Swadhisthana
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Swadhisthana ( 'One's own abode' ) is the second primary chakra according to Hindu tradition.
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Sahasrara |
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[edit] Description
Swadhisthana is positioned at the tailbone, two finger-widths above Muladhara. It has six petals which match the vrittis of affection, pitilessness, feeling of all-destructiveness, delusion, disdain and suspicion. Its corresponding point in the front of the body (i.e. its kshetram) is at the pubic bone.
Swadhisthana is associated with the unconscious, and with emotion. It is closely related to Muladhara in that Swadhisthana is where the different samskaras ( potential karmas ), lie dormant, and Muladhara is where these samskaras find expression. Swadhisthana contains unconscious desires, especially sexual desire, and it is said that to raise the kundalini ( energy of consciousness ) above Swadhisthana is extremely difficult for this reason. Many saints have had to face the temptations associated with this chakra.
[edit] Symbolism
- Deities: Varuna, Vishnu, Rakini
- Element: Water
- Animal: Crocodile
- Associated Body Parts: Reproductory organs, Tongue
[edit] Practices
Practices in kundalini yoga for controlling and balancing the energy in Swadhisthana chakra include vajroli mudra ( contraction of the genitals ), ashvini mudra ( contraction of the anus ) and various asanas and pranayamas.
[edit] Other Associations
Due to its relation with sexuality, Swadhisthana is often associated with the testes or ovaries in men and women, as a part of the endocrine system. These produce the different sex-hormones, testosterone or estrogen, which are important factors in sexual behaviour. These are also the locations the spermatoza or eggs are stored with their latent genetic information, like the latent samskaras that lie dormant within Swadhisthana.
Western occultists make the kabbalistic association of Swadhisthana with the Sephirah Yesod. Yesod is also associated with the sexual organs. Its function in the tree of life is to gather the different energies that have been created in the descent down the tree and to distribute them to Malkuth, the material world, where the energy can find physical expression.
[edit] Alternative names
- Tantra: Adhishthana, Bhima, Shatpatra, Skaddala Padma, Swadhishthana, Wari Chakra
- Vedas (late Upanishads): Medhra, Swadhishthana
- Puranic: Swadhishthana
