The word ‘chakra’ is a Sanksrit word that translates in English to mean ‘wheel’ or ‘disc.’ If you’ve ever been to a yoga class, and heard a yoga teacher talk about healing your chakras, you might be wondering what that has to do with wheels or discs.
Chakras are known as energy centers in the body. Think about all of the lines of energy running throughout your body. Imagine where those lines will inevitably intersect one another. Think of it like a map with roads and highways running through it. The intersection point is the chakra.
Chakras are spinning wheels of energy where those lines of energy meet one another. And while we have many chakras in the body, we tend to focus on 7 chakras when we talk about them in relation to our yoga practice.
Our chakras contribute to our physical, mental, and emotional state of being. So, when they’re imbalanced in some way, we’re going to show symptoms through our body, mind, or emotions.
One of the 7 chakras is the Solar Plexus Chakra. Imbalance in the Solar Plexus Chakra can often manifest as feelings of insecurity, self doubt, and lowered self esteem. There are also physical symptoms that can arise without Solar Plexus Chakra healing.
This post is dedicated to talk about how to open the Solar Plexus Chakra to experience a sense of strength, power, and growth. Plus, I’ll share my favorite yoga poses for balancing your Solar Plexus Chakra at the end.
To learn more about balancing your chakras, make sure to check out my 21 Day Chakra Reset here, or on my app.
How To Open The Solar Plexus Chakra
By understanding the Solar Plexus Chakra, you’re more likely to be able to identify symptoms of when it’s blocked or imbalanced. This post is all about teaching effective ways to balancing and healing your Solar Plexus Chakra in order to build your confidence, your sense of purpose, and strengthen your sense of self.
Remember, your Solar Plexus Chakra can be imbalanced without being blocked. In other words, your Solar Plexus Chakra might be too open, which would manifest as too much confidence, arrogance, and inflated sense of self.
Today’s post will hone in on what a blocked Solar Plexus Chakra looks like, and how we can gently yet effectively open it with ease to get the energy flowing again. Blocked chakras mean there’s a lack of energy flow through the area, whereas chakras that are too open have an abundance of energy pouring through.
What Is The Solar Plexus Chakra
The Solar Plexus Chakra is the third chakra. It’s located just above the Sacral Chakra, and just below the Heart Chakra.
In Sanskrit, the Solar Plexus Chakra is called Manipura, and it’s known as the energy center associated with our identity, confidence, and sense of self as a human. This is where our self esteem lives. And when this chakra opens, we feel self-reliant, poised, and worthy.
This chakra is associated with the color yellow or gold, and is located at our center. Think about it like your gut or your core, it’s literally the central part to your very existence.
When the Solar Plexus Chakra is blocked, we’re likely to feel a lack of direction, disconnected from oneself, our purpose, and a low self-confidence.
Where Is The Solar Plexus Chakra
The Solar Plexus Chakra is the third chakra. The first chakra is the Root Chakra, followed by the Sacral Chakra, and the third is the Solar Plexus Chakra.
The 7 chakras start at the very base of the spine, think the tailbone area. So, the third chakra is right around the middle of those 7 chakra, residing around the naval.
What Blocks The Solar Plexus Chakra
- Fear
- Anxiety
- Depression
- Introversion
- Anger
- Aggression
- Distraction
- Low motivation
- Lack of direction
- No sense of self
- Wavering belief systems
Blocked Solar Plexus Chakra Symptoms
- Indecisiveness
- Low confidence
- Low self esteem
- Directionless
- No boundaries
- Low motivation
- Lack of work ethic
- Low self worth
- Anxiety
- Depression
- Fatigue
- Low energy
- Digestive issues
- Bowel disorders
- Unusual weight fluctuations
- Eating disorders
How To Heal Solar Plexus Chakra
Our chakras will also ebb and flow in terms of how balanced they truly are. Just because you arrive at a place of balance one day, doesn’t mean the scales might not tip the following day, week, or month.
It’s important to always be checking in with yourself, your symptoms, and your energy in order to best determine how you can support yourself by keeping yourself as balanced as possible. All of your chakras, including the Solar Plexus, will certainly tell you when they’re in need of healing.
Yoga Poses
You know that yoga is always going to be my top choice when it comes to chakra work. In addition to the yoga poses listed below, I also have a full series on all 7 chakras available on my app. You can also buy my 21 Day Chakra Reset as a standalone course for only $19.99 HERE.
Positive Affirmations About Power
One of the best ways to help yourself feel calm, connect to your personal power, and to improve setting boundaries is to create positive affirmation about power. These can be affirmations that you speak aloud, repeat silently in meditation, or write down in your journal.
