The body’s energy centers are fairly sensitive. It’s possible for them to become blocked or imbalanced, which may manifest itself as any number of emotional, spiritual, or even physical effects.
Fortunately, it’s also possible to open and re-balance them by making lifestyle changes, or working with herbs and crystals.
The sacral chakra, Svadhisthana, sits in the pelvic area, about three inches beneath the navel and near the sacral vertebrae of the spine. This energy center governs creativity, pleasure, fantasy, emotions, and the expression of healthy sexuality.
If this chakra is disrupted, it can manifest as addiction to pleasure-giving substances, escapism, anhedonia, or feeling out of touch with the body. There are several herbs and oils that can help bring things back to normal.
Here are some of the best herbs and essential oils for opening, restoring, and balancing the sacral chakra:
1. Black pepper
Piper nigrum is a common culinary spice and source of black pepper essential oil. This oil has a warm, stimulating, spicy scent that blends well with other fragrances. It’s said to increase cellular oxygenation, as well as help disorders of the digestive tract.
For the sacral chakra, its warming and stimulating effects can help move stagnant energy and get things flowing again. To use the oil, add a few drops to a cotton ball or aromatherapy jewelry — avoid using it in a diffuser, as it can be very irritating to eyes and mucous membranes, as well as potentially dangerous to pets and children.
To use the berries themselves, grind them and add them to your favorite savory dishes either during or after cooking.
See article: Black Pepper: Magical Properties, Benefits & Uses.
2. Calendula
The bright flowers of Calendula officinalis are tied to the sacral chakra by their orange color. Medicinally, they’re also used topically to heal bacterial or fungal infections of the external genitalia.
Steep them in a neutral oil, like olive or sunflower, for a month. Strain out the petals, and mix the oil with melted beeswax to make an ointment. Use this to anoint the sacral chakra area, or apply to irritations on the genitals.
You can also eat the raw calendula petals in salads.
See also: Check out Calendula flowers and oils here.
See article: Calendula: Magical Properties, Benefits & Uses.
3. Cinnamon
Cinnamomum verum produces an inner bark with a warm, sweet flavor often found in comfort foods. It’s one of the sweet spices, and is used in some magical traditions to stimulate spells to work more quickly, or attract love and passion.
Much of the cinnamon sold at grocery stores doesn’t come from Cinnamomum verum trees — instead, it’s harvested from Cinnamomum cassia or Cinnamomum aromaticum, the cassia tree.
While both of these have a very similar flavor (true cinnamon is slightly sweeter and less spicy), cassia bark contains coumarin, which can be detrimental to the liver in high doses.
The amounts eaten in food are generally fine, but it’s best to be cognizant of that if you plan to consume a lot of cinnamon. Use this spice in tea, or as an addition to your favorite desserts or savory dishes.
See article: Cinnamon: Magical Properties, Benefits & Uses.
4. Clary sage
Salvia sclarea is a relative of common sage that produces a clean, yet musky, earthy oil. Historically, it was used medicinally to treat problems with the uterus and ovaries.
It’s also calming and uplifting, which can help those whose sacral chakra blockage manifests as numbness, disconnection, or lack of pleasure in life. Dilute a few drops in a neutral oil to make a massage oil for the lower abdomen, or wear it in aromatherapy jewelry.
See also: Check out Clary Sage essential oils here.
See article: Sage: Magical Properties, Benefits & Uses.
5. Hibiscus
Hibiscus sabdariffa produces the calyxes most often found in tea blends, though some people also use the flowers of Hibiscus rosa sinensis. This tea is commonly drunk to reduce high blood pressure, which can cause sexual side-effects.
Magically, it’s associated with love and passion. All together, this makes hibiscus a wonderful herb for treating imbalances of the sacral chakra. To use it, make a tea from the dried flowers, or purchase a prepared hibiscus tea.
For best results, combine it with other sacral herbs and spices, like sweet orange peel.
See article: Hibiscus: Magical Properties, Benefits & Uses.
6. Jasmine
Jasminum species are known for the sensual, aphrodisiac fragrance from their small white or pinkish flowers. The oil produced from these flowers is calming, relaxing, and may increase sexual desire.
In some magical traditions, jasmine is also used to attract passionate, lustful love. Add jasmine oil to a neutral oil and use it to massage the lower abdomen. You may also want to try growing this plant — it’s easy to care for, and can fill a room with its scent.
See also: Check out Jasmine essential oils here.
See article: Jasmine: Magical Properties, Benefits & Uses.
7. Orange
Citrus × sinensis is the sweet orange, commonly eaten raw, juiced, and used as a flavoring agent in sweet and savory foods. The peel produces a fragrant essential oil that smells just like the fruit itself — citrusy, and a bit sour.
It’s said to act as a mood elevator, stir up stagnant energies, and help the user work through trauma. The fruit’s bright orange color also ties it to the sacral chakra, whose symbolic color is orange.
To use the oil, add a few drops to an aromatherapy necklace. You can also consume the fruit, zest, or juice to help open and stimulate the sacral chakra.
See also: Check out Orange essential oils here.
8. Sandalwood
Santalum species are trees who produce a very aromatic wood and essential oil. It’s considered a highly sacred, high vibration oil that’s often used to enhance meditation, but it also has a warm, sensual scent that makes it ideal for massage oils and body lotions.
To use it, create a massage or anointing blend using sandalwood oil and a neutral carrier, like jojoba, almond, or sunflower seed oil. Some Santalum species are endangered — if you purchase the oil or wood, be sure it’s from an ethically harvested source.
See also: Check out Sandalwood essential oils here.
9. Vanilla
The pods of Vanilla planifolia are known for their warm, comforting scent and rich flavor. The oil is often used as a base for sensual perfumes, bath products, and comfort foods.
It’s very strongly tied to the idea of physical pleasure, whether through decadent desserts or the body itself. Enjoy it by using lotions or massage oils with genuine vanilla essential oil, or consuming foods flavored with the vanilla beans themselves.
See also: Check out Vanilla essential oils here.
See article: Vanilla: Magical Properties, Benefits & Uses.
10. Ylang ylang
Cananga odorata produces an essential oil with a sweet, floral, almost musky scent, sometimes called the “queen of oils.” It’s calming, aphrodisiac, and deeply sensual in nature.
Like sandalwood, it’s wonderful for massage oil and body lotion. Dilute a few drops in a carrier oil, and use it to massage the lower abdomen, where the sacral chakra lies.
There are several different types of ylang ylang oil, commonly denoted by Roman numerals. The lower the number, the higher the quality of the oil.
See also: Check out Ylang Ylang essential oils here.
The sacral chakra benefits from all things warm, orange, comforting, and sensual. If there’s a food or flower that evokes feelings of comfort and pleasure, it probably has ties to Svadhisthana in some way.
If you feel that this chakra is blocked for you, these oils and herbs can help you find a way to get your energy flowing again.
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