Sacral Chakra Blues…and Oranges
Wow. November was a blur. NaNoWriMo (National Novel Writing Month) was a great way to explore the Second Chakra creative energies. I finished with 26,400 words (although my official total shows 26,005; not to nitpick, but that extra 395 words I wrote at 11:35 pm should count for something!) against a goal of 50,000 words. Despite the fact that I didn’t become a NaNo “winner” — the esteemed title for those who meet or exceed the 50k goal — I feel so fulfilled and inspired by what I was able to do in one month. And, a crazy-busy holiday month, at that.
The best part about being a NaNo-er (probably not the agreed-upon moniker, as it sounds too much like Mork’s alien greeting): I have new confidence in my writing. And, I’m ready to keep going. I have a book I’ve been writing for at least 10 years that has amounted to 14,500 words. So, to bust out more than 26k words in one month is akin to running a 4-minute mile. (Or, something like that….)
But, enough about word counts! The Second Chakra represents the water element and the emotions. It’s the energy center that deals with relationships — including those with people, money, and sexuality. It is also concerned with the power and balance within relationships, as well as boundaries, creative and emotional expression, and the ability to reach out and be open with others. The color is orange.
My only regret about participating in NaNo all month is that I didn’t have a chance to do any fun Sacral Chakra explorations and had no time for blogging. Aside from indulging myself in my preferred creative expressive technique (writing), I also wore a brilliant orange scarf for much of the month, shared details about my novel-writing escapades (a significant example, for me, of being open with others), and forged or deepened relationships with some like-minded individuals.
Alas, my Chakra experiment moves on, and I have a date with the Third Chakra in December. My orange frame of mind is already mellowing into a rich yellow as I make the transition. But, I’m late getting going, and since the Third Chakra’s all about self-image, it’s probably not polite (or a good move) to stand up that energy center.
Waving goodbye to November’s Sacral Chakra focus, my Eclectic Energies test results are:
On December 2… root: underactive -31%; sacral: 6%; naval: 0% (neither under or over); heart open 19%; throat open 44%; third eye open 50%; crown open 19%.
As of October 31…. root: underactive -19%; sacral: underactive -6%; naval 0% (neither under or over); heart underactive -6%; throat open 50%; third eye open 38%; crown open 13%.
Did my Root Chakra plunge due to the fact of Thanksgiving, the biggest tribal celebration in America and, generally, a major time of stress? Or, was it the result of putting myself into an ungrounded situation (ie: writing a novel in a month)? Maybe it was due to the fact that I stayed up way too late every night writing, sitting in a really uncomfortable chair, and not attending to my physical needs? Something to think about…
I’m amazed to see the upper four chakras so open, though it makes a lot of sense in the scheme of things. To finally confront a long-time dream with faith, conviction, love, and an open-minded approach seems to have had a positive impact.
I’m excited to discover the Third Chakra in the month ahead and see what happens next!
second chakra energy: welcoming the creative
As October rapidly fades into happy but distant memories — jack-o-lantern grins fading into the air like ghosts at dawn as turkeys and pilgrims take center stage — I reluctantly take leave of my Root Chakra intensive and move up the spine to the Second Chakra, a.k.a. the Sacral Chakra, or the Svadhisthana. I’ll be focussed here for all of November.
However, before moving on, a little closure, please… I really enjoyed my Root Chakra encounter last month and feel very aware of the First Chakra’s influence in my life. I did some interesting things during October that I never had a chance to write about: an exploration of the color red
, which included doing a kundalini meditation by Susun Weed (actually created for menopausal women to move their energy, but I felt it was a great way to get close to root-red energy, in general. Read the meditation, if nothing else: it makes hot flashes and angry tirades seem gloriously sensual and delicious!); the creation of a family cookbook (nostalgia! traditions! crazy recipes from the ’70’s! Good times…); and a few eye-opening group encounters where I actually noticed myself becoming spacey and ungrounded, sort of moving outside of my body (oh, if only there were money to be made from that skill…).
I could spend at least another month, if not another decade, focussing on the Root. (I suppose all the chakras present a lifetime’s worth of experiences and challenges; for me, though, the Root Chakra is a place where I could really hang out and make a difference.) But, I feel much more in tune with my First Chakra’s needs and more confident about what I can do to keep it glowing its brilliant scarlet energy and fueling me up for the days ahead.
