In this chakra, your strength and your self-confidence are manifested. The original Sanskrit name for the Solar Plexus chakra is Manipura, and its mantra is “RAM.” It is the third energy center of the body, and it means “lustrous gem.”
One must overcome the negative sides of Svadhishthana (also known as the Sacral chakra), once our consciousness has reached the Manipura Chakra. The position of the Solar Plexus chakra is best described as “four fingers above the navel.”
The Manipura Chakra is the center of vitality. It directs our energy stability to consolidate and build up our health. This chakra has the effect of a magnet that draws the prana (or breath, considered a life-giving force), out of the cosmos.
“Think of this chakra as your body’s source of energy,” says Stephanie Snyder, a San Francisco-based yoga teacher. This energy center is connected to your self-esteem, purpose, governs manifestations, creativity, personal identity, and individual will. The Manipura chakra also controls digestion and metabolism.
When the consciousness moves freely in this center, the transformative energy strengthens you. When you feel confident, have a strong sense of purpose, and are motivated, your third chakra is open and healthy. When you have a chakra imbalance, you may have low self-esteem, difficulty making decisions, and anger or control problems. This means that your Solar Plexus chakra is blocked and therefore unable to reach its full potential.
In the symbolic image of the Manipura Chakra, there is a lotus with ten petals. They represent the ten pranas, the life forces that control and nourish all human body functions. Another symbol of Manipura is a triangle pointing downwards. It shows the diffusion of energy, growth, and development. The activation of the Manipura Chakra releases negative energies and cleanses and strengthens vitality.
The deities of this chakra are Vishnu and Lakshmi. Lord Vishnu is a symbol of the evolution of human consciousness that no longer contains animal properties. Goddess Lakshmi represents material and spiritual prosperity, which flourishes with God’s blessing.
THE PROPERTIES OF SOLAR CHAKRA
The Energy of the Color Yellow
Yellow is the color associated with the third of the seven chakras, the Manipura chakra (Solar Plexus chakra).
This color symbolizes energy, intellect, and also a person’s connection with fire and the sun.
The color yellow also means youthfulness, new beginnings, birth, and rebirth. Yellow connects us with knowledge and intellect. People who are attracted to the color yellow are interested in intellectual pursuits.
The Fire Element
The related element of the Manipura chakra is fire. It is also known as solar energy. The fire element ignites the light of consciousness that inspires us to endeavor for good health and success. Although spending too much time in the third chakra can get you exhausted. However, if it doesn’t develop, the person can feel weak, anxious, and lazy.
Emotions of happiness and love that we feel in our hearts originate in the Solar Plexus chakra and spread from there to the heart chakra.
The Solar Plexus chakras fire energy is vital because it helps digestion and promotes the efficient absorption of nutrients.
Strong Impulse
If you have clear goals, desires, and intentions, you can easily propel yourself to achieve them, especially with knowledge about manifesting. Every small step you take while respecting the higher intention helps strengthen your third chakra. The inner fire, called Agni in Sanskrit, is the same inner fire as the Ayurvedic Dosha Pitta. A person with a strong pitta has this internal drive to push them forward to their goals.
Want to see what your Ayurvedic body type is? Just take this test! It only takes four minutes to find out.
Assertiveness And Intuition
Regardless of the type of dominant dosha you possess, you can use the power of Manipura to get your will done in a healthy way and achieve whatever goals you have set for yourself. If you find yourself at a decision or a crossroads and you are unsure which path to take, watch for the sensation you get in your Solar Plexus for guidance. Which choice makes you feel something in that area? It could also be considered your instinct talking to you.
WHY SHOULD YOU ALIGN YOUR SOLAR PLEXUS CHAKRA?
When the Manipura chakra is in healthy alignment, you will be comfortable with your own inherent power and will feel empowered. You have an idea of who you are and why you are here.
