Understanding the Solar Plexus Chakra

June 4, 2019

In Sanskrit, the Solar Plexus Chakra is the Manipura, which translates as lustrous gem or the city of jewels. This energy center is located at the solar plexus, the area between the navel and the sternum, and is associated with the color yellow. It is your power center, the core of the Self, and governs the concept of the will. This is your personal autonomy, the ego, and self worth; here we hold our mental understanding of our emotional, authentic self.

The third chakra says, “I choose, and I act” with authority. So, what is it you choose? Do you choose love, freedom, and acceptance of who you are? Or do you choose fear, guilt, and shame?

The Ego and the Authentic Self

The Solar Plexus Chakra is the center for the Ego, or the self that we present to the world.

The Ego is structured on our beliefs about our personality, our talents, and abilities. Though there are negative connotations made by various psychoanalysts and religions in regards to the Ego, when we are in the realm of the third chakra, the ego is on your side. The Ego’s main function is to remind us of our importance, and of our worth.

The challenge comes when we allow our Ego to support our fears and the opinions of others, instead of supporting our true Authentic Self. The Authentic Self is who you truly are at your core – all the positives and negatives of your personality and spirit. Living as your Authentic Self requires deep work and great courage; it means you know what your physical, mental, emotional, and spiritual needs are, and that you are committed to fulfilling those needs. It’s about taking risks, and daring to be unique to satisfy your own soul, regardless of what others might think or say. It means you see and accept all the highs and lows of your character, and love yourself anyway. Embracing the Authentic Self is a lifetime commitment, and a constant practice of integrity. Our society is based in conformity and assimilation, and at times life is easier if we ignore our feelings and needs and just “go along with the crowd.” However, the gift of a balanced Manipura is the ability to heal any fear or shame we may hold about expressing who we really are to the world. This energy center also provides us with the discipline and nerve to live your most genuine life.

The third chakra holds your identity, and how you emotionally and mentally relate to your Self. It operates according to your level of self esteem and on your opinion, not only about who you are, but about who you pretend to be. When the Ego is based in feelings of inadequacy or unworthiness, we tend to compare ourselves to others, with negative or idealized results. Every time you put on a mask in order to be accepted, or experience feelings of envy or jealousy, the light of this chakra dims.

When the Ego expresses itselfin arrogance or insecurity, it is a sign of a dis-balance in the Manipura. The excessive need for control, whether over others or circumstances, is the ego’s way of compensating for self worth issues and is a symptom of an overactive third chakra. Habits of passivity, excessive shyness, and indecision come from a traumatized ego and an under-active third chakra.

When we operate our lives from the core of our Authentic Self it becomes easier to establish and maintain healthy boundaries in our relationships. Here, we learn our connection to and the strength in the word “no”; whether we take on too much or too little, whether we are too attentive to the needs of others or too indulgent in our own desires. The Solar Plexus chakra in balance allows us to enact our sense of dignity and self respect in a positive way, without remorse. We know when to hold on, and when to let go – and from this space we learn to trust our Self, and our instincts.

The Manipura is also the main center of our mental abilities and our critical thinking processes. Our ability to make effective, clear decisions and follow them through is held here, as well as our organizational skills. As an emotional center, the third chakra rules how we relate to our thoughts, and whether our feelings are justified or unrighteous in any given situation. With an unbalanced Solar Plexus Chakra, we tend to have issue with responsibility, whether we take on too much, or blame the world and everyone in it for our problems. Perfectionism and slothful behavior are also signs of dis-balance.

One of the main benefits of a healthy third chakra is a sense of equanimity: being so content and secure within your Self that no matter what arises in your life, you can meet the situation with grace and confidence in your abilities. When the Manipura is balanced, you are centered within your personal power, proud and accepting of being who you are – instead of stressing about what you are not.

Correspondences

Sanskrit name: Manipura (lustrous gem; city of jewels)

Color: Yellow

Element: Fire

Sound: RAM

Virtues: identity, sense of self, authentic behavior, balance of ego and true Self, mental processing, comprehension, emotional thought, self-love, will power, achievement, instincts and intuition, self esteem, expression, responsibility, wisdom, freedom

Vices: shame, guilt, passivity, lack of self worth, flightiness, overconfidence, self-judgment, shyness, fear of rejection, oversensitivity to criticism, self-image fears, fears of our secrets being found out, indecisiveness, blame, fear of rejection, jealousy, envy

Body Association: solar plexus (area between the navel and the sternum). Digestive system, liver, gall bladder, pancreas.

Divine Feminine: The Amazon

Sacred Masculine: The Warrior

Scents: cinnamon, sunflowers, black pepper, ginger, anise, peppermint, juniper, rosemary, palmarosa, marjoram, lemon, grapefruit

Crystals: golden calcite, citrine, golden beryl, topaz, amber, tiger’s eye, yellow calcite, quartz, sulfur, yellow jasper

Herbs: sunflowers, dill, ginger, marigolds, yarrow, rosemary, lemon, sesame seeds, almonds, chamomile

Affirmations: