Did you know that yoga can improve your creative energy?
The energy center responsible for our creativity expression is the second or sacral chakra. Art, literature, architecture, music that was divinely inspired travels down the body and manifests into the physical through the second chakra. Then it makes its way up to be expressed vocally or through the hands.
Located in the lower belly region, it is also our center of emotional pain, fear of loss of control, betrayal and abandonment by another person. This is where we mostly store emotions that we do not want to deal with. And that is how we run into stagnation and blockage of our creative energy.
How creative energy becomes stagnate
The element of the second chakra is water. Water needs movement and circulation to remain fresh and clear. Think about what happens to a standing pool of water—it becomes a swamp. Similarly, when we ignore our emotions and keep stuffing them into our second chakra, we pollute our bodies at the energetic level, thereby stagnating creative energies.
The second chakra, in my view is the most interesting to work with because there is so much potential there for healing, transcending and prospering.
Creating a clear channel for energy to flow
We can transform a swamp into a clear, fresh flowing water by introducing movement. Think about a fish tank with a broken circulation pump. The water quickly becomes slimy and full of algae. Once we get that water pump up and running, the circulating water quickly removes the slime and the buildup, allowing the fish to prosper.
Similarly, physical movement can clear the body of stagnant energy, bringing back life and vitality. By performing specific poses we can open up different parts of our physical bodies allowing the energy to flow unobstructed.
If you currently do yoga, compare how life was before your practice and how it is now. Do you feel better overall? How about your energy? Do you feel more balanced? I know I do!
Yoga routine that heightens your creativity
Hip opener poses offer an excellent and effective way to release blockages and bring energy flow into the second chakra. Here’s a simple routine you can perform at home to open up the hips and bring energy flow to your creative center.
Tadatasana – Mountain Pose Variation
Stand facing the front of your mat with your feet shoulder width apart. Place your hands on the lower part of your belly. Take 5 deep breaths in through the nose and out through the mouth. Feel your belly expanding as you inhale and contracting as you exhale. Close your eyes and imagine sending energy into your second chakra. Take five deep breaths.
Virabhadrasana 2 – Warrior 2
Open your eyes and turn ninety degrees to face the side of your mat. Separate your feet two to three feet apart with both feet parallel to each other. A good way to gauge the proper distance between your feet is to extend your arms out parallel to the shoulders, your feet should be right underneath your hands. This may not be possible for those of us with tight hips, so take your feet out as wide as you can without losing your balance. Turn your right foot out to the right. Turn your left foot slightly in. Make sure the heel of your right foot is in line with the inner arch of your left foot. Slowly bend your right knee. Keep the right knee tracking in the same plane as your right foot to reduce the stress on the knee joints. Due to tight hips the right knee will often try to drop inwards, putting excessive pressure on the knee joint. Keep your left leg straight. If you are unable to keep your right knee from dropping inward, shorten your stance. Traditionally, your right thigh should become parallel to the floor and your right knee will end up right above your right ankle. However, today only bend your knee as much as you can without feeling any pain. Extend your arms out on either side of you at shoulder height and gaze over your right fingertips. Keep pressing both feet evenly into the floor as you lengthen the spin and your neck, keeping the top of your head parallel to the ceiling. Keep your shoulders down and away from your ears. Take five deep breaths here, in and out through the nose.
Come out of the pose on an inhale by straightening your right knee and rotating your feet until your toes face the side of your mat. You should be back to the wide legged stance with both feet parallel to each other.
If you need to rest and reset your body then return to the first pose in this sequence, a Tadasana variation. Repeat Warrior 2 on your left side retuning to the Tadasana variation facing the front of your mat.
Anjaneyasna – Low Lunge
From Tadasana, step your right foot back as far as you can, bend your left knee and bring your hands to the floor on either side of your right foot. If your hands cannot reach the floor, then place your hands on blocks or a chair. Make sure your right knee is above your right ankle. If you find your right knee extending beyond your right ankle, then lengthen the stance by taking your left foot further back. Keep the left leg straight if you’d like more heat, or place the left knee on the floor for a gentle variation. If you have sensitive knees, you may place a blanket or a towel under the left knee for padding. Lengthen through the front of your torso and draw the tailbone toward the floor to lengthen the low back. Keep all sides on the neck long, drawing your shoulders away from the ears. The bulk of your weight should remain in your feet, your hands are there mainly for support. Stay in this pose for ten breaths, then return to the standing pose to reset. Repeat this pose on your left side.
Baddha Konasana – Bound Angle or Cobbler Pose
Lets get deeper into those hips. Sit on the floor. Bring your feet together and take your knees apart. Now lengthen your spine and sit up straight. If you are unable to sit upright in this pose then you need to lift your hips higher. You always can use a blanked, bolster or block to raise your hips for a gentle variation. Bring your hands toward your feet and clasp the outsides of your feet. If you cannot reach your feet, then grab a strap or a towel. Wrap it around your feet and hold on to both ends. Here’s the hard part—relax. Keep your back long, your shoulders away from the ears while allowing the gravity to gently pull your knees toward the floor. Some people like to push the knees to the floor, I prefer to let the hips open up naturally. Spend ten to twenty breaths here. You may feel the muscles of your back working to keep you upright, this is good. By lengthening the spine we are opening up the channels so that the energy can flow smoothly between the chakras.
Malasana – Squat
Squatting is a great way to open the hips and release the lower back. It also helps to strengthen the pelvic floor and avoid those embarrassing accidents that can sometimes happen. (My lady friends will know what I am talking about.)
Take your feet shoulder width apart or slightly wider. Carefully bend your knees and lower your hips toward the heels. If you have tight hips or tight ankles, you can use a block, bolster or stack up some blankets for support. Just lower your hips onto the lift. Bring your palms together in front of your heart and gently press your elbows into your inner thighs. Use the elbows to gently push your knees further apart—gentleness is key here. Instead of pushing and fighting, allow your hips to open naturally. It may take you longer, but the effect will be more long lasting.
Stay in this pose for ten breaths, then slowly come out. Repeat this pose two more times. After your third squat, rise and walk around the room.
Perform this routine for 30 days to heighten your creativity. This is the second in a series of eight articles dedicated to chakra healing and yoga. Each month we will cover one chakra and show you a simple yoga routine you can do at home to bring more energy and healing into each chakra. We will then tie it all together with a yoga routine for all seven chakras.