By connecting with your purpose, you will gain a deeper understanding of how you, as an individual, can contribute to the collective in beneficial ways. You will give up on the things you trust to define who you are, whether your job or your bank account. These things can have value, but overestimating anything that can change is a quick road to suffering. They have an inherent value; Take the time to investigate it through practice and you will be less dependent on outside sources for happiness.
Working to align the Manipura chakra allows the trapped energy to move more freely through the body, creating a greater sense of purpose and a better understanding of your personal identity. You may find yourself clearly articulating your needs and desires and finding relief from digestive problems and mental blocks.
WHAT ARE THE SIGNS OF AN OVERACTIVE SOLAR PLEXUS CHAKRA?
When the Solar Plexus chakra is “overactive,” arrogance and aggression can occur.
We can feel arrogant, and our overdeveloped self-esteem shows up in everything we say and do. You could say our sun has chosen to shine elsewhere!
WHAT ARE THE SIGNS OF AN UNDERACTIVE SOLAR PLEXUS CHAKRA?
When the Solar Plexus chakra is not active, we become anxious and tense, insecure and mentally weak. Stress has the upper hand, and we lack energy, cannot think clearly, and we feel powerless. A person who is very passive in their life usually has an underactive Manipura chakra.
WHAT ARE THE SIGNS OF A BLOCKED SOLAR PLEXUS CHAKRA?
Physical Signs
Digestive problems can arise when the Solar Plexus chakra is misaligned. This misalignment can manifest itself in the physical body in a number of ways, including:
❖ Insufficient nutrient processing
❖ Constipation
❖ Irritable bowel syndrome
❖ Eating disorders
❖ Ulcers
❖ Diabetes
❖ Problems with the pancreas
❖ Liver disease
❖ Colon disease
Mental Signs
When working with the Manipura chakra, cultivate the desire to better understand power, individuality, and identification.
Are there areas in your life where you feel you have low power? How is that expressed? When the Manipura chakra is blocked, you can experience the following:
❖ Difficulty expressing yourself skillfully
❖ Aggressive, overly rigid, or controlling behavior
❖ A victims mindset
❖ Neediness
❖ Quick to anger
❖ Lack of orientation
❖ Fearful or discouraged
❖ Low self-esteem
❖ Feelings of stagnation or laziness
HOW DO YOU UNBLOCK THE SOLAR PLEXUS CHAKRA?
Great question! When the Manipura chakra is in a healthy alignment, it removes uncertainty. It leads to realizing inherent power and feeling empowered. The connection with a strong purpose in life enables a deeper understanding of the individual contributions to success. It brings
prosperity to your private and professional life. Letting go of negative things becomes easier as dependency on others is reduced. There is a marked improvement in the perception of self-worth instead of focusing on material things. This positive transformation is achieved through constant practice of examining and identifying symptoms of a blockage. A balanced Solar Plexus chakra enables us to plan effectively and be successful.
Cleansing and opening this chakra can make a person a better guide and create an inspiring life.
Lifestyle changes to help you open this chakra are:
Essential Oils
You are probably familiar with essential oils and aromatherapy. Some readers may even be aware of the medicinal benefits of essential oils. Still, I’ll bet few have heard of vibratory aromatherapy.
At its core, vibration aromatherapy is about working with energy on vibration (or energy). Essential oils deliver high-frequency vibrations that can help to loosen low-frequency vibrations or blockages. Essential oils also have energetic properties that can alleviate (or worsen) problems that need healing or restoration.
Determining the ideal oils for the third chakra depends on the essential oils that direct the yin or yang energies. In other words, it depends on whether you need oils that warm, stimulate, and ignite (Yang) or cool, calm, and relax (Yin).
Essential oils with a special affinity for the Solar Plexus chakra include yin-friendly cooling oils such as:
❖ Vetiver
❖ Cedar
❖ Mint
❖ Cypress
❖ Grapefruit.
The oils that warm the yang include:
❖ Cinnamon
❖ Cloves
❖ Ginger
❖ Lemongrass
❖ Bergamot
❖ Black pepper.
They all work well unless you’re pregnant….see why here!
