Healing Your Solar Plexus Chakra for Happiness and Health: The Missing Link to Finding Your Center

The solar plexus chakra is located between the navel and the spine. The solar plexus, also known as the Manipura, governs self-esteem, emotions, inner strength, and empowerment. 

The solar plexus chakra can sometimes become unbalanced, and finding ways to help balance and heal it is critical. This article will teach you how to balance the solar plexus chakra and how to incorporate them into your daily practice. 

“In the chakra system, the solar plexus is the seat of personal power. Power is not about exerting our will over others; it is about being in complete truth with yourself.” 

– Madisyn Taylor

The solar plexus chakra‘s functions

The Solar Plexus Chakra, also known as Manipura in Sanskrit meaning “shining gem”, is the third chakra out of your 7 energy centers – located at the upper abdomen just above your navel. Representing personal power and inner fire, it holds a special place amongst our chakras.

Signs your solar plexus chakra is out of balance 

The solar plexus chakra is an important part of the body’s energetic system. It is linked to willpower, confidence, and motivation, and when out of balance, it can result in a variety of physical and emotional symptoms.

Recognizing the signs that your solar plexus chakra is out of balance is critical to regaining health and happiness. Physical symptoms of a solar plexus chakra imbalance include indigestion, bloating, nausea, fatigue or exhaustion despite adequate sleep, pain in the upper back between the shoulder blades, skin rashes or irritations in this area, and poor blood sugar regulation. 

Other symptoms of physical imbalance include blood pressure issues, diabetes, eating disorders, and stress-related illnesses. 

You may also have feelings of low self-worth or insecurity, anxiety or fearfulness, and difficulty making decisions due to a lack of clarity. 

Balancing the Manipura chakra

Utilize positive energy 

Begin by concentrating on your breathing. Take slow, deep breaths and focus on feeling at ease. 

As you exhale, visualize all negative energy dissipating and being replaced by positive energy. Consider yourself surrounded by a golden yellow light that radiates positive energy and lifts your spirit. 

Focus on any physical sensations or emotions that arise as a result of this vision of positive energy in your mind’s eye. This sense of optimism will aid in understanding how to use the solar plexus for its healing properties. 

Once you’ve tapped into this source of inner strength and renewal, use it as an external force for good in everyday life situations with caution. 

Poses for the solar plexus chakra in yoga

Solar plexus yoga poses can help to activate, energize, and harmonize this chakra, which can benefit both physical and mental health. Here are a few of the best poses for connecting with your solar plexus energy: 

Cobra Pose (Bhujangasana), Upward Facing Dog (Urdhva Mukha Svanasana), Half Moon Pose (Ardha Chandrasana), and Boat Pose are all variations on the Cobra Pose (Navasana). 

Cobra Pose 

The cobra pose is an essential part of solar plexus yoga practice. It aids in the strengthening and stretching of the spine, the improvement of physical strength and flexibility, the increase of breath awareness, and the energizing of the body. 

The pose is simple: lie flat on your stomach with your legs extended behind you. Place your palms flat on the floor beside your chest, then slowly raise your head, neck, and shoulders while pressing your navel into the floor. 

Hold this position before lowering yourself back onto the mat for a few breaths. 

Upward-facing down pose

Begin by lying face down on a mat, legs straight behind you, and hands flat next to your waist. Lift your head, neck, and shoulders towards the sky on an inhale while pushing through your hands until only their tops touch the ground. 

Exhale slowly and press your palms into the floor, engaging your core muscles. 

Half moon pose

Ardha Chandrasana, or half-moon pose, is an important part of a yogi’s practice. It aids in the opening and strengthening of the muscles in the abdomen, back, hips, and legs. It can be used to energize the body as well as stretch out tight spots. 

Begin in Mountain Pose, feet together and arms alongside your torso. Bend your supporting leg’s knee while keeping both hip bones pointed forward.

For stability, raise both hands to the sky while pressing down on your standing foot. Take a deep breath and exhale as you take one step back away from your standing foot, your toes facing forward. 

Boat pose

Begin by sitting on the ground and extending your legs in front of you. Lean back slightly and clasp your hands at chest level. 

Lift both feet off the floor and align them parallel with your body, forming a V shape. To ensure proper alignment, keep your back straight throughout the exercise. 

Raise both arms slowly until they parallel, forming a line from fingertips to toes.

Warrior pose

Get ready to channel your inner warrior with the warrior pose (Virabhadrasana)! This yoga pose is a powerful tool for harnessing balance in the solar plexus chakra. 

