Strengthen Your Solar Plexus and Own Your Presence
How ironic is it that our soft and vulnerable belly is actually our very source for command, influence and self will? I think it kind of equates to the strength of women. We tend to be looked at and conveyed as very soft, but we are extremely powerful beings. When we are knocked off our center or go through a life-changing event, our sense of identity and personal power may waver. But there is a specific energy center in our body that we can support and strengthen in order to gain it back. Let’s explore the solar plexus chakra responsible for regulating the energy associated with identity, action, and intention.
What is the solar plexus?
The Manipura Chakra or solar plexus chakra is the third energy center of the body. The word Manipura translates as “city of jewels”. And it makes perfect sense, as it is also where our regal power is concentrated. The solar plexus is the seat of our personal power, our will, our confidence and our capacity to move through the world with confidence and intention. Physically, this energy center lies in our upper middle abdomen below the tip of the sternum and just below the rib cage. It governs the stomach, liver, spleen, pancreas, kidneys, and parts of small intestine.
One of my favorite places to be is at the beach. Or anywhere, really, that is in the sun. I feel like the world is my oyster and like a woman who knows nothing is beyond her reach. The way the rays shine on my skin and instantly create an aura of warmth is unmatched. Just as the sun radiates warmth and light, a healthy solar plexus chakra radiates energetic fuel throughout your entire system. It is associated with the color yellow which happens to be the color of intellect, ego, and willpower. It governs your sense of self-worth, your personal authority and your ability to stand firmly in your truth without apology.
In yogic tradition, the solar plexus chakra is the home of agni which is our digestive fire and transformative force that metabolizes not only food, but also experiences, emotions and our thoughts. When this fire burns brightly and cleanly, you digest life efficiently. When it flickers weakly or rages out of control, everything is affected.
Signs of imbalance
The solar plexus can become imbalanced in two different ways. It can be underactive which causes it to be blocked or deficient. If you have deficient energy in the third chakra, you may suffer from poor self discipline, lack of spontaneity, and may be depressed because the energy is literally depressed and usually bound by shame. It can also be overactive, which causes it to be excessive and uncontrolled. When the third chakra holds excess energy, it can present as boldness or a hunger for power when it’s actually a subtle overcompensation for feeling less than, overlooked, and disconnected from one’s true inner authority. Both represent a disrupted relationship with your own power.
Chronic stress, unresolved trauma, childhood conditioning around shame, and sustained patterns of self doubt all contribute to the dysregulation that governs the solar plexus. Imbalance can manifest physically as well as emotionally. Because this chakra is located in the upper abdomen and linked physically to the major digestive nerve plexus, imbalance can often lead to diseases or issues of the stomach, pancreas, and liver. Some physical symptoms you may experience include:
Indigestion
Irritable bowel syndrome
Excessive weight gain
Ulcers
Diabetes
Weak core and poor posture
Liver and gallbladder issues
As far as emotional issues go, you may experience:
Overthinking
Uncontrolled anger
Low self-confidence
Insecurity and low self-esteem
Victim mentality
Lack of motivation and direction
Difficulty setting boundaries
But when this energy center is balanced, you feel confident, ready and capable to take on the challenges that life throws your way. With that basic level of trust in our ourselves and our abilities, we feel more equipped to take on the unknown. You will also understand that you have the power to choose your mindset, and therefore how your life unfolds.
Healing practices for this chakra
Healing this energy center is not about the idea of forcing power. What we should do instead is focus on removing what is diluting it. A balanced solar plexus chakra is critical for motivation and success in our life. When imbalanced, you will feel frustrated and stagnant. Following are 7 practices to try in order to strengthen this energy center.
Be risqué
Sometimes we avoid challenges not realizing that the avoidance is exactly what is keeping us stuck. Safe routines perpetuate our feelings of powerlessness and power increases by meeting challenges and working through them successfully. We have to be willing to take small risks and escape the pull of the familiar so that we can accept responsibility and create our reality through the sheer power of our own will.
Releasing shame
Shame is considered to be the most toxic emotion of the third chakra. We need to sit with our shadow self and examine and explore the roots of our shame. It may come from a few different sources. Shame contracts the body, especially the core, and disconnects us from our desire and action. Practicing vulnerability with people that you trust as well as showing compassion for your inner child really helps with this.
Building the fire
As mentioned earlier, the solar plexus is intimately linked to our digestion so to build energy in this particular center we need to work towards increasing our metabolic energy. We can do this by paying attention to what is on our plates. Certain foods are good for this energy center such as sufficient protein, vegetables, rice, oats and whole grains, which are great for digestion. Spices such as turmeric, ginger, and cinnamon are beautiful additions as well as these are heating to the body.
Charge yourself in the sun
This energy center is represented by the element of fire so the sun is a great healing source of vitality. Also, the sun gives us vitamin D and if you are deficient in this vitamin, you are more vulnerable to anxiety and depression. So morning walks in the sun or relaxing in the afternoon sun with a cup of tea is a powerful practice for the solar plexus.
Release the victim mentality
A deeply damaging mindset is believing we are helpless victims of our circumstances. This often shows up as blaming others for our unhappiness, neglecting our own needs, and carrying unresolved resentment. Maintaining a victim identity actually takes a significant amount of energy because that belief has to be sustained, fed, and reaffirmed on a daily basis. And in many ways, it shields us from the depth of self-responsibility. Returning to and reclaiming our power takes awareness, consistency, and courage.
Take care of yourself
A nourished sense of self is the heartbeat of a balanced solar plexus. When you devote attention to your body and your mind, your energy softens into alignment. Take an honest look at where you may be neglecting your health whether it be physically, mentally, or emotionally. This neglect often shows up as pain, fatigue, or chronic illness. Prioritizing your well-being is a form of self-respect. Over time, it builds confidence and strengthens both your body and mind.
Yoga and Pilates
Yoga is a beautiful way to gently reset the body and invite any suppressed energy to rise to the surface. To awaken the solar plexus, lean into expansive, opening shapes like Bow Pose, Upward-Facing Dog, and Camel Pose. While practicing, it’s common to experience emotional release. This is a normal and healthy response. Rather than suppressing it further, allow the sensations to move through you. This is part of the body’s natural process of release and regulation. Pilates helps to strengthen the core physically and energetically.
Final words
An imbalanced solar plexus is evidence of a nervous system that has intelligently adapted in order to survive what once felt like too much. The symptoms are a language that we have to slow down and pay attention to long enough to understand.
Choose one or two practices from above that genuinely call to you. You don’t need to do everything as overwhelm will only pull you back into old patterns. Begin with one. Devote yourself to it. Let your confidence build slowly, naturally. And as your body learns it is safe, your capacity will expand. This is a gentle process that will ask for your time, your energy, and your patience.
What would it feel like to trust yourself again and move from a place of self trust instead of survival?
In my book, Healing Beyond the Physical, you will learn to understand your body on a deeper level. I walk you through each chakra, educate on how disconnection manifests in the body, why it happens, and how to restore your health by returning to energetic alignment.