Manipur Chakra Third Chakra

                                        FIRE / NAVEL CHAKRA

Solar Plexus

Fire

Chakra Three : Located in solar plexus and is associated with personal power and self esteem. Its element is Fire.

Manipur : Literally lustrous gem, this is the name of the (third) chakra, located at the Solar Plexes.

RAM : The seed sound in Manipur  (third chakra).

Lakini : The  shakti at the Manipur  (third Chakra)

Chakra Three

Fire

Power

Autonomy

Will

Energy

Metabolism

Technology

Transformation

Self-esteem

Mudra for Solar Plexes

Say "I do" and meet Manipura

                                        
                                      

Opening Meditation

We are still, yet we sense a growing warmth within us. We are alone, yet we sense others around us, longing to break free, longing for warmth and light. There is a form here, but it is empty, There is a life here, but it is still. There is an awareness here but it is awakening

From a place of stillness, we call forth movement, expanding, breathing, touching, flowing. Into form we invoke life, its spark from the fire of the place between- between ourselves and others, Between past and future,between the known and the unknown.

We move and dance, pleasure singing through us  as the dance of life, burns its way through our fears and our pains. Feel the warm of pleasure  melting tension-pulsating growing- the rhythms lifting and moving- healing and soothing, warming and cooling.

From a place of infinite movement we call on the self.. We call on the self to awaken to another part of journey. We call upon our self  to awaken to the sun, the fire, the warmth., the transformation. We call upon the self through our will and it rises to our call.

We reach for the sun and call upon the yellow ray of creation, the way of consciousness, the spark of fire,... we call upon the flame to burn within us and temper our passion into strength.. With strength we fight the dark, pushing and straining, to realize it is a part of ourselves. part of our strength, part of our fear. We laugh and put down the fight, merging, becoming whole, becoming stronger. We pass between pillars of light and dark , honoring both ... and find ourselves in a new and glorious land. A land of busting activity, teaming with life, sparkling like stars and shining rivers of light  reflecting the sun.

The sparks catch our eyes we turn towards their glow  and they move and dance, connecting and igniting all that they touch. They touch something within, igniting strength, will, action. Sparks fly igniting, other threads, other fires... they explode burn bright... and are gone.

We are lifted,  we are lightened, we are laughing,  We feel our bodies sway with the rising heat, hot tongue of fire moving within us. Expanding, contracting, but growing ever wider, yet returning always to its source within us.  Our bodies now burning  radiating heat and light and strength and will.  Power pulsating through us , from above, below around and running through transforming all that is within and without our bellies bursting with joy.

Feel this energy deep within your body, burning with fire of your  own life. Feel it pushing it deep into the earth, down through the earth to the hot  molten center of earth. Feel it return from the earth, rising up  from the heat below, through your legs, your, your pelvis  your belly, moving up through your body- your arms your hands  your chest , neck and head.

Feel it flowing out of you, connecting it with other sparks, filaments of energy, other fires of life. Feel it connect with  the thought inside you, your constant sparkling of neurons , interconnecting filaments of energy, lines of thought, patterns in a web  ebbing and flowing in pulsing flames burning with the glow of activity.

You are now a vital interaction of energy, merging, combining, exploding, radiating, . Expand your awareness without and within weaving a web of power, like a fire growing higher and brighter.. Power flows through you effortlessly , easily, calmly. You are one with the power around you and within you. 

Think of a time when you knew this power. Times when you felt  this connection, vitality importance and strength. Think of the times power flowed through you, like warmth from the sun. think of those time  and feel them now.. Feel your body radiate their purpose , dance with their majesty, sing with their strength.

In this fiery world  of activity  you are an angle of power around you...You open to it, you burn with it , you drink in it,  and you pass it on .. easily effortlessly, willingly, joyfully.

Your power peaks and returns, feeding the fire within, a molten core, feeding your body ,silently charging, ready to expand again  when your next purpose calls.

The fire had burned high  and the coals now glow warmth. Exhilarated, your body relaxes. A smile plays on your lips . Your hands are at peace with the strength they have carried , and you again return to the gentle breathing..in..and out.in and out..in and out. Satisfied your rest.

AND THE WHEEL BURNS...

What is this life flowing in our bodies like fire? What is it ? Life is like a hot iron. Ready to pour. Choose the mold and life will burn it.

From EARTH...TO WATER.... TO FIRE our dance grows, Impassioned now as we  reclaim our bodies and reach through emotions and desire to find will purpose and action. WE grow in strength. We feel our power rising from our guts, descending from our visions, releasing joyously from our hearts. We now enter our third chakra rising up from the  combined levels of the first two chakras and embracing the growing  current of consciousness that descends from the upper chakras.

Here the element fire ignites  the light of consciousness, and we emerge from the unconscious, somatic levels to the exciting combination of psyche and soma that creates willed action. As we activate our  power,, we direct our activities toward a higher purpose.

Lets examine how a first chakras combine to bring us  this new level. The first chakra brought us solidity, stability,, focus and form. Here we experienced unity,, from this ground  we move to chakra two  and experienced the difference, change and movement. Here we embrace polarity and discovered the passion of difference, choice, emotion and desire. We expanded beyond mere  survival instinct toward the desire for  pleasure and merging with another.

As we put together matter and movement we find that they create a third state energy. If we rub two sticks together, we eventually get a spark that ignite a fire. In the physical world  we call this combustion. In body it relates to metabolism. Psychologically it relates to  the spark of enthusiasm. that ignite power and will in our behavior, it is the realm of activity..

This is our third chakra, its purpose its transformation. Just as fire transforms  matter to heat and light , the third chakra transforms the passive element of earth  and water into dynamic energy and power.

Earth and water are passive. They flow downward, subject to gravity and follow the path of least resistance. Fire by contrast move upwards  destroying forms, and takes the raw energy of matter  to a new dimension-to heat and light.

