In April, I am learning about the third chakra, Manipura. In the Sanskrit language it means “lustrous gem.” In Western practice it is also known as the solar plexus chakra because it is located between the navel and the solar plexus, that area where your ribs come together on the front of the body.
Manipura is associated with the element of fire and the color yellow, which makes sense for the solar plexus. This chakra rules over metabolism, the body’s own system for burning energy or converting food into energy.
The Manipura chakra also plays an important role in our capacity to assert our own power. Think of phrases you may have heard such as “get fired up” or “add fuel to the fire.” These idioms express ways of taking action or being empowered. This fire has the potential to “ignite the light of consciousness1” spurring us to take action in some area of our life.
The relationship between the third chakra (Manipura) and the first two chakras (Muladhara and Svadhisthana) is important to understanding how chakras work. Remember Muladhara, the first chakra is about being grounded and having stability and security in life. Then comes Svadhisthana, the second chakra, which is about movement, change, and flow in life.
As we move up the energy path, the third chakra gives us the will to take action, to light the fire and get things moving. We will learn that third chakra is like a connector between the lower chakras and the upper chakras. Think in terms of the lower chakras being of the body while the upper chakras are more about being in the mind. To live our most fulfilling life, we need balance between mind and body.
If we don’t have the will or willpower to take action, then this part of the energy channel becomes blocked.
When the third chakra is blocked, a person may experience low energy and poor digestion. They may have low self-esteem and often do not take responsibility for their actions, and instead they blame others for their circumstances.
If too much energy is passing through the Manipura, a person may be overly aggressive (fiery personality), can be stubborn or has the need to be right, are often controlling, and may be prone to temper tantrums.
Imbalance in the third chakra may reveal itself through various health issues. Because Manipura is associated with the pancreas and the adrenal glands, disorders related to the liver, pancreas and gall bladder may occur. There is also a tendency to suffer from disorders related to the blood, such as high blood pressure, diabetes, and low blood sugar.
People who have balance in Manipura chakra tend to have good self-esteem, are confident and reliable, able to meet the challenges of life, and maintain a sense of personal power.
To resolve a blocked third chakra, it is important to embrace your power. For many reasons lots of people have become disconnected from their personal power. They may feel fearful or stuck, in a job, a relationship, a place. To become unstuck, they must connect with this power.
We often look to others for our happiness. We think a better job, a better relationship, or a different place to live will make us happier. But the truth is that we have to work on ourselves in order to “find” that happiness. For me, an important part of the journey was AWARENESS. You can’t change a problem you don’t know you have, right?
I had to begin noticing how I was feeling, how I was being, and what I was saying and thinking. When I started paying attention, I became aware of certain things about myself that I hadn’t noticed before and didn’t like very much, such as the need to be right or not taking responsibility by blaming others. Once I was aware of these behaviors, then I had a choice. I could continue the behavior or not. What was interesting is that I came to realize that those kinds of behaviors were part of the reason I was struggling with happiness. Even though I wasn’t aware, it was affecting me on a deeper level.
Admitting our “imperfections” can be challenging and maybe even demoralizing, but it’s all in the thinking. Instead of piling on more “feel bad” I decided to take responsibility for these actions and work to do better.
I’m still working on it and so far, this journey, The Healing Journey, is helping me see myself and understand myself better. I’m done with feeling bad and I am becoming empowered to take action. Not for or against anyone. Just for ME!
As the month continues, we will look at two more aspects of Manipura, assertiveness, and transformation, and how they can help us “find” our power.
With Love & Gratitude,
