Originally published in the Summer + Fall 2017 issue.
Of our seven main energy centers, or Chakras, the sacral chakra is said to house our impetus to sense and explore the world around us. It is home to our creativity, physical and emotional sensation and movement, among other things.
With water as its identifying element, the sacral chakra governs our ability to “let go” and “go with the flow.” Awakening the sacral chakra allows us to tap into the excitement of the natural flow of life.
So, how do we awaken said magical temple of awesomeness? It’s quite simple, actually. Move your body in any way. Going on a hike in the mountains or practicing yoga both do their part to unleash the power of the sacral chakra. They put us in touch with the sensation of our bodies in action.
I recently sat down with a friend and movement specialist, Morgan Flahive-Foro to dive deeper into the dynamics of the body in motion. Morgan is a dance teacher and yoga teacher; she is the assistant artistic director at Vail Valley Academy of Dance where she also co-directs The Vail Youth Ballet Company.
Morgan described her recent Improvisational Dance workshop as “A process of saying hello to yourself; of meeting your authentic self through movement, rhythm, and full body vulnerability.”
I attended the workshop, and we were encouraged to simply “let go” and allow the music to move through our bodies in any way that felt authentic to each of us. As a former competitive gymnast and die-hard power yogi, my breath shallowed upon a request to “just move” to the music filling the room. Uncalculated movement felt foreign and honestly a bit terrifying. Despite feelings of vulnerability, I was able to approach the experience with a childlike curiosity. I really allowed myself to have fun with it.
Each movement unraveled layers upon layers of stuck energy as my body softened into its unique expression. Within two hours, movement had created a powerful shift in both my body and mind. It not only changed the way I perceive the way my body moves but also gave me access to deeply rooted authenticity. I found clarity and inspiration where I had previously felt fearful, confused and stuck.
Morgan shared with me her “Rules for Improvisational Dance.” These rules are not only the foundation of sustaining an awakened sacral chakra, but can be applied to any and all aspects of an awakened life.
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Say, “Yes!”… To yourself, to what other people give to you. Welcome what is arising in your experience.
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Don’t try to see yourself. Let go of any idea of what you look and focus on how you feel. As dancers, we have a saying, “you can’t be the art and the audience at the same time.”
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Have FUN!
Unobstructed movement leads us straight into “the flow” of life, or in this case, our bodies.
“Improvisational dance forces a person to let go,” Morgan shared. “There is no time for thinking, observing, questioning.”
It felt liberating to let go of black and white thinking where right and wrong, good and bad do not exist. To embrace the humanness of primal movement is to access a deep level of creativity that is unique to each of us.
To embrace the humanness of primal movement is to access a deep level of creativity that is unique to each of us.
An awakened sacral chakra is expressed as the freedom to create through movement from the inside-out; it is to connect deeply with the authenticity of free-flowing creativity. Exploring the way your body moves is an undeniable portal to this beautiful experience.
Mary Gavin is an experience-junkie creative type, a world-traveler, yoga teacher and Reiki healer. Her passion for healing has led her down various paths of inquiry and exploration. She naturally gravitates toward subtle body energetics and the undeniable relationship between the mind, body and spirit. She aspires to be as “Zen” as her dog, Sammie, someday and hopes to inspire the world by sharing bits of her soul through writing.