If we are to rise upward through all seven chakras it is the fire of our will  that propels that movement. It is through our will that we liberate ourselves from fixed patterns and create new behavior. It is our will that steers us away from that path of least resistance, that addictive habit  or the expectations of others. It is through our will  that we take actions  that are difficult  or challenging, moving towards something new. As we take these actions we begin to transform  but the first step is  breaking old pattern.

Thus the initial task of the third chakra  is to overcome inertia. In physics inertia refers to the tendency of an object to remain the state it is in - either in motion or in rest. unless acted upon by some other  force. In the third chakra, the will combines the forces of stillness and movement, earth and water,, each shaping the other.The momentum of golf club  hitting a stationary ball  will get the ball moving. A catchers mitt, held still will stop a base ball in flight. our will combines holding and moving in a way that  directs action and shapes our world.

The hardest part is getting started. Once we get a fire going  it burns more easily , only needing to be stirred  and fed. Once we get a business started, we than use its return  as fuel to keep it productive. Once we overcome inertia  to the point where  energy is produces  easily, the third chakra "kick in" and begins producing power with less effort and will.  Doing something with ease  and grace is a mark of true power.

A moving object  when it interacts with other object, creates heat.. Heat in turn stimulates movement which allows new combinations to occur. Particles collide and combine, states of matter are changed.. Molecules may bond to other molecules, solid changes to liquids, liquid changes to gas,  flour and eggs become cake . Fire is a transforming influence that can destroy form  and release energy.

The sun is a primary example of transformation  fire and could even be called the  microcosmic third chakra. The sun and other stars like it began as a diffuse  cloud of hydrogen gas (with traces of heavier element) . Present theory states that  a shock wave from a nearby  supernova impacted  the hydrogen cloud, causing it to collapse on itself. This created thousands of vortices, each with a gravitational field strong enough to draw  in the neccessary material  to create a solar system . As the vortex of hydrogen that was to become our solar system  collapsed. heat was generated through internal friction. Eventually the combination of heat and gravity triggered the process that makes our sunshine.

The sun produces heat and light  through nuclear fusion. Its heat is so extreme that the hydrogen nuclei  are propelled into each  other with enough force to overcome their mutually repelling electrical charges. and fuse into slightly less massive  helium nuclei. The difference in mass is converted  to pure energy , which generated more heat and movement, thus perpetuating the whole process . Nuclear fission requires a  gravitational field  strong enough to act as a container and create sufficient density for the process to be self generating. . Once again, we see how gravity  the force of chakra one , gives rise to movement . Chakra two resulting in energy . The force of chakra three the energy than keeps the whole cycle running.

The chakra are all inter-dependent facets of a basic unified  field of consciousness. They do not act seperetely and can only be separated  intellectually.. Likewise , we cannot separate energy from  movement any more  than we can separate it from mass. Mass movement and energy  are three separable qualities of our physical world. The first three chakras represents  a trinity of fundamental  principles regulating  our physical bodies  and all maters. Together they form  a dance of cause and effect which gives us the energy for activity.. Without a supply of energy , we have no power. But energy alone is not enough to constitute power, for that the energy must be directed.

It is the descending current of consciousness  that guides this energy  into purpose. It is intelligence that forms the intention that shapes  will and directs activity.  In this way the descending current  brings us form, while the ascending current brings us energy. Only when the the two combine  do we have power.

To enter this chakra is to embrace  the inner power that comes  from the integration of bodily energy  with conscious intelligence. In this way become effective agent of transformation.

MANIPURA - THE ILLUSTRIOUS GEM

The Manipura chakra is like the  moving sun, meditating on it with the gaze fixed , on the tip of the nose , one can stir up the world.

In the body, the third chakra is located in the solar plexus over the Adrenal gland. This is where we get  those "butterflies" feeling when we are nervous.- when the third chakra isn't feeling confident and powerful. Its flighty feeling that  brings our energy up instead down yet stimulates and awaken us  to heightened sensitivity. When we are grounded this stimulation can be empowering and vitalizing.. Without grounding we  we may get a flurry of un-directed energy.

As the name solar plexus implies, this is a fiery, solar chakra. bringing us light, energy, warmth and power.  It represents our "get up and go", our action our will , our vitality extending from the just below the sternum down to the navel. It is also called the Navel Chakra. 

One of its association with power  comes from the belief  tha all the major nadis  (Psychic currents)  originate from the navel. As this is the source point  of all pre-natal nourishment and energy. it is not surprising that  psychic pathways  are originally established  along these lines.

Navel

In correspondence as fire as combustion, the third chakra rules  over metabolism  and is responsible for the regulation and distribution  of metabolic energy throughout the body.. This is done through the combustion of matter  (Food) into energy (action and heat). The digestive system is therefore , is an important part of this system. And a barometer of the health of this center. Problems such as diabetes, hypoglycemia, stomach ulcers,  relates directly to this center.

Of crucial importance to metabolism is air, the element of chakra four. Without air fire does not burn, cells do not metabolize. When our breathing is constricted , our metabolism is hindered. When we have no room to breath , our power is limited.. Likewise when we use power  without compassion (chakra four)  we risk perpetuating harm and oppression.

We can assists the health of this third chakra in many ways. Physically we can examine the body structure  in the Solar plexus area. Tight hard stomach, large pot bellies,

Pot Belly

 and sunken diaphragms are all indications  of third chakra imbalance. You can feel and look at your own body  to explore this center. How does your physical body shapes itself around the center?  Does it expand or contract or contract  beyond its basic  shape  at this level? Large bellies may indicate  an excessive need to be in power, to dominate and control  or simply an egoistic need to take up space. A weak sunken chakra indicates a fear of taking power, a withdrawal into the self, a fear of standing out. Excess weight in  general  can be a third chakra malformation, because it says  the body is not properly metabolizing its solid matter (food) into energy.

