Manipura or Solar Plexus Chakra
Our 3rd Chakra is the Solar Plexus Chakra, also called Manipura in Sanskrit. It sits just below the breast bone, at the center of our body. The Sacral Chakra is governed by the Fire element and gives us the power to transform ourselves according to the challenges we face in our lives.
In Sanskrit, Manipura translates to “city of jewels”; combined with the 1st and 2nd chakras (Root & Sacral Chakras) they are considered the lower triangle, and are usually the easiest to understand.
The effects of the Solar Plexus Chakra
The Solar Plexus Chakra is home to our ego and sense of self. It is where we find the strength to dig deep and keep pushing ourselves to reach our goals. It’s how we “get things done”. It helps us deal with things, how you learn to “digest” what happens in your life. With the fire element ruling the Solar Plexus Chakra, it makes sense that this is the chakra that gets things done. Fire is action and transformation. Allowing yourself to grow and become a better version of yourself means taking action and leaving behind that which no longer serves you.
When this chakra is balanced we are confident and determined; we are able to have self control and discipline. The Solar Plexus Chakra helps us to control our thought process, emotions, and moods. When these are in control, we are in a good mood and have an optimistic point of view. With the control over our moods, we don’t anger easily and are able to problem solve with a calm mind. It is also the source of our self esteem so it gives us the power to believe in ourselves and our own self worth.
When the Solar Plexus Chakra is Out of Balance
How do you know when the Solar Plexus Chakra is out of balance?
problems with the liver and kidney
difficulty breathing
nerve pain
poor digestion
easily offended
feeling of worthlessness
dissatisfaction or restlessness
angry over little things
mood swings
over reactiveness
overly emotional
judgmental
unwillingness to accept change
greedy
short tempered
bossy or controlling
self centered behaviors
lust for power
possessive
intolerant or conservative behaviors
unable to make decisions
bad digestion
low self esteem and self trust
weak thought process
fear or unwillingness to take responsibility
How to Bring Balance back to the Solar Plexus Chakra
You can do a few things to bring balance back to the Solar Plexus Chakra:
Off the Mat
Give yourself some time alone. We don’t often give ourselves time alone in our busy modern lives. Spend some time alone and look inward. Take a moment to realize your actions and their outcomes. Have you been rude or disrespectful to anyone recently? When we act that way we are inadvertently shutting ourselves off from the rest of the world. Try and express yourself with love and kindness. And always try and step out of your comfort zone, this will also help to open up and bring balance to the Solar Plexus Chakra.
The Solar Plexus Chakra is governed by fire, so when we are feeling out of balance spend sometime outside in the sunshine!
On the Mat
During meditation, meditate on the fire inside you. Visualize a transformational fire, all things no longer needed burning away to ashes. When our fire is strong, we dare to live our dreams and be out there in the world doing what we believe in, living in alignment with who we are.
Yellow is the color of the Solar Plexus Chakra, so you could also meditate on the color yellow, visualizing a soft yellow glow filling your body during the meditation. Your body radiating like the sun.
The seed sound for the Solar Plexus Chakra is RAM. If you have mala beads, you can chant RAM and use the beads to help you focus and stay centered in the meditation. Or use a mantra such as I AM STRONG or something else that reflects this feeling for you.
The following short yoga sequence can also help you balance this chakra:
Prep Poses
Legs up the wall
Baby boat pose
Asana Poses
Sun Salutations
Three legged dog
Tiger Pose
Chair Pose
Chair Pose with a twist
Side Plank
Locus Pose
Bow Pose
Cool Down Poses
Seated Twist
Legs up the wall
Reclining twist
