How To Balance Your Solar Plexus Chakra (2024)

Working on our chakras offers us an opportunity to gain deeper self-understanding. The chakra system provides insights into how our body, mind, and energy work together cohesively. In this series, you’ll learn more details about each individual chakra.

We covered theroot chakra and thesacral chakra, now onto the solar plexus!

If you’re new to the chakras and want to learn more about the basics, read this post here:What Are The Chakras?

The solar plexus chakra is the third energy center of the chakra system. For some reason with this energy center, we often drop off the word chakra, so you’ll commonly hear this referred to as just the ‘solar plexus’. Thisenergycenter is located at your navel, more specifically in the region of your upper abdomen. It also encompasses much of the digestive system.

In Sanskrit, the solar plexus chakra is known as ‘Manipura,’ which translates to ‘lustrous gem’ or ‘jewel in the city.’ This name signifies this energy center’s association with the sun and it’s desire to shine brightly, just like a radiant gem.

The solar plexus is part of our lower three chakras which means it’s the last chakra that relates very directly to how we interact in the physical/material world. Remember from the other 2 lower chakras, ‘lower’ doesn’t mean less important. All of the energy centers are important, our goal is to create a balanced flow within them all.

When the solar plexus is balanced, you stand confidently in your own personal power.

This energy center is associated with the element of fire, symbolizing the desire to be seen and take action.

The qualities of fire can help us understand this energy center further. You can think of the solar plexus chakra as your own inner flame. This flame provides you with the energy and motivation to create positive changes and embrace transformation. It encourages you to let go of what no longer serves you, allowing for renewal and growth.

When this area is in balance, the radiance within you shines forth effortlessly and you’re able to share your unique gifts with the world. You stand with unwavering confidence, unaffected by the opinions of others, and maintain a strong sense of self-worth.

When we talk about an unbalanced solar plexus chakra, it doesn’t necessarily mean that the energy is only ‘too low’. It can be either excessive or deficient, leading to different presentations.

Remember, this is looking deeper into our energetic connection to the mind and body. While working with your energy can most definitely create profound effects, it’s not intended to replace medical treatment.If you’re experiencing physical, mental, or emotional symptoms, consult with your medical doctor.

Being able to stand in our own personal power is a wonderful aspect of this energy center, but too much focus on power can lead to an imbalance. An overactive solar plexus chakra can occur when there is an excessive focus on power and control. This can lead to a relentless pursuit of power and dominance, sometimes at the expense of others. Additionally, excessive anger and aggression may be present, symbolizing an excess of this fiery energy.

On the other hand, an underactive solar plexus chakra can manifest as a difficulty in asserting oneself and standing up for personal needs. Feelings of powerlessness, low self-esteem, and low confidence may be experienced.Lack of motivation, difficulty completing what you set out to do, and feeling ‘lazy’ can be another presentation of low solar plexus energy.

Digestive issues can be a physical manifestation of an imbalance in the solar plexus. This highlights the strong connection between this energy center and the digestive system.

A constant feeling of fatigue, even with sufficient rest, can also indicate underactivity here.

It’s worthy to note that while the sacral chakra is a more feminine energy center, the solar plexus is more masculine.

Remember, we all have both masculine and feminine energy, but this could be why some women struggle with their sense of personal power more than say men might. This is changing as our culture does empower women more than ever before, but some of us may just be more inclined to connect with our feminine energy.

Of course, this can happen in any gender and doesn’t happen to all women, this is just my interpretation from experience working with female clients and from my personal womanly experience. Out of all the chakras, this is the one I struggle with the most and it’s one that I work on often for this reason. I have drive to get things done but I ‘burn-out’ quickly.

I’m someone who’s pretty in tune with energy and I can relatively easily feel the energy surrounding all of my chakras except my solar plexus. It takes a lot of my focus for me to feel my energy here.

Maybe I struggle here because I am more in tune with my feminine energy and have a more difficult time connecting with my masculine energy. I’m still working on this and exploring this but I share this with you in case anyone else feels the same.

And the good news is, the tips below are ways you can work on finding balance in your solar plexus! I’ll definitely be taking some pointers off my own list 🙂

Remember the location of the solar plexus is in the navel region. Twisting type yoga poses allow movement through this area and can help balance this energy center.

I find that they can work for an overactive or underactive solar plexus.

For an underactive solar plexus, the twisting helps ‘ignite’ the fiery energy of this area. The twisting in essence is helping to ‘wake up’ this area.

For an overactive solar plexus, the twisting can help ‘churn’ away any excess energy in this chakra.

Either way, these types of poses can help you to find balance here.

Some examples of yoga poses that would fall into this category would be a seated spinal twist, supine spinal twist, or revolved crescent lunge.

These types of yoga poses are not recommended for those with osteoporosis or osteopenia.

A wonderful way to work on the chakras is to work with the element that they’re associated with.

The solar plexus chakra’s element is fire and we connect with this through candle gazing.

Candle gazing is a form of meditation. It’s pretty much done as it sounds, you basically stare at the flame of a candle. The goal is to keep your focus on the flame.

I suggest gazing at the candle for 1-2 minutes and then closing your eyes and continuing to work on envisioning the flame in your mind’s eye. You can sit with your eyes closed in meditation as long as you’d like.

Please remember fire safety! Make sure your candle isn’t somewhere where it can get knocked over and remember to blow it out when your done.

If you have the following conditions, candle gazing is not recommended: seizures, myopia (nearsightedness), glaucoma, cataracts, serious eye disorders, mental health conditions with psychosis like schizophrenia, or if you’ve consumed drugs and alcohol.