You can also analyse yourself in terms of element fire. Are you frequently cold ? Do you prefer cold or hot drink? Do you crave or avoid hot spicy foods? Do you sweat easily? Have fevers or chills? Is your temperament quick and energetic? or slow and lethargic? These things gave us an indication of whether we have excessive or deficient fire in our bodies.

In Sanskrit this chakra is called Manipura which means "lustrous gem".because it shines bright like a sun.- A radiant glowing center. Its symbol is a lotus with ten petals.

Lotus with 10 Petals

Within which is a downward pointing triangle , surrounded by 3 T shaped "Swastikas"Hindu symbol for fire , not to be confused with Nazi Swastika. The power to manipulate  our surroundings is partially  related to the ability of our hands. with ten fingers, extending out into the world around us. Ten is also the beginning  of a new cycle, as our entry into Rajas is a beginning of a new kind of awareness. 

Within a lotus is a Ram, a powerful and energetic animal usually associated with Agni, Hindu God of fire.

In the chakra itself  the deities depicted are the god  Vishnu and his partner the shakti Lakini. three faced and four armed , dispelling fears and granting bonus.

The letter inside the lotus is the seed sound RAM.

RAM

Meditating on this lotus is said to give the power  to create and destroy the world.

Fire is the spark of life that ignites will to action. Fire is the spark  between Shiva and Shakti, the power that lies between polarity. Fire in our body keeps us warm, active and energized  so that we too may be transformers. Human being need and give warmth.  The power of third chakra is the power of life - of vitality and connection not the coldness of control and dominance.  The energy and fire in our bodies  reflects our ability to combine  with the elements around us., for fire is a process of combination and combustion.

Fire is radiant, so the third chakra is Yang and active. When afraid or feeling powerless , we withdraw, and become passive and Yin. We hold our movements in check  and use one part of ourselves to control another. When we block our own power  and expression we are withdrawn and appear cold and controlled.

This control takes energy to maintain, yet it does not produce energy. Eventually we become depleted. Our natural enthusiasm  for activities dwindles and instead we have  to "manufacture" energy for our project, reaching for stimulants, such as coffee or sweets, which temporarily energize, but eventually deplete our activity.

When we withdraw from life,, we become a closed system. Our expression turns in on , often in anger  and self criticism, which wears us down further. Fire takes fuel to burn, and in a closed system, the fuel eventually burns up . Only in a dynamic state of interaction with the world  can we keep up the movement and contact that feeds our fire and feeds in life.

To break the cycle of fear and withdrawal takes a  re connection with the  self in a loving and accepting way. If we are not in touch with the  first two chakras - with our body and ground  our passions and pleasures,- we have little fuel for our fire. Desire gives  our will enthusiasm and makes it more dynamic.

 If we are not loving with  ourselves, giving ourselves room to breath, to explore , to make mistakes, than we have no air for the fire to burn. I we are not connected to the spirit,, we have to spark for the fire,, and all the fuel in the world is useless. If we are not centered within ourselves, we see the power as outside ourselves, rather than feeling it within.

The energy in our bodies is dependent on our ability to connect, to merge, to nourish ourselves from what surrounds us. It is dependent on our comfort with power,  with our basic  self confidence. This chakra is also related to self esteemed, which brings strength to our will. When our will is effective , our self esteemed is enhanced. Than we can better direct our life towards that  which we love, that which ignites us. challenges us, renews us.  These are all elements that calls  for integration and development in the third chakra.

POWER

               "The power of open systems is not a property one can own, but a process one opens to".

We have started that power is directed energy. What about the personal power? How do we develop and maintain this power within a culture and educational system that teaches powerlessness as a way of fostering social cooperation. What happens when creative thinkers are seen as deviant to be ostracized from society  while conformity is rein enforced. Many parents trained their children to be docile and well. behaved.but even obedience require cooperation from own will.

Social cooperation is certainty necessary however if it occurs through dominance.. It hardly deserves the term  "cooperation" at all.  It is than cooperation without desire vitality or the spark of fire characteristic  of the third chakra. It becomes submission which dampen and cripple our sense of power and will and damages our self esteem.

In order to develop ourselves at the third chakra level we must reexamine the concept of power that involves the domination of  one part by another. commonly called "Power over". Instead we can develop power as integration.  'Power within the power of connecting with the forces of life. When we think about power, we can consider it an active verb rather than a noun, for indeed power only exist  in the doing, in the powering" of changes or ideas.We can replace "Power over" to "Power to".  

At this time in the world  I believe we are collectively  passing through the later stages of the third chakra.. An evolutionary prospective, our concept of power and energy  have become very complex. Through technology,  the media organized  government,, nuclear weapons and megacooperations. We are learning to control more with less. A few people make decisions for millions. A single plane can destroy an entire city. With little more than a phone call, more life on a planet could be annihilated. Issue of  power control, energy fuels,and political strength have become key themes in our current events. We have come a long way  from iron sphere heads to nuclear warheads, yet the disease of power  and for control and domination has remained.

In order to pass through this chakra  into the heart we need to predefined our concept of power to become  one that enhances , empowers and strengthens. Our power structure must ensure rather than threatened, continuance of our species of our natural resources, and of our trust, and ability to cooperate with each other. We need to see power that  strengthen individuals, and cultures simultaneously., rather than supporting  one at the expense of other. How can we change this?

Our dominance world view today is one that emphasizes separateness.   Our science have looked at nature in reductionist terms- dissecting matter into  smaller and smaller unit. Western medicine treats  the body as a collection of  separate ailing units rather than seeing a  mind/body  as a whole. We look at people, countries, land culture, and races all as separate, isolated building blocks to be counted and  carried, coordinated  through control,, rather than natural control, rather than natural order.

