“I was an empath in the womb. Oh- I was absorbing my mom’s emotions.” It was beautiful to witness this epiphany she had. Beautiful because now those layers of holding others' weight were shedding. Now she could sift out what was hers and what didn’t belong; what was buried like a weight she didn’t realize she was carrying. Now her dreams had lightness.

As a holistic therapist it has been amazing for me to witness the transformation in this woman and many others. Most of my clients are empaths. Empaths are one of the rarest and most important healers of the world’s wounds.

Empaths & the Sacral Chakra

If you’re an empath, you are naturally a good listener with a giving nature. You use your intuition to filter information. Your intuition may come in as a feeling, knowing, vision, or as words. Intuition comes through the chakra centers in the body.

A chakra is an energy center in the body and in Sanskrit, chakra means disk or wheel. Your sacral chakra is located two inches below the belly button. It is the center of emotional stability and is associated with creativity, sexuality, relationships, and passion.

When your sacral chakra is balanced your emotions will be stable, you’ll be clear on exactly what you want, and relationships will bring you joy. When the sacral chakra is blocked and under active, relationships will be rocky, libido is low, emotions will be “all over the place,” and you will struggle with focus.

Intuition from the sacral chakra will come in as a feeling. The sacral chakra is where we connect emotionally in relationships. For empaths, this is the area where we can absorb the emotions of others.

How does the Sacral Chakra become blocked?

If not processed, emotions like fear, guilt, anger, or shame can become stuck and cause a blocked sacral chakra. The sacral chakra can even close completely as a protective mechanism. These emotions can be our own or absorbed from others.

Experiencing sexual trauma or violence can cause unconscious emotions like fear, guilt, or shame to create blockages in the sacral chakra. When a parent or grandparent experiences sexual trauma, this can also affect the sacral chakra of children and grandchildren. Our pelvic bowl holds a memory of everything it has experienced. Guilt from unconsciously believing that a trauma was somehow our fault is very common.

How I Know Empaths Have Blocked Sacral Chakras

After experiencing sexual trauma myself and dealing with intense cramps and pelvic pain, I was determined to heal on every level- emotionally, physically, and energetically. I began to notice my own sacral chakra was blocked. I did my own work with a reiki healer and root cause therapist, and as my tears flowed I was able to release all that unconscious fear and shame that had gotten stuck in my pelvis.

My own healing journey inspired me to help others. At first, I only worked with those trying to find relief from endometriosis and pelvic pain. One of my intake questions was, “When you envision your sacral chakra/pelvis, what comes up and what do you see?” Over and over, people’s answers showed me that this area was in need of some serious attention! Answers ranged from, “I don’t see anything” to “a black hole, pain” to “I feel numb there.”

When I became a reiki healer, I learned what an empath was and realized I was one. Finally I found a community of other empaths who, like me, couldn’t stand loud sounds and hid in the bathroom at parties. I also seemed to attract clients who were empaths.

In my work as a holistic therapist specializing in empath support, almost all clients brought up sexual trauma as something that had negatively impacted them. Once they knew it was a safe and supportive space to talk about it, most cried. As I scanned the energy field of my empath clients, the sacral chakra came up again and again as needing clearing and flow.

How to Read Your Sacral Chakra

Tune into the area a few inches below your belly button. Put your hands over this area and notice what emotions or sensations come up. Ask your higher self, “Am I holding anything that is not mine?” A sacral chakra healing ritual would be wondeful to do next.

I love these affirmations from Ariel Gore’s book Hexing the Patriarchy written by Poplar Rose because they are perfect for activating the sacral chakra to embrace your unique gifts:

“Your heart is your own.
It’s ok to be broken.
Your messiness is sacred.
Your emotional labor is magic.
Your tears are setting you free.
You deserve to be loved: with caring actions and sweet words."