Chakra test results. On October 31st, I took the opportunity to re-test my chakras at Eclectic Energies. I realize this is probably a not-very-scientific, too-subjective measurement of the strength of the chakras. But, this testing method is where I started, and I wanted to see if anything had changed from October 1 to 31. It’s a gauge, if nothing else.
On September 30, my results from the self-test were as follows… root: underactive -50%; sacral underactive -31%; navel underactive -38%; heart open 13%; throat open 13%; third eye open 19%; crown open 6%.
As of October 31, my results came in as…. root: underactive -19%; sacral: underactive -6%; naval 0% (neither under or over); heart underactive -6%; throat open 50%; third eye open 38%; crown open 13%.
Some surprises there! Interesting to note that by working with one chakra, you really influence them all. And, certainly, this is work that is never static, always changing.
So, onward to November and the Second Chakra, the “orange energy vortex”! This is the 
ideal month for me, personally, to focus on the Sacral Chakra, because I’m participating in NaNoWriMo during November. This is a 30-day writing marathon that asks participants to produce a 50,000 page novel between November 1 and 30. For me, the endeavor brings me face-to-face with a dream I’ve had for decades: to breathe life into one of my fictional ideas. I’m off and writing with about 4,500 words logged so far.
I also unwittingly purchased a brilliant orange scarf — the badge color of the Second Chakra — at the end of October that has become my favorite writing accessory. My Second Chakra is ready to emerge!
How are you getting creative this month? November is definitely an easy time to allow creative pursuits to come to fruition. Because of the built-in deadlines of the holidays, there’s an urgency that helps in manifesting our creative ideas. Are you engaged in any projects that are drawing on your creative fires? Planning a Thanksgiving menu? Making holiday decorations or gifts? Harvesting your garden, or spearheading a charity project? Approaching career objectives in a new way? Or, the ultimate Second Chakra activity: having a baby? What’s stirring up your creative energies?
simple magic: how to get what you want
I was watching a Halloween movie with my little monsters the other night. One of the themes that ran through the film was “Magic is simple. All you have to do is want something and then let yourself have it.”
I love this! But… is it really that simple?
The characters in this movie were a lineage of witches living in a nether-place with the subtle name of Halloweentown, so they had distinct magical advantages to us mortals on Earth. Still, it makes you think… How much of the time do I get in the way of my own magic by not allowing myself to have what I want? Even worse: how often do I not even let myself do the wanting to begin with?
In Practical Solitary Magic, Nancy B. Watson addresses goal-setting in the act of magic-making as the first order of business. And, to know your goal, she reminds, you need to know what you want specifically: “…there are an amazing number of people who have, at best, a vague idea of what they want. Vague ideas produce vague results.”
It’s true. In the crazy rush of life, I find it hard to know what I want for dinner, let alone what I want for my life. It’s not that I’m not yearning (like, all the time!). It’s that the feeling of want seems to be spinning me through my life like the silver orb in a pinball machine; sent rebounding against obstacles in my path — needs, obligations, fears, hormones, neuroses, and the banalities of life — I react, get turned around, and feel confused. Attempting to get relief, I find myself grasping at the obvious, or sometimes just the most achievable, goals and then not really getting a sense of satisfaction or completion.
Author Barbara Sher wrote a wonderful and very successful book called Wishcraft: How to Get What you Really Want (celebrating its 30th anniversary this year!). She felt compelled to write a follow-up book to answer her many fans’ needs for more. The second book was called I Could Do Anything If Only I Knew What It Was: How to discover what you really want and how to get it. She said so many people loved the first book, but let her know that they were stumped on what they really wanted in the first place.
She gives lots of valuable information and exercises in the second book to help the reader discover that we all do really know what we want in life; it is that simple. According to Barbara Sher, it’s the complexities of our past and the imaginings of our future that keep us from acknowledging our desires and allowing them. ”I’m convinced that if you don’t know what you want, something is stopping you from knowing it. Something — a hidden resistance — is making you hesitate to find your true desire and go after it.”
The best place to begin, she says: “…start listening to the messages from your heart.”
