Yoga asana for the root and sacral chakras.

The chakras are wheels of energy in our subtle body. When the energy at one or a few of these chakras are weak or too strong, or if the ‘wheel isn’t turning’ in a smooth manner (metaphorically), light workers may say that the chakras are ‘imbalanced’ or the ‘kundalini isn’t rising’.

Take these terms with a pinch of salt, just know that things can be better for you if you work on these areas of the body.

Simply put, the muladhara chakra (root) is situated around the perineum, while the svadisthana chakra (sacral) is in the centre of the torso, in the space above the pubic bone and below the naval. To learn more about the muladhara and svadisthana chakras, go to the link below:

Earth and water – the first and second chakras.

To learn more about chakras in general, read the blog post below:

The chakras and how they affect us.

When working on the chakras, it is always best to begin at the base / root and work upwards. It usually is the opposite when we work on the chakras in energy healing.

Asana for the muladhara.

Any yoga pose that grounds will help you work on your muladhara. When your muladhara has a smooth flow of energy, you feel grounded. On the other hand, if the energy in your muladhara is suffering, you may find yourself bouncing from one thing to the next, seeking something to help yourself feel grounded (even if subconsciously). Or, you may find yourself on the other end of the spectrum, feeling lethargic, defeated or unable to get things done when your root chakra energy is low.

Check out the links below on standing yoga poses to ground and balance:

The best yoga poses for grounding.

Yoga practice to ground and balance.

In addition, to the standing and standing balance yoga poses discussed in the links above, here are two seated yoga asana to help work on your root chakra.

Baddha konasana (Bound Angle Pose).

Baddha konasana or bound angle pose (OR cobbler’s pose) is a pose that requires external rotation of the thighs, opening up your hips and stretching your inner thighs. Because of the orientation of the hips in outward rotation, you can see immediately if you are rooted on the mat when performing this yoga posture.

Because you would like to keep your spine tall as you fold forward, this asana also strengthens your core. Badda konasana is also a good indicator if you can, or are ready for Padmasana (Lotus pose).

As you sit in your expression of Baddha konasana, connect to the space in your perineum and spaces around it as well. You may wish to see if you are equally weighted on the front and back, the right and the left, as you sit, and as you fold forward.

Consider this your throne, on which you would like to be rooted, grounded, and on a firm foundation.

Janu Sirsasana (Head-To-Knee Pose).

Janu Sirsasana, or head-to-knee pose, is a good yoga pose to use to connect to your root. Because it is asymmetrical, when you express each side, you will may find you have a very different taste (or ‘rasa’) of the asana, especially in your grounding points.

Janu Sirsasana (Head-to-Knee Pose) is a seated forward fold that stretches out the hip of the bended knee-side, and the hamstring of the lengthened leg. It also of course stretches out the back.

As with any forward fold, lengthen your spine, draw your chest forward and shoulders back. Avoid rounding off your back, and breath into the yoga pose.

Asana for svadisthana chakra.

Yoga postures that opens up your hips (whether externally or sagittally), or presses on to your hips, will help work on your svadisthana chakra. Opening up your lower back, or strengthening it, may also help to work on this this point. When energy flows smoothly at this chakra, you will feel the capacity to flow with life events, whatever it may be.

You will have better ability to relax into events as they unfold, and won’t be stuck in narratives or feel blocked or have a sunk-in-the-mud kind of has experience. Any of the standing yoga poses that in the following posts may help:

Four yoga asanas to help you let go.

Aside from the above, you may find the two following yoga poses helpful in letting go.

Trianga Mukhaikapada Paschimottanasana (Three-Parts Forward Bend Pose).

This yoga asana is slightly more advanced than the two above. It opens up the the front thigh and hip of the bent leg, and the hamstring of the straight leg. The front thigh, when opened up in this manner, also works on opening up the hip in the sagittal plane of movement. In addition, it helps open up the low back.

For. a more comfortable and accessible pose, practice this yoga posture with a blanket or yoga prop under the sit bone of the straight leg.

Krounchasana (Heron Pose).

The oldest commentator on Patanjali’s Yoga Sutras, Vyasa, mentions this yoga pose, although he doesn’t say how to express it.

The curlew and other seats [asana] may be understood by actually seeing a curlew and the other animals seated.

Yoga Sutra 2.46

This yoga asana is actually in an exact similar orientation as Trianga Mukhaikapada Paschimottanasana, except rather than folding forward on the ground, we lift the straightened leg up, engaging our core and hip flexors.

It works on the sacral chakra in the exact same way as Trianga Mukhaikapada Paschimottanasana, except it also engages the core and hip flexors a lot more.

Feel free to use a yoga strap, or other prop, to help you in the yoga pose, as I am shown above.

Grounding and flowing.

Working on these two chakras should help you to feel grounded, and yet able to flow with ease. Both the ability to ground and to flow, which includes to release / let go, is super important, whether we are working on the chakras, or whether just in life in general.

Try these yoga poses when working on your chakras, and let me know how it helps by contacting me here!