Swadhisthana ( 'One's own abode' ) is the second primary chakra according to the Hindu Tantric tradition (Shakta).

Description

Swadhisthana is positioned near the genital region and it has six petals which match the vrittis of affection, pitilessness, feeling of all-destructiveness, delusion, disdain and suspicion.

Swadhisthana is associated with the unconscious, and with emotion. It is closely related to Muladhara in that Swadhisthana is where the different samskaras ( potential karmas ), lie dormant, and muladhara is where these samskaras find expression. Swadhisthana contains unconscious desires, especially sexual desire, and it is said that to raise the kundalini ( energy of consciousness ) above Swadhisthana is extremely difficult for this reason. Many saints have had to face the temptations associated with this chakra.

It is associated with the deities Varuna, Vishnu, Rakini, and the element Water.

Practices

Practices in kundalini yoga for controlling and balancing the

Other Associations

Due to it's relation with sexuality, Swadhisthana is often associated with the testes or ovaries in men and women, as a part of the endocrine system. These produce the different sex-hormones, testosterone or estrogen, that control sexual behaviour. These locations are also the place where the spermatoza or egg are stored, with latent but dormant genetic information, like the latent samskaras that lie dormant within Swadhisthana.

Western occultists make the kabbalistic association of Swadhisthana with the Sephirah Yesod. Yesod is also associated with the sexual organs. It's purpose in the tree of life is to gather the different energies that have been created in the descent down the tree, and to distribute them to Malkuth, the material world, where the energy can find physical expression.

Alternative names

• Tantra: Adhishthana, Bhima, Shatpatra, Skaddala Padma, Swadhishthana, Wari Chakra
• Vedas (late Upanishads): Medhra, Swadhishthana
• Puranic: Swadhishthana

See also

• Chakra