Beginner’s Guide to the 7 Chakras Part 3

Opening your chakras and allowing cosmic energies to flow through your body will ultimately refresh your spirit and empower your life. 
– Barbara Marciniak    

Chakras are energy centers in the body that play an important role in our physical, mental, and spiritual wellbeing. Understanding this mind-body energy system is essential for becoming the most vibrant, healthy, and radiant version of yourself.

Positioned throughout your body, from the base of your spine to the crown of your head, each chakra has its own vibrational frequency, characteristic, name, and color, and governs different areas of the body. 

In defining the 7 chakras and exploring the meaning of each, it is essential to understand one thing: You are energy.

RELATED | Exploring the Sacral Chakra

Opening Meditation by Anodea Judith, Wheels of Life

We are still, yet we sense a growing warmth within us. We are alone, yet we sense others around us, longing to break free, longing for warmth and light. There is a form here, but it is empty. There is a life here, but it is still. There is awareness here, but it is awakening!

From a place of stillness, we call forth movement. Slowly reaching out, expanding, breathing, stretching, flowing. Into form, we invoke life. Its spark from the fir of the place between- between ourselves and others, between past and future, between the known and the unknown.

THE SOLAR PLEXUS CHAKRA

We now enter our third chakra, rising up from the combined levels of the first two chakras and embracing the growing current of consciousness that descends from the upper chakras.

The first chakra brought us solidity, stability, focus, and form. Here we experienced unity. From this ground, we moved to chakra two and experienced difference, change and movement. We expanded beyond mere survival instincts toward the desire for pleasure. As we put together matter and movement, we find that they create a third state: energy.

The third of the physical chakras is the solar plexus chakra which represents a source of personal power and governs self-esteem, warrior energy, and the power of transformation.

CHARACTERISTICS

UNDERACTIVE SOLAR PLEXUS CHAKRA

Underactive Solar Plexus Chakra — When a chakra is underactive, it means that the chakra is experiencing a blockage or is not distributing the flow of energy. When your solar plexus chakra is underactive, it can affect your overall well being.

When your solar plexus chakra is underactive, you may be experiencing a sense of lack of control and purpose in life. When the solar plexus chakra becomes blocked, it often leads to emotional problems, ranging from feeling powerless to self-doubting.

Signs of an underactive solar plexus chakra

• Lack of confidence
• Low self-esteem
• Indecisive
• Helplessness
• Lack of purpose

OVERACTIVE SOLAR PLEXUS CHAKRA

Overactive Solar Plexus Chakra —When a chakra is overactive, it means that the chakra is distributing too much energy. It is working in overdrive and bringing imbalance to the chakra. When your solar chakra is overactive, it affects your overall well being.

Too much of anything is never good for you. When your solar plexus chakra is overactive, you may be experiencing issues such as desiring control over others and judging too harshly. When the solar plexus chakra is overwhelmed with energy, it can overstimulate your system. You may feel especially critical and stubborn.

Signs of an overactive solar plexus chakra

• Desire for control
• Overly critical
• Excessive stubbornness
• Anger and aggression
• Judgmental

HEALING THE SOLAR PLEXUS CHAKRA

SOLAR PLEXUS CHAKRA GEMSTONES

Amber, topaz, yellow citrine, rutilated quartz

ESSENTIAL OILS FOR THE SOLAR PLEXUS CHAKRA

Ginger root, black pepper, myrrh, lemon, sage, cardamom, pine

SOLAR PLEXUS CHAKRA INCENSE

Ginger, woodruff

SOLAR PLEXUS CHAKRA FOODS

Sunny yellow fruits and vegetables

Help to clear and balance your solar plexus chakra. Think yellow peppers, corn, lemons, and bananas.

Complex carbohydrates and whole grains

Will provide your third chakra with the slow-burning power it needs to convert energy. Avoid foods that the body absorbs quickly, such as sugar, white flour, and refined and processed foods. Whole grain cereals and brown rice are good options. You can also add in flax seeds and sunflower seeds for healthy fats.

Digestive-friendly foods

Such as kefir, kombucha, and yogurt. will replenish the good bacteria in your gut and help keep the energy in your solar plexus chakra moving.

Chamomile and herbal teas

Herbal teas (especially mint and ginger) have a soothing healing effect on the solar plexus chakra.

YOGA FOR YOUR SACRAL CHAKRA

Yoga is a great way to achieve energetic balance and alignment of the mind, body, and soul. Learn to work with the chakras in your yoga practice.

