Healing The Solar Plexus Chakra

The solar plexus chakra is all about standing in your power, getting in touch with your inner warrior fire, and self-esteem. The following meditations, crystal techniques, essential oil applications, and yoga postures will help you connect with what you may be holding in this chakra, and, most importantly, initiate the connection with this energy vortex within you, so you may open into the wisdom it holds.

1. Meditations

Here’s an easy, tried-and-true meditation and visualization to connect with your solar plexus chakra:

1. While sitting or lying comfortably, take three slow, deep breaths. Each time you breathe in, imagine the breath energizing the area above your navel. Each time you exhale, release anything you may be holding in that area—any fears, pain, or even expectations of how you’re supposed to feel while doing this meditation. Personally, I find that holding my hands over my heart as I meditate on each chakra helps me more quickly connect to the chakra I’m concentrating on. You may want to place one hand over your heart chakra, and the other hand over your solar plexus chakra.
2. “Wake up” the connection with this chakra by gently tapping two inches above the navel, or by gently massaging the area in a small, circular motion with your first two fingers.
3. With each following breath, inhaling and exhaling through the nose, continue directing your breath to your solar plexus chakra. Imagine a yellow sphere of light in that area, pulsing and growing larger. Those who identify most with male energy should whirl the sphere clockwise, and those who identify most with female energy should whirl the sphere counterclockwise.
4. As you drop deeper and deeper into a calmer state, ask your solar plexus chakra what it needs right now. Allow yourself a few more breaths to see if you receive any feedback. It could be in the form of a word, sound, song, image, color, feeling, or intuition. Then act on the feedback you get. If you don’t have any yet, not worry! It will come as you continue practicing.
5. If you don’t receive any of the intuitive hints listed previously, but instead feel an awareness in that area, similar to a pulsing or a gentle ache that feels like it’s expanding and strengthening, you are connecting with your solar plexus chakra!
6. At the end of your meditation, take three slow, deep breaths, directing the energy of your inhale into the soles of your feet, to ground yourself. Gently open your eyes.
7. Caution when doing this meditation/visualization: Because this practice takes some time to cultivate, be patient with yourself. If you find yourself beginning to feel a stomach ache, you are pushing yourself too hard. It’s time to take a break and revisit when you’re more rejuvenated. Also, as you perform your meditation, understand that even seasoned meditation practitioners get what’s aptly termed monkey mind, where other thoughts begin to enter your mind and may momentarily distract you. Just take this as a chance to observe the thought without judgment, let it pass through, and gently bring yourself back to the center.

2. Crystals

To use crystals to connect with your solar plexus chakra, make sure that they are first cleansed from the energies of others who may have handled them before you, and that your intention for how they will be used is set. You can clean your crystals by:

• Smudging with white sage. Simply light the tip of a white sage bundle until it begins to smoke, blow out the flame, and hold your crystal in the rising smoke for a few seconds, setting the intention that you’ll be using the crystal to help you connect with your solar plexus chakra. This is my favorite method because after you cleanse your crystal, you can also cleanse your body by directing the smoke toward your chakras (and the rest of your body) with your free hand.
• Laying them out overnight under the moonlight to soak up the moonbeams.
• Running water over them or soaking them in saltwater. When cleaning with water, use caution. Any stones that rate low on the Mohs hardness scale (a scale that helps identify mineral specimens and compares the resistance to being scratched) may get damaged or dissolve as a result.

Now that you’ve cleansed and charged your crystals, you can work with them in a few ways:

• Get into a comfortable seated or lying down position. Hold your crystal in your left hand—the receiving hand—so you can receive the healing energy from the crystal. Notice what you pick up from the crystal. Does it feel like a throbbing in your hand? Like static prickles? Or just a simple awareness of its energy? If you don’t feel any of these things, that’s okay. Sometimes it takes a while to create awareness with a stone’s energy. Ask the crystal to help you connect with the wisdom of your solar plexus chakra. Allow your mind and heart to open to receive any feedback, in the way of images, colors, sounds, words, memories, emotions, or other impressions that may flow through. Keep in mind that working with crystals can take some getting used to. So, if your solar plexus chakra doesn’t open into an epiphany right on the spot (which is unlikely on a first try, but anything is possible!), understand that you are still one step closer to being more connected with it. Be compassionate with yourself. Know that it is on its way.
• While lying down, place your selected solar plexus chakra crystal two inches above your navel. Take three slow and deep breaths. Allow yourself to drink in the energy of the crystal. As with the preceding holding technique, you may feel the energy at the chakra area, like a gentle heartbeat. You may feel slight static energy. Or you may have an awareness that the crystal’s energy is interacting with your energy. If you don’t feel any of these things, that’s okay. You may want to say the affirmation listed in the last paragraph of the Essential Oils section (below) to more intentionally connect with your solar plexus chakra.

3. Essential Oils

• Lemon, lavender, Roman chamomile, rosewood, and rosemary are the essential oils that correspond with the solar plexus chakra.
• To use a single oil (or a blend of oils) to help you connect with this chakra, add 5 or 6 drops maximum per oil to a dime-size portion of carrier oil (such as jojoba oil). Apply with a cotton ball to the solar plexus chakra, two inches above your navel, to anoint yourself.
• Alternately, you can put the mixture in your hands and rub your hands together. Through friction, you will release the scent and energy of the oils. Open your palms to release the fragrance, and deeply inhale the scent. You may also want to lay your palms over your solar plexus chakra.
• Whether you choose to anoint your solar plexus chakra or activate the properties of the oils by rubbing them between your palms, take the time to intentionally create a connection with your solar plexus chakra. Say something like, “I now intend to create a connection with my solar plexus chakra. May I understand my self-worth and personal power. I release all fear that keeps me from being in touch with my soul’s life purpose. I ask to be supported in all ways so that I may be in touch with my inner warrior, feel whole and centered in who I am, and trust myself to stand confidently. And so it is.”

4. Yoga

• The solar plexus chakra is the center of personal power and confidence, so any pose that moves with a lot of energy, makes you feel very strong, fans the flame of your inner fire, or asks that your middle spine be flexible would be good here. Try Cat Pose, Cow Pose, Sun Salutation, Boat Pose, or Half Boat Pose. Leg lifts are also very effective, or you can try breathing exercises like Breath of Fire or Bellows Breath.
• A note about Breath of Fire and Bellows Breath: These breathing exercises can fire up the metabolism and generate a lot of energy, so you should avoid doing these too close to bedtime. Breath of Fire is performed through the nose, with the mouth closed. The focus is on exhaling—the breath is forced out quickly by drawing the abdomen in and up sharply. This causes the air to be expelled rapidly from the lungs, and inhaling happens automatically before the next forced exhale. The Bellows Breath focuses equally on inhaling and exhaling through the nose while the mouth is closed. Here, the origination of action comes from the navel pumping in for the exhale and out for the inhale. This practice is not performed as rapidly as Breath of Fire but instead is performed in a rhythmic and full manner.

5. Other Tips

• Wear yellow clothing.
• Chant the sound “RA,” which opens up the solar plexus chakra.
• Take martial arts (internal or external), which helps strengthen personal power.
• Create healthy energy boundaries with those in your life to strengthen your inner power. A simple way to create energy the boundary is by surrounding yourself in an egg of white light, especially if you’re about to enter a stressful situation, such as a talk with a toxic coworker, or, if you experience social anxiety, before entering a large room full of people.
• Try things outside your comfort zone. Doing so helps you build confidence in your own resilience.