Unlocking Your Third Chakra

The Third Chakra is sometimes called the Solar Plexus Chakra or the Manipura Chakra, It is located along your spine about two to three inches above your belly button. Physically, it supports your liver, pancreas, gallbladder, stomach and spleen.

The Solar Plexus Chakra, is the core of our personality, our identity, of our ego.

The third chakra is the center of willpower. While the Sacral chakra seeks pleasure and enjoyment, the third chakra is all about the perception of who you are.

The gift of this chakra is sensing your personal power, being confident, responsible, and reliable.

The third chakra is the center of your self-esteem, your willpower, self-discipline, as well as warmth in your personality.

The energy of this chakra allows you to transform inertia into action and movement. It allows you to meet challenges and mover forward in your life.

The main challenge for the third chakra is to use your personal power in a balanced manner.

What does that mean? It means consciously harnessing the energy of the solar plexus chakra. It means being proactive rather than reactive or inactive.

The Third Chakra is sometimes called the Solar Plexus Chakra. It is located along your spine about two to three inches above your belly button.

It deals with issues of willpower, ambition and action and is weakened by all forms of shame, embarrassment and self-consciousness. Physically, it supports your liver, pancreas, gallbladder, stomach and spleen.

Five Signs Your Third Chakra is Weak

1. You see yourself as powerless compared to some and powerful compared to others. This may show up in being overly submissive in some situations and a tyrant in others.

2. You have lots of different ways of shaming yourself and frequently feel embarrassed by imagining what other people think about you. It’s not so much that you’re afraid to fail; it’s more that you’re afraid to appear to others to be a failure.

3. You see the future as full of danger and you also see change as a threat, so you play it safe and try to protect what you think you have.

4. You are highly goal oriented and get your sense of meaning and purpose by your list of accomplishments. If you are not accomplishing something bigger and better, you feel like a failure. You are generally highly stressed and often comment to others how stressed and busy you are as a badge of honor.

5. You experience any of the following physical symptoms on a frequent or chronic basis: digestive problems, ulcers, liver problems, gallstones, pancreas disorders such as diabetes or hypoglycemia.

Beings with excessive third chakra energy react to life circumstances, they have emotional outbursts and are often stressed out.

Beings with blocked or deficient third chakra are passive and inactive - allowing life to pass by while they do nothing.

Strong third chakra reflects the ability to move forward in life with confidence and power. It reflects the ability to make conscious choices to choose and to act.

The message of the third chakra is: You have the power to choose.

You can choose to achieve your life purpose or you can live out your karma or past experiences.

What do you choose?

Do you choose love, light and healing?

Do you accept that you have the power to choose?

Do you feel a sense of freedom when you make a choice?

The third chakra is the center of your self-esteem.

Every time you judge or criticize yourself, you deplete this chakra and weaken your willpower.

Self-love, self-acceptance, and acknowledgement of your own worth are the building blocks of the third chakra.

Solar Plexus Chakra Affirmations

I love and accept myself. I stand up for myself. I am strong and courageous. I am worthy of love, kindness, and respect. I choose the best for myself. I express myself in a powerful way. I am proud of my achievements. I honor my self. I choose healthy relationships. I am authentic. I direct my own life. I appreciate my strengths. I feel my own power. I am free to choose in any situation. I seek opportunities for personal and spiritual growth. I am at peace with myself.

Sanskrit name: Manipura (jeweled city) Element: Fire Color: Yellow Shape: Triangle (downward-pointing) Petals of the lotus: Ten Seed sound: Ram Vowel sound: Ah Rights: To act Endocrine gland: Adrenals, pancreas Physical association: Digestive system, liver, gall bladder Psychological function: Will Identity: Ego identity Developmental stage: 18 - 42 months Challenge: Shame Plane: Celestial plane Planets: Sun and Mars Deity: Rudra, Lakini Mythological Animal: Ram Incense: Saffron, musk, sandalwood Herb: Cinnamon, ginger Sephira: Hod, Netzach Tarot Suit: Wands

Five Things You Can Do To Strengthen Your Third Chakra

1. Reflection

Reflect on gardening. Notice what your proper role is as a gardener in growing life. It is a partnership between you and Life. There is only so much you can do and most of it is done by Life. It’s probably about 1% you and 99% Life; and yet without your 1% nothing but weeds would grow. Apply this to your life and your goals and projects and everything you are taking on that is causing you to feel stressed and trust Life more and relax and just refocus on what your 1% role is.

1. Redefinition

Focus less on accomplishment and more on contribution. Accomplishment is what makes the ego feel valued. Contribution is what the soul is designed to do. Accomplishment is completely attached to outcome whereas contribution is not attached to outcome but is a reward in and of itself.

3. Sound Vibration

Intone the “ah” vowel sound and feel the vibration in your solar plexus area as you hold out the sound and imagine a bright yellow sun radiating from your solar plexus and sending healing and balancing energy to the vital organs supported by your Third Chakra.

4. Chakra Breath

Do the “Breath of Fire.” The Breath of Fire is a rapid breath through the nose into the solar plexus. Two cycles per second is about the right speed. In out, in out in one second. Originate the muscle pumping movement from your solar plexus and let the breath just come in and out by itself. Do this for one minute whenever you are feeling low energy and it will recharge you.

5. Yoga Poses

The best solar plexus chakra yoga poses are those that strengthen your core and help you to feel more powerful and confident. Step into the Warrior I pose to access your inner spiritual warrior or go deeper with courage into the Bow pose. Continue into part 2 yoga poses, such as Boat pose or Lion's pose.