Chakra 3: The Solar Plexus (Manipura)
The third chakra of the chakra system is the solar plexus located just above the sacral chakra and bellow the heart chakra. It's Sanskrit name "Manipura" means, "city of jewels" which coincides with this chakras function of governing our "identity consciousness" our "I" or "I consciousness". In modern spirituality this can be defined as the "ego" which can be both positive or negative (depending on the health or balance of this centre). Our personal identity is just like a city of jewels. It can represent many different facets of how we identify ourselves throughout our life and how we express our own identity into the world. The solar plexus is our centre for independent ego development!
Together we will explore:
A few facts about the Solar Plexus Chakra
Common imbalances in the Solar Plexus Chakra
Tips on how to bring more balance to this energy centre
Subscribe to my mailing list and receive a FREE Solar Plexus Chakra Cellphone Wallpaper. These wallpapers can be used for meditations designed to help you harness the energy of each inner body chakra.
Facts about the Solar Plexus Chakra
The Solar Plexus Chakra is centerer at the T12/L1 spinal vertebra and is situated around the upper abdomen, diaphragm and lower chest. It is also associated with the adrenal glands which help to govern our stress response. Whenever you get a strong feeling in your "upper gut", such as the flutter of "butterflies" in your stomach, it is often your solar plexus activating and speaking to you. This is not to be confused with sacral chakra energy which is in the lower part of the gut which, when activated, can also provide us with "gut feelings" but those ones will be focused on sensing the world around us (as well as other people) as it is more empathic in nature. The solar plexus is different as it governs our own independent "mental ego".
This chakra focuses primarily on our feelings of individuality. Solar Plexus consciousness is in high gear during our adolescence and young adulthood. This explains why it is at this stage of life where a person will begin to think more independently and perhaps differently than the people in their surroundings up until that point. Teens and young adults in this stage of development are often going to begin pushing the boundaries of how they view the world and how they see themselves fit in it. This can cause frictions in close relationships as they begin to either reject or accept what has been modelled to them from parents, family, educators, friends etc. If someone has been brought up in a healthy environment they will be proud of their individual convictions, and balance in accepting that others may have different views (without feeling the need to dominate others or force individuals to conform to their world views).
The Solar Plexus centre helps to move psychic energy around in the body and is our centre for psychic protection. No psychic energy moves around the body without moving through the solar plexus. This energy centre is also responsible for our individual feelings towards our "right to act". Feelings of power or powerlessness will be discerned from this centre. When you are confident in yourself, your solar plexus chakra will radiate outwards like rays of sun. This is why we can see someone without even speaking to them and be blown away by how they glow! This is the power of inner radiance and the solar plexus!
Common imbalances of the Solar Plexus Chakra
Excess weight
Inability to digest food
Inability to digest emotional/mental circumstances
Bloating
Delaying life changes
Inability to stand in your own "positive ego" or stand in your identity
Being easily dominated in relationships
Seeking validation
Procrastination
Uncertainty about who you are which translates into uncertainty in other areas of life
Pot belly
Dominating over others
Being too driven for your personal success at the expense of others well-being
Poor metabolism
Needing someone to hold your hand when it comes to making decisions in life (even mundane decisions like what movie you want to watch)
Being spiritually obsessed
Could you have an unbalanced Solar Plexus Chakra?
Answer the following questions to help you evaluate the health of your Solar Plexus Chakra. These questions can help you to determine potential imbalances in your solar plexus chakra which we can address next.
Do you have the energy needed to go out and do the things you want to do in your life?
Do you struggle with any digestive issues or gut ailments?
Do people view you as being dependable?
Are you a confident person?
Do you ever find yourself being dominated in certain friendships, social groups or even romantic relationships?
Do you find yourself often getting into heated discussions with individuals who disagree with you or don't share your same opinions?
Tips on bringing balance to the Solar Plexus Chakra
Colours: Yellow is the colour of the Solar Plexus! Visualizing a sunshine yellow orb expanding in your solar plexus area can help you to really tap into your solar plexus energy. An easy way to do this is to work with your FREE Solar Plexus Chakra Wallpaper when you subscribe to my mailing list. You can also try wearing yellow shirts or painting certain parts of your home in yellow hue to help elevate the energy in your home.
