Be Sati

I DO: Manipura Chakra

You are amazing.  You are energetic.  You are effective.  You can do it.  With mindful determination, you can do anything.  

Manipura Chakra, the lustrous gem, is located at the center of the body at the solar plexus.  Physically, it is the largest convergence of autonomic nerves in the torso.  Energetically, it is the fiery, soul-ar battery.  While the body processes food and nutrition, creating the vital energy for life, the third chakra is harmonizing your sense of self and personal power, giving you the get up that you need to go.

Manipura is the center of personal transformation.  When balanced, you are spontaneous, you take risks, you assert yourself with confidence and kindness.  You are warm and caring, and you move through life with the ease that comes from deep inner power.  Building upon the structural stability of Muladhara and the creative flow of Svadhisthana, harmony in Manipura establishes an environment where ideas become action.

An overcharged third chakra can lead you into an endless cycle of striving for power, recognition and status.  This leads to suspicion and an erosion of relationships, for you never know who might steal your throne.  Stress, high-blood pressure, and poor digestion are slowly eroding your strength from the inside out.  Take care because your fire will eventually burn out. 

A depleted Manipura Chakra manifests in low self-esteem, turning you into a victim that can be easily manipulated by others.  You seek fulfillment from external sources, drawing you into a roller coaster of hope, guilt and denial.    

Yoga postures that stimulate Manipura focus on warrior energy and the deep core to fire up your strength and stamina:  boat pose, sun salutations, and chair.  Lower-torso twists are also invigorating.  Passive backbends and cat/cow stretches can cool the fire.  

Pranayama to stoke the fire include Kapalabhati and Bhastrika.  Slow, diaphramatic breathing is calming.