Our body is divided into seven chakras – the Crown Chakra or Sahasrara located at the top of the head to Root Chakra or Muladhara located at the base of the spine. The rest of them are Third Eye Chakra (Ajna chakra), the Throat Chakra (Visuddha chakra), Heart Chakra (Anahata), Solar Plexus Chakra (Manipura), and the Sacral Chakra (Svadhisthana chakra).
Chakras are energy centers that are responsible for our physical and mental health. These energy centers correspond to major organs, bones, tissues, joints, and nerve bundles in the region. When in good health, chakras allow movement of energy within themselves and across the body. This is vital for normal bodily functions and maintaining balance.
However, due to various activities, the chakras may get blocked. When a chakra is blocked and out of balance, you may experience physical or emotional symptoms. For our overall well-being, it is imperative that we keep the chakras open and in perfect balance.
This article focuses on the Solar Plexus Chakra. Here you will find more information about where is the solar plexus located, Solar Plexus Chakra meaning, what is the Solar Plexus Chakra responsible for, how to balance Solar Plexus Chakra, how to clear a blocked Solar Plexus Chakra, and signs of Solar Plexus Chakra opening.
Basic information about the Solar Plexus Chakra
The Solar Plexus chakra or Manipura chakra or stomach chakra is located in the solar plexus region, which is in the pit of the stomach in front of the aorta. It is a complex system of nerves that is part of the sympathetic nervous system. The stomach, liver, intestines, gallbladder, spleen, and pancreas are the major organs in the chakra.
Manipura is Sanskrit means the “city of jewels”.
The Solar Plexus Chakra is related to your personal power system and self-esteem. It is the seat of ego, anger, and strength. It is responsible for your happiness, clarity of thought, wisdom, balance, and agility. Your overall mental well-being is controlled by this chakra.
When the chakra is open and balanced, you will be the best version of yourself. You will learn from your mistakes and will be willing to forgive yourself. When the chakra is blocked or out of balance, it leads to negative thoughts, low confidence levels, and you feel lost.
The repercussions of a blocked chakra are felt on your physical health as well. Bloating, nausea, stomach cramping, ulcers, and heartburn are symptoms of an out-of-tune Solar Plexus Chakra.
A blocked chakra doesn’t allow you to live life to the fullest. You need to have a balanced and open chakra to be happy, confident, and content.
How to maintain Solar Plexus Chakra in good health?
The health of a chakra requires constant work. This means you cannot leave it be just because it is open and balanced now. Regular upkeep is needed to keep it in good health.
As the chakra relates to both your physical and mental health, you can use both to ensure balance in the chakra. Some of the common methods to keep your Solar Plexus Chakra in balance are:
- Physical workouts
- Yoga specifically for the solar plexus region
- Breathing exercises like pranayama
- Chakra meditation
- Binaural beats meditation
- Aromatherapy with cedarwood, lavender, and rosemary
- Crystal healing with tiger’s eye, amber, citrine point, or yellow tourmaline
- Repeating affirmations related to the chakra
- Choosing starchy, yellow, and easily digestible foods like banana, pineapple, and squash
- Connecting with nature and spending time in the sun
- Trying new things to enhance your confidence and self-belief
You can try one or more from the list above. What works for one may not work for another. Listen to your body and choose what is right for you.
Chakra meditation involves focusing on one chakra at a time. Aromatherapy is a holistic treatment plan that uses natural plant extracts to improve health and well-being. Crystal healing is an alternative therapy that involves the use of crystals or stones for therapeutic purposes. As the color of the solar plexus chakra is yellow, the same colored stones and gems are used.
Affirmations are positive statements to boost your confidence, self-worth, and trust in yourself. Yoga poses that are especially beneficial to the solar plexus are Bow Pose (Dhanurasana), Boat Pose (Navasana), Cobra Pose (Bhujangasana), and Reverse Plank Pose (Purvottanasana).
You may also want to take a look at our guide on hundred healing solar plexus chakra affirmations.
Kapalabhati Pranayama or Breath of Fire is excellent to exercise your solar plexus and keep it in good health.
Signs of Solar Plexus Chakra Opening
So, you feel that your solar plexus chakra is blocked and start following one or more routines for unblocking the chakra. You would want to know how much progress you have made in the effort. You would definitely like to know whether the chakra is opening up and its good health restored.
Let us go through the signs that will tell us that your Solar Plexus Chakra is in perfect balance now.
In fact, it is easy. Just like you sensed that your chakra is blocked, you will also know that it is open. More than your intuition, you can look out for these signs to make sure they are open and in the clear.
1. Sleeplessness
You may be finding it hard to sleep at night. Though you feel tired and sleepy, sleep is hard to come by. You keep tossing and turning most of the night. Chakra opening is a difficult experience to endure. It may cause you discomfort and disturbances in your routine. But don’t worry. You will be able to enjoy restful sleep once the chakra is fully open and balanced.
2. Palpitations and shakes
You may experience chills and trembles. Again, the chakra opening up is a tough act and all these are part of it. When the chakra gets blocked, lots of energy gets trapped in the chakra. When it starts to open up, the pent-up energy will finally find a release. The shuddering, palpitations, and convulsions are just signs of the trapped energy escaping.
3. Loss of appetite
You may lose your appetite. When your body is working extra hard to get the chakra open and functioning well, many other routine bodily functions like appetite and digestion may not work well. However, you should put in the extra effort to overcome your lack of appetite and ensure that you are eating the right kind of nutrition as your body needs them to function well.
4. Dizziness
You may feel weak and light-headed. Something that goes along with shakes and palpitations. As the pent-up energy tries to free itself and passes through the chakras to find a release, the process is felt deeply by your body. As your body tries to adjust to the new energy levels, it is normal that you feel a bit light-headed or even giddy.
There is no need to worry or get worked up over this. This is a temporary feeling. As the confined energy is fully released and balance restored in the chakra, you will start feeling normal again. However, it would help if you can take it easy for the duration.
5. Nausea
Again, this is another sign of the energy levels coming down in your chakra as the trapped energy finds release when it opens up. This phase is short-lived. You can try home remedies to keep the nauseating sensation under control. Keep your head down and ride it out.
6. Varying energy levels
As the chakra is opening up and the excess energy finds its release, you may experience fluctuating energy levels for some time. This will last until things have stabilized. Don’t be surprised if you feel drained to get up in the morning or do even the simplest tasks. Take it easy for a while until things calm down.
Chakra opening, especially that of solar plexus chakra, is not easy to miss. The tell-tale signs of the chakra opening are so evident in your daily activities that even if you are not paying attention, you will get to know about it.
All these signs will disappear and you can go back to normal when the chakra is fully open.
For more on this topic, see our article clearing chakras for beginners.