Yoga is a lot more than just a means to achieve physical fitness. It can also help you attain mental well-being, create more balance in your life and ward off negativity. This can be done by doing different asanas and invoking the chakras from the 7-Chakra System.
The Solar Plexus Chakra is one of the seven chakras in the Chakra System that can help you do that. Also known as the Manipura Chakra, it controls your confidence, lets you be more assertive and make better decisions to enjoy a wholesome life. It can easily be said to be the key to accessing your personal power and building a robust sense of self.
However, if the Solar Plexus Chakra is not in a harmonious state or imbalanced, it can cause you to feel insecure, doubtful about yourself and directionless in life in general. Practicing Solar Plexus Chakra regularly is the best way to keep it balanced so that you can easily tap into the inner power you possess and live a life with more control.
In this article, we will tell you everything about the Solar Plexus Chakra, the physical symptoms of the Solar Plexus Chakra opening, Solar Plexus Chakra healing, all its characteristics, signs, techniques, and a lot more.
Solar Plexus Chakra or the Manipura Chakra
The Solar Plexus Chakra is the third chakra, located near the navel on the stomach area and is known to be the one governing your self-confidence, self-esteem, purpose in life and internal power. Derived from valuable connotations, Solar Plexus Chakra meaning is divided into two words. While Mani means a shining gem, Pura means a place. Collectively, Manipura signifies – a place of shining gems.
When the Kundalini energy is evoked through practice, it passes through the third chakra, helping you gain a sense of heightened self-expression and confidence.
Apart from the above-mentioned mental and cognitive symptoms of the Solar Plexus Chakra, its physical qualities include the energy of digestion, stronger willpower, more intellect and controlled ego and aggression.
Solar Plexus Chakra Characteristics
Solar Plexus Chakra’s associated color is yellow, which reflects the color of the fire element, symbolizing energy, intellect and your connection with the fire and the Sun. Additionally, the Solar Plexus Chakra also symbolizes youthfulness, new beginnings, and even rebirth.
The element that the Solar Plexus Chakra symbolizes is fire. This element of fire is responsible for enhancing digestion and improving metabolism. That apart, the Solar Plexus Chakra also ignites your consciousness, motivating you to achieve better health and wholesome living. However, evoking the Solar Plexus Chakra too much can also result in fatigue, weakness and fearfulness. Since the Solar Plexus Chakra also attracts prana, the life energy, to balance the mind and the body, its excess can cause impulsiveness, anger, aggression, etc.
This chakra is the source of love and happiness. So, activating and balancing this chakra is really important in your life as it will enhance your quality of life.
Some of the qualities that this chakra is broadly associated with also include intellect, willpower, clarity in life, assertiveness, discipline, etc. The physical characteristics of the chakra include Indigestion, Irritable bowel syndrome, Eating issues, too much weight gain, Ulcers, Diabetes, pancreatic issues, liver, and colon, and issues with the gums.
However, if the Solar Plexus Chakra is out of balance, it can cause several issues. These include over analysing, having no control over anger or irritation, low self-esteem and confidence, having no trust in people, increased insecurity, seeking confirmation from others, being controlling and rigid, having a mentality of being a victim, no direction in life and lack of direction in which way the life is heading.
Unblocking and Healing the Solar Plexus Chakra
The Solar Plexus Chakra can have a profound impact on your life. While being in a perfect state of balance can provide several benefits, an imbalance of the chakra can also cause severe side effects. It is, hence, important to understand how it works, how to invoke the Solar Plexus Chakra properly and what to do to get the maximum benefit out of it.
Solar Plexus Chakra Meditation: By practicing this, you concentrate all your energies on the unaligned or blocked chakra and redirect the energy to the navel by keeping your hands in the Agni Mudra position and chanting the Rangm Mantra. Pranayam can also be useful.
Solar Plexus Chakra Affirmations: Words can have a healing effect on your life. The same goes for Solar Plexus Chakra affirmations. You can recite and repeat sentences like “I feel calm, and powerful,” “I feel motivated to pursue my purpose,” “I honour the divine power within me,” “I am confident ,” etc. By doing this, you can replenish all the negativity.
Poses to Stimulate Manipura Energy
One of the best ways to get the maximum out of the Solar Plexus Chakra is to practice Solar Salutations of Solar Plexus Chakra Poses in front of the sun. This allows you to regain and restore the energy center and attain emotional balance. The poses include:
- The Classical Forward Bend or Paschimottanasana: Helps improve blood circulation, enhancing the functionality of liver, pancreas and spleen and at same time calms anxiety.
- Bow Pose (Dhanurasana): Massaging the abdomen, helps the digestive system, detox your body and helps with thyroid issues. It activate the solar plexus energy and help to circulate the energy in whole body
- Half Spinal Twist (Ardha Matsyendrasana): It works on your liver, gall bladder and the digestive system, it bring aliveness in spine and help to take any decision.
- Upward Plank Pose (Purvottanasana): It helps to strengthen your shoulders, back, hips and wrists, also help to come out of depression.
- Cobra Pose (Bhujangasana): It helps you to increase your physical flexibility and strengthens your back and uplift the mood.
- Half Boat (Uttanpadasana) This asana calms the mind and improves blood circulation in the solar plexus area.
The Solar Plexus Chakra reaffirms that fire in your body and when balanced, can bring a significantly positive change in your life. It not only provides several physical benefits but also has a number of mental benefits that can improve your quality of life.
It is, however, important to ensure that you practice this chakra and invoke it properly. An out-of-balance Solar Plexus can prevent you to take right decision and achieving your goals. This is why it is advisable to seek proper training for yoga-related practices from a professional center. And Yoga New Vision is one such place that provides you with a great learning experience. Combining traditional yogic knowledge with a modern and science-based methodology, Yoga New Vision strikes a perfect balance for learners to get the positives of yoga and inculcate this amazing practice for a better and more fulfilling life.
