In her book The Wisdom of the Chakras, Ellen Tadd prefers to call the Sacral Chakra the identity chakra. This is because it expresses a persons’ creative individuality. It is the source of energy for expressing our essence into the world via the personality. We can do this by living our lives through the expectations of others or as an authentic representation of our inner being. This chakra represents confidence and self-esteem in relationships with others and the world at large. The throat chakra involves self-esteem and confidence but in relation to oneself rather than with others.
A weak Sacral or Identity Chakra would manifest as feeling unsafe in the world which may manifest as loneliness or limited career development even if the throat chakra is strong. The Sacral or Identity chakra is the centre of one’s own involvement with the world and so involves giving and receiving. A balanced Sacral Chakra will involve the directive and receptive sides working in harmony; sensitivity and strength, the ability to wait and the ability to act. These affect mental steadiness, emotional stability and body equilibrium. The secret again is to integrate the third eye.
The Polarities of the Sacral Chakra
It is important to note that the receptive and directive forces (-ve and +ve or female and male polarities) are both present in the Identity Chakra irrespective of gender. When the receptive and directive forces are not balanced and integrated we have the emotional state of neediness. This means we either want someone to take care of us so that we feel secure (many women feel like this) or the desire to have power over others, so that we feel confident (often seen in men). As a result of this understanding and the energy changes, women are moving into the world to contribute more of their talents and men are drawing deeper into their sensitivity. There is a feeling of wholeness and the recognition that life is a creative opportunity and adventure when the Sacral chakra is balanced.
In broad terms, creativity is the taking of a substance and seeing how many different ways it can be arranged. The Sacral Chakra includes the arrangement and manifestation of our individual essence in the many details of life. When creativity is manifest in harmony with the clarity of the third eye, living becomes an endless process of creative involvement and learning. Even simple tasks become a creative delight.
Imbalance from the Solar Plexus
The Sacral Chakra must be balanced not only in itself but also in regard to the Solar Plexus Chakra, the centre of emotion. When we are constantly “in” the solar plexus, that is, reactive to situations (for example anger), it becomes enlarged and can spill over energetically into the Sacral Chakra. The Sacral Chakra becomes recessed and smaller dominated by the emotions that erupt from the solar plexus.
These moods interrupt our full creative potential and distort the possibility of quality relationships with others. We lose the ability to see many creative solutions to problems. When the Sacral Chakra is out of balance there is a dissatisfaction with one’s life, inadequacy and frustration. We either withdraw for self-protection or push forward too assertively so either timidity or aggressiveness can take over. People tend to be too aggressive and pushy, that is, accentuating the directive side of the Sacral Chakra or too passive accentuating the receptive side. Some people go from one extreme to the other. A good affirmation for both solar plexus and Sacral Chakra is:
“I am able to act and I am able to wait”
Giving and Receiving in Relationships
It is difficult to maintain balance within relationships, in particular relationships that are influenced by the Solar Plexus/Sacral Chakra set up. Usually, an imbalance in one person’s chakra is compensated by the other to make them complete (co-dependent relationships). For example, if one person is overly passive then the other will be overly directive. Unfortunately, we cannot ‘counterbalance’ ourselves with the imbalances of another. This will create even more disharmony and eventually leads to resentments within the relationship.
Neediness, blame, comparison and competition that damage relationships are all signs of imbalances in the Sacral Chakra. When the Sacral Chakra is balanced, you feel no need for recognition or validation. You do what you do to express your spirit or essence. With the clarity of the third eye and a balanced Sacral Chakra, we take responsibility for the life we have been given, learning whatever “lessons” we are here to learn.
It is always better to give and receive than it is to only give. When the Sacral Chakra is in balance sexual relationships will include giving and receiving, listening and expressing – a fully conscious relationship.
When a spiritual perspective is maintained, fear dissipates and one experiences the attitude and affirmation of:
“I am whole and complete in myself. I do not need another to complete me. I come together to share, to learn, to love and to create”
From this state of awareness, which constitutes an effective attitude and affirmation to heal the Identity or Sacral Chakra, relationships become an enhancement rather than a necessity.
The Sacral Chakra and Self Actualisation
Do not take anything personally. Instead be the one that fully listens to Spirit (open crown, third eye and heart chakras). Everyone “sees” through the lens of their own learning, that is their belief system. We should only arrive at conclusions after we have meditated and/or taken in the information through our third eye. This is the only way to maintain the health of the Sacral Chakra. Consciously or unconsciously focusing on the solar plexus chakra (emotional centre) keeps the dysfunctional emotional patterns going. For example, anger, pleasing others, neediness and so on. This spills over into the Sacral Chakra which prevents self-actualisation.
