"Manipura," in Sanskrit, is the third of the seven primary chakras in the body's energy system, and its name translates to "lustrous gem of the city,”. It is also known as the Solar plexus, and can be represented by the colour yellow, and is linked to the elemental energy of fire. This chakra is associated with personal power, self-esteem, and the ability to manifest one's desires and achieve goals. When the solar plexus chakra is blocked or imbalanced, it can manifest as a range of mental and emotional symptoms that can impact various aspects of our lives.

When the Solar Plexus is Blocked

Low Self-Esteem 

When the solar plexus is blocked, you may struggle with low self-esteem and a lack of self-worth. You might constantly doubt your abilities and question your value.

Insecurity

An imbalanced solar plexus can lead to feelings of insecurity and an inability to assert oneself. This can result in difficulties in standing up for one's beliefs and needs.

Indecisive

Those with a blocked solar plexus often find it challenging to make decisions. You may fear making the wrong choices and, as a result, become indecisive.

Procrastination

Blocked energy in this area can lead to procrastination and an inability to take action. People might have big dreams and ideas but struggle to turn them into reality.

Lack of Confidence

A lack of confidence is a common sign of a blocked solar plexus. This can manifest as hesitancy to take on new challenges or a fear of failure.

Control Issues

Some individuals with a blocked solar plexus may develop control issues. They may become overly controlling in an attempt to compensate for their own feelings of powerlessness.

Digestive Problems and Diet

The solar plexus is closely linked to the digestive system. Imbalances in this chakra can lead to digestive issues, which can further contribute to mental and emotional discomfort. There are foods that nourish the Solar plexus to help bring in balance. These are foods that are yellow and include bananas, lemons, pineapples, corn, and yellow capsicum.

How to Balance the Solar Plexus

Balancing the solar plexus chakra involves various practices and techniques, including meditation, yoga (see video below), deep breathing exercises, energy healing, and mindfulness. Incorporating yellow-coloured foods and gemstones such as citrine or yellow topaz into your life can help stimulate and balance this chakra.

Affirmations

Repeating daily affirmations can help to build inner strength and nourish the Solar Plexus. Some examples are below, but make your affirmations personal by choosing ones that make your feel empowered and strong.

✿ “I am in control of my life”

✿ “I am safe”

✿ “I trust myself and my decisions”

✿ “I embrace my purpose”

✿ “I am strong and capable”

Practices for Self-care + Ways to restore flow

✿ Sunlight: the solar plexus is associated with Fire, so sunlight can energise the Solar plexus.

✿ Grounding: Grounding, or placing your bare feet on the earth, can help reduce inflammation and stress by reconnecting your body to the earth's natural energy, and creating flow.

✿ Physical Movement: Yoga poses like Boat Pose (Navasana), Warrior Pose (Virabhadrasana), or Sun Salutations (Surya Namaskar) stimulate the core and help balance the solar plexus.

✿ Creativity: What creative practices do you love doing? Spend time doing them! Empower the Solar plexus and build your confidence.

✿ Meditation and Visualisation: Focus on the solar plexus area during meditation and visualise a warm, glowing yellow light radiating from your abdomen. Holding a yellow stone such as citrine can be a nice way to further focus on the solar plexus.

✿ Journalling: Turn inward and journal about what empowers you, letting go of limiting beliefs to clear emotional blockages.

✿ Yoga + belly breathing: activate and energise the solar plexus by engaging the core, promoting a sense of inner strength and balance, and helping to release tension or blockages in the solar plexus.

Essential oils - Aromatherapy

There are essential oils to support the Solar Plexus. These include lemon, ginger, bergamot, and cedarwood. Dilute in a carrier oil and either apply to the skin (do a skin patch test first), or add a few drops to the bath, and immerse yourself in the scent of the oil.

Acupuncture to restore the flow of energy

Acupuncture, much like energy healing, can be used to address energetic imbalances in the body by clearing blockages and restoring the natural flow of energy. In Traditional Chinese Medicine, this energy is known as Qi, which moves through pathways called meridians. When these pathways become obstructed, it can manifest as physical, emotional, or spiritual disharmony. Similarly, in chakra-based energy systems, blockages in the body’s energy centres can lead to similar disruptions. Acupuncture works to release these blockages by stimulating specific points along the meridians, helping to realign and balance energy flow, just as energy healing uses gentle energy transmission to clear stuck energy and promote healing. Both practices aim to restore harmony, supporting physical health and emotional well-being.

Spinal Energetics

Spinal energetics is a energetic modality that addresses energy flow through the spine, which is closely connected to the body’s energy centres, including the solar plexus chakra. By working to release physical and energetic blockages along the spine, this modality can help restore balance to the solar plexus, which governs self-confidence, personal power, and decision-making. Gentle manipulations, breathwork, and energy-focused techniques in spinal energetics activate the core area, promoting the release of stuck emotions or tension stored in this chakra. This process not only helps open and realign the solar plexus but also fosters a renewed sense of empowerment and clarity, supporting emotional resilience and physical vitality.

Energy Healing

We offer Spinal energetics and acupuncture in Point Cook. In Spinal Energetics we work with the chakras to balance and enable flow where there may be stagnation and blockage. We use touch, and no touch to work with the nervous system, spine, chakras and energetic field, to open and allow energetic flow in the body. Release and let go. Switch the nervous system out of fight/flight into rest/repair. Sessions can be calm and restorative, or about opening and letting go.

A yoga sequence to nourish the Solar Plexus