Warm greetings dear Yogis …
I love and chose this picture because it expresses that freedom within, the fiery dance of life, the joy of it … the magic of it … it could have been a male, or many people, but here we have this female dancing on her own, in her blissful centre, with the infinite sky, yellow /golden flames and light all around … like she embraces it, invokes it .. is in touch with it from within. The world mirroring it back, as it always does.
You have this in you too. And you ARE projecting from this centre, but are you aware of it? And do you project unconscious fears outward? Or self confidence and true inner passion?
This is the gift of the third chakra, solar plexus or manipura!
Are you in touch with it? Are you harnessing it? It is like your inner power centre!!!! An energetic source literally. And we activate this deliberately in kundalini yoga classes. We live it to nourish and balance your entire being!
When you allow the balance at this energy centre, your commitment to your spirit and true self is so powerful it actually affects all you meet in an inspiring way! It is like you are on fire, truly alive, and the people you meet feel this and catch on fire too. This is what children have naturally when not suppressed … and with kundalini yoga, we (re)ignite this flame.
When all chakras are aligned, then your heart space is fired up, as is your capacity to stand in life to live your truth, with grace and joy, and deep awareness.
You don’t need support, you have your inner fire. This inner fire speaks! It attracts a life to you that will dance with you, support you, in the way of moving obstacles and burning away the old limits and it is here to create, ignite and form the new, in an alchemical way, (which requires heat and fire) the new is created in your life … if your second chakra is in alignment, this creative nature in your can flourish deeply .. if your first chakra is healthy, you will feel grounded and secure enough to move into this …
I am in love with this …the wisdom and gifts of these energy vortices within us, serving us, teaching us … these gifts are here, now, and to embrace it is to live your birthright of full potential …
Yes it can be challenging – yes, I will not lie to anyone – for to burn up the limitations takes courage. You will feel a sense of loss or pain or confusion, resistance, suffering … change is always pre-visited by this … so how much do we need our comfort zone really ? Can we see it as energy shifting into awareness and diffusing …? Our comfort zone, or habitual self, limits us .. and the graceful step by step of release means your life is true, un-needy, you are able to make decisions for yourself —– not selfishly, but generously as you are centred, so you can and do consider the world around you also. What beauty!
This kind of power is not a selfish power. It is for your highest good which becomes your neighbours highest good in due time too … it simply serves all. This is just the plain and simple truth that we are connected and create a field together – in class in particular – this creates massive shifts that I hear about from yogis every week. It reverberates into all around us … You are the change you have been looking for – as they say!
Being in your fire element is an art form … you need awareness … which is why you can get burnt as can those around you, if you are not ready. If this chakra is over expressed it is like that – fire energy of passion overrules the other senses, and anger can be used to control the world and to suffer. Of course the other extreme is holding back, being afraid to speak or act .. feeling cold, detached and removed and disempowered. Feeling too weak.
So how to be ready to use this centre? By becoming aware. How to become aware? Kundalini yoga is the yoga of awareness. Awareness of the total self …it takes you there deliberately and specifically …all you can be, are, and are not … with that awareness you are your own master.
You will see the unconsciousness you project from the solar plexus into the world – the fears you placed there years ago that keep revisiting you so you can release that projection.
What a great gift.
Connecting to the sun energy within… imagine … your inner sun!!!! Life without the sun does not exist. This is your inner sun. It gives life to you. You are never limited, you always have that source within you, life source itself – if only you harness it.
It is blocked by our ways and beliefs … fear making us overrule ourselves. It can be unconscious.
The shadow expression is ANGER. The gift as you know: COMMITMENT – ZEST – PASSION
Anger is a beautiful energy when it is seen as a teacher – showing us something is really disturbing us .. we are not aware of something in us … we need to hear this.
Then the conundrum arises … to express anger and release it?
And if so, how?
Or is it best to keep it within so as to stay quiet and kind and not freak out … this also is imbalanced on its own.
Both options will, for extended periods, cause health problems !! It has been shown in many studies now that anger release, as in shouting and screaming and arguing seems like a release at first, but it is very stressful for the body and the mind … chemicals that are released from this are damaging to your system longterm. There is an outburst and often no clarity, only reactivity that creates a domino effect.
Suppressing or holding it in is also very unhealthy – most of us know this .. it causes many blocks energy wise and internal turmoil …
The healthiest way again is expression from awareness … yes it needs to be spoken, from a place of balance and openness … within you is that space … it is found through kundalini yoga and mediation techniques that are taught during class .. like the mindful breathing and body awareness.
Yoga for me is not just on the mat or the yoga space … it is every moment … breathing … addressing things, not sweeping under the carpet, being brave to face things, discuss, listen, and keep the body healthy so the chemicals that are buzzing around in it are beneficial for mental clarity and healthy nervous system functioning … hence for me, kundalini yoga is a complete system that supports you to take on this awareness and live it at your own unique pace. And of course I can get thrown too at times. At those times it is easy to see there is a trigger mechanism that was activated. And that seeing is helpful to release it, discuss, work with it and to be with whatever is required.
We are aware this chakra is linked to the adrenal glands also .. as I said, the chakras are overlapping .. here we have the pancreas and that is affected. So we are balancing this when we work with the kriyas and techniques to balance this chakra centre.
The liver benefits and is associated with clearing out toxins including toxic thoughts of anger and fear ..
How awesome to delve in and nourish this …. some worry about relationships – this helps to keep this balance, so as to not lose yourself in another while being able to be passionately present .. some worry about living your truth – this centre offers the strength for that stepping into life , your life! … some worry about projecting fears over and over into their lives – this is the key for shifting this… some worry about fatigue, weight gain, ageing – this chakra can energies you and offer you vibrancy and aliveness that makes you feel timeless and young from within and hence without too.
Some check points for you to contemplate:
When this chakra is well balanced you tend to:
