Find your seat of empowerment- Manipura chakra 3

When we reach Chakra 3, the qualities of autonomy, individuation, will, self-esteem and pro-activity start to surface. This is our personal seat of power. Chakra 3 is also known as Manipura chakra. Mani means jewel.

Before we continue with chakra 3, the manipura chakra, if you didn’t read the introduction to the chakra system, go ahead and read on here. To recap a bit :

There are many chakras in the body and the 7 major ones are as follows:-

1. Muladhara or Root chakra
2. Swadhisthana or Sacral chakra
3. Manipura or Navel chakra
4. Anahata or Heart chakra
5. Visuddha or Throat chakra
6. Ajna or Third eye chakra
7. Sahasrara or Crown chakra

Our world today is obsessed with power, but instead of authentic power, there is power of ‘controlling’ over ‘the controlled’ , aggressive over passive, those who eat versus those who are eaten, abuse over victimization. Can we claim our power without diminishing that of another? That will then be called authentic power. When you empower yourself, and in the process empower others too.

The manipura or third chakra encourages us to move from struggle and separation to an emphasis of combination and synergy. We create a new dynamic, one where we start to make choices and exercise our own will.

The chakra goes out of balance depending on several factors like authority oriented family, shaming from the parents, parentified children and so on. This plays out in different ways in our adult life. When we are faced with a challenge, a person may react in two ways , he/she may confront and go head on with the situation and overachieve, or he/she may retract and stagnate. Sometimes people who overachieve are in constant struggle to gain validation from others and are trying to overcome hidden insecurities, whereas people who retract and go into a cave, will never allow themselves to grow and improve. Grow happens when we step outside that bubble of comfort.

There are a variety of ways to deal with helming of chakra three or the manipura chakra. If one is excessive, once can practice grounding activities , attend deep relaxation sessions, practice yin yoga etc. For people who are in deficiency , the can inculcate exercise routines like swimming or aerobics.

The fire of the manipura chakra three is dynamic and transforming. These changes are necessary to reach the upper chakrs and complete our journey.