The party starts in the second chakra!

Blog entry by Dr. Patricia Zub   

Imagine improving constipatoin, fertility, menstrual cycles, and urinary issues by hula hooping??!

The energy center in our lower abdomen and back is known as thesecond chakra. It’s where all the juice in life comes from – our feelings, playfulness, sexuality, desire, pleasure and procreation. Like I said, it’s where the party starts!

Do you get really emotional and overwhelmed by your feelings?
Or maybe you feel disconnected from them and aren’t generally aware they exist? In either case theres a need to come into balance. Our feelings are part of our guidance system and should be experienced and then released to enjoy good health. The way we manage our feelings affects our wellness and can play a role in disease.

Chakra two develops between 6 months to 2 years of age and is all about our feelings. Being on either end of the feeling spectrum will affect well being and it all starts in the second chakra. It’s personally my favorite chakra and one that I, like many of us, struggle with the a bit.

The element of the second chakra is water.
Like water, our feelings should flow freely and have movement. When we have trouble with our ability to “go with the flow” we are blocked in our second chakra. Similarly, when we are a ball of emotions that feel out of our control and no-one can deal with us, we are excessive. A balanced second chakra will allow us to have our feelings to guide us, to let go, and to create flow in our lives. In a world of constant change a healthy second chakra helps us move, change and grow.

The organs that are connected to this energy center are the ovaries/testes, uterus, genitals, large intestines, appendix, lower back, kidneys, bladder and circulatory system. If the second chakra is out of balance any of these end organs can be affected.

What might exhibit a second chakra deficiency?
Constipation is a common symptom that can be related to having trouble letting go of emotions. Fibromyalgia, from an energetic point of view, is related to emotions being blocked and creating pain in the body. Kidney and bladder problems, fertility struggles, fibroids, low back pain and money issues are related to second chakra health.

How does one bring our second chakras into balance? That is where the fun comes in.
Dance, movement and play are the homework assignements to heal the second chakra.
Practicing experiencing emotions (if you are deficient) or containing them (if you are excessive) is also important work.

Try these secnd chakra exercises that you can do on your own:

• Hula hoop: Or it you don’t have one do “hip circles”
• Pelivis circles: Stand with your knees slightly bent, your pelvis slightly forward so it is directly in your central line of gravity. While your knees are still slightly bent and flexible move your pelvis in small circles and then larger circles, keeping your head and feet in the same place.
• Dance: Put on your favorite tunes and have a dance party with your family, friends, or by yourself! Or you can hit the town and cut up the dance floor at a club.
• Anger workouts: If you are a patient of mine you know I’m not only a fan of hula hoops and dancing but also of anger workouts. So many of us have been taught it’s not okay to be angry. I recommend a wave master or punching bag and a pair of gloves for 10 minutes a day. Another option is a bat and a pillow on your bed. This will move that second chakra energy and release blocked emotions.
• Happy Baby:  Lie on back with feet up in air – grab feet and rock back and forth – see photo
• Reclined goddess pose: Lie on the floor with feet on the floor and knees up.  Allow the legs to relax open while keeping feet together and allowing them to slide away from the buttock until the legs are comfortable on the floor without added pull at the groin. See photo
• Pelvic rock (aka cat/cow from yoga poses): Get on hands and knees.  Arch back up so you are posed like a scared cat, hold for 5 seconds, then let the back slowly fall to concave position like a cow, hold for 5 seconds.  See photo
• Butterfly legs:  Sit on tailbone, bring feet together and knees up, allow knees to fall to the side toward the floor while allowing the feet to slide forward in a comfortable manner.  Fly your butterfly legs up and down. See photo
  

Getting regular energy work such as full spectrum healing, acupuncture, and reiki and partnering with an experienced healer may be necessary to help guide this process. We find that when patients are “stuck” on their path to healing that energy work is what is needed to move them forward.

The ‘chakkra system’ is a key part of the “Reballance” part of healing in Functional Medicine.  With practices like yoga, meditation, deep breathing, good sleep and other mindfulness-based practices, and those listed above- you can help restore balance that will protect your gut and subsequently, your entire body 4 Better Health.