The Solar Plexus Chakra, is the 3rd Chakra located underneath the navel, where the intestines live, our ‘guts’ so to speak. The color of this Chakra is yellow, and physically rules the digestive system, and the lumbar plexus of the spine. It is the place of the fiery will and digestive fire that burns food as fuel for energy.
Its name is “Manipura” ( lustrous gem) . It is the site of transformation, of the physical digestion of food into nutrients, and also the seat of decision making, of the power of the will to act and have the energy to do so.
This is the place of our self esteem, our determination/drive, our social self, i.e how we present ourselves in the world. The ego figures prominently here, as it develops from 18 months to 4 years, when we start developing our autonomy and exploring the world.
When this Chakra is in balance, then one is reliable, is emotionally warm, is proactive with decisions, able to meet challenges with a strong sense of ego and self-discipline, is autonomous and has excellent digestion..
When there is an deficient unbalance: lethargy,there is a lack of will or energy to carry out or make decisions, unreliability, passivity, low self esteem, low back pain, poor digestion, emotional coldness, and a victim mentality.
When there is an excessive unbalance: there can be aggressiveness, ulcers, muscle spasms, hypertension, temper tantrums, hyperactivity, a competitive Type A drive.
The remedies for balancing this Chakra are for those in deficiency are sit-ups, martial arts, vigorous exercise, taking risks by making decisions to name a few. For those in excess there is psychotherapy to work on anger issues, deep relaxation/stress management to name a few.
The 3rd Chakra works most efficiently when the 1st chakra is grounded and there is emotional balance in the 2nd Chakra.
When we are grounded and emotionally stable, our best decisions and actions from the 3rd Chakra can be made manifest in the world.