Last week I kicked off a blog series exploring the 7 core chakras and how they influence self expression and creativity. Each chakra has a unique contribution to our overall internal energy flow and impacts how grounded, clear and freely we express ourselves in daily life.
In this post, I share insights on the sacral chakra. It’s the best-known chakra when it comes to creativity and represents the “sweetness in life”; what makes it worth living. Where the root chakra serves as the primal root of creative intention in the physical world, the sacral chakra is how we connect with and express the core self in a creative way that’s all our own. It also determines our self-worth and how able we are to acknowledge and embrace our true desires.
Every single person has a sacral chakra, which means every single person is creative, no exceptions. It’s located just above the root chakra between the lower abdomen and navel, and is represented by the color orange.
The Sacral Chakra: Connecting With Creative Identity and Opening Up to True Desires
As the designated pleasure center, this chakra influences the sexual organs as well as the bladder, circulatory system and the reproductive organs. In essence, it manages the production and distribution of most fluids in your body. From a literal energetic perspective, it’s what fires up, cools down or “seeds” your ideas through flow and movement as you grow, change and evolve over time.
The sacral chakra is also associated with the moon, which represents our emotional state. It’s connected with how nurturing and receptive we can be, moment to moment, with ourselves and others. As the pleasure-focused chakra, it takes us out of “survival mode” enabling us to start tuning into what we truly desire – what we want to make, write, paint, bake, experience – and so much more.
From a physical perspective, a balanced digestive system, sex drive and circulatory system allows you to be receptive, feel into creative ideas and take them to the next level of expression without fear or self-judgment. It’s the “water element” that’s able to move things from one stage to another. In contrast, when your sacral chakra is sluggish or “constipated”, it can be hard to turn the “roots” of your ideas into something creatively expressive, or feel as if your ideas have worth.
An out of balance sacral chakra can be moving too quickly, too slowly or be completely blocked altogether. This is what can happen as a result, as described by Liz Simpson, author of The Book of Chakra Healing.
Too open: spinning too fast: Emotionally unbalanced, manipulative, obsessive, sexually addictive
Blocked/sluggish or no spin: Over-sensitive, being hard on yourself, feeling guilty for no reason, frigid or little to no sex drive, impotent
Balanced: Trusting, expressive, tuned into own feelings and desires, creativity flows freely in a balanced way
Over time, an ignored or stagnant sacral chakra can result not only in a variety of health issues, but a blocked sense of self-worth. An overly open sacral chakra can make it hard to focus on a few creative ideas and see them grow into something tangible with focus and dedication.
Flow and Transformation, the Core Aspect of our True Creative Nature
Engaging in pleasurable activities that represent our true creative self may be the focus for this chakra, but the energy of this chakra also represents what needs to be done, shifted or transformed in terms of our thinking, attitude or focus in order to connect with our truest creative expression. Then, the joy we generate from the experience of connecting with our creativity inspires us to explore, creative more, and opens us to collaboration through our gifts.
In the sacral chakra we explore motivations and how they influence choices to create our life and personal experience of it, including:
- What pleasure do we allow or what do we withhold?
- How can we be in partnership and merge with another, while still maintaining our own creative identity?
- What past conditioning from friends and family in our childhood is limiting us from the creative expression we truly have to give?
- Are you allowing toxic relationships to influence your life instead of leaving them behind?
One of the prominent dynamics of the sacral chakra is the tendency to bounce between the polarities of pleasure and fulfillment vs suffering and sacrifice. It’s where the archetype of the martyr originates. When you focus on pleasing others and lose sight of personal desires and identity, it’s easy to fall into the Martyr role, hosting a pity party for all the creative ideas that have never had a chance to flower.
On the flip side, people who can truly allow the good in life to flow through them and see the positive in every circumstance, as challenging as it may be, can keep the sacral chakra flowing freely. They are able to see opportunities, maneuver obstacles, and connect with creative solutions because they understand the power of growth and personal transformation as a necessary part of the creative journey.
For empaths, this can be a particularly difficult chakra to manage. When you are unsure of what emotions are yours vs another person’s, it can be overwhelming and confusing. It can also muddle up your own sense of self, as the emotional states of those around you cloud your truth. In these cases, it’s important to develop the 3rd chakra to ensure clarity on self identity, shape boundaries, and get clear on what’s yours or another person’s. I will be talking about this in more detail in the next post.
Balance Emotions, Spark Creativity and Find your Fun, Every Day
The artist within each of us gets stronger when we find and honor a way to be and express our true nature a little every day.
It’s time to make creative exploration and expression just as important as brushing your teeth. When the creative light within is fed and nurtured, our sense of self expands. We feel whole without always searching for something to fulfill us, can be present in the moment and see creative love in action. After all, the present is the only moment we have, and where our creative self is most potent.
Time for a little check in:
- How are you playful in your life?
- How are you regimented, stuck or limiting yourself with rules and expectations?
- Are you making time to connect with what you desire now, instead of operating on old ideas of what ignites your creative spark?
Most importantly, is there one fun thing you can do for yourself every day that’s just for the pure joy of it? Your sacral chakra will thank you!
I add a little extra fun into my day through laughing. I feel better, freer, happier when I’m able to have a few extra giggles. Whether it’s something silly my cats do, a little good-natured teasing from my partner, Chuck, or something I see online, laughing for me is a priority because it helps me feel alive. What makes you feel alive?
The sacral chakra is so essential to connecting to our true creative identity. Are you allowing yourself to transform and flow with what’s next on your unique creative journey?
For a little extra support, it can help to incorporate chakra-specific yoga poses or work with crystals or stones. You can also practice a simple affirmation to help balance your sacral chakra, if it resonates:
“I have the right to express my desires to myself and others.”
Next up in the series: Solar Plexus Chakra
This post is part of a series on the 7 Core Chakras and How they Relate to Self Expression. Connect with me using the blue tab below for an intuitive reading to learn more about the energy flow of your own chakras, or to set up a consultation for creativity coaching.
To read more on creative expression, check out my previous posts: See and Love Yourself as a Creative Work in Progress and The Healing Power of Getting Clear on your Deepest Creative Truths. Also check out my podcast to learn more tips on how to tune into your inner wisdom.
Photo credit: Doris Alis – sacral chakra art, Leonardo Aguiar – Drop/Flow Dark Day – Sparks