"Power over"  takes constant effort and vigilance. People are forced into submission constantly intimidated  and thereafter, must be carefully guarded. Positions are never secure but require greater and greater differences. We overstep, our bounds, depleting inner resources to steal wealth from some other place that we consider separate. In our diseased view, we see this as  increasing our power- by increasing our , dominion, increasing what we have "power over".

Through the lens of chakra system power results from combining and integrating, rather than fighting and dominating.. Each chakra level emerges, first of all from the combinations of the levels below it . It is then activated by the descending current of the consciousness, which brings understanding to each level. Instead of finding out power through separation, power can come from the unity and wholeness. 

 The true strength of  any group or organism depends on its  solidarity and its ability to combine and coordinate its inner forces.The strength of our planet  will depend on also on our ability to combine diversity  and make something new out of the whole. Evolution like  the progression through the chakras, is the constant progression through the chakras, is the constant process of re organisation to more efficient levels, but always through an incorporation of what has come before.  To focus on differences is to polarize , to separate, and estrange,. To focus on unity is to strengthen.

When our world is ruled by the strangers we see only through machines. When our voice to be heard too small to be heard, estrangement is reinforced. It makes individuals easy to control, easily manipulated into  serving some larger body  that promises to return element of our lost power to us piecemeal. Through participation in an alienating job, we receive a stipend of freedom known as a salary. The more throughly we participate the greater the promise of reward, yet in reality, we often become further estranged.

 of the lower chakras.

Through estrangement, we have lost the concept of power within -  the power connection, union, fusion... Without this we stagnate, we lose our enthusiasm, our will and our desires. We  become automatons on an automatic world.Without our autonomy, we lose the desire  to  innovate. and struck into repetitive patterns of lower chakras, unable to liberate, to find freedom. We need confidence to  venture into the unknown. Without a strong third chakra , we cannot reach beyond  into new levels, and instead remain struck , clinging to security and sameness.

I believe we are in fact, living in a "submissive paradigm". This is a paradigm where there are far more people  submitting than dominating. We are taught in a very young age to  submit our will to another., first to parents than to school teachers,, clergy, bosses, military and government officials.. Obviously a certain amount is neccessary for social cooperation. Yet many loose connection with their  inner will in the process and later find themselves powerless against alcohol, drugs or destructive behavior.

In a submissive paradigm, the power is placed outside, we look to others for direction and find ourselves to mercy, setting ourselves for possible  victimization. With an absence of power within we may constantly seek stimulation, excitement and activity, afraid to slow down,  to feel the emptiness inside. We engage in activity as a way of getting acknowledgement by others by way of being seen,a way of having our ego strengthened. We may seek power for sake of ego , rather than ability to better serve the larger whole. Power without purpose is mere whim, sometimes even dangerous.

Power is dependent on energy, just as survival is dependent on matter and sexuality on movement.Power from the Latin "ponder" to be able has the same meaning as shakti from the root of shak, to be able. Shakti is our primordial energy field ignited and given and given form by the spark of Shiva.

As electricity must be directed through wires  in order for its  power to be utilized, so much of our life energy be directed  by consciousness  before we can make use  of it with any  true sense of power.Our cells metabolize and produce  energy with  little or no conscious  directional  from us. To have power however we need to be conscious . We must understand the relationship things. We must be able to perceive and assimilate new information. to adjust our actions for maximum effects. We must be able to create and imagine events  outside of present time and space. We must have knowledge, memory and reasoning ability.

Power, then is equally  dependent on the upper chakras, though not at the expense of our lower once. As we grow  toward a greater understanding  of consciousness and the spiritual world, we find that we will indeed evolve our concepts of power.This evolution will come from within each of us , from our core, our roots and our guts as well as our visions.our creativity, and our intelligence, our future depends on it.

WILL

"The power of a will by how much resistance pain torture is endured  and know how to turn to its advantage."

How do you make something happen? Do you sit still and make fervent wishes.. Do you wait for circumstances to fall into places. Not likely. If you want to make any effective change. For that we need to exercise  will.

Will is consciously controlled change.As the second chakra opens duality we presented with choices. Making those choices gives birth  to the will.

Will is a means  by which we overcome lower chakra inertia and the essential spark  that ignite the flame of our power. Will is a combination of mind and action, the conscious  direction of desire.- the means through which we create  our future. Personal power without will is impossible, making will  a primary key to the development  of the third chakra.

We all experience unpleasant events  at various junctions of our lives. At the emotional level of second chakra, we may feel like a  victim of our circumstances. As a victim we feel powerless, and pain is an important step , as it puts us in touch  with our needs. It becomes fuel for the will.

Getting to the third chakra, however requires that we give up seeing ourselves as a victim. and realize that lasting change can only come from our own efforts. If we blame others, our only hope for  improvement comes from  hoping others will change. Sometimes we cannot control. When we take back responsibility, the changes came under the jurisdiction  of our own will. Then we can truly heal from victimizing circumstances.

 This is not to deny  the victimization does exist and that many circumstances  in our culture are  hugely unjust. Nor is it touching the new age belief  that we are the sole creator  of our own reality, created independently  of all others. Instead will is a realization that we can regard each challenge  as an opportunity to awaken to our  highest potential. This does not deny what has come before  but incorporates it., using it as a  springboard for the future.While we can't always control what happen to us, we can control what we do about it.

The task of the will is,  first of all to overcome inertia. As stated earlier  inertia occur in the rest or in a movement. Simple lethargy or laziness can be an example of inertia  at rest. Once we get up and going our muscles oxidize, and our heart pumps, and we have more energy. Joggers for instance , claim that they have  far more energy  on the days when they run despite the energy they spend. Energy begets energy  through the creation of momentum- and it is the will which begins this process. We also may find ourselves  caught up in a momentum  of something we would rather  avoid. Here we can use stillness to effect change  by refusing to be a part of this motion -and stopping it whenever  it comes to us.

