The Third Chakra
The energy of the third chakra, often referred to as the solar plexus or Manipura, is the formation of the independent self – independent from our tribe and independent from external relationships. It’s a personality separate from any inherited characteristics. However, if the first and second chakras are out of balance, then the Manipura develops issues related to fragile personal power and low self esteem.
To recap: the root chakra resonates with familial tribal power, and the sacral resonates with the flowing power between others and the self. The third chakra relates to our independence and personal power within the external world. The Manipura, solar plexus chakra, is our epicenter and the magnetic core of our personality and our ego. It relates to the energy of the sun and is our very own personal, fiery furnace.
The solar plexus chakra mediates between the first two primary external chakras and the internal reflection of consciousness. The first chakra always resonates with the group force and has an external center of gravity. The second chakra focuses on relationships and their external effect on us.
The third chakra’s gravitational pull begins to shift, with only a partial focus on external forces around us, and internalizes this information to better understand the Self.
This chakra is all about honoring yourself, taking care of yourself, and forming an intuitive voice from within “the Self,” which then becomes our natural source of guidance. Self-acceptance and how we feel about ourselves determines our quality of life, how we are treated in relationships, in business, and beyond. The Manipura relates to personal growth and activating that independent strength. This is usually our most challenging spiritual endeavor that we will face during our life journey – essentially learning to truly and fully love ourselves.
If we do not like or love ourselves, we are unable to make healthy decisions or find the willpower to move forward fearlessly. This makes us vulnerable to control and manipulation by others. People with weak Manipuras have low self-esteem and therefore attract relationships and occupational environments that reinforce or reflect this weakness. The challenge of the solar plexus is to have the willpower to make positive choices that enhance your life. The third chakra wills you to have courage and conviction in your sense of internal power within the external world. This limits the authority of external forces that could cloud or control your personal idea of how you envision your life.
It is necessary to become empty to create space in order to be made full again, allowing old patterns to expire in order to be reborn and create a stronger sense of self. Imbalances of the solar plexus will leave a person feeling drained and depleted of their vitality, which can lead to depression, fearfulness, and insecurity.
Yet have no fear! It is never too late to churn this energy into positive confidence and joyful power. The beauty of the Manipura is that it draws in the power of the sun and stokes our inner emotional flame as well as our digestive fuel. Individuals who suffer from an imbalanced Manipura struggle with digestive issues because of stagnant negative energy residing in the stomach. These individuals even crave sugars like chocolate as a substitute for love because the Manipura directs its energy to the pancreas which is the organ that balances blood sugar levels.
Illnesses that originate from this chakra are manifested by low self-esteem, lack of self-importance, fear of rejection, sensitivity to criticism and inability to stand up for what we believe in. These physical illnesses that come from dis-ease of the solar plexus involve stomach issues like acid reflux, intestinal problems like IBS, and pain in the middle spine.
We are often riddled with internal conflicts, fears, and secrets that we are not quite ready to face. These emotions churn in the stomach as the solar plexus spins, which can frequently cause nausea or a heavy feeling in the pit of the stomach. Therefore, we need to meet these feelings head on and digest the information so we can then expel the negative waste down to the root chakra to recycle.
Practice yoga Sun Salutations and trust your gut intuition. Eat foods that balance your digestive fire. Know that doing things for yourself does not make you selfish, so ask yourself – what makes YOU happy? (Now go and do it!!