To execute this balancing act, stand firmly on both feet shoulder-width apart and extend one leg out to the side while keeping the other bent at 90 degrees. Then reach outwardly with both arms – palms down – getting set to feel strong and stable around that all-important energy center known as ‘the third eye’. Strengthen yourself from within by exploring this ancient art of alignment today! 

Solar plexus chakra healing foods

There are foods that can assist in the healing of the solar plexus chakra! Certain fruits, such as bananas, pineapple, corn, and lemons can help to restore balance to this energy center.

Eating yellow foods and vegetables like squash or corn helps to activate the energy in this area, while spices like ginger root help to remove blockages in the solar plexus chakra. If you have any physical symptoms that you believe are caused by a blocked solar plexus chakra, try eating these foods at least once a day to help promote internal balance. 

To find out about the solar plexus chakra and our inner organs, read our post: Understanding the connection between Chakras and Organs.

Wear yellow to bring the solar plexus chakra into balance

Yellow has long been associated with happiness, warmth, joy, and security in many cultures around the world. Wearing yellow brings balance and encourages one’s inner light to shine brightly in traditional yoga practice. 

Wearing yellow allows positive energy to flow through the body, which helps to balance the solar plexus chakra. Wearing yellow clothing or accessories that complement your personal style can help you strengthen your connection with this powerful chakra center within your body (read more about clothing for chakra balancing). 

Spend time in the sun to help activate the solar plexus

Spend time in the sun to help the solar plexus chakra balance. Sunlight helps to energize this chakra while also providing you with a fresh perspective on life. 

Spending some time in the sunlight each day is critical to keep the solar plexus open and balanced. Taking a short walk outside each day can help clear your mind and unblock stagnant energy in your body. 

Positive affirmations for the solar plexus

Positive affirmations are a simple yet effective tool for maintaining the balance and health of the solar plexus chakra. They can help unlock inner potential and manifest desired goals with regular practice. 

Here are some affirmations that can help you activate your solar plexus

• “I freely express my one-of-a-kind abilities.”
• “I believe in my ability to make sound decisions.” 
• “I recognize my own value.” 
• “I am strong, capable, and self-assured.” 
• “My potential is infinite.” 
• “My strength comes from within.”

Balancing the solar plexus chakra with crystals and stones

Unlock and balance your solar plexus chakra with the powerful energy of crystals. Citrine, yellow quartz helps to give you an extra boost of self-confidence and increase feelings of worthiness. A tiger’s eye stone sparkles in golden browns enabling sharper thinking abilities while Yellow Jasper radiates joy providing calming contentment from within.

Two more jewels to be used are the sunstone and the golden calcite – two beautiful, sunny stones that can help boost your self-assurance. By wearing or carrying these gems, you may experience a greater sense of joy and inner peace. Let their gold radiance bring lightness to your spirit!

Unlocking and balancing your solar plexus chakra can be efficiently achieved using stones! Wear them as jewelry or place them on the abdomen while meditating. You may also hold these special stones during visualization, or better yet – bring a positive energy charge to any room by simply displaying them there! Remember though: regular cleansing of the crystals is key for optimum effect.

Balancing sounds

Using sound to harmonize and invigorate the energy of your solar plexus chakra is a powerful practice. Singing bowls, and gongs, chanting “RAM,” or simply listening to music in keys E or A can help bring this part of your body’s energetic system back into balance. 

Match yourself with a resonant sound sharpened specifically for you as regularity will yield more impressive results!

Incense and essential oils

Incense and essential oils can be potent allies when it comes to restoring balance in the solar plexus chakra (see our post about incense for chakras). Scents like lemongrass, ginger, cinnamon, and sandalwood are thought to stimulate this powerful energy center within us all, giving a sense of clarity and upliftment. 

For maximum benefit find one that resonates with you deeply – use it during meditations or wear it as perfume regularly for ultimate success!

Meditations

Unlock your full potential and feel the power of chakra meditation. By focusing on balancing the solar plexus, you can bring harmony to all aspects of yourself – mind, body, and spirit. 

Visualize a spinning wheel or warm yellow light located at this energy center in order to reduce stress that may affect its balance. As tension melts away with each deep breath taken during your meditation practice, bask in radiant well-being as awareness is directed towards restoring equilibrium within the inner self!

Check out this video for more information on the solar plexus!

Sources

• https://www.anahana.com/en/yoga/solar-plexus-chakra
• https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Celiac_plexus
• https://www.healthline.com/health/solar-plexus-pain
• https://alumni.sae.edu/2016/03/08/what-do-colors-mean-and-represent/
• https://www.ekhartyoga.com/articles/practice/manipura-or-solar-plexus-chakra
• https://www.ymcansw.org.au/news-and-media/the-y-at-home/the-importance-of-affirmations/