In the Kabbalistic tree of life , will is the conscious combination of  force and form from the third level. which relates to Hod and Netsach . Natsach, provides the radiant beauty, the energy, while Hod is more intellectual state, the intelligence and form. These reflect the role of the upward and downward  currents as they meet  in the third chakra, will is most effective when it is intelligent and strategic. This keeps us from waiting our energy by  trying to do  things through force alone. We are more efficient when we work smarter instead of harder.

At Manipura, force and form combine and evolve each other to  higher and efficient levels.  Once the third chakra flame has been lit, the fire is less difficult to maintain Once the light of understanding has dawned, the path to further understanding is illuminated.  When Kundalini rises to this chakra, she makes herself apparent. Here she kindles the fire to destroy ignorance, karmic traps, and physical impurities. It is at this chakra that Kundalini begins to burn.

The first step in developing your  will is to realize that you do have one, and that it is functioning quite well all the time. Look around you, all that you see in your personal midst, you have created with your will- the clothing you are wearing, the home you live in, the friends you keep. Feeling powerless is not due to lack of will, but failure to recognize  and connect with your unconscious  use of that will.

Failure to recognize  that we have will is common. How many times in a day do you look at your task, exude a  tired sigh and say (or whine)," I have to do this." We tell ourselves we have to go to work, we have to do a dishes, we have to run this  or that errand or have to spend more time with  our kids. It is dis-empowering to regard  these circumstances as a dreary series of obligations, rather than choices we make actively. I don't have to do my dishes but i choose to  because i like a clean kitchen. I don't have to go to work but i choose to because  i like to honor  my agreements. This subtle change  in attitude  helps us  befriend and realign with our will.

In talking about will the distinction is often made between will and true will. If you do what some one tell you to do., when you really would rather  not,  you are still exercising your will but deep inside it is not your true will. You have essentially given your will  over to another. To get it back we must realize we have choose to do this  and examine the reason for that choice. Are we trying to please? Are we scared of the consequences ? Are we out of touch with our selves?How can we address these issues.

Only by answering these question we can truly see what  our will is serving. Is it in service of looking good ? Being liked? Keeping the peace? Avoiding the responsibility? Remaining invisible? Once we know what our will is serving, we must than ask  what it might be betraying? Is looking good betraying you honest looks? Is keeping the peace perpetuating negative circumstances that might need to be confronted. Is pleasing others lowering your self esteem? To make these effects conscious is to empower ourselves to choose between then.

True will require deep communication with the self, trust in your own volition and the willingness to take risk and accept responsibility for those risks. If we dare to go against the grain  by exercising our true will , then we risk criticism, ridicule, even abandonment. It's scary stuff, especially if your family environment was heavily invested in submissive paradigm. It is through daring to use  our will that  a stronger sense of self is born. and through that strength  the will is further developed. Like a muscle, we cannot strengthen our will without exercising it.  And like all exercise, it serves us better  when we do it wisely.

True will can be seen as an individual expression of a higher divine  will. It arises from our basic atonement  and something larger. True will extend beyond  the ego self and embraces a higher purpose. It does not act  for the sake of reward but for the "rightness"  of action. "True will unassuaged of purpose delivered  from the lust of result, is every way perfect. Therefore if we are free from egos  lust for results, the action of our will take us to our destiny. While that destiny is not guaranteed  to be pain free, you can most certainly expect  is to engage third chakra and ignite very core of your being.

Detecting and using higher will is touchy business. There are many i know who will use the concept of higher will as an escape from getting in  touch with their own will, still seeing power as outside of  themselves "What dos the universe want me to do  in this situation?  Why won't  it give me a sign.? Every decision is proceeded by  numerous card readings and endless seeking of advise from others.They may give their power over to others to decide for them, such as psychic, teacher,therapist, or guru. Seeking guidance is often advisable, though we can sometimes avoid responsibility in this way. Perhaps a better question is  " what is my service to the world and how can i best do this? Power within is an openness to the flow of power around us, and our wills wrap themselves around our purpose gracefully when these powers are aligned.

Once we know our will we return to more practical level- how to effectively exercise it. First we must make sure we must be grounded.Without grounding, we are not plugged in  and we do not have the  force of liberating current  running through us.  We are more easily pushed around, often responding  instead of another's will. This takes the form of an "intellectual will" and over rides the inner desire of the body.  It is easily spotted by the preponderance  of "should s" and "have to's"  in our internal dialogues.Self discipline is important but works better as a want than should. Than our whole body mind  is in accord with it,

Like power, will is often associated with it discipline, control and manipulation. such as the will to go on a diet, get through school, or finish a project. While discipline is essential to accomplish most things. It is another aspect of control over  separate part if there is  not an internal agreement. within the body mind.  It takes discipline to sit here  and edit this book, yet my will and desires are connected  to my purpose. The part i have to edit  the most are parts  i wrote when i made  myself do it.  because it was my time of a day  to write rather than  because the inspiration moved me.. Those part lacked power. Without agreement between  will and desire, we lose our passion and our momentum and thereby dissipate the power needed to carry out our will.

In order for our will to be engaged, we must also be in touch  with our desires.  How can we exert our will if we don't know what we want?  While undue attachment to our desires may keep us trapped in lower chakras, suppression any blocks the force of the will. When a person feels deprived, unloved or over worked they are easier to manipulate. The will flourishes best when we are relaxed happy  and in touch with ourselves.

However, will is not always in harmony with every desire. You may desire a piece of chocolate cake, but your greater will refuses it because  you want to lose weight. You may not desire to take a particular task  and yet quite peacefully, will your self to do it anywhere. We are still serving our desires, but we are choosing which desires are most important in the long run.