Repeat Positive Affirmations About Personal Power
By repeating affirmations out loud, in our head, or writing them down, we help reverse negative thought patterns and replace them with constructive thought patterns.
If you’re having negative thoughts (which come to all of us naturally), retrain your brain to be positive by repeating the following affirmations:
❖ “When faced with new challenges, I feel calm, confident, and powerful”
❖ “I have the motivation to pursue my goals”
❖ “I am ambitious and capable”
❖ “I forgive myself for past mistakes, and I learn from them”
❖ “The only thing I have to control is how I react to situations”
❖ “I am authentic”
❖ “I am at peace with myself”
❖ “I remain in my personal power”
Practice Yoga And Meditation Postures
Practicing yoga poses with mindful breathing helps relieve the Solar Plexus’ physical, mental, and emotional tensions. The warrior pose I, II, and III align the third chakra and builds confidence. Sun Salutation warms the body and connects with the fiery energy of the sun.
The boat pose is another perfect pose for strengthening the abdomen, instilling a sense of personal empowerment, and balancing digestion.
It always helps if you are experienced in meditation, but don’t worry if you aren’t. For starters, it is quite simple to learn, whether you choose yoga or meditation. Here are some steps you can try:
❖ Focus on the upper part of your abdomen and imagine a yellow ball that represents the energy in your stomach. Focus on that yellow ball and try to enlarge it. Imagine it spinning clockwise as it spins and letting it go on for about 5 minutes. Then let it be released all through your body.
❖ You can try the child’s pose if you want to use yoga to open this chakra. Place a soft mat on the floor and kneel on it. Sit on your heels and make sure your knees are apart so they are in line with your hip bone, then lean your body forward so that your stomach rests between your thighs and hold this position for a while. This pose helps cleanse the area and lets energy through. It’s also great to open the Third Eye chakra as well. Many yoga poses work for multiple chakras.
You can try any type of yoga or meditation, and it will do you good. However, some poses and meditations help unblock this chakra more than others, so you should stick to techniques that help open the Solar Plexus.
Heal From The Past
Much of our past trauma is stored in the body and continues to influence thought patterns and behavior. People who have had strict, harassing, or domineering parents or have been physically or mentally abused often have a hard time balancing the third chakra. Support from family, therapy, and other healthy activities can help kick start the process of healing from the past and restore balance to the Solar Plexus chakra.
Stone Healing
Gemstones and crystals are impressive pieces of our planet. They are formed in the intense fires on our planet. These hot and flowing energies spend years in constant flux. As they cool down and grow upwards, they slowly transform into solid pieces of rock.
Certain gemstones and crystals carry within them the powerful quality of fire and the cooled and grounded energy of the outer earth. These crystals and gemstones embody a natural balance that contains these two polar energies.
As humans, we come from the same earth. We go through essentially the same process as these gemstones, albeit on a more subtle level. The energies of crystals and gemstones can help balance and guide the fire within us. They can awaken and support our energy flow. Wearing or holding the right gem can fortify our body’s natural propensity to find a balance between expansion and grounding.
The energy of the Solar Plexus chakra is supported by gemstones such as:
❖ Topaz
❖ Citrine
❖ Carnelian
❖ Amber
❖ Malachite
❖ Yellow Sapphire.
These gemstones and crystals help maintain, hold, and balance the fire energy in our third chakra. In other words, gemstone mala beads, crystal water bottles, and other gemstone jewelry with these stones can promote a natural state of expansion while helping us stay connected to our roots at the same time.
Food Healing
The Solar Plexus chakra is the center for the digestion and absorption of food and converts the energy of food into energy that can be used in life. One of the most important things for the health of this chakra is to eat until you are 80% full. Eating too much takes away your feeling of strength, overloads your digestive system, and makes you tired. The healthy Solar Plexus chakra vibrates at a frequency that is similar to the color yellow.
So, eating yellow foods like the ones listed below will help restore balance to your third chakra.
❖ Banana
❖ Pineapple
❖ Pear
❖ Grapefruit
❖ Mango
❖ Ginger
❖ Yellow pod
❖ Yellow pea
❖ Lentil
❖ Quinoa
Good quality carbohydrates are the preferred food group for the Solar Plexus chakra.
SYMPTOMS TO BE AWARE OF WHEN YOUR SOLAR PLEXUS IS OPENING
When the Solar Plexus chakra opens, you will know. You will notice the following symptoms, and then you can be sure that it has been opened.
❖ You can lose your appetite. If your body moves to open this chakra, you probably won’t want to eat a lot. You need to make sure that you are eating anyway to get the nutrients you need to function.
❖ You can have sleepless nights. You will likely roll over restlessly in your bed when trying to open your Solar Plexus, but don’t worry; you will sleep soundly after you open it.
❖ You can feel the tremor. Trembling is normal during this time. Kind of like the feeling of nervousness. Think about it. You release all of this pent-up energy by opening a blocked chakra. It is a change that your body has to adapt to. It is normal to shiver and feel heart palpitations when you open the Solar Plexus as all the energy flows through it.
❖ You can get sick. It is normal to feel all sorts of things when opening the Solar Plexus, and sadly, nausea is part of it. It won’t last forever, don’t worry. Just have a soda (ginger ale works best) and chill until it’s gone.
❖ You may feel dizzy. This refers to shaking. Again, all of this energy is free and can flow through your body. It takes time for your body to adjust to this change and feel dizzy because it is normal. If you feel dizzy or light-headed, don’t let yourself get overwhelmed. Make sure you sit and relax during this time.
❖ You can get fluctuating energy levels. You won’t be a ball of energy all the time after unlocking this chakra. There can be days when you can’t muster the energy to do something, and that’s fine. Power fluctuations are expected during these times.
THE SOLAR PLEXUS CHAKRA AT A GLANCE
★ Sanskrit Name: Manipura translates as “city of jewels” alternatively translated as “resplendent gem” or “lustrous gem” in Sanskrit
★ Position: 3-4 fingers Above the navel
★ Subtle Body: Mental body
★ Affirmation: “I can” and “I have”
★ Color: Yellow
★ Element: Fire
★ Connection to: Mental self
★ Gland: Pancreas
★ Sense: Sight
★ Crystals: Amber, Citrine Quartz, Topaz, Tiger’s Eye, etc..
★ Essential Oils: Frankincense, Litsea Cubeba, Bergamot, Lemon Eucalyptus, Clove, Juniper, Geranium, and Clary Sage, (unless you’re pregnant)
★ Yoga Poses: Warrior pose I, II, III, Sun Salutation, Boat pose, and Cow pose.
★ Signs of Balance: Responsible and reliable, healthy self-esteem, spontaneity, playfulness, sense of humor, and decisive.
★ Signs of Imbalance: Low self-esteem, lack of self-trust, weak willpower, poor digestion, victim mentality, inability to take responsibility, attraction to stimulants, and feelings of not being good enough.
★ Personality Traits: Intellectual and practical
★ Qualities: Emotions, creativity, sensitivity, sexuality, intimacy, emotional well-being, and self-expression
★ Key Themes: Governs personality, ego, and identity, as well as personal freedom, choice, and authenticity.
★ Mantra/Sound: “RAM” (pronounced like “RARM”)
CONCLUSION
The Manipura Chakra is the center of Fire or Agni. The fire element sets ablaze the negative thoughts to manifest and maintain the positive ones. A balanced energy center contributes to physical, mental, and spiritual well-being.
Identifying and practicing the highlighted methods above will help balance this chakra and promote longevity and success. As mentioned above, when this chakra opens, you will experience various symptoms, so don’t worry; this is normal. Once these symptoms are over, you will see the benefits of opening this chakra.
WHAT’S NEXT?
Now that you understand your Solar Plexus chakra a little better, the next chakra to explore is your Heart chakra!
