“Knowing yourself is the beginning of all wisdom” – Aristotle
Weekly Focus: Manipura (sense of Self, purpose, identity)
Manpiura Chakra is the third chakra located at the solar plexus. This Chakra, known as the “lustrous gem,” is directly linked to your sense of Self.
Manipura is our body’s powerhouse. Located at the solar plexus, it is seen as the space of Surya, or the Sun within our body. When Manipura is healthy and strong, we feel the vitality and life of the sun, invigorated, powerful and ready to take action.
Here is where we connect to our sense of Self and purpose. As Manipura is balanced, we feel confident in who we are and why we are here, providing us with this sense of purpose. To feel purpose is to feel empowered and to recognize our own inherent power and infinity. As we connect with our sense of purpose, we build a deeper relationship to how we might connect our individual self with greater collective. It may seem in opposition, but a greater sense of Self brings us to a greater sense of union with the Universe.
Knowing who we are truly and deeply is essential in seeing how you fit in to the larger puzzle, seeing your function as one space in this greater whole. Connecting with Self can be hard — there are veils to lift and often many false impressions to lead us astray. This is a life-long practice, to move with the ebb and flow of discovering a strong sense of Self.
Manipura is linked to the element of fire or transformation. We are reminded that as we move through life, our purpose may shift and transform with time. This does not mean where we have been was wrong, but perhaps there has been a process of transformation, melding one from the next, as fire transforms soft clay into a firm piece of pottery.
Do you feel connected to your sense of Self? Can you identify what your purpose is or are you still searching? No matter where you are it is OK. Your journey is lifelong, and each step you take is guiding your towards who you are meant to be.
Passive Pose of the Week: Ardha Apanasana (half wind release pose)
A healthy chakra is not over-stimulated but rather, well regulated. Ardha Apanasana helps to balance and bring awareness to Manipura Chakra. This pose regulates Apana, our downward flowing energy, grounding us into Muladhara Chakra (our root chakra) to soften the fiery nature of Manipura.
- Begin lying on your back with your legs long.
- Keep the left leg long and draw the right knee in towards the belly.
- Hug the right leg grabbing around the shin or back of the thigh.
- Squeeze the leg towards the body and focus on breathing down into the low back. You might notice the soft stimulation of the digestion here, feeling compression from belly to thigh.
- Hold for 5 – 7 breaths before lengthening the leg.
- Pause for a moment between sides, observing the difference.
Ardha Apanasana is a wonderful pose to help us unwind and destress at the end of the day. It can also bring a lot of relief and deompression for the low back. Try taking this pose before settling in for sleep at the end of the day. Notice the grounding nature of the pose and it’s ability to help you feel settled within yourself. What we love about this pose — it’s easy to take right in your bed with no extra fuss!
Active Pose of the Week: Navasana (boat pose)
Different than our passive pose, Navasana works to activate and stoke the fires of Manipura. Navasana is a strong and powerful pose, bring about the sense of self confidence and strength we find in Manipura.
- Begin sitting with your legs bent feet flat on the floor.
- Lean back slightly so that you can begin to float your legs, keeping the legs bent. You can support this position by bringing the hands behind the thighs.
- If you feel strong and steady here, let the arms extend and float alongside the legs.
- To make this more challening, straighten the legs and squeeze them together. Still want more? Reach the arms up and overhead, alongside the ears.
- Once you reach your position, hold anywhere from 3 – breaths before releasing and finding a space to rest.
We often think of Navasana simply as a core exercise, but like so many postures, it really requires a full body engagement. If you find yourself feeling really heavy in the pose it might mean that you aren’t utilizing your full power. No matter which variation you find in Navasana, think about squeezing everything in towards your midline. This means feet are active, legs squeeze together, shoulders feel strong and arms are engaged! Now, Navasana will still be a hard pose, it’s tricky no matter what. But notice the difference between this active and empowered position compare to a more unsteady one. What do you observe?
Join us in class this week to practice your self-reflection and acknowledgment of the Kleshas. See the full schedule HERE.
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