IntuitiveBridges - Alan Bridges

The First Chakra grounds us and gives us our initial sense of identity. The energy of this chakra is that of the traditions and beliefs that come to us from our tribe or our culture. But at a certain point we begin to question the tribe’s authority and what we have been taught. Just because it’s right for them doesn’t mean it’s right me. Such reasoning marks the movement into the realm of the Second Chakra.

As children, our social interaction is limited to those in the home – our parents, our siblings, our relatives – and of course, those within our parents’ closest circles. But as we grow so does our sphere of interaction. We become individuals. We begin to make our own choices. We start pushing the limits to discover if and where boundaries exist. And in so doing, we test our ability to exert control over our physical environment. Thus, the energy of the Second Chakra develops.

We tend to think of the Second Chakra, like the first, as dealing with lower energies. This isn’t only because they occupy the first two rungs of the chakra ladder. Instead, it’s because they involve external interactions – the first with the tribe and now the second with the relationships we begin to form beyond our parents and immediate family.

But it’s not just about what drives us to form relationships with others. It’s about how we attempt to exert influence and maintain control over our external lives. The energy of this chakra resonates with how we relate to authority – those we believe are superior to us, and naturally those we believe are somehow beneath us. The other key relationship of the Second Chakra is the one we have with money.

The physical location of the Second Chakra is centred on one’s navel. It is seen and represented by the colour orange. Energy practitioners associate the energy of this centre with the organs of the reproductive system, large intestine, appendix, bladder, lower vertebrae, pelvis and hip area.

Health problems related to this chakra include dysfunctions with the sexual organs (including the prostate), sexual impotency, pain in the lower back and pelvic region as well as urinary tract and bladder issues. The thread that links these illnesses is that they are usually triggered by a fear of losing control.

Breaking free from the tribe can be a scary proposition. We are constantly engaged in this psychological tug of war while we find our feet. And in testing the boundaries we test our strength. We compare ourselves with those around us. Are we the master of our environment? Or are we the slave?

A healthy ego keeps the survival instinct of this lower chakra in check and prevents it from overwhelming us. It makes us resilient and gives us the ability to take risks – and to recover when things don’t go according to plan. This centre gives us our stamina to venture out into the world and make it on our own – financially, professionally, personally. However, some of us do unfortunately succumb to the temptations of addictive substances and behaviour patterns.

Why do we act this way? It’s because the energy of the Second Chakra pushes us to take control. But the paradox presented by this centre is that the more we attempt to influence and control the external world, the more we lose control of ourselves.

The lesson to be learned here is that we simply cannot control our world. The only thing within our control is our response to it. It’s our power to choose. According to philosophers, this is what makes us human. And according to spiritual teachers, it’s our ticket to enlightenment.

Many of us spend years worrying about our choices with regards to our partners, our financial situations, our careers. We search endlessly for that one decision that will constitute a magic bullet and put everything in that perfect order forever. If only we could see that in the grand scheme of things what we choose isn’t all that important.

What really matters is the reason for our choices. Two basic motivations belie every choice we make in our lives – faith and fear. The former is a positive and healing force whereas the latter is negative and destructive. We become more conscious when we recognise this and when our decisions become the direct and intentional results of taking responsibility – that is, an exercise of faith.

The quality and state of our Second Charka energy plays out quite publicly. We ourselves show it to the world through expressions of creativity, sexuality, money – how we attract power and how we use it.

With the First Chakra we were part of a group. But the Second Chakra seduces us into leaving the safety of the walled garden for the big bad world. Do we sink? Or do we swim? And how do we relate one-on-one with those we encounter on the outside? This is what I call the you-and-me chakra. In Paninaro, the Pet Shop Boys actually summed up the Second Chakra quite nicely:

Passion and love, sex, money, violence, religion, injustice, death!

Of course, how we relate to the external world and those around us is only part of the picture. We also have to live with and relate to ourselves. Next week The Chakra Series continues as we move up the ladder to the Third Chakra. Having looked at who we are and how we are within the group (First Chakra) and one-on-one with each other (Second Chakra), we progress to our relationship with ourselves. Please join me next week!

In the meantime, ask yourself these questions. How’s your health? Is your energy flowing as it should? Are you learning the lessons life is trying to teach you? My Intuitive Assessments answer these questions with a comprehensive analysis of your energetic body. Learn more and then book your assessment here.

Finally, over at PsychicBridges I ask whether you have fallen back into that rut. Perhaps it's time you pulled yourself back out. Read my latest Weekly Insights column at PsychicBridges.

I always welcome your thoughts and feedback on IntuitiveBridges, so let me hear from you by clicking here.

Until next week,

Kindest regards,