As with all other types of chakra that you will learn about during your yoga classes, in order to harness and activate the second chakra, Svadhisthana, you will need to dedicate both your mental and physical energy towards acknowledging the purpose of the chakra and connecting yourself to it so that you can receive the benefits it offers once it finally opens.
While poses and focused chanting can help to awaken one of the seven main chakras in the body, arguably the most important activity is the type of mudra you perform, and while there are some mudras that are specifically connected to only one or two chakra points, the good news is that for Svadhisthana chakra, there are more than a few mudras that can be practiced if you are trying to open up this “dwelling place of the self”.
Let’s take a deeper look at 5 different mudras that can be practiced when trying to harness the Svadhisthana chakra, and how you can go about mastering them for yourself.
The Importance Of Svadhisthana Chakra
If you’ve ever seen the symbol for the second chakra, one of the first things you probably noticed was the six petals stretching out from the lotus at the center, and these petals are emblematic of our own personal negative qualities; anger, jealousy, hatred, cruelty, desire and pride, and it is these feelings that we can overcome by awakening the Svadhisthana chakra.
This chakra is therefore associated with clarity and the awakening and development of our personality, symbolizing the journey our consciousness takes toward reaching purity and peace.
The intense orange color seen on the chakra symbol is also emblematic of this symbolic meaning, representing the sunrise and indicating our rising consciousness and positive qualities of self-confidence, faith, and happiness.
Therefore, awakening the second chakra can be great for when you feel lost or troubled by a wash of negative emotions that have been plaguing your mind and influencing your actions.
This chakra will help you face these feelings head-on, acknowledge them, and eventually, overcome them.
Mudras For Awakening The Svadhisthana Chakra
Now that you know the benefits that can come from interacting and acknowledging the second chakra, let’s take a look at the mudras you can practice during your yoga sessions which can help you awaken it.
Apana Mudra
This sacred hand gesture or ‘seal’ as it has been known throughout history can be performed by connecting the very tip of your thumb with the top of your middle and ring fingers which should always be facing upward.
The trick to knowing if you’re performing this gesture correctly is if you can feel your pulse.
If you can’t quite feel it within your fingers, try adjusting your pressure for a few minutes, and once you can make out your pulse clearly, this means that your root chakra will be activated, and your second chakra is in the process of receiving energy and becoming rejuvenated.
Yoni Mudra
The yoni mudra has been practiced across centuries to connect people to the womb of creation, and the wisdom it possesses which is especially useful when we’re feeling lost, anxious, and confused about our own lives, and the world around us.
Yoni mudra has also been closely related throughout history with the Hindu goddess Kali, a warrior goddess known for her strength and prowess who people would call on when they were about to enter some sort of battle, whether it be external or internal.
To practice the yoni mudra gesture, simply bring together the tip of both your index fingers, and then create a diamond shape by facing your hands downwards and pressing your thumbs together.
The final part can be a little tricky, but once you get the hang of it, you will be able to perform the yoni mudra easily. With your diamond shape in place, you will need to press together the middle of your pinky fingers, ring fingers, and middle fingers.
When practicing the yoni mudra, make sure to focus on your breath traveling through your lower abdomen and pelvis, and if any negative feelings or emotions appear in your mind, simply let them wash away while you practice harnessing your positive energy.
Brahma Mudra
Because Brahma mudra facilitates the flow of life energy throughout the body, it’s often used for calming the mind but also energizing the body, and it is a mudra commonly associated with the Svadhisthana chakra.
Brahma mudra can be performed by facing your hands skyward and pressing your clenched fists together. You don’t need to press your fists together with too much pressure, all that matters is that they are connected so that your life energy can easily flow through your body without any obstructions.
While this mudra is great for awakening the second chakra, it is also commonly used in yoga and meditative exercises to direct energy towards the higher chakra centers in the body which are more related to our spiritual focus and consciousness, so practicing it now can prepare you for when it will inevitably come up again later down the line.
Shakti Mudra
Also commonly referred to as the “gesture of the divine feminine”, the shakti mudra has been a commonly used gesture in spiritual yoga practice for centuries, and it is primarily focused on balancing the fire element within the body, related to feelings of confidence, self-worth, and determination.
Because of this, the gesture is intrinsically connected to the Svadhisthana chakra and enables us to feel more comfortable in our skin and overcome negative emotions that might be leading us into states of confusion and despair.
To practice the shakti mudra, bring your hands in front of your chest and begin tucking your thumbs away into your palms, and then fold both your middle and index fingers over the top of your thumbs.
Next, bring together the tips of your ring and little fingers.
If you’re doing it correctly, your middle finger and ring finger should be touching by their fingernails and tucked firmly into your palm, while your ring and little finger are stretched out and connecting to the opposite hand.
It doesn’t matter too much if the base of your palms is touching or not, the main thing to focus on is keeping each of your fingers connected, and facing the gesture down towards your abdomen or pelvis.
Summary
There’s not one single mudra technique that will help you to awaken your Svadhisthana chakra, instead, there are multiple which are intrinsically connected to the meaning and properties of the second chakra that you can practice so that you can overcome your negative emotions and become a much more confident, motivated, and determined individual.
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