Self-healing through the chakras — swadisthana chakra

15 Aug Self-healing through the chakras — swadisthana chakra

We all have been wounded emotionally at one point or another and most of us hold the memory of our past wound in our body. Theses wounds are imprinted in our emotional body and cause us to repeat the same patterns over and over. If we keep repeating our past, it is because it has not been processed on an emotional level. What we need to do is to release these emotions.

The body is our greatest teacher and sometimes pain is necessary to put us on the right track. We need to listen to our body by paying attention to the areas that are sore or stiff, without judgment, just an observer with compassion for our self. In this respect yoga is a great tool for self exploration. The mat is a private place where we can explore our inner self.

One of the symptoms of a blocked second chakra is a stiff lower back but the second chakra is also associated to hips, sacrum, genitals, womb, bladder problems as well as kidneys weakness, constipation and muscle spasms.

Located below the navel and rooted into the spine, the Second Chakra “swadisthana” is connected to the spleen and the digestive system and is often referred as the “sacral” chakra. It is the seat of our emotions, sensations, pleasure, movement and nurturance and it controls our relationships and social interactions with others. It governs our self-worth, confidence in our own creativity and ability to relate to others in an open and friendly way.

The element of this chakra is water because it teaches us to go with the flow and let go of control and guilt. Equilibrium in this chakra indicates the aptitude to flow with emotions without restraint and to feel and reach out to others.

The asanas below help us to heal our second chakra issues, by giving us freedom of movement in the pelvic area and by extension helping us to grow to be more adaptable and receptive. They should be done while observing what the body has to tell us, letting the emotion rise. When you do these positions do not force but rather gently snuggle and surrender with sensitivity. Do not rush to your maximum extension. The slower you go the deeper you will get.

There are different degrees of quality of pain that range from beneficial to non beneficial. A non beneficial pain is a warning signal that tells you that the depth of the posture is too strong and that you need to release or pull back from the pose. A beneficial pain is merely a strong sensation. Try not to become tense and worried when you feel discomfort. Quiet your mind and calm your breathing. The breath is the great healer.

In a deep stretch, go to your edge of the posture/boundaries and stay there while drawing the breath to the affected area of the body. Use the breath to massage the places where you experience discomfort in your body. Let the breath, the “prana” “life force” “qi” stroke the intensity in the specific area with gentleness and compassion.

Make sure that you will not be disturbed. Prepare a pen and paper and write down what has come up afterwards. The mind often tricks us into forgetting what is really bothering us. Writing down our emotions forces us to face the issue we need to address. Honesty is required here. The tasks required from you while doing the following yoga exercises is to open up, allow emotional and sensual movement and learn how to “go with the flow.”

1. Standing fluid pelvic rocking
   • Stand with feet hip distant apart and hands on the hips.
   • Bend your knees a little, drop your pelvis forward. Your torso, head and neck should be in a central position.
   • Keeping the knees bent and flexible, rotate the pelvis in smaller, then larger circles, clockwise and then counter clockwise.
2. Gomukhasana (Cow Face Pose)
   • Sit with your legs extended in front of you. Bent your left knee and bring your left foot to the outer edge of the right hip or knee.
   • Cross your right leg over the left putting the right knee on top of the left and bring the right foot to the outer edge of the left hip or knee.
   • Sit evenly on the sitting bones.
   • Inhale and stretch your right arm straight out to the right, parallel to the floor.
   • Rotate your arm inwardly. Exhale, sweep the arm behind your torso and work the forearm up your back until it is parallel to your spine. The back of your hand will be between your shoulder blades.
   • Inhale and stretch your left arm straight forward.
   • Inhale, turn the palm up, and stretch the arm straight up toward the ceiling, palm turned back.
   • Exhale, bend the elbow and reach down for the right hand. If possible, bind the right and left fingers.
   • Lift the left elbow toward the ceiling and, from the back armpit, descend the right elbow toward the floor. Lift your chest. Keep the left arm right beside the left side of your head.
   • Stay in this pose about 1 minute. Release the arms, uncross the leg and repeat on the other side. Whichever leg is on top, the same-side arm is lower.
3. Ekapada Rajakapotasana (Pigeon Pose)
   • Start on your hands and knees.
   • Bring your right knee forward between your hands, next to the right wrist, lower your hips to the floor and extend your left leg straight back behind.
   • The right shin bone should be at about a forty-five degree angle with the right heel directly under the left hipbone.
   • Slide your hands forward and lie flat.
4. Baddha Konasana (Bound Angle Pose)
   • Sit on the floor with your legs and the soles of your feet together.
   • Remove the excess flesh from your buttocks and sit on the sitting bones.
   • Erect your spine and grab your feet. Press the sole of the feet together, and gently drop your knees toward the floor. Breathe gently, Stay like this one minute.
   • Move the pelvis forward and put your hands on the floor in front of you.
   • Wiggle the buttocks backward to be on the sitting bones.
   • Inhale and lower your back forward, extend your arms and stretch your spine.
   • Exhale and slide your hands forward. Find your edge then and breathe gently. Wait for the intensity to lessen and then exhale and go deeper.
   • Keep sliding your hands away from you, slowly edge by edge.
   • Keep your gazes toward the floor and keep your neck long.
   • Inhale from the bottom of the spine and exhale through the crown of your head and arms.
   • Breathe gently. Listen to the rhythm of the breath. one to five minutes.
5. Upavistha Konasana (Open Angle Pose)First Part:
   • Sit on the floor with your legs spread wide.
   • Place one hand on the floor in front of you and one hand behind you and lift your hips and move forward slighly.
   • Use you hands to pull the excess flesh and sit on the sitting bones.
   • Make sure that your knees and inner edge of your feet are vertical.
   • Press the back of each thigh down into the floor, flexing your feet.
   • Erect your spine.
   • Lift the chest upward away from the pelvis, move the shoulders back and shoulder.
   • blades down, navel in and up.
   • Bring you palms together in namaste, lifting the top of your spine up.
   • Close your eyes and become grounded.
   • Meditate for a little while. Let your face be soft.

   Second Part:

   • Bent forward and place your hands on the floor. Hands shoulder width apart. Snuggle your palm into the floor.
   • Wriggle the buttocks backward and position yourself on the frontal edge of the sitting bones, tail bone up.
   • Inhale bent forward, press the back of your thighs down and stretch the front of your body.
   • Elongate your arms.
   • Exhale slide your hands forward until you reach your edge. Wait for a little while and go deeper by sliding your hands further forward. Breathe smoothly.
   • Do not fold as deeply as you can all at once.
   • Breathe smoothly, slowly. Feel the movement of breath move through your body. Be there five minutes.
   • To come out of the pose, walk your hands backward and inhale as you return to a seated position.
   • Bring your hands together into namaste.
   • Close your eyes and meditate some more.
6. Supta Baddha Konasana
   • Lie flat on your back and relax the whole body especially the legs, pelvis and lower back.
   • Bend your knees, bringing your feet close to your buttocks.
   • Slowly let your knees fall on the side and bring the soles of the feet together. Do not push or strain.
   • Hold this position.
   • Inhale and as you exhale send the breath to wherever you feel tension. Stay in this posture for at least one or two minutes.
   • Inhale and bring your knees together and relax, keeping your back on the floor.