Yoga for the Sacral Chakra
Today we’re going to be working through a flow to balance the sacral chakra. When balanced, the sacral chakra brings joy and creativity into our lives. It helps keep us at our optimal weight and maintain a healthy sex drive. We’ll start by closing our eyes and taking a few deep breaths. Let’s set our intention for this practice. I’m confident. I’m creative. I love myself as I am.
Sacral Chakra Flow: Warm Up
We’ll begin in easy pose. Ground down through your sits bones while you lengthen up through your spine. Relax your shoulders down away from your ears.
Cow > Cat
From our seated position, we’ll roll forward onto all fours. Knees come directly underneath the hips and wrists come under the shoulders.
Cow: Inhale and drop your belly towards the mat for cow pose. Draw the shoulders down away from the ears and open through your chest.
Cat: On an exhale, press firmly through your hands to arch your back, cat pose. Draw the belly into the spine and tuck your tailbone.
Thread the Needle
Come back to center. Reach the right arm out in front of you and lengthen through the fingertips. Now thread it behind your left arm so that your right ear and shoulder come to rest on the mat. You can straighten the left arm and push through the fingertips to get a deeper stretch. Repeat on the left side.
Downward Facing Dog
Come back to center. On an inhale, curl the toes under and straighten your legs, lifting your tailbone towards the sky. Keep the neck soft and drop the shoulders away from your ears.
Crescent Lunge
Now step the right forward between your hands. Bring your right knee over your ankle and press the left shin and top of the left foot into the mat. Sweep the arms up overhead and lengthen through your spine.
High Lunge
Curl the back toes under and root down through your front foot. Lift the back knee up. Stretch through the back leg, lifting the inner thigh upwards. Keep the front knee over the heel.
Lizard
Heel toe your right foot over to the right edge of your mat. Lean forward, bending from the hips, and plant both hands on the mat in line with your front foot. Stay lifted on the ball of your back foot and squeeze your front knee in towards your upper arm. If you want a deeper stretch here, you can go to your forearms. If this is too much, you can reach for a block or lower your back knee to the mat.
Step the right foot back to Downward Facing Dog. Repeat on the left side.
Sacral Chakra Flow: Round 1
Warrior II
From Downward Dog, inhale the right leg up. Exhale, step it forward. Cartwheel the arms up and turn your back foot out, parallel to the mat. Warrior 2. Keep your front knee over your ankle and spiral your thigh open. Press through the outer edge of your back foot.
Peaceful Warrior
Flip your front palm over and lean back, sliding the back hand down your leg. Peaceful Warrior. Keep bending through the front knee.
Circle your arms back down to either side of your front foot. Step back to Downward Dog. Repeat on the other side.
Triangle
Come back to center and straighten the front leg. Reach your front arm towards your mat, bending from the hips. If you can’t reach your mat, you can rest your hand on your shin or a block. Stack your shoulders and lengthen through the side body. Keep your neck, thighs, and arms all in line.
Bring both arms to frame the right foot and step it back to Downward Facing Dog. Repeat on the other side.
Sacral Chakra Flow: Round 2
Warrior II
Inhale the right leg up. Exhale, step it forward. Turn that back foot out as you cartwheel your arms up. Warrior 2. Keep your front knee over your ankle and spiral your thigh open. Press through the outer edge of your back foot.
Peaceful Warrior
Flip your front palm over and lean back, sliding the back hand down your leg. Peaceful Warrior. Keep bending through the front knee.
Wide Legged Forward Fold
Come back to center, and straighten the front leg. Rotate your body and feet so that you’re standing in a straddle with both feet parallel to the short edges of your mat. Step your heels out just slightly. Engaging your core, bring your hands to your waist and slowly begin to hinge forward. Allow the fold to come from your hips, rather than your waist or low back. As you move deeper into the fold, you can begin to reach your arms toward the floor, your ankles, or your shins.
To release, place the hands back on the hips. Keep the core engaged as you slowly lift back up to center. Rotate your body towards the front of the mat and frame your front foot with your hands. Step it back to downward facing dog and repeat on the other side.
Sacral Chakra Flow: Round 3
Warrior II
Inhale the right leg up. Exhale, step it forward. Turn that back foot out as you cartwheel your arms up. Warrior 2. Keep your front knee over your ankle and spiral your thigh open. Press through the outer edge of your back foot.
