“When the power comes from within us and we claim it as our own, then we no longer have to affirm ourselves by dominating others. The irony is that we are actually afraid of our own power.”

— Marion Woodman

I've been working with a Pilates instructor to develop my understanding of how my body moves through space.

I want to create alignment physically and energetically so that I may provide the same care and attentiveness with my students.

The slow, precise, and sweaty classes offer dialogue as much as movement. My teacher listens to me, carefully considering my questions and movement patterns with her entire being.

After each session, I feel shiny and new. I am more aware of where I hold tension and how to release it.

Core balance is one of the principal themes of Pilates.

When I think of my core, I consider the front and back of my torso. Through breath and simple adjustments to each pose, I'm discovering a new, refreshing way of moving by paying specific attention to my obliques.

One of the reasons I love Pilates is that it expresses the physical and illuminates the spiritual. Presently, the attention to my obliques is showing me how the 'core' of something may be a little to the side or in a place I have not looked.

To develop power, purpose, and position, I must explore all the parts to locate what requires my attention to grow and foster learning!

What is your lifelong commitment? What do you want to express or offer? Do you live with passion? Do you produce purpose daily?

These are questions for the Navel Chakra, Manipura.

What is the Navel Chakra?

Power is one of the themes of the navel chakra, Manipura, aka 'the city of jewels.'

Physically, the solar plexus supports the spine and all movement, including balance, centering, and control (from Pilates).

Energetically, the navel chakra is where we define our purpose, assimilate our experiences, and establish our power to be.

The navel chakra is the third chakra and completes the lower triangle. In Kundalini Yoga, the lower triangle consists of the root, sacral, and navel.

The lower triangle is affected by mula bandha, the root lock. We engage mula bandha by squeezing the perineum and sphincter muscles. Mula bandha works on the adrenals, sex glands, and the solar plexus to bring the energy (blood) from the lower body to the brain.

We work with three primary bandhas in yoga - root, diaphragm, and throat.

The diaphragm lock, aka uddiyana bandha, is located at the navel and works with/wakes up the solar plexus. It stimulates the intestines, pancreas, and liver.

At the third chakra, we initiate Breath of Fire, the powerful pranayama in Kundalini yoga that involves pumping the navel to stimulate digestion, assimilation, detoxification, and circulation.

Navel Chakra Themes

Sound: Ram
Color: Yellow
Balanced: Confident, Authentic, Engaged
Blocked: Aggressive, Insecure, Indecisiveness

About the Navel Chakra

Fire is the element of the navel chakra. It expresses the ability to transform and represents purification, passion, and power. It provides warmth, light, and fuel to initiate the cycles.

Our thoughts motivate and maintain the solar plexus. What we think affects our guts, and vice versa. The solar plexus is sensitive and responsive to subtle shifts in our internal and external environment. Developing the tenacity to observe what we feel and explore the why behind our intent and actions enhances our intuition (sixth chakra).

The third chakra is where we digest food and experience. Many neurons enliven the third chakra, as the solar plexus contains parasympathetic and sympathetic nerves. The processes are automatic (breaking down food particles, exchanging gases, and eliminating wastes).

We can enhance our attunement to each experience by observing how we feel at the end of each event. This may be as simple as asking how you feel after completing a meal, talking to a friend, or sitting in a cafe absorbing the sensations of your environment.

Alignment is the careful process of becoming more curious about the body and its sensations. What we feel in our guts is usually a great indicator of what is going on and whether or not that particular experience serves and should be repeated.

What feels good may evolve as the seasons change and you physically, emotionally, and spiritually mature. This is why it is essential to check in with how you feel, from your thoughts (what words am I feeding my body?) to what you physically ingest (what foods give me the most vitality?).

Stagnancy is the source of all diseases. It appears in the navel chakra when we feel heavy, bloated, sluggish, and lack motivation.

When balanced, the third chakra illuminates, enhances, and responds to affairs with the correct amount of control and precision. It defines its purpose and executes it; it seeks support when needed and strengthens the individual and collective with its powerful intent!

Anatomy of the Solar Plexus

The solar plexus is the vessel for our abdominal organs, including the stomach, small and large intestines, kidneys, bladder, liver, pancreas, spleen, and gall bladder. The heart, lungs, pericardium, and triple warmer are in the upper portion of the solar plexus.

The pelvis is at the base of the solar plexus, where the reproductive organs reside. The pelvic bowl is the cradle of the seed from which all life comes.

In traditional Chinese Medicine, the Hara (dan tian) is below the belly button. It is the center of sustenance, movement, and balance. Hara is the container of our Qi (life force/vitality) that influences all physical, mental, emotional, and spiritual movement within the body.

Hara influences the physical and metaphysical realms of experience. How we breathe, think, act, and direct ourselves affects it.

As above, so below, and the force of Hara thereby inspires the activity of the lower realms (root and sacral) as well as what is above (heart and throat), making the navel center hugely influential in how the body responds to stress and manifests experience.

Ways to Observe the Navel Chakra

The following are some of the guidelines I use to work with the third chakra.

What actions support me in digesting my experiences? How can I integrate what I’ve performed, read, analyzed, and felt?
How do I assimilate the past with the present?
How do I create the energy I want to express in the future?
How do I become the CEO of my life? What areas do I need to step up? Where do I need to dig deeper? Where do I need to ask for help?
What is my purpose? On a small, day-to-day definition and in a greater total definition of how I lead my life.
Where do I source power? What objects, sounds, colors, and activities build my self-esteem?
Who motivates and inspires me with their confidence?
Time to strengthen my body through physical activities - Pilates.
Time to strengthen my nervous system - kriya yoga.
Time to strengthen my mind - meditation.
Time to feel my inner force - Reiki.