Swadhisthana Chakra or the sacral plexus is the second chakra in the evolution of man. It can be activated by various means. Each chakra has a physical, mental and spiritual aspect. Some of the standard methods to activate / awaken Swadhisthana are listed in this article.
How to awaken Swadhisthana Chakra?
Before attempting to awaken/activate Swadhisthana chakra, it is good to prepare the body by doing asanas or yogic postures that have direct effect on awakening Swadhisthana.
Bhujangasana, Shalabhasana, Shashankasana, Dhanurasana and Uddiyana Bandha are particularly useful.
Few techniques from Hatha Yoga and tantric texts are listed below.
Ashwini Mudra or Horse Gesture
Ashwini mudra or the horse gesture is a simple technique of contracting the anal sphincter muscles. Sit in any meditative pose like Padmasana, Sukhasana, etc. Breathe normally. Keep the spine erect. Slowly contract the anal sphincter muscles and hold it for up to 1 second and then release it. Repeat this few times. When this is done, one can feel a sensation hitting the base of the spine. This simple process can be used to awaken the Swadhisthana chakra
Vajroli / Sahajoli Mudra
Vajroli Mudra is another Hatha yoga method to awaken Swadhisthana chakra. For doing Vajroli mudra one has to know the location of the trigger point for Swadhisthana chakra. The trigger point or Kshetram is at the base of the genitals in both males and females.
Sit in Siddhasana or any meditative pose like Padmasana or Sukhasana. Inhale and contract the chakra trigger location (base of genitals, near pubic bone), hold it for few seconds and then release it. By this action, the genital organ will be pulled up. The act of pulling is similar to controlling the urge to urinate. The abdomen is pulled backwards ad upwards, the urinary system is contracted and the genitals are pulled up.
Hold it for few seconds and then release it for same duration. Repeat this several times. This is the practice of Vajroli mudra.
Another way is to rhythmically contract and release the base of the genitals. Practice this for few minutes. This can also be done when you are relaxed and sitting on a chair.
For women, the practice is similar and is called Sahajoli. Sit in Siddha yoni asana or any comfortable meditative pose. Contract the muscles of the vagina and release it several times rapidly. This is one practice. The other way is to contract and hold it for few seconds and then release it for same duration.
Vajroli/Shajoli mudra helps to awaken Swadhisthana chakra.
In Hatha yoga, there is also an advanced form of Vajroli Mudra, where the practitioner can suck in water, milk, etc. through the urethra, which is beyond the scope of this article.
Esoteric Tantric Visualisation and Worship of the Chakra
In Kundalini tantra, every chakra is esoterically described as a flower with many petals. Each chakra also has many other aspects like Bija Mantra (seed letter mantra of the chakra), letters on each petal, presiding deity, deity related to the element and many other aspects.
In tantric tradition, each chakra is visualised and worship is offered to each part of the chakra using mantras and hand mudras. This has to be learned from the qualified kundalini master. The description for visualisation is given below.
Description of Swadhisthana Chakra from the tantras
In tantra, Swadhisthana is esoterically described as a flower with 6 petals. The petals are vermilion or orange-red in colour. On the petals are found the Sanskrit letters – Bam, Bham, Mam, Yam, Ram and Lam written in the colour of lightning.
Inside the pericarp is a white region of Varuna, the deity for water element. It is like a crescent shaped moon. There, seated on a crocodile is the seed letter of the chakra Vam. Varuna is seated on the crocodile and caries a noose (Pasha). Inside the Bindu of the seed mantra is Lord Hari, blue in colour, dressed in yellow raiment and four armed.
Inside the lotus is another red lotus in which the presiding deity of Swadhisthana sits. She is called Rakini. Rakini is blue in colour and holds in her four arms – a spear, a lotus, a drum and a sharp battle axe. She is in the fierce aspect with red eyes and projecting fangs.
There are various tantric traditions to visualise the chakra and offer worship to each element present in the chakra. These practices have to be learned from a qualified tantric master. It is passed on only from Guru to disciple in a sacred atmosphere.
In some traditions, worship is offered only to the letters present on the petals of the chakra (Bam, Bham, Mam, Yam, Ram and Lam in this case) and the main deity associated with the chakra to awaken the Swadhisthana Chakra. Also, different traditions may worship different deities.
In any case, mantras and hand mudras for worship has to be learned from a proper master who has been initiated through a lineage and is beyond the scope of this article.
Breathing through the Chakra
Another easy way to awaken the Swadhisthana chakra is to breathe through the chakra. Sit in any meditative pose with spine erect. Breathe normally. Take you attention to the location of the chakra (Lower tip of the spine or the root of the genitals). Take a slow and deep breath and imagine that you are breathing in through the Swadhisthana chakra and then breathing out slowly through it. Continue this process for 5 to 10 minutes. When we breathe through our nostrils, we feel the air coming in and going out. Same way, visualise and imagine that air is coming in through the chakra and going out through the chakra. This is only a visualisation. This process, helps to remove lot of blocks and to awaken the Swadhisthana chakra.
Seed Mantra Chanting and concentration on chakra
Yet another way to awaken Swadhisthana chakra is to concentrate on the location of the chakra and chant the seed syllable mantra of Swadhisthana chakra, which is – Vam. Sit in any comfortable meditative posture with spine erect. Chant mentally the Bija mantra Vam very slowly and with full awareness. Continue the chanting and concentration on the chakra as long as you are comfortable. One may start from 5 minutes and go up to 1 hour of this practice.
Listed above are just few of the standard methods used to awaken Swadhisthana chakra and in no way exhaustive. Methods may vary according to traditional and lineage and may include use of mantras, sound frequencies, hand mudras and other Hatha yoga and meditative practices. Select the methods that suite you the most.