Abraham-Hicks says that we’re all constantly launching “rockets of desire” that are often fueled by what we don’t want. (It’s kind of like eating at a buffet: oh, yuck, braised turnips; oh, yes, steamed broccoli; oh, better, green beans; the best, a baked potato.) The contrast between what we do and don’t want is what directs us along our very personal path, and we should let our feelings be the guides to fulfillment.
Says Abraham-Hicks, “Always, when you know what you don’t want, that’s when the rocket of desire is born of what you do want. That is the fruit of your experience. Now pluck it and savor it and enjoy it. Visualize it, and find the feeling place of it. And live happily ever after, once you get the hang of this.”
Getting clear on what you want, it seems, is magic at its most raw level: simple, basic, essential. As such, it requires a raw approach. Sit yourself down and ask yourself, as author Elizabeth Gilbert advises: “What do I really, really, really want?” (she says “you have to say really, really, really, otherwise you won’t believe it.”) Then, listen. Ask questions. See how you feel. Listen again. Listen more. Allow your heart’s voice to talk and tell its stories. Indulge it like it’s your favorite person in the world. And, let the magic begin.
at one with the root chakra: how to create a sense of belonging
Being grounded doesn't have to mean being "stuck." It's about strength, stability, and rootedness, all of which can actually create the foundation for growth and creativity.
20 days into unearthing my Root Chakra, and, though I had fun letting my feet go wild in my previous post, I’m still discovering and confronting my First Chakra challenges.
I’ve read that one essential energy component of this chakra is related to being “at one” with a group or tribe; basically, feeling that you belong.
True confession time [lowers voice to whisper]: I rarely feel as if I belong or fit in anywhere.
(That uncomfortable silence is all in my head, right?)
Ok, it’s not really a surprise that I would have difficulties with my sense of belonging; I have an underactive Root Chakra, after all. But, as I’m observing the energy of this chakra, I’ve also noticed lately that I seem to actively resist belonging. I put up a mental wall. I find myself recoiling from rules or terms, silently nitpicking about the group’s plans or needs, quietly or outspokenly playing devil’s advocate, and generally placing myself at arms’ distance, often before I’ve even gotten to know how I honestly feel in the community. This is a new realization for me.
Most of us know the great benefits that tribes and groups can provide: safety, comfort, assistance and aid, cameraderie, and, potentially, a sense of identity and empowerment. However, when you don’t have a strong Root Chakra, it’s common to feel unsafe, anxious, fearful, and/or distrustful. If you don’t feel that you can be yourself in a group, have your own voice, or contribute your unique qualities, a group/family/tribe/community can be cloying, oppressive, and threatening.
These thoughts bring to mind some of the negative connotations of being grounded: “If you do that, you’re going to be grounded until you’re 40!” “I’m stuck in a rut.” “Too dug in to ever get out.” “The plane was grounded.” “He’s a stick in the mud.”
Images of being stuck and held down resonate with me. (Think of the hungry trees in the Lord of the Rings that devour Merry and Pippin: the extreme side of being grounded!) And, yet I know that being rooted is what makes it possible for plants and trees to grow and bloom. To extend this idea: being grounded is what makes it possible to take a dream from the seed of an idea and nurture it into a flowering finished product. The ground is where the nutrients and stability come from. And plants or trees with weak roots topple over. (Stop me now, please, before I feel compelled to start a gardening blog…)
So, how to tap into the positive and nurturing part of grounding that enables growth? How to find a sense of empowerment in belonging? And, how to create the nourishing foundation essential to living life to the fullest? Here are some ideas I’ve been exploring:
Declare your belonging. A simple way to feel more a part of the communities you interact with is to reinforce that you are safe as you are and where you are. Try “I belong here,” “I am safe,” or “I fit in wherever I am.” (This has been working for me!)
Ground yourself regularly to the earth. My previous post went toe-to-toe with the foot as a body tool for getting grounded, a state of being that can connect you to your body, your present, your life, and the world. If you don’t like baring your feet (or it’s too cold to do that), connect with nature in other ways — dig into the soil with your hands as you plant vegetables or flower borders, go for a trail hike or walk on the beach, play in the woods — or nurture yourself by cooking, feeding your body with good, healthy food. (Autumn is a great time to cook with earthy foods like root vegetables which tap the energy of the First Chakra, but even in the spring and summer, you can integrate lighter, cooler roots like fennel, jicama, and radishes that activate earth energy.) Or, get some body work done on a regular basis: massage, Reiki treatments, acupuncture, even mani/pedis at your neighborhood nail shop .
