THIRUVANANTHAPURAM: In the runup to International Yoga Day on June 21, TNIE brings you expert advice on yoga and a healthier lifestyle through a series of articles. Continuing our topic on Chakras, we shall now be addressing individual Chakras and how to balance them
Manipura Chakra or the Solar-Plexus is the third Chakra situated behind the navel. The name Mani-Pura means a city with precious jewels. It contains many precious jewels such as positive traits of clarity, self-confidence, bliss, self- assurance, dynamism, self-control, knowledge, wisdom and the ability to make right decisions. The element of this Chakra is fire and the color is yellow. This chakra being the centre of vitality, strengthens and consolidates our health. It acts like a magnet drawing energy from the cosmos .
At physical level it regulates digestive fire and governs the function of stomach, pancreas, intestines, gallbladder , liver and lower back. Imbalance in this chakra can cause digestive disorders, circulatory disease, diabetes, fluctuations in blood pressure. Consumption of junk food containing artificial preservatives ,pesticides and toxins wreaks havoc in the system and creates disbalance in this chakra, leading to fatal conditions. The pulsations of this Chakra can be felt by placing the fingers and gently pressing on the navel. This throbbing moves away from the centre when one has lifted heavy weights, has constipation, or loose motion. This condition can easily be corrected by balancing the Manipura.
At corporate levels, if one is looking for a position of Power or a promotion it would do well if one’s Manipura chakra is balanced and fully active .To know the percentage of imbalance and rectification methods, please feel free to contact us at Samarth Yoga Darshan. Balance in the Manipura Chakra can be restored by asanas like Parivrtta Trikonasana, Virabhadrasana-3 , & Navasan, meditation and chanting of the mantra RAM adopting Rudra mudra while visualizing yellow color at the navel area .
Poses for balancing the Manipura Chakra
Rudra mudra Join the tips of index and ring fingers with the thumb
Parivrtta Trikonasana
● Place your feet three feet apart .
● Keeping the hands at shoulder level exhale and bend down from the hip
● Twist the body to place the right palm on the left foot.
● Look up at the left palm. Breathe normally.
● Inhale as you come up releasing the asana, bend one knee and come out of the asana.
Virabhadrasana -3
● Stand on the right leg , gently lift the left leg off the floor
● Exhale and bend the upper body down to make it parallel to the floor.
● Extend both the hands forward, making the body look like capital T .
● Balance the body on the right leg breathing normally.
Navasana
Sonal Joshi is the founder head of Samarth Yoga Darshan, the Yoga Studio at Kochi, where she conducts Yoga and therapy sessions. Contact: 9388686027, www.samarth.yoga