The Third chakra or Solar Plexus Chakra is concerned with our personal development and growth. Discovering our position and purpose in the world is a crucial aspect of human growth. When our basic survival needs are addressed and we have developed a healthy emotional relationship to pleasure through our bodies, we begin to consider what else we desire in life. To experience fulfillment and contentment, we seek to assert our unique role in the circle of life. From this innate desire to define ourselves, we investigate what makes us special and how we might use that to discover our purpose. Our Third or Solar Plexus Chakra is home to the forces that manage this sense of individuality (Manipura in Sanskrit). It is related with the fire element. The third Chakra houses our power, self-esteem, self-image, energy, will, responsibility, and life mission.
How does the Solar Plexus Chakra affect our lives?
The Third Chakra is situated immediately beneath the solar plexus (our diaphragm). It is located in the center of what is commonly referred to as the gut-brain. Since our digestive tract is lined with numerous nerve cells, it has a direct connection to the brain. Constant communication between the gut (emotions) and the brain (thoughts) leads in a unique and genuine sense of self that want to apply itself to the world.
These qualities of personal will, power, self-esteem, digestion, and assertiveness are associated with the Fire-related Solar Plexus Chakra. This Fire trait compels us to continually grow, learn, and expand our lives from the inside out. From here our real personality grows as we begin to touch the world in our own significant and distinctive way.
How to know if the Solar Plexus is in balance?
As humans, we always seek to discover and pursue our passions. When we spend our days doing something we don’t enjoy, we feel dissatisfied. The dynamic fire energy of our Third Chakra is crucial for achieving our full potential. When we listen to it, we discover what inspires us and stirs our interest and passion. We are conscious of our own energy and allow it to direct us. This leads to the development of a healthy sense of self. This aids in locating our place in the world and maximizing our productivity. When we begin to receive opportunities that align with who we are and what we love, it is an indication that the energies in our third chakra are in balance.
This creates a sense of satisfaction and enjoyment based on our application of our genuine selves to the world. We discovered employment, relationships, or residences that offer our lives genuine meaning. We are no longer preoccupied with what we should do and where we belong. We are courageous enough to defend ourselves, our convictions, and our inner voice. There is a continuous process by which we expand our personal life tree and discover new branches.
Why is the Solar Plexus out of balance?
Life continually requires us to respond. Things occur all around us, and conditions are always in flux. As healthy humans, our ability to respond to life improves. We react to the weather, the people around us, our bodies, our thoughts, and other sensations. Life truly flows both inside and outside of us. However, we have a tendency to focus on the exterior and disregard our inner fire. This is problematic since our fire must be acknowledged and allowed to freely express itself. When we do not heed our inner calling and act accordingly, our lives become a series of reactions to external stimuli. We begin to identify ourselves based solely on our experiences. We prohibit our inner fire from manifesting in our external life.
When our third Chakra is out of balance, we lack a strong sense of who we are and what makes us unique. We may find ourselves performing tasks we are not passionate about because we have been doing them for a while or because we need to survive. We feel alienated from our life’s mission and the sense of personal fulfillment that comes from pursuing it. It is common to experience poor self-esteem or even an identity crisis. We may experience “work burnout” and be in dire need of a break. We need significance in our lives beyond comfort, pleasures, and social standing.
How to activate the third chakra?
In the natural world, fire is both destructive and beneficial. Uncontrolled fire can destroy a forest and all its inhabitants. It can warm our bodies, cook our food, and save our lives when under control. However, even after a forest fire, the resulting soil is extraordinarily fruitful. New life always begins to grow immediately.
Similarly, the fire of the Third Chakra can benefit us. As we have seen in the preceding paragraph, if we do not allow our inner fire to burn in a healthy manner, we may be pulled in many directions. Nonetheless, it is essential to recognize that this is a perfectly normal phase through which we all pass. Before we can comprehend that we must adjust our trajectory, we must first experience an unbalanced condition. We have the ability to grow throughout the process. It is an opportunity to discover our genuine selves and their role in the world.
Through disciplines such as Yoga and Mindfulness, we can begin to distinguish between who we truly are and who we believe ourselves to be. We begin to recognize that we are an integral component of the world. Our individual lives are significant, but they are also part of a larger totality. We acknowledge that this duality (we and the world) is not a conundrum to be resolved, but rather a dance to be enjoyed. This acknowledgement balances our self-awareness and ego. Our ego is important to us, but we do not take it too seriously. It is not the center of our entire being; rather, it is the center of our personality. From this location, we discover our place in the world.