Imagine a golden sphere glowing between the belly button and spine in your upper abdomen. The solar plexus chakra, maṇipūra ("shining jewel place"), is your energetic center of confidence, personal power, and motivation––the core of your personality and identity located in the core of your physical body.
When this chakra is balanced
You have the confidence of a lioness. You are dancing like nobody is watching. With your heart open and lifted and chin held high, you are walking through life as if you were invited. You are empowered, courageous, and in control of your life. You trust yourself and set healthy boundaries. You are resilient and move through challenges firm but flexible, like bamboo.
When the Solar Plexus is Stagnant or Blocked
You appear meek and lacking confidence. You may be viewed as a doormat. Your posture is more inward and downward. You may struggle with self-doubt, insecurity, or a lack of direction. You might feel powerless, procrastinate, or hesitate to take risks. Physically, this can manifest as digestive issues, fatigue, or tension in the stomach area.
Activating and Balancing the Solar Plexus
Ignite the fire in your belly with movement! With a strong solar plexus, you will step into your confidence with ease, make empowered choices, and radiate self-assurance, allowing you to move forward in life with clarity and purpose. Walk through this life as if your were invited.
Learn more about the 7 main chakras at the Unlock Your Inner Light Workshop on May 9.
Try the postures below to activate and balance your solar plexus!
You always want to warm up first to avoid injury. Sun Salutations are a great warm up and also stimulate the solar plexus chakra. Ultimately, forward folds, backbends (heart openers), and core strengthening postures stimulate your solar plexus. Some of these postures are intermediate and can be strenuous. It's okay to save them for later, meet yourself where you are.
1. Stand with your feet together or hip width apart, arms down along your sides with your palms facing the wall in front of you. As you inhale life the arms up, fully extending and expanding. Feel the elongation of your spine. As you exhale fold at your hips, draw your chest toward your thighs and head toward your knees. Bend your knees as much as you like. Breathe. Feel the spaciousness the breath creates in your body.
2. From your standing forward fold, point your fingertips toward the floor, bend your knees and feel your sit bones reaching back. On an inhale, sweep your arms up as you lift your torso. Feel your spine long and flat, sit bones reaching toward the wall behind you. Draw your shoulders down your back away from your ears. Spread your fingertips out wide. We call it Chair Pose, but it actually translates as "fierce". Your whole body is active and engaged here. Arm muscles are active and engaged. Leg muscles are active and engaged. Your core is active and engaged. Your feet are firmly rooting downward and the legs are strong and supportive.
3. From a neutral standing position, hop or step your feet out wider than your hips (maybe an arm's length distance) facing the long edge of your mat. As you Inhale, turn your right foot pointing the toes toward the short edge of your mat. Exhale to bend the right knee above the ankle or slightly ahead of it. Inhale to lift the arms parallel to the floor. Gently turn your gaze over the right shoulder, beyond the right finger tips. Feel your shoulder blades kissing across your back as your heart opens and lifts and the spine elongates upward. Finger tips are reaching toward opposite ends of the room with the arms active and engaged. Feel both feet firmly rooted and your legs strong and supportive. To come out, on an exhale release the arms and straighten the knee, return the right foot pointing toward the long edge of the mat. Repeat the same process on the left side.
4. From your standing forward fold, plant your hands on the floor below your shoulders and jump, hop, step, or walk your feet back to a high push up position. Just like before, the whole body is active and engaged. Feel your heels reaching toward the wall behind you and the crown of your head reaching toward the wall in front of you. Feel the lengthening of your spine and focus on your breath. You may not love this, but you're strengthening your whole body, including your bones.
5. From your high push up position, on an exhale allow your knees to drop to the floor. With your hands below the shoulders shoulder-width apart, spread your fingertips out wide. Your knees are below the hips, hip-width apart. As you inhale, press downward everywhere you are connected to the floor and lift the crown of your head upward as you tilt the pelvic bowl forward. As you exhale, still pressing downward everywhere you are connected, draw the crown of the head downward and tilt the pelvic bowl inward, rounding the spine. Try several of these at your own pace, following the rhythm of your own breath. Allow your whole body to fill with your breath on the inhale, completely empty as you exhale.
6. Kneeling with your knees hip width apart and your palms supporting your low back, as you inhale lengthen both sides of your rib cage while you draw the navel inward. Engage your inner thighs and roll your shoulders back. As you exhale, come into your backbend keeping the chest lifted without crunching your neck or low back. Find your heels or ankles with your hands. Take a few breaths here, feel your heart lifting toward the sky. Use your inhale to lift yourself back up to come out. Sit with a neutral spine, sitting bones on your heels for a few breaths.
7. Sitting with your legs extended out long, draw the legs in toward the midline. Feel everything connected to the floor from your heels to your sitting bones rooting downward and your spine rising tall. Spread your fingers out wide, plant the hands next to your hips and keep your feet flexed as if you are standing on them. Feel your heart opening and lifting and your chin parallel to the floor. Notice the sense of confidence you feel.
8. From Staff Pose, on an inhale draw both knees inward with both feet flat on the floor. Take one step back with your hands. As you inhale, gently roll back on to your tail bone. Lift both feet up off the floor with your shins parallel to the floor. Here you have options. You can bring your hands underneath your thighs for support. Notice your abdominal muscles engaging, your spine long and flat, the heart opening and lifting. Stay here if you want, or to increase the intensity, extend the arms out long and spread the finger tips out wide. To increase the intensity even more, extend the legs. See if you can find your edge, when your body begins to shake. Breathe into that. When you're ready to come out, bend the knees, draw them inward on an inhale. As you exhale, roll forward to your sit bones and bring your feet back to the floor. Plant your hands next to your hips, press into the floor as you inhale and lift your sit bones. Shift the sit bones forward and lower to your back with feet flat on the floor, knees bent, and your arms resting down along your sides with the palms facing downward. As you inhale, press through the forearms, edges of the palms, and finger pads. Lift the knees inward and wrap your arms around your shins. Give yourself a hug. Exhale to release, bringing the feet back to the floor and the arms back down along your sides.
9. Lying down on your back with bent knees and feet flat on the floor, arms down along your sides, inhale as you bend your elbows and draw your hands underneath your sacrum. Your elbows are slightly splayed. Pressing into the floor with your forearms and elbows lift the head and the chest gazing at your feet. As you exhale, lower your head so the back of your head or the top of your head touch the floor as your chest is lifting.
Take a moment to release your feet, allowing them to fall out wide. Release your arms away from your body with your palms turned upward. Deliberately relax for a few moments. Allow the natural curl of your finger to turn inward. Release your scalp, smooth out your forehead, and release your jaw. For just a few moments, draw all of your awareness to your breath. Be present with yourself as you rest. Acknowledge yourself for the work you did for you today.