1. Virabhadrasana I (Warrior I)
2. Virabhadrasana II (Warrior II)
3. Viparita Virabhadrasana (Reverse Warrior)
4. Virabhadrasana III (Warrior III)
5. Trikonasana (Triangle Pose)
6. Ardha Chandrasana (Standing Half Moon Pose)
7. Utthita Parsvakonasana (Extended Side Angle Pose)
8. Adho Mukha Svansana (Downward Facing Dog)
9. Paripurna Navasana (Boat Pose)

GUIDED MEDITATIONS TO BALANCE THE SOLAR PLEXUS CHAKRA

MUDRAS FOR THE SOLAR PLEXUS CHAKRA

Mudras are hand gestures or movements during meditation, and often used during yoga. Mudras carry specific goals of channeling your body’s energy flow; ultimately with the intention of drawing yourself inward.

Matangi mudra is the primary mudra associated with the solar plexus chakra and is the gesture of the Goddess of Transformation. The Matangi mudra is created by interlacing the fingers in front of the solar plexus. Extend the middle fingers, pressing them together.

AFFIRMATIONS TO BALANCE THE SOLAR PLEXUS CHAKRA

Affirmations designed to reinforce the balanced Manipura chakra emphasizes inner harmony and self-confidence. It calms the mind and center.

Affirmations for the solar plexus chakra might include statements like these:

• I honor the power within me, I honor myself
• I am entirely confident being in my power
• I am free from limitations from others
• I am strong
• I am worthy of love, kindness, and respect
• I am the architect of my life
• I am proud of myself and my achievements
• I release judgment of others and of myself
• I am worthy of love, kindness, and respect
• I am the embodiment of inner peace and confidence

ACTIVITIES TO BALANCE THE SOLAR PLEXUS CHAKRA

Chakra balancing is the process of restoring the harmonious and balanced flow of prana or energy throughout the body. Your chakras are in constant fluctuation. Practicing chakra balancing and aligning is a regular and sometimes daily activity to explore. 

Seize your personal power and discover the power of your third chakra.

• Yelling out loud (in a safe place) / Releasing anger
• Wearing yellow clothing
• Rock climbing
• Changing your routine
• Going for a hike
• Ripping up boxes
• Building a fire
• Spend time in nature
• Engage in personal development activities
• Exercise – especially core strengthening
• Honor and be present with your emotions
• Explore your personal interests, needs and wants – learn what you enjoy and desire in life
• Make choices based on your needs and desires
• Practice public speaking

WHEN YOUR SOLAR PLEXUS CHAKRA IS IN BALANCE

• Healthy digestive system
• Balanced and healthy metabolism
• Healthy self-esteem
• Self-confident
• Comfortable in social situations, no extreme intro or extroversion
• Easily takes charge
• Advocates for personal needs
• Supports own emotional needs
• Finds joy in life
• Relaxes with ease
• Not afraid to shine
• Well-adjusted
• Successful
• Productive (with balance – not a workaholic)
• Cooperative and flexible

WHAT IS REVEALED IN MY SOLAR PLEXUS CHAKRA?

• Determination
  • Do I have will power?
• Self-discipline
  • Do I take responsibility for my actions?
  • Am I reliable?
  • Do I have morals that I stand by?
• Motivation
  • Am I proactive?
  • Do I empower myself?
• Transformation
  • Do I allow for change?
  • Am I changing for the better?
• Boundaries
  • Am I able to set healthy boundaries?
  • Do I stand up for what I believe in?
• Autonomy
  • Do I recognize my freedom and ability to choose?
• Confidence
  • Do I have a healthy self-esteem?
  • Can I release shame and doubt?
• Ego
  • Am I conscious of my ego?
  • Am I able to surrender to something larger than myself?

Your chakras will show you what they need, as long as you find the place of stillness to listen. Let intuition be your guide on this journey. When your chakras are aligned and fully activated, your intuition works in sacred unison with your emotions and your physical body to achieve balance, contentment, and happiness in your daily life. When there is misalignment, energy is unable to flow harmoniously. Maintaining balance requires commitment, but with mindfulness and conscious practice, you hold the power to reclaim the wholeness and harmony of your mind, body, and spirit and open up a world of greater joy, possibility, and wisdom.

CHAKRAS ARE A COMPLEX YET SO BEAUTIFUL SYSTEM TO WORK WITH AND EXPLORE.

Over the next couple of weeks we’ll explore each of the seven chakras, not only to provide an understanding of their meaning and symbolism, but to explore and work through potential blockages to find an energetic balance in body and mind.

Click below for the Solar Plexus Chakra download

Will is the realization that we can regard each challenge as an opportunity to awaken to our highest potential.
– Anodea Judith

CHAKRA SERIES

Acknowledgement : This information is based on Wheels of Life and Chakra Yoga be Anodea Judith, PhD., Chakra 7 by Carol Tuttle, Deepak Chopra, as well as my own insights.