Finding
Balance
A
series of suggestions to help balance our energies
and
our sense of self
There
are seven main energy centres throughout our bodies, known in some
philosophies as chakras. These energy centres align with the spine,
from its base to the crown of the head. They have been described as
swirling wheels of our vital life force, where matter and
consciousness meet, and they correspond to significant nerve centres
in the body. It's important for our mental, emotional, physical, and
spiritual well-being that these energy centres stay open, unblocked,
and balanced. Each of the seven sessions focuses on a different
energy centre. They can be used by individuals or by groups.
The
workshops offered on this blog are the result of my thoughts,
reflections, and experiences, woven together using my own words and
sometimes adapting the words others have used: I am indebted to their
wisdom. Please use these workshops freely, adapting them as suits
your own context. I am always pleased to hear from people who have
used them.
Session
Two : Our Creativity
The
second work-shop is to do with the energy centre for our creative
expression
and sexual passion. For this session you will need:
- a rug or mat, an orange stone or moonstone, and an orange for each person present (remember to have some extras for unexpected attendees)
- five large candles, and enough small candles or night-lights for each person present
- something that chimes (a bell or a tuning fork, for example)
- sandalwood or patchouli incense (if no-one has any problems with the vapour) and matches
- some bowls of water and a sparge – something to flick the water with (or you can just use your fingers)
You
may also wish to play music during the meditation, in which case
choose
something quiet, calm, and unobtrusive.
The
Welcome and Introduction:
Welcome
to you all, as we gather together again to
continue learning some ways
that may help us to
achieve greater balance within our selves. Balance
is about
having neither too little nor too much. Today
we will focus on the second energy
centre, which
is to do with our creativity.
Reflecting
on Our Creativity:
The
second energy centre has been described as the
dwelling place of the self. Located just below the navel, it's
associated with our emotions, our sense of taste, our reproductive
functions, our search for pleasure, and our creativity: 'I
enjoy life fully' could be this chakra's motto!
When
it's open and in balance, we
experience feelings of well-being, abundance, pleasure, and joy, and
we're capable of intimacy, of loving freely and fully, of
being honest and non-judgmental about our desires, and
of living as our authentic selves without fear.
When
it's blocked or out of balance we
may experience emotional turmoil, and react rather than respond; we
may be excessively needy in our relationships, we
may have sexual or urinary dysfunction, and abdominal cramps; we
may feel pessimistic, disempowered, vulnerable to depression, lacking
in creativity and fearing change; we
may doubt and sabotage our selves, either
becoming afraid of happiness or pleasure, or
seeking it at all costs, and becoming prey to addiction.
Take
a moment now to recall some particular time of your life when
you felt especially well and happy...
Was
it also a time when you were being creative in some way - when
you were expressing your self, and enjoying your self, by
making something – and not just babies! - activities
such as cooking, baking, gardening, arts and crafts, carpentry,
singing,
dancing, writing, problem-solving, inventing something...
It's
part of human nature to create, and
when that's frustrated in some way, our selves are diminished. So
take a moment now to think about a time when you felt down, less
than your best, perhaps over-dependent on other people, or
conversely, not trusting other people with the real you, trying
to maintain a facade of who you thought they wanted you to be...
Was
that also perhaps a time when you felt unable to be creative, unable
to express your self, just surviving, without joy, perhaps
actively discouraged from some form of creativity that you needed, encouraged
to conform rather than to have fun, to
do what's supposed to be right and proper, rather
than be true to your unique self...
The
Thanksgiving and Lighting of Candles:
As
the first candle is lit,
we
offer thanks for our human lives, so full of possibility and
potential,
for
our own strengths and vulnerabilities,
and
all we have experienced thus far:
We offer thanks!
As
the second candle is lit,
we
offer thanks for the delights and passions of our senses –
sight,
sound, smell, taste, and touch -
and
for our passionate unions which are grounded in real love:
We
offer thanks!
As
the third candle is lit, we offer thanks for the passions
and talents
that
bring us music and art and science and literature,
and
for all the ways our spirits are lifted and united:
We
offer thanks!
