After our Root and Sacral Chakra yoga practices, week three of my seven week Chakra focused yoga classes was based around the Solar Plexus (Manipura) Chakra.  Manipura is translated as “lustrous jewel.”

The Manipura energy center is located bodily at the navel center and below the breastbone.  This is one’s power center, the core of life force, housing the diaphragm which pumps our breath, our prana.  The Manipura Chakra element is fire.  The illustrations here include burning physical and emotional toxins, a blazing passionate willpower, and combustion of matter (grounded substantial elements of the lower Chakras) into gas (prana and the ethereal elements of the higher Chakras.)

Balance in the Manipura Chakra might be exhibited in stable socialization both with others and with one’s inner self in the form of feeling purposeful, having self-respect and esteem, being motivated and acting upon it, allowing spontaneity, and cheering successes.      

Yoga is an awesome way to combine the physical and psychological expressions of the Solar Plexus Chakra.  The physical body can represent a powerful manifestation of the qualities of power, will, and activity, and it also has the great potential to become unbalanced…either with weakness and fear, or aggression and anger.  Deficiencies in this energy center can show up as digestive issues, self loathing, and victimization.  Excessiveness may manifest as perfectionism, hatred, and status seeking.  Interestingly, eating disorders can be a strong indicator of imbalance in this Chakra that swings to both spectrums—low self-esteem and disempowerment can be negatively countered by dangerous discipline, lack of self/body-respect, and self-aggression.       

So a mindful and well composed yoga practice can cultivate a healthy body-mind relationship in relation to the 3^rd Chakra.  Physically, the Manipura Chakra governs the digestive organs, so asanas for this Chakra may be centered around this area of the body.  A yoga practice for the 3^rd Chakra might offer Surya Namaskara to build heat, variations on twisting, Bhastrika, strength and endurance postures such as Virabhadrasana, Utkatasana, and Navasana, and front body soothers and stretching postures like Purvottanasana.  The Yoga Niyama tapas, literally translated as “heat,” is a practice of austerity and discipline can be considered as an inspiration, and should be balanced with ahimsa.  Drawing the awareness to separation of the ego self and the source of true Self power is a distinction that can be formed in a Manipura focused practice.

Many consider the Chakras as physical energy centers, so each Chakra has associations of energetic matter that it responds to such as colors, scents, stones, and sounds.  Some feel more comfortable viewing the Chakras and their associations as tools of awareness rather than tangible forces, which in its own right is very powerful, incorporating the power of the conscious mind.  I think it’s both!  Solar Plexus Chakra associations include the following:   

• The element is fire.
• The color connected to the Manipura Chakra is yellow.
• Scents include mint, lemon, ylang-ylang, bergamot, geranium.
• Stones that bring balance and awareness here are citrine, amber, and tiger eye. 
• The sound syllable is RAM.   

For yoga teachers, certain reminders and suggestions in class can help encourage the 3rd Chakra awareness.  Developing a balanced environment in class by encouraging awareness and balance, rather than fear/guilt/suppression is key to promote positive empowerment as well as humble compassion.  Physically, practitioners can be encouraged to engage their core through asana with Uddiyana Bandha, but to allow that area to release in meditation and relaxation.

The following are my class resources from our Manipura Chakra vinyasa class.   

• Yoga Choreography- Power Yoga Flow 205 SOLAR PLEXUS CHAKRA
• Balancing mudra meditation:  Put your hands before your stomach, slightly below your breastbone. Let the fingers join at the tops, all pointing away from you straight. Cross the thumbs (If you feel powered by the ego, cross left over right.  If you feel weak, cross right over left.) Concentrate on the Solar Plexus Chakra. Chant the sound RAM.
• Aromatherapy- I mixed my own spray of lemon, ylang-ylang, lavender, and geranium. 
• Mantra- “I am courageous.  I am whole. I stand in my power.”  (Banner above made by Nathan.)
• Earth elements- candles
• Music- iTunes playlist for Solar Plexus Chakra.  (NOTE: Not all the songs may be in the iMix, some are from my own collection.) 

Without Standing—Lusine Icl
1^st One Out—Brian Carson
Long Time Sun—Snatam Kaur
Here Comes the Sun—Yo-Yo Ma and James Taylor
Adi Shakti—Mantra Girl
Cyber Raga—Madonna
Return to Innocence—Enigma
Strength, Courage, & Wisdom—India.Arie
Shanti/Ashtangi—Madonna
Shadows in Silence—Enigma
Power Phase— Brian Carson
Speak into the Microphone—The Dining Rooms
Soldier of Love—Sade
Mea Culpa—Enigma
Loka Samasta Sukhino Bhavantu—Mantra Girl
Gong Meditation—Music for Deep Meditation

How do you power up…or simmer down?