It is here that discipline becomes most important actually come from disciple - the willingness to do a student of something. Here we are faced with a odd paradox  of surrendering our will to a structure or form  that brings about fulfillment of that will. In this act of discipline there is a certain transcendence of feelings in that we may not  "feel like" doing our meditation.on a particular day or we may not "feel like"going to work. Yet those feelings become irrelevant when our will is fixed to a larger purpose.In this way,  the third chakra is both fueled by , and yet transcendent, the feeling orientation of the second chakra.

Knowledge of the will with its infinite and constant choices, comes from a deeper sense of purpose.This purpose is born out of our orientation to the world. It is born from  who we are,  what we love and loathe, what our talents apply to . Each of us has a purpose, and our ultimate will is to fulfill this purpose. This purpose can often sort out  the difference between "will " (चाहना: "and "whims"(सनक)  often are to distinguish.Whim is momentarily. Will has a larger purpose. We examine a large term effect of our actions, and their part in our  greater sense of purpose, We think in terms of far reaching cause. and effect.Our power to grow with our sense of purpose, for it gives us a direction that transforms mere energy into effective power.

If we are unclear about that purpose  than it is hard to know just  what our will is in given situation. The task of consciousness is an accurate assessment  of we are for which that mystery lies  the purpose of our will must address. Once we know our will, its strength increases through use. Often using our power is merely a matter of understanding that we do indeed have the power to begin with.  That understanding becomes  solidified through use and experimentation and results ultimetly is gaining confidence.

All chakras have their positive and negative aspect and the overuse of the personal will can keep us trapped at this level, especially if that will is not in harmony  with the greater comic will of which it is a part.  The intelligent and sensitive person  must recognize when  their will becomes detrimentally and overly controlling (and if they don't catch it , others will surely try to tell them). Engaging this chakra requires developing the will, yet the passage beyond this chakra requires the ability to yield our will when appropriate. A person of true power should  not have a need to dominate.

When personal will and divine will are not one  than it is crucial that  this will be followed. When personal will is out of tune with the greater will, it is equally critical that  this difference be detected. " A man whose conscious will is at odds with his true will is wasting his strength." He cannot hope to influence his  environment efficiently. At this point the motives of our personal will  must be reexamined.. Failing to this we may  find an undue number of obstacles on our way, making each step more difficult. Through many paths are difficult , the ones that are right for us have a coherency of flow that makes the difficulty easier to bear. It is the task of our intelligence  to perceive the correct path. The task of will is to follow that path.

SELF-ESTEEM

                                 "Let a man know his work, and keep things , under his feet."

The third chakra, attributes of power, will, vitality, and self discipline, are ultimetly based on self esteem. When our self esteem is high,, we are confidant, assertive, proactive and , disciplined and basically exited about life. When self esteem is low , we are filled with doubts and self recrimination that act like  check dam for the psychic momentum needed to get something done.. If there is too much check dams , we lose our momentum entirely, and end up in a state of inertia. Once we find ourselves in that  puddle of inertia  the self doubts and recrimination only get worse, and the cycle become paralyzing.

Than the demon of shame has entered the third chakra, and perhaps even taken over. Shame is the antithesis of self - esteem. It collapses the middle section of the body, depriving it of energy. It interrupts the fluidity coming up from the base  and overplay the constricting mental energy coming down from the top.. Instead of moving outward , the energy turns against self.

Self esteem comes from a  realistic sense of smell, initially this comes from the body  and the physical identity. this gives us our edge and boundaries.. Next it comes from the second chakra  and our emotional identity. which brings aliveness to our experience of self and keeps us happy and in touch., Thirdly self esteem comes from  trial and error as we reach out  take risk and succeed and fall, and in doing so  gain a realistic sense of our own abilities. Through self-discipline we own our skill. There form the foundation stone of self esteem.

Our concept of self is further illuminated by interaction with others. If we are loved and accepted by others (forth chakra) and feel we have something to give , we are more likely to love and accept  ourselves. Through communication we can get honest feedback  about how others perceives us,, and are able to communicate the interior of the self. And although the upper two chakras  we get the trans personal elements that hold the self in a larger matrix.

Self esteem forms a  good foundation for opening  the heart and maintaining successful relationship. If the lower chakras have done their job  than our partner does,nt need to make us secure,interpret our feelings or bolster our ego. We can than move more completely  into the delightful experience of love.

BREAKING POWERLESSNESS

                " Limitation is the first law of manifestation, therefore it is the first law of power."

Power like any muscle in the body, must be developed consciously. In keeping with the well known expression, "Knowledge is power."most powerlessness is the result of ignorance about how to behave effectively.  It may be simply lack of awareness or attention. Increase our awareness increases our power. Therefore such things as meditation can help. As we realize energy up in spine  and as this energy pieces the third layer, feeling of power will naturally ensure. However more meditation is not enough.

The following are some of the concepts related to the development of third chakra, followed by some physical exercises for opening this center.

BREAKING INERTIA

Do something different. If you are sluggish, get moving. If you are hyperactive , be still. Break boring repetitive patterns, and choose a challenge. Overcome difficulties increase strength  and confidence. Power is seldom developed by clinging to security. Give up being safe and your power chakra will awaken more quickly.

AVOID INVALIDATION

Criticism from those who do not understand your situation can sometimes be more detrimental than helpful. especially if you are a sensitive person  who takes it to heart. Often when we are undertaking  something new and uncertain , invalidation can be  an instant  power crippler.- stopping a sensitive person dead in their  tracks. New ideas  meet their greatest  opposition from those  who misunderstand them.

WIRING AND RESISTANCE 

Make sure that your energy travel in complete circuit - that what you put out  has a way of coming back. Make sure that this energy is not  unnecessarily caught up, interrupted, dissipated, or fragmented. Use the flow and momentum of second chakra to fire up the will.