The sun is associated with the masculine energy of the solar plexus. The solar plexus is what allows us to shine bright in this world so what better way to balance this energy center than by connecting with the sun.

Unfortunately, you can’t stare at the sun like you can the moon, so we have to come up with other ways to connect with it.

This is one of my favorite ways to connect with the sun’s energy: Meditate with your eyes closed while facing the sun and feel the sun shining on you. While meditating, focus on the sensation of feeling the sun’s rays.

Of course, remember sun safety, wear SPF if you need and keep this as a short meditation.When I meditate with the sun shining on me, I usually only do this for 5 minutes or so.

Another suggestion for connecting with the sun (without having to be out in the sun) is to do Sun Salutations.

Suns Salutations are an amazing way to balance the solar plexus chakra. Not only are you honoring the sun, but you’re also increasing the heat in your body to help ignite your own inner fire and to burn away whatever is no longer serving you and your highest self.

I have a guided practice where we do a moving meditation consisting of Sun Salutations. We do it outdoors but it can be done indoors as well. You can find it here if you’re interested: Sun Salutation Moving Meditation

This sun salutation moving meditation class is not recommended for those with osteoporosis or osteopenia.

“Ram” is the seed sound or bija mantra associated with the solar plexus. Each chakra is said to have a specific word or sound that represents and encompasses the core energy of that particular energy center.

Using these bija mantras can provide a simple method for balancing and harmonizing the energies within each chakra.

When it comes to the solar plexus, chanting the mantra “Ram” can aid in bringing this chakra into a state of balance and alignment. It’s recommended to vocalize the mantra aloud, allowing the sound vibrations to resonate within you. Repeat the mantra as many times as you feel necessary, according to your intuition and needs.

Not the most fun tip on this list in my opinion but hey, it is effective!

Basically while you do cardio, you’re building internal heat and ‘igniting’ your own internal flame.

You’re also ‘burning’ away whatever is no longer serving you.

Any type of cardio exercise will do for this tip, running, stair master, fast walking…the choice is yours.

Each chakra is associated with a specific color, and the solar plexus is represented by the color yellow.

The colors of the chakras follow the sequence of the rainbow, with each color increasing in frequency as you move up from the root chakra (red) to the higher chakras.

You can establish a connection with your solar plexus by incorporating the color yellow into your surroundings. Wearing yellow clothing or accessories can serve as a visual reminder and help focus your awareness on the intention of bringing balance to this energy center.

As you adorn yourself in yellow, visualize your inner light shining brightly and radiating out into the world.

Remember the location of this energy center and how it encompasses much of the digestive system? This means that what you eat will impact the energy flow of the solar plexus.

You can of course get super detailed into nutrition, but for this tip let’s keep is simple; eat foods that feel nourishing. Eating foods that make you feel good is a way you can easily work to balance this energy center.

It’s also important to eat enough food. Both undereating and overeating can disrupt the energy flow here.

There are specific foods that can be helpful in balancing each chakra but I wanted to keep it simple here. For more information on eating for the chakras, this is the book I use for reference: Chakra Foods for Optimum Health

If you want to learn more about food and the chakras, that is a great source to use.

This is a tip I found in the book Wheels of Life by Anodea Judith. I thought it was an amazing yet easy way to work on your solar plexus so I wanted to share it with you.

I’ve read this book in full before but was using it as a source to write this post. I re-read this tip and realized I did this exact thing minutes before!

I said to my husband, “I have to go out and plant today because I need to get those plants in the ground.” Have to? Who said I ‘had to do it’ ? I choose to garden because it brings me joy. I was choosing to plant today because I wanted those plants to have their best chance at survival. No one was forcing me to go out do it.

This made me realize that this is something that so many of us do all too often.

“I have to take the dog to the vet”. No, I choose to take the dog to the vet because I love him and want to keep him healthy and am blessed to have the funds to afford veterinary care for my furry family members.

This not only helps improve your mindset, it also helps you to tap into your own power. What do you choose to do?

Say you “have to” go over to your brother’s house for dinner. Do you “choose to” go because you love your brother and want to spend time with him and his family, or is it an obligation? There’s no right or wrong answer, it’s just about analyzing what you ‘have to do’ and what you ‘choose to do’.

This question can help you take your power back by opening you up to choice. It can also help you feel more empowered in everyday tasks when you realize you choose to do them for a specific reason.

There are your 8 tips to balance your solar plexus! I try to give a variety of tips so that there’s something that will work for everyone. Pick and choose what you want to try.

Working to balance your solar plexus chakra is a transformative journey towards reclaiming your personal power, confidence, and motivation.

Embrace the opportunity to explore and understand your own unique energy dynamics, recognizing that both masculine and feminine energies coexist within all of us.

With a balanced solar plexus, you can radiate your true essence, share your gifts with the world, and navigate life with a sense of purpose.

Read This Next: How To Balance Your Heart Chakra

Sources:

Judith, Anodea.Wheels Of Life: The Classic Guide To The Chakra System. Llewellyn Publications, 2019.

Kaivalya, Alanna.Chakra Yoga: A Beginner’s Guide to Chakra Healing. Alanna Kaivalya, 2016.

Mayer, Beth Ann. “Can Gazing at a Candle Flame Increase Your Focus?” Healthline, 11 Jan. 2022, www.healthline.com/health/candle-meditation#how-to.

Minich, Deanna.Chakra Foods for Optimum Health: A Guide to the Foods That Can Improve Your Energy, Inspire Creative Changes, Open Your Heart, and Heal Body, Mind, and Spirit. Mango Publishing Group, 2020.