Chakra 3 Manipura: Your Personal Power

Manipura is the seat of your personal power. 

The energies of Manipura are focused on self, specifically self-esteem. Manipura is where personality develops and ego resides. It is the intuitive chakra where we receive “gut feelings.”

• Focus: Power, Energy
• Color: Yellow
• Seed Sounds: Ram
• Sense Organ: Eyes
• Associated sense: Sight

ESSENTIAL OILS:

• Chamomile – eases tension, promotes a “sunny” disposition
• Bergamot – helps release stagnant energy
• Juniper – good for emotional balance
• Ginger – helps aid the digestive tract
• Peppermint – balanced manipura energy

CRYSTALS & GEMSTONES

• Topaz – encourages confidence
• Citrine – assists in leaving no stone unturned
• Amber – brings happiness in the realm of relationships
• Sunstone – encourages you to see the “sunny” side
• Adventurine Quartz – boosts well-being
• Calcite – helps develop trust and motivation

Incense: Sandalwood, Nag Champa, and Dragon’s Blood

Food: Spices to build fire; black pepper, cayenne, ginger, cloves, tumeric, melissa. Seeds to cool excess fire: fennel, anise, cumin, flax seed, sunflower seeds. Complex carbohydrates (support fire); rice, oats, millet, pasta, bread, muesli.

The physical body: liver, stomach, small intestine, digestive system, gall bladder, skin, muscles, pancreas,  middle spine, and adrenals

If you are experiencing a blocked manipura chakra you could be overly concerned with what others think, fearful of being alone, insecure and in need of constant reassurance, feeling judgmental.  

Unbalanced

• Digestive problems, eating disorders, feeling like a victim, or experiencing low self-esteem can all be indications of a deficient third chakra.
• Perfectionism, anger, hatred, and too much emphasis on status and recognition reveal an excessive unbalanced third chakra.  

Balanced:

• Positive sense of self, energetic, warm, flexible, self-respect, confidence, ethical behavior, respect for others, ability to take risks, responsible, optimistic, ability to handle life’s challenges.
• Going gently into backbends can cool off the belly’s fire as calming agents for third chakra.
• Gaining confidence comes naurally from flexing your third chakra. Confidence comes in Toe Stand, kicking harder in Dandayamana Janushirasana or Dandayamana Danurasana, stretching to the max in Ustrasana;  for others, it might simply be getting to their first hot yoga class.
• Pavanamuktasana, Arda Masyendrasana twisting and Kaphalbhati breath are all helpful.

RECIPES FOR BALANCING MANIPURA: BUTTERNUT SQUASH

Any yellow foods- Lemons, bananas, corn and butternut squash - help balance your Manipura. This is delicious way to eat more yellow squash 

Credit for this recipe goes to Heidi Templeton, hot yoga teacher and chef of the chakras

Ingredients:

1 butternut squash

1 cup of cooked black beans

1 cup corn

Small onion, diced

3 cloves garlic, minced

1 yellow or red bell pepper, diced

1 bunch green onion

1/2 teaspoon cumin

1/2 teaspoon chili powder

1/2 teaspoon fennel

1/2 teaspoon turmeric

Vegan pepper jack cheese

Cilantro, salsa, and /or avocado for topping

Directions:

Preheat oven to 375 F.

Halve and seed your squash, and then hollow out each side just enough to form a shallow boat. Brush the squash with some coconut oil and roast with the meaty side facing down for 30-40 minutes.

Meanwhile, sauté your onions and garlic in a pan until slightly brown. Add bell peppers and spices, and sauté for about 5 minutes or so. Add beans and corn and green onions then stir. Sauté a few minutes longer and remove from oven and stuff it with your filling. Top with vegan cheese or other topping, return to oven for about 5-10 minutes.

NOTICING MANIPURA CHAKRA

Chakra location: approximately 2” above the navel

HOT YOGA POSES FOR MANIPURA: Focus on Manipura Chakra when in these hot yoga poses and see what you feel

Supta-Vajrasana

Pranayama Breathing for Manipura: be aware of taking deep belly breaths and bringing prana into your digestive organs (liver, pancreas, spleen),  the organs associated with the solar plexus chakra.

Kapalbhati breath for Manipura: forcefully snapping your stomach inward every time you exhale, the location of your solar plexus chakra, an inch above the navel, will activate this chakra.

MEDITATION FOR MANIPURA CHAKRA

Enclosure