The Sacral Space

When we say ‘cranio-sacral’, a literal definition would be referring to the head or the skull ‘cranio’ and the base of the spine or the sacrum ‘sacral’. Cranio-Sacral Therapy focuses on all the bits in between and around, including the limbs, the organs, the nervous system, etc. The sacrum lies at the base of the spine and is made up of five vertebrae that are fused by adulthood. It provides support to the spine and strength and stability to the pelvis and therefore helps to anchor us when we are seated, and is vital to our posture and the way in which we walk and explore the world around us.

Sacrum comes from the Latin “holy bone”, named by the Romans after the Greek term “hieron osteon”, also meaning holy bone or temple. Although the exact reason for this is unknown, some have attributed it to the idea of resurrection and the Kemetian God of the Underworld, Osiris. The sacrum may also be regarded as sacral or sacred because it houses the male and female sexual organs, also considered to be sacred or to be revered.

Within the sacrum is an intricate and delicate network of nerve fibres that supply the pelvis and the back of the leg, called the sacral plexus. One of the major nerves of this plexus is the sciatic nerve which due to injury, inflammation or several other reasons, may lead to the condition sciatica, marked by intense pain in the lower back and backs of the legs. The sacral plexus is intimately connected to the lumbar plexus above and the pudendal plexus below to form the lumbosacral plexus. Because of its relation to the other plexuses, a cranio-sacral contact with the sacrum may enable us to connect with the first and second chakras – the root chakra and the sacral chakra.

The first or the tribal chakra grounds us. It is our connection to our family and the early development of our sense of identity, emotional and mental health. If you’ve ever stood in a stadium with thousands of people chanting for their team or favourite singer, you will know the euphoria of the tribal energy. As well as positive experiences, the tribal energy can give rise to negative experiences or leave us susceptible to epidemics or chronic illnesses. Conditions such as hypertension, stroke, fibroids and polycystic ovarian syndrome are prevalent in people of African descent, in some cases with no known cause. It is no surprise that children will quickly absorb the energy of the tribe as they develop, and conditions normally associated with adults are being seen more often in children. A study conducted by the University of West Indies found that of the 573 Barbadian children aged 9-10 years old, 12% had elevated blood pressure readings and one third were overweight or obese. These conditions are a reflection of the energy of the tribe – their socio-economic or political experiences. They are not genetic or hereditary but energetic and may only be healed through a collective tribal event or collective consciousness.

The second or sacral chakra governs the reproductive organs, the control of water throughout the body and is associated with our need to build, maintain and to a degree, control relationships and the world around us. The inability of water to flow properly throughout the body may result in reproductive conditions, rheumatism and swollen ankles. The sacral chakra teaches us that we cannot control everything in our lives and that we sometimes must, dare I say it, go with the flow. This means, as well as releasing control, we also allow things to come into our lives such as happiness, love, support and abundance.

The sacrum arguably deserves its name. As a practitioner when we connect with this bone, and it rests in our hand, we are connecting to the individual’s sense of identity, their beliefs, feelings of belonging, their womanhood, manhood. Often when treating women, and on occasion with some men, there is a powerful and palpable pulse that emerges from the sacrum which is and will continue to be one of my greatest privileges to experience.

Cross. J R (2008) Acupuncture and the Chakra Energy System: Treating the Cause of Disease
Gaskin, P et al. (2015) Associations of Blood Pressure with Body Composition among Afro-Caribbean Children in Barbados
Harding, J (2018) Secrets of Chakras
Myss, Caroline (1996) Anatomy of the Spirit
Ojuma, N and Loukas, M (2018) The Intriguing History of the Term Sacrum