As
the fourth candle is lit,
we
offer thanks that we can be healed of old wounds,
and
re-discover fertile soil within our selves
for
new ideas and new possibilities:
We
offer thanks!
As
the fifth candle is lit,
we
offer thanks for our abilities to adapt,
change, grow,
and
transform times of darkness into times of light:
We
offer thanks!
Strengthening
Our Creativity:
We
may feel open and creative in some aspects of life, but
self-conscious and
lacking in others. Ask
me to sing a song, and I feel confident I can do it; ask
me to
paint a picture, and I'm much less able or willing! Sometimes
the reason that we've
stopped being creative, or
stopped taking risks creatively, is because someone told
us that
we weren’t good enough, or that we couldn’t do it; we've
become afraid of
failing' according to other people's standards.
In
opening our second chakra energy, we learn that it's ok to take
risks, and
that we don't need to be afraid of failure – simply willing to try
again. Play
is a great way to begin this re-opening, playing like children can, not
afraid to start over again, simply enjoying them-selves. It's
good to adopt a similar care-free attitude;
and
if things don't quite work out, there's no shame in having another
go. When's
the last time we each just played?..
Besides
being open to creativity in our daily life, and being less fearful, we
can also balance the second chakra in other ways: we
can honor and respect our bodies, and look after them well; we
can welcome life's many and varied pleasures, neither
grasping possessively at their sources, nor
feeling ashamed of enjoyment; we
can enter into relationships open-heartedly, without
manipulating others, or allowing them to use us; and
we can
be mindful of our own thoughts, emotions, memories,
and intentions, making a positive commitment to letting
go of, and moving on from, anything that is holding us back.
Beginning
to Balance:
As
in our first session, there are various steps we can take to
begin to open and rebalance our creative centre.
Step
one – Breathing
Left
nostril breathing helps to open up the second chakra.
Simply
close your right nostril with the first two fingers of your right
hand
and
inhale and exhale through the left nostril, just for 8 to 10
breaths...
Step
two – Chanting
As
we learned last time, chanting helps bring us back to balance because
sound enables the cells to work together, literally in harmony. For
the creative chakra we chant the word 'VAM' and
as we breathe in, we imagine we're breathing in orange energy, and
letting it flow throughout our bodies. As
we breathe out, on the word VAM, we imagine that outward flow of
orange energy is expelling all our impurities we're ready to release. The
chime will give us the note for the chant...
Step
three - Dancing
Last
time we learnt some quiet, still, stretching postures.
This
time we're going to increase our energies as we join in a circle
dance!
Part
1: Holding hands with your neighbours, sidestep left for 8 steps, then
sidestep right for 8 steps. Repeat
once
Part 2: Run four steps forwards, swinging arms up; release hands, and clap with hands high, then join hands again; take four steps backwards bringing arms back down. Repeat once
Part 3: Repeat parts 1 & 2 once; then release your neighbours hands, and begin a chain, stepping or skipping, as you interweave all the way round the circle.
Step
four - Meditation
As
you know, meditation serves
to ground us and to connect us to our deeper
selves and to the
Universal Energy, God, Gaia, Spirit. Before
we begin, please take
one of these stones, either
an orange one or a moon-stone, and hold it just below
your navel. The
meditation will take about five minutes. Please
make yourself
comfortable....
Suggested
script for Guided Meditation
Close
your eyes, and take a long and deep breath...
As
you exhale, move your attention to the lower part of your abdomen,
just
below the navel, and imagine a glowing orange chakra...
Imagine
that the orange glow of the chakra is spreading
to
the rest of your body, like ripples on the surface of water...
Imagine
that you are feeling it on our body like gentle waves,
ebbing
and flowing on a shoreline...
And
now imagine standing on that shore-line,
on
a pristine, white-sand beach, and it is just before dawn.
The
sky is streaked with orange in eager anticipation of the sun.
Watch
the sky...
Now
look down
at
the expanse of gentle surf and calm water in front of you.
Imagine
stepping forward and dipping your toes
into
the warm water of the ocean...
Notice
how it slowly approaches, laps around your feet,
and
then returns to its source...
You
move forward into the waves, and you see through the clear water
the
white sandy floor under your feet.