Connect with the earth everyday to ground yourself and energize your Root Chakra.
Seek out groups that are a match. Now more than ever it’s possible to connect with individuals and groups who share your particular interests, so you can more often feel a natural sense of community and belonging. Using networks like Meetup and Craigslist, or the group features on Facebook, Twitter, LinkedIn, Yahoo, Flickr (to name just a few) make it possible to quickly tap into the communities around you, or to create your own.
Let it in. If you’re resisting the feeling of belonging or getting grounded out of fear of being trapped or stuck, a technique from Zhineng Qigong might come in handy: release and absorb (it’s technically called Chi Lel La Chi). Sit quietly with your hands held loosely in front of you, palms over your abdomen (level with the belly button), fingers pointing towards each other. Slowly open your hands outward, imagining yourself releasing all your stress, discontent, fear, or ills — whatever’s bothering you — to the air around you, to the Universe, or to the Cosmos. Then, slowly bring your palms back towards your abdomen, imagining that you’re absorbing glowing light, or a beautiful color, or stars — whatever makes you feel wonderful. Just let in the good.
Body talking/art therapy. Finding or re-establishing a solid foundation is about coming into your physical self and present circumstances, so you can recognize your needs and feel secure in them. One excellent way to do that is to talk to your body and let it express itself through words or art. It’s not hard and doesn’t require much: something to write on, something to write or draw with, and your willingness to tune in and let go. But, if you’re not sure how to get started, you could find an art therapist who could guide you, you could start with one of many great books on the subject, or you could do an online search for journaling for healing or art therapy. (I’ve read that working with clay is also a great way to energize the Root Chakra. Want to try that!)
Have you found grounding techniques that have positively influenced your sense of belonging and empowerment? Please share them!
P.S.: since beginning this post, I’ve become one of three founding members of a trio of aspirants who are looking to move from dreaming to realizing (“power-of-three“: how cool is that?). I think this is so serendipitous, as I explore the Root Chakra. My new group is not only providing a foundation for my goals, but also bringing me a great sense of belonging. (Only 20 days into GET GROOVY CHAKRAS!, and I’m feeling a little bit of groovin.’ It’s not too late to join me!)
put your root chakra on solid footing
Our feet are often neglected and overlooked parts of our bodies that we frequently take for granted. But, they’re essential to maintaining our balance, moving forward in life, and staying on solid ground — both literally and figuratively.
Happy feet can give you a brand new footing in life.
Getting to know our feet can help harmonize the energy of the Root Chakra, the first of the body’s seven energy vortexes, which is related to our foundation in life. A healthy and happy Root Chakra means a strong sense of security, the belief that physical needs will be taken care of, and the ability to grow and bloom from a place of stability.
So, get in touch with your feet. Tune into them. Pamper them. Feel them.
Zebra feet.
Reflexology is an ancient holistic health practice that manipulates pressure points on the feet to create wellness throughout the whole body. This isn’t a New Age invention: evidence has been found to show that the ancient Egyptians as far back as 2330 BC used reflexology techniques, as did the Incas in Peru as far back as 12,000 BC. Chinese taoists were using reflexology 5,000 years ago.
So what are you waiting for?
Nature-loving feet.
You can easily do your own foot massage to activate pressure points, relieve stress, enhance your health, and energize your first chakra.
Artistic feet.
But, even if you prefer to leave the reflexology to the experts, give some attention to your feet.
Let your feet move and stretch and scamper and dance.
Dressed up feet.
Have fun and watch their personalities come out.
Find out what music they like to move to.
Vampire feet.
Explore which textures make them feel good.
Luxurious, fur-wearing feet.
Kick up your heels and wiggle your toes around, pointing then flexing them.
Sky-bound feet.
Give your feet some free rein every day, even if it’s just a few minutes spent walking around the house or garden in bare feet.
Magic feet.
Follow the advice of the reflexologists: happy feet mean a happy you.
Cozy feet.
getting to the root of the first chakra
I am on my fifth day of First Chakra exploration. Here’s what I’ve learned so far.
The First Chakra is the Root Chakra, or Muladhara in Sanskrit. It’s located in the tailbone (or at the perineum, depending on which source you read), which corresponds with the bundle of nerves called the Sacral Plexus, and flows from there down through the feet. Hormonally, it corresponds with the adrenal glands, which respond to fear and danger with a burst of adrenaline: the survival (“fight or flight”) juice. Physically, the Root Chakra governs the lymph system, skeletal system (bones and teeth), kidneys, lower back, sciatic nerve, rectum, the lower legs (calves, ankles, feet), and is involved in depression, immune-related disorders, and varicose veins. The Root Chakra is associated with the color red, the musical note C, essential oils of sandalwood, patchouli, and cinnamon; and gems such as bloodstone and ruby.
The conscious energy of the Root Chakra is related to our foundation in life, finding our footing, taking our stand in the world. It’s about our relation to the material world, our safety and survival, and our belief that the Universe will provide for us. It also oversees our family connections, tribal beliefs, and our sense of belonging to a group.
According to my chakra assessment, my Root Chakra is not so groovy right now; it’s underactive by 50%! This makes sense to me. But, having it brought to my awareness, I realize how disruptive this imbalance is and has been in my life.
Because the Root Chakra is all about getting grounded, sensing the solid earth beneath our feet, and finding stability, it seems like this is a good season to contemplate the first chakra. Autumn is a time for reorienting ourselves after the breezy days of summer, for hunkering down and getting things done in the world. It’s harvest time, and root vegetables are in abundance. And, several key holidays, with all their family/community traditions and rituals, are coming fast and furious.
Hallowe'en has roots in the old Celtic harvest festival of Samhain - a time to take stock of supplies and store for the winter. A holiday of material goods and physical survival.
Over the weekend, I bought pumpkins for my little ones, and we worked on Halloween and Day of the Dead decorations, which was really fun. (I felt young and caught up in the moment!) Now that the kids are old enough to participate more actively in the holiday, I’m thinking about traditions and what fun, family ritual we might create around this – the best holiday, by far, in the whole year.
When I was little, my sisters and I used to try to sleep all afternoon, so we could get to the dress-up/candy part of the day. My mom always made a big pot of lentil soup, which no one but she and I actually enjoyed. For us, it was all part of the season, and I still crave lentil soup the closer I get to October 31.
Another thing I did over the weekend to celebrate the kick-off to my groovy chakras was make some beet kvass. This is a salty, earthy-tasting, gorgeously red-hued fermented drink that is super easy and cheap to make. Made with sweet and earthy beetroots, beet kvass is renowned as a blood tonic, an immune-booster (great time of the year for that!), and helps regulate the digestion.
As I drink my beet kvass each day (only about 1 oz after each meal), I imagine it flowing through my body, lighting a trail of red down through my throat, stomach, digestive organs, and bladder, swirling around my lower back, landing at my Root Chakra, then gushing down my legs and deep into the earth.
Beet kvass is a great first chakra food: home-made (very self-nuturing), it's a brilliant red color, a blood tonic, and full of nutrients.
groovy chakras and unruly hair
Despite being entranced by the chakras, I tend to my own energy centers sporadically by doing on-again, off-again research and every once in awhile doing a chakra meditation or visualization. I love Carolyn Myss’ Chakra System of Sacred Truths and her online chakra meditation; I’ve read Sonia Choquette’s True Balance, which is an easy-to-use guidebook that has helped inform my understanding of the chakras; and, there are loads of other valuable and lovingly created books and websites out there to keep someone like myself in chakra research bliss for years.
I’m a realist, though, and know that, because of their complexity and the profound, personal questions that lie at the core of each of them, a person can’t really develop her chakras by just visiting at holidays, on a whim, or during a crisis (quick: I need a 5-minute meditation that will align my feelings of abandonment and physical vulnerability by tomorrow’s date!) They, like children, pets, and unruly hair, need more time and attention than that.
So, how can you get groovy chakras that vibrate at their most potent level? And, why should you even care?
