The oxford dictionary defines nourishment as “the food or other substances necessary for growth, health, and good condition.” Have you given much thought as to what aids you to personally grow and be in good health? Truth be told, it is far too easy to live day to day on autopilot, without giving this question much thought.
As human beings, the energetic seat of our self-nourishment resides in the sacral chakra. Translated as “one’s own dwelling place” in Sanskrit, the Svadhisthana chakra is our own source of inner-nourishment in the body.
The sacral chakra is located in the pelvic area, about four fingers below the navel. It governs the bladder, kidneys, circulatory and reproductive organs. This chakra is associated with the water element and represents the qualities of receptivity and fluidity. It rules creativity, relationships, play, pleasure and emotional awareness.
When balanced, we “go with the flow” of life’s cycles and seasons smoothly and easily. When out of balance, we may experience loneliness, feelings of abandonment, poor boundaries and an inability to find pleasure and nourishment in our relationships.
What nourishes one person will be different from what nourishes another. I encourage you to think of self-nourishment in the context of feeding yourself physically, emotionally, mentally and spiritually. You might think about which area you feel lacking in support and focus there for a week or two.
Tips for nourishing all of you:
Physically: Eat whole foods, get some exercise most days of the week, and go to bed on time.
Emotionally: Give yourself permission to feel all your feelings. You don’t have to wallow in them, but recognize every emotion is there for a reason and has something to teach us.
Mentally: Practice mindful eating and/or breathing. Give yourself a social media break once a week. Limit the amount of news you take in daily.
Spiritually: Pray, meditate, read spiritual books, spend time in nature.
Don’t forget to play! Play actually feeds all aspects of self. It can be challenging to take the time to play as adults, but the rewards are well worth it. Give yourself permission to put something fun on your to-do list.
By giving attention to nourishing all aspects of yourself, you will experience the fluidity, equanimity and serenity of the sacral chakra.