Lizards have been on earth for more than two hundred million years. They are cold-blooded and tend to be active during the day because they rely on the sun for warmth. Some lizard species have developed a defense mechanism called autotomy, in which they can drop their tail if they feel threatened. One fun thing about lizards is that they are born with a natural third eye at the top of their heads called a parietal eye, which senses light.
Key Attributes
Conservation of energy, paying attention to one’s dreams, intuition, ability to cut your losses and leave the past behind, and psychic perception.
Chakra Interpretations
Root
Lizards are solitary creatures and do not require the company of others, except for the desert night lizard, which lives in a family group. Most likely, you are pretty private and rarely feel the need to socialize. When you do, it is with just a few people or family members. There is a part of the human brain responsible for our most primal survival instincts, our fight-or-flight reactions, often called our lizard brain. If you are dealing with a hazardous situation or a great deal of stress, it may be time to take a break or reach out for help, instead of fighting as a first reaction. Or, as mentioned above, some lizards can separate their tails, so it may be time to cut your losses and run.
Sacral
Nearly all lizards are solitary creatures that only come together to reproduce. For reproduction to occur, as with most living beings on the planet, most lizards still require a male and a female. However, there are a few species of lizard capable of asexual reproduction. It could be that sex doesn’t matter to you very much, but you would like to have a child. If you are a woman and you don’t want to be in a permanent relationship, modern science may be able to help you conceive through in vitro fertilization. If you are a man, you may be able to have a child the same way; you just need to find a woman willing to carry your child to term. Another aspect of the lizard, not related to sex but still related to pleasure, says you might love and need to spend time in the sun. If you suffer from seasonal depression due to lack of sunlight, get yourself a full spectrum lamp and spend time near it during the day.
Solar Plexus
Chameleons can change color, and they do this not only as a form of communication but also for camouflage. It may be that you feel like you need to change so you fit in or so you can hide. It could also be that you haven’t yet decided who you are or who you want to be. This aspect of lizard will help you as you try on different identities until you find the one that fits for you. Just make sure it is who you want to be and not the identity someone else is demanding you assume. As mentioned above, some lizards can detach their tails if a predator catches them. Lizard energy could be asking you if it is time to walk away from old patterns, habits, or self-images that are threatening your ability to follow your dreams.
Heart
Most lizards are solitary creatures. However, one species, the shingleback skink, is thought to stay with the same partner long-term. Most likely, you are perfectly fine being a solitary person, but try to remember not to pass up a potential opportunity if you do find that rare partner. Your partner may be equally introverted, and the two of you may be able to find a beautiful balance between solitude and partnership. Another aspect in this chakra is a reminder that even if you have endured a great deal of tragedy and your heart has suffered as a result, the power of regeneration and renewal is within you.
Throat
Like a snake, a lizard sticks out its tongue to smell the air. You prefer to take in information about a situation before you speak. The chameleon aspect of the lizard could be asking if you have a habit of changing what you want to say to be safe or to feel like you fit in. Remember that sometimes it is okay to stand out and speak your truth. Male lizards perform a push-up or head-bobbing action as a form of communication with other males. Whereas many species use sound or bodily fluids to claim their territory, it is thought this action serves the same purpose. It is also a display of prowess and strength, much like showing off at the gym. The lizard in this chakra could mean that you aren’t comfortable speaking; you prefer to let your actions speak for themselves.
Third Eye
As mentioned earlier, many lizards have a third eye on the top of their heads. This third eye doesn’t see images but is sensitive to light and dark. It is possible that you were born with this chakra open. If this is the case, hopefully you had support as a child to understand what was happening to you. If not and you were taught or forced to ignore it, know that you can reopen this eye at any time. You were gifted with this for a reason, and it isn’t something to fear. Finally, chameleons can move their eyes independently, which means they can look in two different directions at the same time. Not only are you able to see the world in a spectrum different from most people, but you can see multiple situations simultaneously.
Crown
In some traditions, the lizard is a symbol of the dreamer and visionary. When we dream, our minds download information and perceptions that we may not be conscious of in our waking life in symbolic ways. If you have trouble remembering your dreams, one way to get better at it is to keep a dream journal or just a notepad next to your bed. When you wake up, write down the first few words that pop into your head so that later when you have time for quiet meditation, those trigger words can help you with recall.