The Seven Day Chakra Challenge--Keeping the Light in Your Second Chakra

Dear Yin Weaver,

Last week I shared with you how to balance the left and right brain hemispheres using the Alternate Nostril Breathing exercise. I also wrote about the root chakra. On reflection, I’m not sure I made the connection between the two as clear as I’d hoped. I wrote about how ANB improves creativity and problem solving. But I forgot to mention it also affects the subtle energy flowing through the etheric spine. So, the point of the exercise was not only to balance your brain, but to generally tonify all the chakras, including root. This way, moving forward into the next six exercises, you’ll be able to draw upon energies moving freely through the root to the rest of the chakras.

On to week two of the Seven Day Chakra Challenge series! This week let’s focus on the second chakra. In Sanskrit it is called Swadhisthana (swah-dis-tana). Some people call it the sacral or womb chakra because of its location. This chakra is associated with the color orange and the water element (did I mention the root is associated with the earth element?), and sits half way between your belly button and your pubic bone (the root sits at the very tip of your tail bone). It represents your sexuality, creativity, finances, relationships, sensuality and pleasure. It is associated with the health of the sexual organs, large intestine, lower back, pelvis, appendix and bladder. If you are having “second chakra” issues, you may be having trouble with sex, money and relationships, establishing boundaries, expressing your creativity, overcoming fear and hopelessness, or physical problems such as lower back pain, impotency, infertility, menstrual and menopause issues endometriosis, prolapsed uterus an bladder, bladder infections, constipation, Chrones disease, ulcerative colitis, and appendicitis.

So what’s the Challenge? This week I’m going to ask you to balance your second chakra with a Mudra. Mudras are simple hand positions, also known as yoga for the hands. According to an ancient yogic understanding of the body, each finger represents the energy of a planet which in turn represents a specific quality and emotion. Mudras redirect the unique energy of each finger to a specific part of the brain. In addition, according to Traditional Chinese Medicine, each finger is the end or starting point of a different meridian. These meridians deliver vital life force to specific organs and also have an emotional polarity. I've listed below a brief overview of each finger.  Hopefully it will deepen your appreciation for the Mudra you'll be practicing this week.

• Finger     Planet      Quality/Emotion       TCM Meridians
• Thumb    Mars       Willpower, eog         Lung; grief, acceptance
• Index     Jupiter       Knowledge, justice  Large Intestine; holding on, letting go
• Middle   Saturn       Patience, control      Circulation/Sex; panic, joy
• Ring       Sun           Vitality, health,         Triple Warmer; fight or flight, safety
• Pinky      Mercury    Communication        Heart & Small Intestine; Love, indecisive, decisive

I’ve said it before and I’ll again. We often practice energy medicine on ourselves without realizing it. For instance, right now I would like you to fold your hands in your lap as you seen in the picture to your left. Congratulations. You are now doing the Usha Mudra, also known as the Venus Lock Mudra. I will make only one small point of clarification. If you are a man, your right thumb should be on top. If you are a woman, your left thumb should be on top. However, feel free to experiment. Close your eyes and inhale, imagine you are directing the energy stimulated by this Mudra directly into the second chakra. Do this one or twice every day for three minutes. The Amit Online Yoga Center says this Mudra concentrates the sexual energy of our second chakra and directs it into the energy centers above it. It gives us mental alertness, pleasure, and new impulses. In addition, it harmonizes our hormonal system.

I’ll be practicing along with you this week. Don’t forget to watch for updates on my Facebook Fan page and here. Please share your experiences with me! I love getting comments.

Blessings,
Rose