1. Girlfriend Therapy. Well, first things first, learn the basics about the chakras. Check out Carolyn Myss (above), Sonia Choquette, ChakraEnergy, or Sacred Centers, or do your own internet or bookstore search. Hopefully, you’ll fall in love with the chakras and see that tuning them up is akin to having girlfriend therapy sessions many times over: each chakra requires its own special treats, conversations, pampering, and shopping!
2. Assess Yourself. When it comes to your chakras, you are only measured against yourself and how you want to be functioning in your life. But, if you’re curious to know how your chakras measure up, check out one of these online assessments that help you get a fix on which chakras might be under- or over-active and could benefit from a tune-up: Eclectic Energies, ChakraEnergy. It’s all about the balance.
3. Believe it or not. This one’s all up to you: you either believe in the chakras wholeheartedly, or you’re transfixed enough by the concept of them to care whether yours are in balance or out of whack and how that may be influencing your life. Whether chakras exist or not is currently unproven as a scientific fact, though many people who practice meditation, use alternative medicine, or explore spirituality have powerful accounts about their experiences with chakra energies.
4. Tend your flock. Once you know which chakras are needing some love, find out how to nurture them. Then, do it regularly and consistently (I know, like I’m one to talk. But, tomorrow’s post will include my personal commitment to my chakras). Giving attention to a chakra might be as simple as wearing or looking at a certain color more often, or getting outside in nature every day; meeting your neighbors, or doing a specific mudra, a special hand position that redirects energy.
When it comes to groovy chakras, it’s just like anything else: what you put into it, is what you get out of it. With that in mind, here’s to taming unruly hair and soothing wandering chakras.
finding voice, claiming courage
“Blogging is easy,” said Helen Chang, the informed instructor of my writing-for-the-web class. ”If you can talk, you can blog.”
The path of self-discovery can present an opportunity to encounter everyday magic.
That seems simple enough, I thought. I felt encouraged to go home and start talking right away….which would surely lead to writing. My two yearning WordPress blogs — the ones I’d set-up weeks ago, but had yet to start filling with captivating entries — would finally have a purpose. I would open the floodgates to my own expression. It was really going to happen at last.
Helen then went on to elaborate: “Your voice is more important than what you say. Everyone’s talking about the same things, but no one’s saying it the way you can. Find your voice, and you’ll be set.”
A cold ball formed in my stomach: third chakra, the seat of identity and personal power. Who I am in the world. Who I want to be. And, the void in between.
Find my voice? Anxiety pinged around my brain as fearful thoughts careened off each other. What if I didn’t have a voice? (What did I really think, anyway? Did I have opinions?) Or, worse, what if my voice was awful: boring, insipid, uninteresting, silly.
I hoped my voice was something I might be able to find under the couch cushions, like a lost dollar bill. In that case, I could take distraction-action: cast a spell for discovery, mobilize a search team, write it off, get a replacement…or do any number of other non-writing activities that would keep me from facing what was surely my lack-of-voice.
Writer and therapist Deena Metzer says that “…writing, whether for ourselves or for others, takes courage — the courage to confront ourselves, as well as the courage to confront others.”
As a long-time public relations and marketing writer, I was confident about creating words and points of view to represent clients and their business products and services. I was good at getting that outside voice right: the tone, the grammar, the spelling, the pitch. That kind of writing, though often challenging, was not a threat. But, to put myself out there — my voice, my POV, my words — and probably not get it “right” a lot of the time (I mean, how can you ever get it right for everyone all the time?)….that was something else.
It came to me a day later that perhaps my voice was something that could be salvaged from junk, like found art. This seemed comforting. I could produce work of any type or caliber, and my voice would start to shine through. Once identified, I could pluck it out and put it to more artful use.
Michelle Russell of the blog Practice Makes Imperfect encourages us all to publish the most horrible blog post ever, just to get it out there. ”By just writing something and hitting the ‘Publish’ button, you’ll train yourself to overcome your inner demons.”
As my web writing class came to a close, one of the glass-half-full fellow attendees exclaimed about our blogs, “Well, think of it this way: probably no one will be reading them, anyway.”
With that encouraging thought in mind, let the junk-writing, horrible blog posting, mining for voice, and the courage start now!