Even better, write your Solar Plexus Chakra affirmations on sticky notes, and place them around your house!
Taking Deep Breaths
Pranayama (breath control) is one of the 8 limbs of yoga, and it’s one that’s vital for connecting to your inner strength while also soothing your nervous system. I’d highly recommend strong breathing techniques when you’re targeting your Solar Plexus Chakra, like Breath of Fire or Ujayi Breath.
Surrounding Yourself With Gold And Yellow
As you know, the Solar Plexus Chakra is associated with the color yellow or gold. This is why surrounding yourself with either gold or yellow can be a great way to tap into the essence of the Solar Plexus Chakra, and to work on connecting back to your deepest sense of self.
Something you can repeat to yourself when you’re in that space of gold and yellow is: I forgive myself for past mistakes.
Meditation
Solar Plexus Chakra meditation is one of the best ways to get to know yourself a little better. Remember, this chakra is all about your identity, so what better way to connect with yourself than in a tailored meditation. You can find Solar Plexus Chakra meditations in my 21 Day Chakra Reset series here, or on my app.
You can always enhance your meditation experience with essential oils, or by chanting the seed mantra RAM during your third chakra meditation.
Solar Plexus Chakra Yoga Poses
The Solar Plexus Chakra has an anatomical focus on the core, as well as twisting posture. In reality, many strong poses can be associated with third chakra healing, as this energy center revolves around inner strength.
Beyond the posture listed below, you can always rely on warrior poses and even gentle heart openers (heart openers open the core, remember) to help balance your Solar Plexus Chakra. For heart opening yoga pose ideas, check out this post.
Supine Twist
Supine Twist is an all level pose suitable for the beginning or end of a yoga practice. Think of it as the perfect way to wake up and open your third chakra, while also cooling it down.
Feel free to take any variation you’d like with this pose including: both knees bent, one leg straight, eagle wrapped legs, bound hands with feet.
Boat Pose
Boat Pose is one of my favorite shapes to increase core awareness and strength within a yoga class. Rather than needing to do a million crunchies, think about holding your Boat Pose for longer and longer each time, instead. This is an all levels position.
This shape can be added in at the beginning, middle or end of the practice. And you can change up the intensity by straightening your legs, or binding your big toes with your peace fingers.
Tiger Curl
Tiger Curl is an all levels pose that can be sprinkled in throughout your yoga practice in order to gain core strength, deepen your ability to do compression, and strengthen your shoulders. You’ll want to warm up your wrists before you jump right into it.
If you’d like to turn up the heat in your practice and tap into your Solar Plexus throughout your practice, make sure to always hold your Tiger Curl for a breath or two longer than you want to. Don’t rush through it.
Revolved Pyramid Pose
Revolved Pyramid Pose is an intermediate position great for balancing the Solar Plexus Chakra through its twisting nature, strength, and stabilization through the core. Make sure you warm up before attempting this pose on its own.
Remember you can always place your bottom hand on a block if the ground feels far away, and you can always pop your back heel off the ground if your hamstring and calf are feeling tight.
Crow Pose
Crow Pose is a fun entry point to arm balances, and known as an intermediate level posture. Arm balances help with balancing the third chakra due to the strength and confidence these postures cultivate within.
If you’re new to Crow Pose, make sure to keep your gaze forward the entire time to avoid somersaulting out of the shape. Also, you can always practice lifting just one foot at a time until you find the core strength and stability to keep both lifted and hugged in.
Headstand
Headstand is an intermediate level pose that’s the perfect way to get comfortable going upside down. In addition, Headstand requires core stabilization for balance and security, and also provides confidence by facing the fear of going upside down.
I’d suggest Supported Headstand, rather than the Tripod Headstand version, as it’s more supportive on the head and neck.
Forearm Stand
Forearm Stand (otherwise known as Pincha, or Pincha Mayurasana) is a strong, advanced pose that requires a warm up prior to trying it out. To get a complete understanding of this posture, try my Practice Your Pincha series here, or on my app.
This pose requires a lot of shoulder and core strength, and also helps to connect you with your center through core stabilization.
Handstand
Handstand is an advanced pose that I love to share when I teach balancing the Solar Plexus Chakra. This pose embodies all that the Solar Plexus Chakra is about, helping you to tap into your personal power, strength, and connection to self.
To learn how to handstand, or to refine your existing handstand practice, make sure to check out my How To Handstand series here, or on my app.
I can’t wait to hear how your Solar Plexus Chakra balancing journey goes, my friends.
You’ve got this!
xx,
K