Peaceful Warrior
Flip your front palm over and lean back, sliding the back hand down your leg. Peaceful Warrior. Keep bending through the front knee.
Goddess
Bring it back up to center. Rotate your body and feet towards the long edge of your mat. Your feet should point out at roughly a 45º angle. Bend your knees and come into a wide squat. Try to get your upper thighs parallel to the floor, and keep your knees pointing in the same direction as your toes. Cactus the arms and hold for several breaths.
When you’re ready to release, press firmly through the feet and rise to standing. Rotate your body towards the front of the mat and frame your front foot with your hands. Step it back to downward facing dog and repeat on the other side.
Sacral Chakra Flow: Round 4
Warrior II
Inhale the right leg up. Exhale, step it forward. Turn that back foot out as you cartwheel your arms up. Warrior 2. Keep your front knee over your ankle and spiral your thigh open. Press through the outer edge of your back foot.
Peaceful Warrior
Flip your front palm over and lean back, sliding the back hand down your leg. Peaceful Warrior. Keep bending through the front knee.
Dancer
Come back to center. Step your back foot forward. Mountain Pose. Slowly shift your weight to your right foot as you bend your left knee and bring your left heel toward your glutes. Reach your left hand back to grab your foot or ankle. Bring your right hand up overhead and rest your gaze on a balance point. Engage your core and squeeze your inner thighs together for balance. Slowly tilt your body forward as you lift your left foot away from your body. Try to get your thigh parallel to the floor.
After a few breaths, slowly lower your foot back to the mat. Place the hands on either side of the feet and step it back to downward facing dog. Repeat on the other side.
Sacral Chakra Flow: Seated Poses
Find a comfortable seat on the mat.
Bound Angle
Bring the soles of the feet together and draw them close, allowing the knees to fall open. Grab your toes, ankles, or shins and press firmly into your sit bones. Sit up tall and lengthen through the crown of the head. If you want to deepen the pose, slowly hinge forward from the hips, bringing the head closer to the floor. With every inhale, lengthen through your spine. With every exhale, fold deeper into the stretch.
Seated Straddle
Bring the legs out into a wide V-shape. Lengthen through the spine and slowly begin to walk your hands forward. Go as far as is comfortable for you. You can reach for your ankles or shins or leave your hands on the floor. Hold for several breaths before coming back to center.
Twist to the right and walk your hands down the sides of your right leg. Remember to fold from the hips as you reach for your shin, ankle, or toes. Hold for a few breaths before coming back to center. Repeat on the left side.
Pigeon
Bring the legs back in and roll forward to a tabletop position. Bring the right foot in and place in on the ground behind the left wrist. Adjust your shin so that it is comfortable for you. The more parallel it is to the mat, the deeper the stretch will be. Extend the left leg back with the top of the foot resting on the mat. Come onto your fingertips and walk the torso slightly up. Broaden through your chest and draw the shoulder blades down and back.
You can stay here for a couple of breaths or go deeper into the stretch by folding forward onto your forearms. When you’re ready, return to a tabletop position and repeat on the other side.
Sacral Chakra Flow: Cooldown
Seated Forward Fold
Come back to sitting with the legs out long. Lengthen up through the crown of the head and draw your shoulders down away from your ears. On an inhale, lift the arms overhead. Exhale, fold forward, allowing the bend to come from your hips. Keep your spine straight as you reach toward your toes. Only reach as far as you can without rounding the back. Release and repeat once.
Happy Baby
Lay on your back and lift your knees into your chest. Grab the arch or big toe of each foot and draw the knees out and towards the armpits. Flex your heels into your hands and gently rock back and forth. Hold here for a few breaths. When you’re ready, return your legs to the floor and stretch them out long.
Savasana
Close your eyes. Allow the muscles in your face to relax. Allow your body to relax and release toward the mat. If you’re cold, you can place a blanket over your hips.
After 5-7 minutes:
Slowly begin to wiggle your fingers and toes. Allow your next breath to come a little deeper. Bend your knees and roll to one side. Slowly come to a seated position. Keep your eyes closed. Recall our intention for today and take it with you when you leave. “I’m confident. I’m creative. I love myself as I am.” Thank you all for joining me. Please let me know if you have any questions. Namaste.
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