THE SOLAR PLEXUS OR MANIPURA CHAKRA
The solar plexus Chakra also called Manipura in Sanskrit is located about one inch above your belly button, up to the indentation of your breastplate, but not as high as between your breasts. In Sanskrit, Manipura means “city of jewels” or “seat of gems”.
The primary meanings associated with the third chakra are:
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Will, personal power
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Taking responsibility for one’s life, taking control
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Mental abilities, the intellect
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Forming personal opinions and beliefs
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Making decisions, setting the direction
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Clarity of judgments
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Personal identity, personality
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Self-assurance, confidence
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Self-discipline
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Independence
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Ability to establish ideas and plans into reality
Function: Manage your will and sense of power
Basic right: To Act
Basic need: Significance
Related Organs: The stomach, small intestine, pancreas, upper spine, spleen, liver, and gall bladder, the muscular system, helps with the metabolism and the skin as a system.
Color: Yellow or gold
Sound: RAM (RRRRRAAAMMM – with a silent M)
Musical note: E
Frequency: 320 Hz.
Element: Fire
Energy: Power
Animal: Ram, Lion, tiger, jaguar and other big cats, Horse, Shark, Dragon (a mythical ‘animal’)
The third chakra is the center of your personal power, self-confidence, mental ability and force of will. This is the chakra to focus on if you are feeling powerless or timid and if you tend to control most of the physical functions.
The primary function of the solar plexus is to provide momentum to move forward, but also realize personal desires and intentions in the world. It plays a fundamental role in the development of personal power. It feeds one’s direction in life and the actions taken to reach your goals. It influences preoccupations about social status and self-image.
The Manipura chakra also feeds the brain energetically. This chakra connects Man with the ocean of the universal life. It links us to the cosmos.
Finally, the Manipura chakra will give you access to the collective consciousness.
Solar Plexus Chakra Symbol
The Solar plexus Chakra symbol is a yellow 10 petals lotus in which is inscribed a downward-pointing triangle
The inverted triangle represents the fire element and the transformative power of this energy center. Fire turns matter into energy that can be used to propel, move forward.
Solar Plexus Chakra Mantra
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I can
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I will
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I have the power to decide
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I am strong and courageous
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I embrace my strength
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I love the person I am
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I stand up for myself
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I am responsible for my life
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I am worthy of love and kindness
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I am whole
Symptoms when the Solar Plexus Chakra is in balance
When the Solar Plexus chakra is open, you will be at ease in your body. Emotionally balanced, you will feel everything fully, both positive and negative emotions, but they will not consume you.
Self-motivated, you will be able to express your determination in a way that is free of ego, getting what you want without placing anyone else at a disadvantage.
You will be a good decisionmaker and problem-solver, radiating charisma and magnetism that leads others to select you as a leader.
You will be tolerant of those who have different viewpoints, lifestyles, values, and appearances from your own.
Symptoms when the Solar Plexus chakra is out of balance
When the third chakra is closed, you will be unhappy and judgmental of your body, even though this may have nothing to do with any objective reality.
Wildly enthusiastic one minute and depressed the next, you may experience life as an emotional roller coaster. Emotions may overwhelm you, or you may have closed them off and feel nothing at all.
Struggle for power and influence may consume you. Certain that no one listens to you, you may feel that you must prove yourself all the time.
Worrying a lot, you may make selfish decisions without considering how those decisions affect others.
Lack of motivation, depression, frustration, and tiredness may be your norm. Judgmental of others who have different viewpoints, lifestyles, values, and appearances from your own, you may openly ridicule them.
You may experience liver problems and constipation because of repressed anger, or problems with your spleen, stomach, or pancreas due to excessive worry.
Symptoms of excessive energy in the Root chakra:
You are domineering, bordering on aggressive behavior. You display excessive control and authority over your environment and people.
You are obsessed with minute details, seeing life through a filter of plus and minuses while losing sight of the whole picture.
You misuse your personal power to manipulate others.
You struggle to set boundaries around other people. You have an excessively inflated sense of self (big Ego).
Symptoms of deficient energy in the Root chakra:
You experience low self-esteem. You frequently feel helplessness, irresponsibility.
You lack clear direction, purpose or ambition. You make plans or have a lot of ideas without finding efficient ways to realize them.
You lack self-confidence in most areas of your life.
You are insecure and unassertive. You form co-dependent relationships with others.
TOOLS TO UNBLOCK AND BALANCE SOLAR PLEXUS MANIPURA CHAKRA
Gems & mineral: Citrine, pyrite, golden calcite, golden healer quartz, orpiment, yellow fluorite, yellow jade, yellow aventurine, amber, copal, tiger’s eye.
Herbs: Anise, celery, cinnamon, lily of the valley, marshmallow, mint, melissa, turmeric, cumin.
Essential oil: Lily of the valley, lemon, helichrysum, juniper, grapefruit, neroli, tea tree.
Below are some of the healing activities you can perform to heal and activate the Manipura Chakra:
- Break out of routine and take a risk. Lethargic and “safe” routines only tend to perpetuate our feelings of powerlessness. Step outside of your routine and go exploring.
- Cut ties with critical and negative people. Remember that the power is in your hands. It is up to you to decide who stays and goes in your life. If someone is frequently discrediting, underrating, or bad-mouthing you, take steps to remove them from your life.
- Explore the biggest sources of resistance in your life. What are you always fighting against? What are you afraid of? What issues keep coming back in your life? When you ask these questions, you’ll uncover the most significant source of energy loss in your life. Often, those with blocked solar plexus chakras tend to invest vast amounts of energy towards fighting, avoiding or suppressing something.