If a person has writer’s block or any kind of block about actualising his creativity, it often means there is too much attachment in the solar plexus to what other people think and then the person is not free to be himself. Being too receptive is a symptom of our fear of expressing ourselves because we do not want to be rejected. Being too directive is a symptom of feeling that we need to prove ourselves or control others. When we feel there is no need to prove our goodness or abilities we are free to be ourselves and creativity flows!!!
The Sacral Chakra is liberated when we move out of the solar plexus into the third eye. We are then able to manifest who we are, regardless of our conditioning and whether we are appreciated or not. With the use of the third eye, we can be self-actualised, no matter the opinions or responses of others. One’s self-actualisation is not controllable by others. Many see it as threatening and may want to control the situation for their own benefit. Others may want to bring about an outcome they consider correct according to their values.
Self Actualisation and Children
A healthy culture would ask:
“Is the identity of this child forming in harmony with the actualisation of his/her spirit?”
Conditioning strongly influences the Sacral Chakra. For example, tv, magazines, internet and so on. We will then live a life from the emotional centre because the Sacral Chakra is confused. In other words, the Sacral Chakra keeps trying to satisfy desires that are imposed on it. These desires come from the influence of the prevailing ‘marketing/control’ systems. These desires are not from the real essence of the person. The number one disease in our culture is inadequacy because the negative external environmental influences do not support self-acceptance. Our toxic social environment actually undermines the individual. They find themselves always trying to conform to the latest ‘desirability standard’ whether that be an object or an attitude or belief.
Luckily many children are now being born that do not conform and are expressing their own essence. They are quite simply refusing to put their energy into old systems. It is up to parents to transmute/release their own conditioning and to support these gifted children.
Maintaining a Healthy Sacral Chakra
Using the third eye consistently is absolutely essential to keep the solar plexus or emotional centre in balance. This allows the sacral chakra to emerge. We then become much more creative and develop new ideas, interfacing with the world more naturally. A good affirmation is :
“I am both sensitive and strong”
Try this Exercise
Feel the identity chakra. It is located roughly just below the belly button and as far down as the pubic bone. For most people it will be difficult to locate because the solar plexus chakra has spilt over into it. It could also be large and aggressive which means it may be easier to find. Most people will not feel it because thy have neglected their energy/chakra system. If you do feel it it will be felt as very subtle energy. Now go to the third eye and affirm:
“I am whole and complete in myself. There is no need for another to complete me. Coming together with others is for sharing, learning, loving and creating.”
Be aware of how this focus/affirmation affects your Sacral Chakra. Then say:
“I am sensitive and strong”
Keep repeating while being aware of left (feminine/sensitive) and right (masculine/directive) sides of the chakra. Usually, one side is stronger or more dominant. As you repeat the affirmation both sides should come into balance.
Another way to strengthen the Sacral or Identity Chakra is to focus on the third eye and imagine an image of yourself you wish to project into the world.
Imagine being enlightened. How would you walk, speak or dress?
What would your lifestyle be like?
How do you want to interact in your relationships and actualise your work and creativity?
How do you want to interact with the world?
It is necessary to have clear visions, goals and take the necessary steps to realise them. These decisions should come from the third eye and be implemented from the balance and creativity of the sacral chakra.
Action and the Sacral Chakra
The Sacral Chakra requires ACTION to function properly.
All the other centres apart from the root chakra can be changed or sustained by ATTITUDE alone. The Sacral and Root Chakras must have an appropriate attitude and ACTION!!!
Attitude precedes manifestation. So, first correct or form your attitude through awareness of the third eye and use of affirmations to support that awareness. Watch your thoughts, then actions and manifestation will improve. It is actualisation that brings the Sacral Chakra in fullness and alignment. This comes from knowing when and how to act and wait, when and how to speak and listen. It is the day to day choices and behaviours which affect this chakra.
People have lost their identity and are being pushed around by the prevailing control system. I must once again stress how important it is to be patient with yourself but PERSISTENT in your integration of emotions and healing.
Interestingly enough, of all the issues I have encountered in the body as a sports/physical therapist, imbalances in the hips and resultant issues of lower back and hip pain are most prevalent in my clients. These symptoms are associated with issues in this chakra. What I mean is people have forgotten who they are because of the conditioning on this planet and routinely worry about their financial situation and close relationships or lack of them thus making this chakra weak. We have been caught up in the fear paradigm.
Contemplation and Awareness Exercise
The Sacral Chakra is all about love and money. If you are not able to bring balance into your life in those areas you will be prone to health problems in the bladder, reproductive organs, lower back and/or hips. Negative thought patterns in this area will cause anxiety, anger, or sadness about gender identity and sexuality, as well as relationship struggles and financial concerns. Positive affirmations while meditating in any area that you uncover will help as will the exercises given in my Free Self Mastery Courses! To really move forward look at the bigger picture and see what is going wrong in your relationships and finances from an emotional point of view so you can address these emotions (via the third eye of course). Write down any areas that you think need addressing. Doing this on a daily basis is very helpful.
