Yemoja Yoga - Sacral Chakra

The second orisha is located at the base of the lumbar spine. In esoteric traditions, it has been referred to as the "sacral" chakra. Yemoja is the seat of sexuality and the entire reproductive system. Yoruba priests, often associate this orisha with the expression of sensual emotion and sex energy. The type and intensity of the energy flowing through this center will determine the degree of emotional and sexual energy in a person's life. The dance movement for this region is a subtle bending of the arms, and upper body.

MODULE TWO: YEMOJA (SACRAL) 

Cultivating Personal Power with the Yemoja (Sacral) Orisha Yoga Postures

Reclined Bound Angle Pose

Descend to the mat on your back. Bring the soles of your feet together and open your knees wide like a book. Feel the shoulders grounding down on the mat. Hands can come to a T motion or to the belly (left hand over right) to physically engage with the breath. Start a body scan. Bring your breath to rhythm and make your inhales at least 3-4 seconds, and each exhale a little longer. Acknowledge the pause between your inhales and exhales. This is called the Rule of Four Breathing. In Kemetic Yoga, this is one of the foundational elements of the practice. Taking your breath in four parts allows you to truly tune in to the importance of your breath, or SHU. In Kemetic Yoga we believe that our breath is the main source of sustenance for life. Not food, not water, but the breath. Continue to indulge. As we lay here, we will set intentions for practice. If you came here today seeking inspiration for intention, I offer you finding your roots. A grounding that you can take off your mat to keep you at ease as you encounter the outside world. Let’s seal our intention with a unified breath. Inhale, feel your belly rise and find the pause. Open mouth exhale- allow the belly to deflate. Pause here.  As we flow, remember to tune into the four parts of your breath. SHU. Take three rounds of this posture. Each round lift higher and engage your belly toward the spine.

Spider Variations 

Start to bring subtle movement to your body. Come into a long morning stretch. Raise your arms above you. Bend your knees and plant the feet flat on the floor, pull your heels so close to the sits bones that you could tickle them with your fingertips. Bring your arms downward toward the feet. Inhale to spider pose variation one. Lift your belly in the air. Activate the muscles in your low back and squeeze your glutes to lift higher. Pause and breathe. Opportunity to tuck your shoulders even more by interlacing the hands underneath your sits bones in a bind. Take three more breaths in this posture. Then bring your sit bones down to the ground. Soles of your feet touch and open your knees like a book. Put one hand on your belly and one hand on your heart. Breathe here. Remind yourself of the rule of four breathing, and visualize an orange light. We will take five grounding breaths in this position. Allow gravity to pull your sacrum closer to the center of the earth and feel the creation connection.
Bring your knees together and close them like a book. Thighs come to your chest, then start to rock right and left to find some release in your low back. Rock forward and use your momentum to come up to a seat.

Locust Prep on the Right 

Come to lie flat on the belly. Bring your palms face down and slide them underneath your thighs. Mouth and chin down on the mat. Lift your right foot off the mat. Keep the left leg grounded. Find the traction here. Hands press down, mouth and chin stay down or can be slightly elevated. Activate your right glute. Activate the adductors or inner thighs toward each other. Lift one inch higher and engage. Take the posture for three to five breaths and then lower it to the mat. Bring your left ear to the mat and gaze to the right. Relax the arms by your sides for 3-5 breaths.

Locust Prep on the Left 

Lie flat on the belly. Bring the palms face down underneath your thighs. Press into the mat. Mouth and chin down on the mat. Lift your left foot off the mat. Keep the right leg grounded. Press the Sacral Energy down toward the Earth. Hands press down, mouth and chin stay down, or are slightly elevated. Activate your left glute. Activate the adductors or inner thighs toward each other. Lift one inch higher and engage. Take the posture for three to five breaths and then lower the left leg to the mat. Bring your right ear to the mat and gaze to the left. Relax your arms by the sides for 3-5 breaths.

Bound Locust 

Lie flat on the belly. Mouth and chin down on the mat. Bring the hands behind the back and interlace the hands. Lift the hands (interlaced) toward the ceiling and both feet off the mat. Activate the adductors (or inner thighs) toward each other as you strive to lift higher on the inhales. Lift even a centimeter higher and engage. Take the posture for three to five breaths and then lower everything to the mat.

Standing Wide Forward Bend

Come to a standing position with legs open wide, more that hips width distance apart. Bring your arms to a T position and lift your chin and chest to the ceiling as you inhale. On the exhalation take the chest forward and dive the crown of the head toward the mat. Bending and engaging Sacral Energy on the extension. Grab for your left leg, right leg, alternate and breathe. The inhale elongates the spine, exhale deepens the stretch. Take 3-5 breaths in the posture. Bring your arms to a T position and rise on the inhale to standing with a flat back. 

Where is the energy going? How does it feel? Where can you consciously direct it?  Visualize the color orange.

Learn more about Yemoja:

Located in the reproductive/pelvic area
Sacred Healing Sound: VAM
Keynote: D
Vowel Sound: Ooh
Sound Frequency: 210.42 Hz / 384 / Hz 417 Hz
Nature Sound: Water/Ocean

Located in the reproductive/pelvic area

Sacred Healing Sound: VAM

Keynote: D

Vowel Sound: Ooh

Sound Frequency: 210.42 Hz / 384 / Hz 417 Hz

Nature Sound: Water/Ocean

More Yoga Poses for Yemoja (Sacral Chakra)

Dancer's Pose

Child's Pose 

Cobra Pose 

Sphinx Pose