EFFORT AND RESISTANCE 

Both effort and resistance  are both tiring and wear down our energy. They are both a sign of that our power is not flowing harmoniously. When you find yourself straining with effort, stop, Think about what you are  doing and imagine doing it without effort-smoothly enjoyably. Ask yourself why you are so attached to this particular thing. Ask yourself  why its taking so much effort- what's missing that  would make it flow smoothly ? 

If you are in constant resistance  to some forces stop. Ask your self why this resistance is manifesting in your life at this time . Resistance is often fear, the opposite of power.What is it  you are afraid of ? Imagine what would happen if you stop resisting ? How can your will protect you with less effort or resistance?

 

BREAKING ATTACHMENT 

Energy that is directed towards something that is not manifesting is energy that is "hung up"  caught or otherwise useless. If , after reasonable effort , something is not working, let it go. The energy you feel when the attachment no longer  has control over you can be exhilarating.  The more you release there is less friction, there is on your energy. The lighter you become, the more you move towards spirit and away from matter. Be careful not to go too far, however for the earth plane is where the power manifests, and without some solidity the power may become too diffused.

ATTENTION

Attention focuses energy. Pay it when it needs to be paid.Give it to your self. Give and accept it from others Notice where it goes. Where the attention goes, the rest of the energy will surely follow.

GROUNDING

We must be able to direct our attention to the here and now in order to manifest power. Grounding brings us into the present, into the power within our bodies and consolidates the focuses our energy.  Even though we are rising beyond this chakra, we never overcome the need for this simple practice.

ANGER

Releasing block anger in a safe and effective  way can sometimes , help to unblock the third chakra. This is best done in conjunction with  grounding and is an excellent way of using energy within you  to bring about change.- at least in your state of mind, if not in your circumstances. Blocked power is very often blocked anger. Anger is an potent and cleansing force, but it is hard earned and should be spent wisely. Its not worth damaging loved ones for things we need to work out within ourselves.

INCREASING INFORMATION

Knowledge is power and the more we learn the more we can do  and the fewer mistakes we theoretically make. Learning under any circumstances, helps to increase one's power

LOVE

Love is a unifying force, that ties us all together inspire us and gives us strength to keep going. It is exhilarating, cleansing, energizing, healing and feeds energy from the upper chakras into our third chakra . It gives us validation, contact and purpose, strengths self esteem and inspires the will.

LAUGHTER

Taking things too seriously can really make us loose touch with our power. If we can laugh at a situation, we have power over it . When ever  things seems at their worst, remember to laugh at your self.

TAKE CARE OF YOUR SELF

If you don't, no one else will. You know what you want and need better than anyone else.  If you care for yourself, this decreases your need to  get from outside, and need is often inversely  proportional to power.

EMPOWERMENT MEDITATION

Think of a time when you felt powerless or victimized. Go back to that time and feel the fear, the hurt, the anger, . Feel your self at that stage of your life, as a young child, teenager, adult...Let your body express the shape of your feelings at that time...How did you walk? How did you carry yourself ? How did you speak?

Take a moment to step outside of this picture and examine it from a distance,  if you were a onlooker. See if you can be compassionate with your self, accepting, non-critical. If you can, than next see if you can laugh at your self and become amused at the pathos, the pain and the seriousness.

Next go back over the scene and replay it with a different outcome. Imagine your self doing something that changes the situation. Get mad, fight back, run away , laugh, stand firm- whatever you would see as an action of power. If you need to call in helpers, spirit or friends, feel free to do so. Use what ever it takes to turn the situation around.

When you have resolved it , put yourself at the back. Feel the sense of wholeness and satisfaction, and try to bring that through to your life right now.

Next ask your self if there is anyone you are currently blaming for the circumstances in your life.  How much power are you investing in them? As an act of reclaiming your own power, write their name on a paper and set fire to it saying "I here by release you from  responsibility for my life and its fail ours. I now take the responsibility myself." As you take back the energy, you are empowering yourself.

CHAKRA THREE EXERCISES

BREATH OF FIRE

or Kapal bhati

Breath of fire

                 

Breath of fire

https://youtu.be/1gpYEvALCZA

Breath of Fire is a breathing exercise used in Kundalini yoga. It involves passive inhales and active exhales that are quick and powerful.

There is a rapid diaphragmatic breathing designed to clean toxins from the body, raise internal fire and stimulate the ascending current.

Sit on an upright , comfortable posture with back straight and legs relaxed.

Using the muscle of your abdomen,SNAP in your diaphragm, causing a quick exhale, to escape through your nose.. Keep the mouth closed.

When you relax the abdomen, air will naturally enter your nose and chest, causing an inhale.  You need not force this inhalation.

Than SNAP the diaphragm once again,. Followed by relaxation, causing another exhale and inhale.

When this process id comfortable, repeat quickly. causing several quick sequential exhales.  Do in sets of fifty or so. with a long, deep breath at the end of each set.Three sets of fifty or more make a good place to start. After a while  you can pace your self  according to what feels right. Increase the number and the speed as the muscles become acclaimed.

JOGGING

Jogging

Running in intense, high energy physical exercise that gets the heart pumping, the lungs breathing,, and blood racing through the body.Of all physical energizer, jogging is probably the best overall tonner for inertia.

SIT UPS

Sit ups

STOMACH CRUNCHES

Stomach Crunches

Ordinary sit ups will increase the muscle tone over the third chakra and help tone the digestive organs.

Begin on your back with knees bent , and feet parallel. Lace your fingers behind your neck.

Tighten the stomach muscle until the head has lifted a few inches off the floor, exhaling. You need not sit at all way up. The muscles do their work in their first few inches of contraction.

Inhale as you lower your head, exhale as you exert. Repeat as mant times as you can, increasing the number over times.

THE WOOD CHOPPER

The associated tone of the third chakra is a loud "ah" sound this should accompany the motion in this exercise. This is also an excellent anger release.