Imagine
diving into the water and starting to swim effortlessly...
and
now turning onto your back
and
starting to float like a weightless leaf...
You
gaze at the orange sky while moving and flowing with the waves...
And
now, as you float,
you
see your second chakra spinning and gaining strength,
and
an an orange light washes over you, pervading every cell of your
body.
Breathe
deeply and feel the energy funneling down your spine
to
the second chakra... and rest in this awareness...
Now
imagine that you gently start swimming again.
You
realize that the sea has safely carried you back to the shore
so
your feet find the sand and you start walking out of the water...
Look
back at the sea and feel one with it...
Look
at the orange sun in the sky, and feel cherished by it...
Feel
the earth beneath you, and know that you are safe and secure...
Gradually
bring your awareness back to your breathing...
and
back to your body...
and
when you are ready, open your eyes...
The
Refreshment:
Taste
and the tongue are related to the second energy centre,
so
to help us to come fully out of the meditation,
we
share these oranges, to refresh us...
and
here are some bowls of water, for our sticky fingers!..
Incorporating
the Creativity Chakra:
As we come towards the completion of this session,
let's
summarise what we've done together today:
We've
shared a little of how we were affected by
the first session about our root chakra; we've
reflected on our creativity, identifying some of the symptoms of
imbalance, and the benefits of seeking balance - of
having neither too little nor too much; we've
given thanks for the passions, the playfulness, and
the possibilities within us; we
have begun, with beathing, chants, dancing, and
imaginative meditation, to open our selves to change and renewal.
There
are various things we can do until we meet again, that may serve as reminders and
prompts of the balance we are seeking to achieve, and the creativity that can flourish
from the good soil we're rooted in.
prompts of the balance we are seeking to achieve, and the creativity that can flourish
from the good soil we're rooted in.
First
of all, keep the orange stone or the moon stone, and use it with the
red one
every day as you practice deep breathing and relaxation, and
to focus on the
creative energy that enhances our lives.
Secondly,
there are some yoga poses you may wish to try, and
there's a sheet with
instructions and diagrams on.
instructions and diagrams on.
Thirdly,
you can incorporate the colour orange into every day - maybe
with flowers, or
with what you choose to wear or to eat - oranges, melons, and cinnamon are said to be
good healing foods - and it's good to drink plenty of water.
with what you choose to wear or to eat - oranges, melons, and cinnamon are said to be
good healing foods - and it's good to drink plenty of water.
And
fourthly, next time we meet please bring with you something
original that you've
created since today - it could be something you cook or write or paint or sew or hammer
together - and we'll have a little 'show and tell', not as a competition, but as a chance to
share and enjoy each other's creations.
created since today - it could be something you cook or write or paint or sew or hammer
together - and we'll have a little 'show and tell', not as a competition, but as a chance to
share and enjoy each other's creations.
The
Closing:
We've
already used water to wash off the orange juice, and
water is connected to the second energy centre, so
washing, bathing, showering, paddling, and swimming are all good to
help us relax and to keep our emotions flowing healthily. But
water, of course, can change from a solid to a liquid, and
from a liquid to a vapour... and vice versa! So
as we are now seeking change and growth in our selves, the
replenishing of our creativity, and the better balancing of our
energies, may
this water bless and renew us:
Water
is (gently!) sprinkled on everyone using a sparge. Make sure the
person leading the ceremony is also sprinkled by someone else.
Everyone then says:
May
this water bless and renew our senses
and
our sense of self;
May
we delight in who we are,
who
we may become,
and
in one another!
Three
simple yoga postures which help to open the pelvic region:
- Seated pelvic circles: sitting cross-legged, with hands on knees, make circles with the torso, going round in one direction 5 or 6 times, and then the same in the other direction.
- Butterfly pose with forward fold: in a seated position, bring the bottoms of the feet together, letting the knees drop to the sides and bringing the heels towards the pelvis; lengthen the torso and fold forwards.
- Cobra pose: lie on stomach with feet flat on the floor; place hands under shoulders and slowly lift head, chest and abdomen, while keeping navel on the floor, and pressing down through the pubic bone towards the mat.