- Eat whole grains such as rice, oats, spelt, and rye which are all great for digestion. Try including more legumes in your diet such as lentils, chickpeas, and beans. Add spices such as turmeric, ginger, cumin, and cinnamon to your food as these spices are heating to the body. Also include yellow fruit and vegetables such as lemons, bananas, corn, pineapple, and yellow capsicums into your eating plan.
- Get out in the sun. As the solar plexus chakra is represented by the element of fire, the sun is an immensely healing source of vitality. The less vitamin D you have in your life, the more prone you are to issues such as anxiety and depression.
- Release any anger you store inside. When done in conjunction with grounding, releasing pent-up anger can help you to unblock your solar plexus quite rapidly. Our congested power is often expressed as blocked anger, so when we release that anger, we can access that energy again. Some healthy way to release your anger would be through vigorous exercise, punching, kickboxing, dancing, singing, writing, crying or art.
- Laugh at yourself. Humor is an excellent source of strength and reminds us that life is always in a state of transition. When we find fun, we find freedom. The more serious you are, the more disconnected you are from your source of power.
- Stop seeing yourself as a “victim”. One of the most damaging mindsets carried by those with blocked solar plexus chakras is the notion that they are “powerless” and defenseless victims of life. If you carry this mentality, it will manifest as the tendency to blame other people for your unhappiness. You might also find yourself continually sacrificing your needs for others who don’t always appreciate your efforts. This is called the Martyr Syndrome. Secretly, there is a lot of energy put into playing the victim, and it is a facade that must be maintained (and reaffirmed) every day. If you see yourself as a person who is being victimized by someone else, explore what it feels like to say “no.” Playing the victim is so attractive because it allows us to bypass the weight of self-responsibility, so don’t be surprised if you find yourself terrified of “stepping up” and reclaiming your power. It takes practice and courage.
- Let go of unhealthy attachments. Attachments are essentially forms of energy that become “stuck” in our bodies and minds. Sometimes, these bits of energy become so dense that they result in dangerous addictions and severely limiting habits. The best way to break an unhealthy attachment is by asking yourself, “Is this belief/memory/desire/object serving my highest good?” The moment you can acknowledge that something in your life is detrimental is the point when you can begin the process of recovery. Letting go is about learning how to take care of yourself and find inner stability and security without the need for an external crutch.
- Take care of yourself every single day. Healthy self-esteem is one of the cornerstones of a lively solar plexus chakra. When you take care of your body and psychological health, your energy instantly becomes harmonized. Taking care of yourself is a form of self-love and respect. Remember, no one can care for you better than YOU can. Only you know your deepest needs at any and every given moment.
- Clear blocks with yoga. For opening the solar plexus, try yoga poses such as the bow pose, upward dog, full wheel pose, and the breath of fire.
- Engage your willpower by setting goals. Overcome lethargy by making a list of ten things you would like to accomplish and dedicate yourself to completing those things. By setting clear goals, you will be able to exercise your willpower more easily.
Yoga (Asana) Poses
The below yoga poses are all great poses for the Solar Plexus.
Build fire in your belly with a few rounds of Kapalabhati, followed by Navasana (boat) or a long-held plank. Ardha Matsyendrasana (half spinal twist) is another great solar plexus pose – the twisting action encourages a healthy digestive tract, which helps ensure balance in the navel area.
Kapalabhati
Navasana (boat)
long-held plank
Ardha Matsyendrasana
(half spinal twist)
First Exercise to balance your Solar Plexus chakra
1. Gently thump your solar plexus with your open palm for 10 to 15 minutes. Do not thump so hard that you bruise yourself or that it is uncomfortable.
2. Then rub your hand, palm open, in a clockwise direction over the solar plexus for one minute.
3. While you are rubbing your hand on the solar plexus chakra, visualize yellow, and make the sound ram (long vowel aaaaa). You may place any yellow objeces, for example, crystals, flowers, or cloth, between your hands and your body while you do this meditation.
4. Visualize the energy in this chakra spinning, for example, smoke or fog swirling in a clockwise direction, or a propeller rotating in a clockwise direction.
Second Exercise to balance your Solar Plexus chakra
1. Seat down comfortably, back straight, eyes closed and breathe a few times deeply through the nose. Let go and relax.
2. Concentrate on the Manipura for a minute and then visualize it surrounded by yellow of absolute purity. Keep this visualization for three minutes. Then, take a deep breath while imagining that energy is penetrating this chakra and breath out while imagining that all the impurities of this chakra are getting out. Repeat this entire process as may time as you feel it’s necessary.
3. Once you feel that you have completed the cleaning process, chant the mantra “RAM” seven times.
4. End the process by offering great gratitude toward this chakra.
EXPLORE THE CHAKRA SYSTEM
Root Chakra
Foundation of stability and security; connects us to the physical world.
Heart Chakra
Nurtures love, compassion, harmony, and emotional balance; connects us to unconditional love and healing.
Sacral Chakra
Emotional center. Enhances intuition, perception, and inner guidance; brings clarity and heightened senses.
Throat Chakra
Communication, self-expression, truth, creativity, and the ability to speak and listen with authenticity.
Solar Plexus Chakra
Empowers personal power, confidence, willpower, and manifestation; ignites inner strength and transformation.
Third Eye Chakra
Intuition, perception, inner wisdom, spiritual awareness, and the ability to see beyond the physical.
Crown Chakra
Divine connection, higher consciousness, spiritual enlightenment, unity, and transcendence of the self.