Knowing and understanding the nature of each chakra is the first step to chakra healing. Next to the root and sacral chakras is the solar plexus.

If you feel that you need to make important changes in your life, are struggling with self-acceptance, or lacking in self-confidence, you might need to tap into the power of your solar plexus chakra.

What Is the Solar Plexus Chakra?

The third of the 7 chakras, the solar plexus chakra runs from the upper abdomen (2 inches above the navel) and up to the sternum. It is called manipura in Sanskrit which translates to shining gem. Manipura precedes the heart chakra (anahata).

Among all the energy vortices, this chakra holds the essence of your identity and personality which should shine brightly and illuminate all aspects of your life. Hence, the allusion to a lustrous gem.

The solar plexus chakra is associated with the fire element and represents the colour yellow. It activates your willpower, determination, self-esteem, and self-discipline so you have the spright and enthusiasm to live life to the fullest.

You can also refer to your solar plexus as the seat of your personal power. When balanced, your third chakra empowers you to live without fear, have a healthy and productive mindset, and to be mindful of your choices.

As a result, you're in sync with your authentic self and you're able to live out who you truly are. You have full control over your life. Your thoughts, actions, and decisions are guided by your purpose.

What Are the Characteristics of the Solar Plexus Chakra?

Rocky Mountain Oils sums up the salient characteristics of the solar plexus chakra as the following:

• Identity - Being the centre of your identity and personality, a balanced solar plexus chakra lets you journey and thrive into your genuine self.
• Willpower - This chakra emboldens you to pursue your goals and gives you the grit and self-discipline to act on your plans.
• Confidence - Out of your solar plexus chakra flows your self-esteem and your concept of yourself. It's where you draw your trust in your abilities from.
• Personal power - A healthy solar plexus chakra lends you the ability to control your thoughts, emotions, and actions in a way that's beneficial to your growth and welfare. Intention and action - Your solar plexus chakra helps you transform your ideas into action and your plans into reality.

However, as ideal and pleasant as the above sounds, some situations might occur that can affect your chakra health and cause it to become blocked, imbalanced, or, as some holistic wellness would call it, wounded.

Such disorders can keep you from experiencing the positive characteristics of your solar plexus chakra.

What Causes the Solar Plexus Chakra to Be Wounded?

While the chakras don't have a physical form, they can still be wounded and dysfunctional, says Erica Matluck, a naturopathic doctor and holistic coach. This means the energy of the chakra is chaotic or discordant (usually described as underactive or overactive).

Matluck writes:

[Wounding] results from a negative or traumatic event during the developmental phase of life associated with that particular chakra. Other times, the wounding results from a prolonged imbalance (excess or deficiency) in the energy related to that particular chakra.

Regardless of the source, wounding in the chakras inevitably affects our physical, mental, emotional, and spiritual experiences.

When a chakra is wounded, we live in the shadow frequency of that affected chakra. The shadow of the solar plexus chakra is shame.

Matluck says that shame traces back to our teen years, the critical period when we form our identity. As we discover and express ourselves, the world gives us positive feedback for the things we do well and discourages the habits, behaviours, ideas, etc. that show our weaknesses.

This makes us focus on projecting the qualities that others validate for and hide our flaws, imperfections, and vulnerabilities. However, this results in a fragmented identity. Meaning, we define our confidence by the things we are positively acknowledged for, but excluding our insecurities.

As we nurture those qualities that make us worthy in the eyes of others, we develop perfectionism, criticism, and self-judgment over time. And the driving force behind these attitudes is shame. Shame pushes us to aim for perfection without necessarily making space for acceptance of who we truly are and what we are not.

Shame is the inner critic in our heads telling us we are not enough and that we can't achieve our desires and ambitions.

Below are signs of a wounded solar plexus chakra:

• Holding yourself to impossibly high standards
• Setting unrealistic expectations for yourself or others
• Little tolerance for failure
• Low self-esteem
• Aggression
• Being overly dominating over others
• Indecisiveness
• Lack of purpose
• Excessive desire for control
• Stubbornness

The shadow of shame can obstruct your growth and affect your relationship with others. But when you heal your solar plexus chakra wound, self-limiting beliefs dissolve. Your relationships will be mended and people and opportunities will come to you.

How to Heal Your Solar Plexus Chakra

The key to healing the wound of shame is self-acceptance.

According to Matluck, self-acceptance begins by acknowledging our weaknesses and refraining from judging ourselves harshly for having them. It's also about acknowledging that the things we use to judge others are reflections of what we dislike in ourselves.

Only when we accept ourselves do we become worthy of receiving what we desire out of life.

Here are some practices to grow more in self-acceptance:

1. List all the things you want to change about yourself. or some areas you want to improve on. Then review your list and pay attention to the things you criticize yourself for (or you think make you unworthy/unloveable). Review the list again and consider whether you believe any of these things or not.