Stand with feet firmly planted on the ground, with heels about two feet apart. Raise arm together over the head with the hands joined, arch your back slightly

Making the "ah" sound as you descend swing the whole upper portion of the body downward, bringing your hands between your legs and through. The motion should be smooth and rapid, and emit as much force and power as it is possible.

Repeat 5-10 times in a session and feel the energy break through into your upper body.

BOW POSE 

Dhanush asana

Benefits: 

1. Strengthens the back and abdominal muscles
2. Stimulates the reproductive organs
3. Tones the leg and arm muscles
4. Adds greater flexibility to the back
5. Alleviates stress and fatigue 
6. Relieves menstrual discomfort and constipation
7. Helps people with renal (kidney) disorders

BELLY PUSH

From a seated position, push both feet out  straight in front of you, and with your palms placed on the ground by your hips.

Push your pelvis upwards, approaching a slight arch from your feet to your head, pushing specially through the solar plexus.

Slowly relax and return to the seated position.

PIKE POSE 

Hard to maintain without practice, a little gem tightens tummy musckes and develops balance and self control.

Resting on your back, bring your feet and legs up (knees as straight as possible) and your torso up, too, making a v shape with your body. Hold as long as possible, then relax.

For an easier version, try lifting one leg at a time or placing your feet against a wall so that your focus more on belly muscles than on the thigh muscle that may not be strong enough.

Pike pose

MAKING THE SUN

The arm plays an important part in the activation of power, for they make actual contact with the world. It is through the arm we do , and doing is what the third chakra is all about. The strength of this exercise is that  it involves visualization as well as physical movement. It works on  moving energy from  the heart and solar plexus out into the arms and hands.

Stand straight, arms over your head, feet shoulder width apart.

Take a deep breath, stretch your arms and fingers up as far as you can and slowly bring them down to your sides palm facing downwards., arms reaching and stretching outwards as long as possible at all times.

About halfway, down you should start to feel as if you were pushing against some invisible force. As you do this  imagine your self at the center of the sun, your arms describing the circumference. As you feel the force your pushing against, imagine it is to be some block that you are working through. Feel your hands pushing it through. Imagine the tendrils of energy streaming out  through your fingers and when the cycle is complete, take a moment to feel and imagine the solar glow around you.

POWER WALK

Power Walk

Stand erect with arms bent at the elbow and hand in a fist at the chest.

Take a step and push one arm outward  as if you were pushing away obstacle. Then release the other arm.

Repeat

Pretend you are clearing blocks out of your immediate vicinity as you do this , and ridiculous as you may feel use words like  "OUT" or "Go Away"to emphasize the action.

LAUGHING CIRCLE

This is a children's game done with a group of at least three, but better with four or more.

Every one lie on the floor, each with their head on another's stomach. One person begins by  saying explosive "ha" three times, followed by the next person and the next. As our heads bounce on  the stomach below us its only a short time  before the "ha" become "ha ha"and uproarious laughter.

Basically, anything that gets the energy moving rapidly is good for the third Chakra. The important thing is to overcome inertia.. Once this is overcome, it becomes the domain of the will, where the combine force of desire and understanding channel the energy into action. It is an exhilarating step in the growth of our consciousness.

https://madhuchhandacdmo.blogspot.com/2021/11/manipur-chakra-third-chakra.html

 

 

Solar Plexes

An excessive third chakra would exhibit a big tight belly.

Someone with a tightly closed third chakra (personal power) would be terrified of confrontation, while another who is more open may thrive on it.

Chakras are organizing centers  for the reception assimilation and transmission of life energy. Our Chakras as core centers form the coordinating network of our complicated mind/body from instinctive  behavior to consciously planned strategies from emotions to artistic creations.The chakras are masters programmer that governs our life, love, learning and illumination.

There are seven basic chakras that exist within the subtle body, interpreting the physical body. The subtle body is the non-physical body  that is superimposed on our physical bodies. It can be measures as electro -magnetic  force fields within and all around living creatures. In the aura, which is the external manifestation of the subtle body, the energy field appears as a soft glow around the physical body often made up of spindle like fibers.

 

Chakras three-Starches (Energy foods)

Starch are the easily converted energy foods, relating to the fire element of the third chakra. Starches that comes from whole grains rather than processed flours are assimilated by the body  more slowly and more throughly. More quickly absorbed foods, such as simple sugars or stimulants, also provide energy. But prolonged use of them depletes the general health of the third chakra. Addiction to "energy foods" shows an imbalance in third chakra. Sugar addiction can point to  (as well as cause) third chakra imbalance.

CHAKRA THREE

SYMBOLS AND CORRESPONDENCES

Sanskrit Name :

Meaning :

Location : Navel to Solar plexus

Element : Fire

Outer Form : Plasma

Function : Will power, assertiveness

Inner State : Laughter, joy ,anger

Other body Parts : Digestive system, muscles

Malfunctions : Digestive disorders,ulcers, hypoglycemia, diabetes.

Color : Yellow

Seed Sound : Ram

Petal : Ten

Vowel Sound : Ah as in father

Tarot Suit : Wands

Sephira : Hod, Netzach

Planets : Mars and Sun

Metal : Iron

Food :Starches

Corresponding verb : I can, I do

Herbs for incense : Dragan's blood,sandlewoos,saffron,musk

Minerals : Amber, topas, yellow citrine, rutilated,quartz.

Animal : Ram

Sense : Sight

Guna :Rajas

Lotus Symbol : Ten petal lotus, downward triangle with hindy solar crosses (swastika) At the base is  a running Ram.

Hindu Deities : Surya, Agni, Rudra, Laxmi.

Other Pantheons : Brigit, Athens, Helious, Apillo, Amaterasu, Belenos,Apis, Ra

Archangel : Michael

Chief operating force : Combustion