Solar Plexus Chakra Healing - Onyx Integrative Medicine & Aesthetics (2024)

What is the Third Chakra?

The third Chakra is known as the Solar Plexus, or Manipura in Sanskrit (which roughly translates as “lustrous gem of the city”). The Solar Plexus is located at the navel and is closely related to the element of fire—or the sun, and its vibrational frequency is yellow. Manipura sits on top of the Sacral Chakra along the spine, and its energy is related to self-esteem and sense of purpose, as well as metabolism and digestion.

This chakra is responsible for your sense of self, ego, and self-definition. A balanced solar plexus chakra provides you a sense of personal power, confidence, and the ability to overcome obstacles and rise to the occasion. It helps you to turn your dreams, goals, and intentions into action. Without a healthy third chakra, you can feel discouraged and powerless, often feeling stuck in your current situation – whatever it may be.

What Causes the Third Chakra to be Blocked?

Trauma and abuse are key contributors to a blocked third chakra. Trauma can come from over-authoritative parents that do not allow their child to express their feelings, ideas, or thoughts. In other cases, a spouse or significant other who gaslights or emotionally abuses their partner can damage the solar plexus. In both cases, a person’s sense of personal power is taken away.

Shame is the most damaging emotion to the third chakra.

Solar Plexus Chakra Imbalance: What Happens?

Physical Symptoms:

When the Manipura is out of alignment or imbalanced, it can lead to digestive issues including constipation, improper digestion, and nutrient absorption, and can contribute to diabetes, stomach ulcers, as well as improper functioning of the liver, pancreas, and colon. Really, anything digestive-related will be associated with the solar plexus chakra.

Other physical manifestations of a disrupted solar plexus chakra include chronic fatigue and low energy, which can be low physical energy or low mental energy. Also, feelings of heaviness throughout the body and inability to make moves on both the physical realm and in life.

Psychological Symptoms:

Deficient Third Chakra

Because the Solar Plexus rules our individual and unique sense of purpose, a deficient third Chakra can contribute to feelings of powerlessness and can make self-expression challenging. Also, feelings of low-self esteem arise.

A person with a prolonged deficiency of the Solar Plexus can develop a deep-seated “victim” mentality, neediness, deteriorated self-esteem, as well as a feeling of helplessness and lack of ownership over one’s life and choices. Making decisions, even the smallest ones, can be hard for people with a blocked, or weakened solar plexus chakra. The needs of others are often prioritized, leaving the person feeling depleted, taken advantage of, or even unsure of what they like or who they are.

Excess Third Chakra

On the other side of the coin, an excess Manipura may manifest as aggressive and controlling behaviour—which can also manifest as disordered eating—and you may find yourself quick to anger over things that normally would not elicit such a response. It is common to see excess third chakra in people who live very rigid lives and have common patterns and rules that they abide by. With an excess third chakra, it may be challenging to veer from patterns that you are used to or enjoy spontaneity.

If you are struggling with anxiety, low-self esteem, depression, or any mental health issues – our Naturopathic Doctors can help. They work with people all over the country via telemedicine, or in-person at their Gilbert, AZ office. Call us today to learn more.

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Healing a Blocked Solar Plexus

When the energy of the Solar Plexus Chakra is in healthy alignment, we gain a better appreciation for our own inherent power and feel the confidence to take control of our own life. A sense of belonging and purpose will be greatly strengthened, and we are more able to “let go” of the elements in our lives that make us feel powerless, insecure, or “less than.” Whether it’s a job or bank account, a healthy Manipura will help us find the strength and power to begin to let go of the superficial things that we think define who we are, and come to the realization that our worth is not defined by these things. While a job or financial success/stability do have value, with an alignment of the Solar Plexus we can begin to identify when we are over-valuing certain elements of our lives, some of which are often beyond our control, and what comes to the surface is our own inherent value—the value that exists inside every one of us, completely independent of external forces. The result of aligning the third Chakra is an ability to sever dependence on external sources of happiness and instead, find contentment and self-worth from within ourselves.

