How to Open Your Sacral Chakra & Know When it's Blocked
The sacral chakra, Svadhisthana, is one of the chakras I personally feel most connected to. I think in the spiritual community, we can sometimes forget how important the lower chakras are, but remember: you are a spiritual being in a physical body! So the chakras we tend to associate with our physical bodies more, like the root, sacral, and solar plexus chakras, are just as important as the higher chakras like your crown and third eye.
The sacral chakra is your center of creativity, sexuality, and feeling. It’s ruled by the element of water, and it’s located at the center of your low belly about three inches from your navel.
When this chakra is open, you’re able to feel deep pleasure in your life. You’re able to really feel the world around you and you’re connected to your emotions. You’re able to flow, expand, have healthy relationships with others, and use your creativity.
When this chakra is blocked, it may manifest as:
Disconnection from your sexuality or being ruled by your sexuality
Experiencing a lack of pleasure in your day-to-day life
Inability to connect with your creative energy
Feeling stuck in a certain feeling or mood
Dependency on a person or substance that gives you pleasure
Inability to feel your feelings or being too ruled by your emotions
If any of those sound like you, don’t worry. Our chakras are fluid, just like us, and they can change from day to day. Scroll down to get 10 ways to unblock your sacral chakra to connect with your creative and emotional flow.
The card shown in the image is from The Ritual Deck.
Get creative
This is one of my favorite ways to open this chakra! Even if you don’t feel creative in the moment, just start creating something. It might surprise you how your energy starts to flow! Try painting, writing, drawing, coloring, collaging, creating your own movement practice, or experimenting in the kitchen.
Use scents
My go-to essential oils for opening your sacral chakra are:
Tangerine
Orange
Ylang ylang
Patchouli
Bergamot
Sandalwood
Rosewood
Try massaging your low belly with one or more of the oils (diluting with a carrier oil as needed), diffusing them in your space, or placing a few drops in your bath (which, bonus points, connects you with the element of water!).
Dance
I know everyone says this, but seriously, dance like no one’s watching (because no one is!). Put on your favorite music and move intuitively however feels good for you. If you’d like, incorporate some hip circles to help you get into your low belly.
Breathing into your low belly. As you’re laying down, place your hands on your low belly. With your inhale, feel your hands rise as you flood the belly with breath, sending your life force energy to this chakra. As you exhale, feel your sacral center soften, expand, and open.
Use crystals
Some crystals that help open your sacral chakra are:
Citrine
Carnelian
Orange aventurine
Orange calcite
Goldstone
Tiger’s eye
Sunstone
Peach selenite
Try sleeping with them, meditating with them on your low belly, placing them around your home, or placing a little tumbled stone in your pocket to carry with you all day.
Meditation
Bring your palms to the center of your sacral chakra in your low belly, and start to take deep belly breaths into that space. With each inhale, visualize a little orange ball of light over your sacral chakra. With each exhale, visualize it opening, softening, and expanding until your entire body is surrounded by a beautiful aura of pure orange light.
Check out my Energy Reset Meditation Bundle here.
Use affirmations
Write them down, say them every day, make them the background of your phone—the options are endless! Choose an affirmation from the list below or create your own:
I am fully in my body.
Creative and sexual energy runs through me.
I am in love with life.
I am a passionate being.
I am deeply connected to my feelings.
I honor my feelings.
I honor my pleasure.
Yoga poses
Poses that stretch your hips are really helpful for opening your sacral chakra. Some of my favorites are:
Low lunge
Goddess pose
Reclining cobbler’s pose
Wide-legged standing forward fold
Frog pose
In each pose, just remember to breathe into your low belly!
Get to the root of the blockage
One of my favorite ways to get to the root of a chakra blockage is pulling tarot cards for these two simple questions:
Why is my sacral chakra blocked?
Advice for moving through the blockage
Tarot cards have such a beautiful, helpful way of getting to the heart of the matter. If you’re feeling like there’s a deep, underlying shadow or issue holding you back from fully stepping into your sexual and creative power, try this.
Play with color
The color associated with Svadhisthana is orange. Try bringing more of this color into your life by lighting orange candles, eating orange foods, wearing orange clothes, or painting your nails orange.
