it is closely related to the root centre. However, the energy here is different from that of the root chakra. Sacral Chakra is commonly known as Navel Chakra, Orange Chakra, or Swadhisthana Chakra, it is a vital energy centre in your body that governs creativity, sexual pleasure, and sensuality.

Positioned just below the navel, at the level of the pubic bone it holds immense significance in kundalini yoga system. Symbolised by a vibrant orange colour, this chakra is associated with six lotus petals representing different emotional attributes like affection, delusion, and suspicion.

It's not merely about sexual energy but about the life-sustaining force behind it, connecting us deeply with our creative essence. Physical body The sacral chakra relates to your reproductive organs, your bladder, kidneys and adrenals and lower back. Mental Body: Allowing the flow of money freely from and to you. Being flexible in changing environments, not exces-sively holding on to what you thought before.

Exploring your boundaries in creative and sexual ways without feelings of guilt. The ability to be fluid and playful and having a sense of self-worth. Signs of blocked swadhisthan or sacral chakra. Blocked energy in the chakras can manifest in our emotional, spiritual, and even physical bodies. Physical symptoms of blocked chakras many times occur in the area of the blocked energy center.

When the sacral chakra is out of alignment, you may experience any of the following:

o Chronic low back pain
o Ovarian cysts and other reproductive issues
o Urinary tract infections
o Impotence
o Pain during intercourse
o Complications with the bladder and kidneys
o Other pelvic–lower abdominal issues

Blocked chakras can also greatly affect the quality of our mind and thoughts. Mentally, blocked sacral energy can manifest as issues such as co-dependency or feeling overwhelmed by our emotions. Other signs your sacral chakra might be blocked:
o Overindulgence in sexual fantasy
o Lack of interest in sex all together

Difficulty expressing our emotions, needs, and creativity

Signs of imbalance in sacral or swadhisthan chakra

1. You may try to retain a sense of control by lashing out and exhibiting controlling and manipulating behaviours toward others.
2. Imbalances can manifest in both spectrums and lead to emotional outbursts or an apathetic and disconnected attitude.
o feeling consumed by your emotions, as if drowning in them
o experiencing emotional ups and downs
o using escapism to avoid life
o showing obsessive affection that isn’t returned
o engaging in inappropriate expressions of sexuality

3. Shadow issues — or negative qualities — associated with the sacral chakra include:
o wounded emotions
o secrets
o fear of judgment, getting into trouble, or being “found out”
o repression
o inability to experience emotional or sexual intimacy
o nightmares and not remembering or understanding dreams

How to Balance sacral Chakra?

Though the chakras can become blocked by certain habits and imbalances in the body, mind, and soul, we can bring these energy centers back into alignment with the right tools and care. Here are some ways to balance your sacral chakra for optimal creativity, pleasure, and emotional expression:

Practice asana postures that target the sacral area. Some of these poses include Ananda Balasana (Happy Baby), Utkata Konasana (Goddess Pose), and Malasana (Squat).

o Take a soothing bath with essential oils.
o Tap into your creative side through journaling, dance, art, or whatever your preferred expression.
o Practice using affirmations.