Tibetan Singing Bowl for the Sacral Chakra

Tradition places this chakra in the lower abdomen, below the navel and just above the pubic bone. Some locate it slightly lower, near the genitals, while others extend it to the sacrum. It is a symbolic map, not an organ.

It is also called the second chakra because it lies between the first, or root, chakra and the third, or solar plexus, chakra. While the first chakra relates to security and survival, the sacral chakra is connected to feelings and desire. Tradition therefore associates it with emotions, creativity, pleasure, sexuality, human relationships, and the ability to embrace change. Hindu tradition associates it with the note D, but this correspondence is a convention.

The color of the sacral chakra is orange in most traditional depictions, although a treatise from 1577 describes vermilion petals. Its symbol is an orange lotus with six petals surrounding a circle and a white, or sometimes silver, crescent moon representing the element of water. The syllable VAM appears at the center of the design. Some depictions include the makara, an aquatic creature from Indian mythology that others describe as a crocodile.

There are several interpretations of these six petals. For some, they represent six faults to overcome: anger, hatred, jealousy, cruelty, compulsive desire, and pride. For others, they represent six qualities: affection, playfulness, sensuality, creativity, joy, and enthusiasm. A final interpretation sees the petals as the six directions of space.

You can find orange-painted bowls bearing this emblem on the inside. However, the paint and design say nothing about the instrument’s sound: a bowl decorated in the colors of the sacral chakra is not necessarily tuned to its note.

According to tradition, a blocked sacral chakra can make life feel flat, bring on boredom, or leave inspiration running dry. Tradition also associates this blockage with guilt about pleasure, repressed or overwhelming emotions, coldness toward others, fear of change, relationship difficulties, and low self-esteem.

Conversely, a balanced sacral chakra is said to allow you to enjoy pleasure without guilt, let creativity flow naturally, feel emotions without becoming overwhelmed, enjoy fulfilling relationships, and face change with ease.

These are points of reference that each person interprets in their own way, never a diagnosis: the chakra tradition describes feelings, not medical connections. Any physical problem or addiction must therefore be addressed by a healthcare professional. Your bowl can accompany treatment but must never replace it.

Tradition associates the sacral chakra with the element of water because it sees this center as representing flow in all its forms: emotions, creativity, and desire, as well as flexibility in the face of change.

Water is represented by the white crescent moon inside the chakra’s symbol. The moon is linked to tides and cycles, reinforcing the traditional idea of movement that ebbs and flows like emotions. This is, of course, a symbolic interpretation.

The word Svadhisthana, sometimes spelled Swadisthana, is generally translated as “one’s own abode” or “a place of one’s own.” Another interpretation translates it as “gentleness.” We offer both translations because there is no universal consensus.

It is also known as the sacral chakra. You’ll find these singing bowls under that name in our store, alongside bowls dedicated to the other six major chakras.

Tradition considers it the center of creation in all its forms, earning it the nickname chakra of creation. This begins with the creation of the body through reproduction and extends to artistic expression and human relationships.

Pleasure, sensuality, and passion are also linked to this center.