Swadhisthana Chakra

Continuing my study and reviewing notes from our lectures on Chakras this summer with Anand in Hood River, OR. (The first Chakra and Restorative Sequences can also be found on the blog.) More restorative sequences to come.

I leave for Atlanta next week to take Yoga Therapy for 4 days-- This will complete my 500 hour RYT! This is something that I've been working toward since early 2005. What a blessing to be able to do this and have such support from my family, friends, and students. Someone asked me where I go from here? You the know the saying, the more you know, the more you realize you don't know? I'll be a life-long student whether or not I'm taking courses. Other courses this

year: Peak Pilates (PPS2) and another test (ACE) that finishes in early December. Tentative plans for 2010 but I am trying to savor the moment and enjoy where I am right now- taking it all in, growing from it and incorporating it into my classes. I'm loving the daily journey of it all!

Melissa

"Be careful what you water your dreams with. Water them with worry and fear and they will produce weeds that choke the life from your dream. Water them with optimism and solutions and you will cultivate success." --Lao Tzu

Swadhisthana Chakra

Chakras are a wheel of energy used to awaken and enlighten the body. There are seven Chakras that correspond to the planets. This energy aligns in the spine. Often referred to as a spiritual tree, the energy can flow from the brain down or the root up.

The sacral Chakra, "heart abiding place", desire or experience center includes all the sexual organs and slightly above. It is active energy, not necessarily sexua

l energy. Achieve balance by redirecting that sexual energy, so that it creates a sense of awareness, enabling a letting go of frustrating or guilt-like feelings.

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Teaching Asana: Create a circle or sense of flow and flexibility through practice.

Meditation: Choose to focus on the qualities of water and flow of breath and life. Can also add Anuloma Pranayama to balance the sun and moon, right and left sides of the body.

Element: Water (water is life)

Color: Orange

Planet: Jupiter (biggest planet- 12.5 times bigger than all the planets put together. It's almost the size of the sun and radiates 2 times more energy than the sun. There are constant storms on Jupiter.) The protecting energy-- as asteroids tend to hit Jupiter rather than earth because of the energy pull.

Animal: Crocodile (makes it the most active Chakra)

Senses: Taste

Day of the week: Thursday

Imbalanced state: Lust, greed, abuse, or "what about me", addiction; there is no sense of self/ associated with shame and guilt and carrying of emotional baggage.

Balanced state: Through respect; the third eye or Divine wisdom. (using the breath in through the naval center up to the third eye.

Inner Balance (gunas or 3 states): Tamas, Rajas andSattvic. (The root Chakra is usually more tamas/rajas in nature).

Tamas: Slow, lazy, lethargic and lacking life force

Rajas: Fast, dynamic, and action-oriented

Sattva: Alive, alert, balanced/ relaxed state with a clear mind and body

You can be in any state at any time, and there is a possibility of dropping back to another state at any time. If you're attentive, however, you can keep transcending through sustained practice.

Tomasic: Enjoy the pain

Tamasic/ Rajasic: Obsessed with desire (abusive or addiction)

Rajasic/ Tamasic: Betrayal (cheating on spouse, you are normal part of the time- but it is creating an illusion); the humor is more sarcastic at the expense of someone else (your intention is not pure)

Rajasic: More subtle; you function normally but there is a sense of what about me; dependant on other's opinions; there is a longing and some manipulation (if you make me happy, I'll make you happy); your humor also comes from here, there is a love and sense of community and ability to laugh at yourself; you can detach from yourself

Rajasic/ Sattvic: More creative; live a more creative life with inspiration. Joyous; you don't need pain to create things; solution oriented