2. Reframe and discover your gifts. Using the list you made, reflect on how each item on the list has served you. What are the qualities that protected you? Are these things related to the parts you like about yourself? Has any of these things helped others or made others feel valued?

3. Confront your inner critic. Identify one you've been wanting to do or change in your life but have not yet pursued because you think you don't have the talent or skills to succeed in it.

Notice the dialogue that goes on in your mind that prevents you from acting on it. Then do it anyway. Do it even if you'll fail! The goal is not perfection but to allow yourself to discover how freeing it is to just try and to live imperfectly.

4. Use positive affirmations to balance your chakra. - Feed your mind, heart, and soul positive affirmations that remind you of your worth and power. Say these affirmations out loud or in your mind as you meditate:

• I am authentic.
• I am free to choose in any situation.
• I direct my own life.
• I feel my own powers.
• I am worthy of love, respect, and acceptance.

Heal Your Solar Plexus with These 5 Crystals

These top 5 yellow crystals also aid in restoring the health of your third chakra. Wear them as jewellery, place them over your chakra when meditating, or place them around your house to tap into their healing energies.

1. Citrine - Also known as the stone of success, citrine absorbs negative energies and infuses your space with positive energies. It boosts confidence, personal powers, and promotes abundance.

2. Yellow jasper - This is one of the most common stones used in solar plexus chakra healing. It is said to carry the energy of the sun, releasing positive vibrations that promote happiness, enthusiasm, and optimism. Yellow jasper increases confidence, eases anxiety, and empowers its user to socialize comfortably with others.

3. Tiger's eye - This stone provides strength, courage, and self-confidence. It also melts away fear and encourages its user to take action. As a protective stone, tiger’s eye shields the chakra from negativity.

4. Golden healer quartz - This yellow quartz variety raises vibrations and releases blockages in the chakra system. As you start your journey to self-acceptance, golden healer quartz empowers you to make positive changes and continue through it. It shines its light on areas in your life that you need to embrace or change.

5. Carnelian - For enhancing your courage and self-confidence, carnelian should be your go-to stone. It increases your personal power and gives you the motivation to realize your goals (even the goals that lead to personal development). In the process, carnelian increases joy, energy, and warmth that you'll have plenty to share with others.

Final Word

Our identity and personal power are the only things we carry with us wherever we go. We grow stronger and we become more grounded in our inner strengths when we learn to accept ourselves (flaws and all), value ourselves, and allow ourselves the room to grow each day.

When we accept ourselves for who we truly are and learn to reclaim our personal power, we shine bright like the sun on a one fine day.

If you've decided to get on your healing journey with crystals, you're in the right place. Let Stonebridge Imports help you heal your solar plexus chakra with the right set of healing crystals.

READ NEXT:

• Chakra Healing 101: What Happens When Your Chakras Are ‘Imbalanced’?
• Demotivated? Your Root Chakra May Be Blocked. Here's How to Heal It.
• Creative Slump? Dry Sex Life? It's Not You”It's Your Blocked Sacral Chakra
• Open Up Your Heart Chakra to Release Love, Healing, and Forgiveness
• How to Heal Your Throat Chakra and Be a Better Communicator
• How to Open Your Third Eye and Boost Your Psychic Abilities
• Crown Chakra: The Seat of Higher Consciousness and Spiritual Growth

Sources:

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Jain, R. (2022, June 30). Manipura Chakra: Healing Powers Of Solar Plexus Chakra Arhanta Blog. Arhanta Yoga Ashrams. Retrieved September 9, 2022, from https://www.arhantayoga.org/blog/manipura-chakra-healing-powers-of-the-solar-plexus-chakra/

mindbodygreen. (2020, January 29). How Healing The Solar Plexus Chakra Could Lead To Radical Self-Acceptance. Mindbodygreen. Retrieved September 9, 2022, from https://www.mindbodygreen.com/articles/shadow-qualities-of-solar-plexus-and-how-to-find-its-gift

Oils, R. M. (n.d.). Exploring Your Solar Plexus Chakra Blog. Rocky Mountain Oils. Retrieved September 9, 2022, from https://www.rockymountainoils.com/learn/exploring-your-solar-plexus-chakra/

Solar Plexus Chakra Stones: 11 Healing Crystals You Need. (n.d.). Tiny Rituals. Retrieved September 9, 2022, from https://tinyrituals.co/blogs/tiny-rituals/solar-plexus-chakra-stones#:%7E:text=The%20stones%20for%20the%20solar,determination%2C%20and%20self%2Desteem.

What Is Toxic Shame? (2021, March 31). WebMD. Retrieved September 9, 2022, from https://www.webmd.com/mental-health/what-is-toxic-shame