How do I Restore Balance to My Solar Plexus?

• Therapy and Mind-body medicine – working through shame and building self-esteem with holographic imagery, EMDR, or CBT

• Yoga asanas – Bow pose; Boat pose; Lion pose; Mountain pose; Warrior poses; seated spinal twists

• General movement and exercise – turn on your favorite song, close the door and dance your heart out; take a stroll in the park (without your phone!)

• Affirmations – look into the mirror and repeat the affirmation that resonates with you: “I am enough”; “I have purpose”; “I am authentic”; “I am in control of my own life”; “I am strong, capable, and powerful”

• Aromatherapy – This is a more passive approach to balancing the Solar Plexus, but can be used in tandem with other restorative activities like yoga. Cedarwood, rosemary, chamomile, bergamot, and sandalwood are all beneficial oils for the third Chakra.

• Making small choices for yourself can also help to heal the Solar Plexus –Whether it’s taking a walk to the park on your lunch break (a little bit of sun can do wonders for the third chakra), wearing a colour or item of clothing that makes you happy (try something in the yellow family), or belting out your favourite ballad in the shower—the smallest choices made to benefit yourself alone can help restore a sense of personal authenticity and power. Making these small decisions help to strengthen your ability to put forth your ideas, purpose, and values into the universe. Over time, the answers to larger decisions will become more clear.

• Take a social media break—even one day a week can make a huge difference. We are constantly comparing ourselves to others on social media, and this can affect our self-esteem and self-worth. Constantly seeing the curated and filtered lives of influencers gives us a distorted view of life, success and happiness, and can make us feel like our own successes in life are inferior.

• Crystals: Citrine; Yellow Tourmaline; Tiger’s Eye; Yellow Jasper; Yellow Quartz. Place the crystals on your navel. You can even tape one in place to wear under your clothes–or wear as jewelry.

When the Solar Plexus Chakra is unhealthy, taking the initiative to do even the smallest thing for ourselves can feel not only overwhelming but futile. These strategies for healing may seem useless and silly, but you will be surprised how powerful even the smallest change to our daily routines can be for your sense of worth and happiness in life. Even simply making a choice that takes your own happiness into consideration can help us rewire our brains to value our number one asset—ourselves!

A healthy and balanced Manipura that allows energy to flow freely empowers us with a strong sense of self-identity, motivation, and purpose.

We are better able to let go of a desire to control every element of our lives and relationships which results in a greater feeling of freedom and balance. Things that arise in life that are beyond our control do no longer affect our self-worth, and we are better equipped to handle adversity and the curveballs life throws at us. With an aligned Solar Plexus, we learn to let things go and live freely as our truest, most authentic selves.

Solar Plexus at a Glance:

-The Solar Plexus, or Manipura, is the third of seven Chakras, is located at the navel, and is responsible for self-esteem and self-purpose, as well as metabolism and healthy digestion

–Associated with the element fire—or the sun

-Vibrational frequency: Yellow

-Psychological symptoms of a blocked Solar Plexus are aggressive behavior, an obsession with control (which can be associated with disordered eating), helplessness, low self-esteem, and diminished self-worth

-Physical symptoms of an unaligned Manipura are digestive issues, ulcers, Irritable Bowel Syndrome, diabetes and liver, pancreas, and colon malfunction

-Aligning the Solar Plexus Chakra restores our sense of purpose and motivation in life and allows us to develop a strong sense of self-worth independent of external forces

The Solar Plexus is supported by the Sacral Chakra, which serves as the center of our creativity and connection. To read about the Second Chakra, Click Here!

A blocked or imbalanced solar plexus chakra could be leading to a number of mental, emotional, and physical issues in your life. Working with our Naturopathic Doctors can help you identify where to start, and how to begin your healing journey to a healthier, happier you!

We work with men and women at ourGilbert Arizona office, and virtually viatelemedicine.