In celebration of the blissful summer sunshine many of us know and love, it seems only right to explore the infinite fire within us, otherwise known as the third chakra – Manipura. Similar to the first two chakras, manipura is associated with a natural element, that of fire, and is seated in the physical body near our solar plexus, directly over the adrenal glands. It is in and from this luminous chakra that we experience light, warmth, energy, power and confidence. When in balance, we find ourselves strong, assertive and claiming our personal power in this world, through willful action and discipline. We are fully aware of our passions and desires and experience profound joy from the depth of our being. When out-of-balance, we may become overly angry, irritated and controlling, or suffer from physical ailments like ulcers, diabetes or digestive disorders. Associated with the color yellow, this chakra reminds us all that we can and will, as our hearts desire.
Within the physical body, we experience our third chakra when we are excited or nervous about something new and feel the flutter of butterflies in our stomach. Having a nervous stomach, strong or weak stomach, is oftentimes symbolic of whether or not manipura is in balance. Similarly, anytime we do yoga postures where we engage our core or strengthen our stomachs, like bow pose, we are attuning to our innate sense of power.
On a more subtle level, we experience our third chakra every time we cultivate confidence, self-esteem and power. Contrary to many beliefs in contemporary society, true power is a personal practice, in which we clearly identify our hopes and dreams and commit with unwavering discipline, to bring them into fruition. Despite adversity and obstacle, we follow our truth – our path – and will these dreams into being; such an individual is truly powerful. When we choose to base our decisions upon pleasing others or avoiding fearful situations/experiences, we are giving away our most precious life force – our personal power and fire. We do this also when we are able to recognize old, unhealthy attachments, and to shift away from them. By letting go of the ideas, stories, habits or relationships on which we have been “hung up,” we are strengthening our sense of power.
In theory, these principles are enticing and do we not all desire unwavering confidence, light heart and constant joy? Like many other yogic practices, the journey begins on our mats and with our breathe. And then, as we practice breathing techniques and strengthen our core, perhaps we find that this newfound confidence transcends asana and trickles into our lives. Perhaps we then decide to take an honest look at our attachments and explore how it would look and feel to let them go. Perhaps we set boundaries in our relationships, with our time and in our thoughts, and create space for our true passions. Perhaps we even take an unblinking look at our physical health and inquire about potential imbalances. Perhaps we then, commit to taking care of ourselves on a physical, emotional and spiritual levels, and allowing every waking moment to be an expression of our personal power. Or, perhaps we simply begin by wearing the color yellow.
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