Crystals: The best crystals to work with when bringing balance to your solar plexus are:
Citrine
Pyrite
Yellow Jasper
Yellow Topaz
Lemon Quartz
Food: Since poor digestion is a primary indication of solar plexus misalignment, consider adding more soluble fire rich foods into your diet. It will also be important to diagnose any food aversions, allergies or intolerances. Enjoying foods in the yellow colour range can also help to stimulate this sunshine energy within you! Consider enjoying a cup of warm lemon water first thing in the morning. This citrus drink will not only help to uplift your spirit & mood, but, it will also be a great tool to aid with your digestion when it is consumed 30 minutes before meals. Yellow foods to try include: passion fruit, pineapple, golden beets, yellow watermelon, golden kiwis, bananas, yellow zucchinis, durian, ginger, potatoes and star fruit. All these options are busting with flavour and many of them can also help contribute to smoother digestion. Give it a try and let me know how it goes!
Herbs: Herbal medicines are helpful in bringing balance to body ailments on a physical, spiritual and mental level. Try the following to help with solar plexus imbalances.
Ginger
Lemon
Mint
Lemon Balm (help to calm an over active solar plexus on an emotions/spiritual level)
Dandelion
Marshmallow
Slippery Elm
WARNING: Be mindful and check with your doctor before you try any herbal medicine if you are pregnant, breastfeeding, or if you are on any other pharmaceutical medicines!
Sound: Singing bowls are a fun way to explore your solar plexus chakra energy. Try this guided sound bath on YouTubeHERE.
Singing: Chanting the solar plexus mantra "RAM" will help to resonate the energies of your solar plexus. Place your hands above your diaphragm, take a breath in and bring it into your belly. You will feel your diaphragm push into your hands. Hold this push out with the belly and sing RAAA-AAMMM on the exhale. Notice the strength in your voice when you are singing from your Solar Plexus and engaging your diaphragm!
Essential Oils: My favourite essencial oils to open and engage this chakra are:
Lemon
Lemon Grass
Fennel
Bergamot
Cedar wood
Mindfulness: As we've discovered, the solar plexus can demonstrate imbalances on two extremes. These extremes are: being overly indulgent in the self (ego centric) or having a lack of solar plexus energy which is indicated in a persons lack of self-esteem or self authority.
If you have a lack of solar plexus energy, consider working on closing the loop on activities and projects if you tend to be a procrastinator. Setting yourself a daily structure or rhythm (as taught by Rudolf Steiner) can help you stay on top of projects and complete them in a timely manner. If that doesn't work, consider working with an accountability coach who can help keep you on track until you build the inner functions to do so yourself. Another activity for anyone with a lack of solar plexus energy is to encourage re-writing your lifestory from a "inner champion" perspective. List out your life story, the obstacles you've faced, the experiences you've had, the success stories you've achieved and position yourself in all circumstances as a champion! Working on building your inner champion can help change any "victim perspectives" into life lessons and inner champion perspectives. As a result, you build your self confidence and self identity.
For anyone who identifies with too much solar plexus energy, consider trying out Karma yoga, volunteer work or meditating to help calm down this fiery centre. Focusing on how we can use our Solar plexus radiance in a way to help others can also help to balance this energy centre by bringing the energy up into the heart.
Yoga: Physical movements that encourage energy in the solar plexus region can be a great tool to help balance the energies of this chakra. Think of building a strong yet supple core. When we think of the core it's important that we not only focus on building strong "abs" but rather, we want to look at the whole "trunk" of our core. This means working towards building lower back strength, deep core muscles, a strong & proud posture, an ability to balance on the hands, head and feet, and smooth transitions between standing asanas and lower asanas. Listed bellow are a few yoga poses you can try to help stimulate your Solar Plexus Chakra:
Bow pose
Boat pose
Warrior 3
Tree pose
Crow pose
Any inversions
If you'd like to explore your Solar Plexus Chakra through yoga, consider joining Yoga On DEMAND where I teach a series of yoga classes designed for each specific chakra! The photos bellow showcase the classes available for your Solar Plexus Chakra! Join HERE.
I hope you have found this article inspiring and insightful! If you have any questions or success stories regarding your solar plexus, please share them in the comment section bellow. This can be encouraging wisdom for others along their spiritual journey!
Love & Light to you All.
Renelle B
Comments