Your Solar Plexus Chakra is the primary energy center defining your power of self-discovery. As such it’s an essential determinant of how you live your life and how it ultimately unfolds.
What’s Self-Discovery
Self-discovery is about increasing your exposure to new things to gain insights into yourself and your character. For some, it opens a doorway for desired change. But, the real power of self-discovery lies in what you do with what you discover.
Curiosity and a drive to experience, learn, and grow are good things in their own right. According to Dr. Sahay, a neuroscientist at Massachusetts General Hospital, it generates new neurons and can enhance cognitive function.
Still, the power of self-discovery is in some ways less about exploration and observation. Its potency lies in how it attunes your observations, particularly their potential to evoke a clear and objective sense and assessment of yourself and your ability to fulfill your intentions.
How The Solar Plexus (3rd) Chakra Relates To Self-Discovery
It’s important to note that no chakra operates independently from the others. In other words, our wholeness stems from the whole.
For example, dysfunction can cause one chakra to dominate or submit to the pressures of one or more other chakras.
Plus subtle energy is constantly shifting. But, the parts still matter. In particular, the solar plexus (third chakra) with its unique sphere of influence has a primary role related to self-discovery.
Solar Plexus Chakra Attributes That Support Self-Discovery
This chakra influences how you see yourself in the world and your view of how others see you. It does so through its curious and reflective nature, which critically contributes to self-definition, self-esteem, confidence, ego identity, personal power, and willpower.
These functions are essential to self-awareness, self-reflection, self-assessment, and thus, to self-discovery.
Governed by the fire element, the Solar Plexus, is a source of personal power and agency. Its fire helps us to prioritize, set goals, decide what needs to be done, establish plans, get going, and maintain our energy and focus to succeed.
In sum, the Third Chakra is hard at work starting from preception through transformation.
The Solar Plexus Chakra Relationship With Other Chakras
In a sense, the third center acts as a clearinghouse for information from all the other chakras. It reads the energy and physical signs of the first and second chakras. And, it draws upon the sentiment, purpose, wisdom, and reasoning residing in the fourth through seventh chakras.
For instance, it can transform your current patterns of reactivity and struggle associated with unbalanced root and sacral obsessions and dysfunctions such as security, survival, fear, victimization, loneliness, vanity, and eating disorders.
It does this by integrating the purpose, aspirations, compassion, and wisdom from the other higher chakras.
When well-functioning in this case could entrain the first two chakras to encourage conscious reflective action instead of reactive, habitual, instinctual, or obsessively externally focused reactions.
A Balanced Solar Plexus Chakra Is A Source of Power
The Character of a Well-Balanced Solar Plexus Chakra
If you have a vital and balanced Third Chakra, you have a strong and clear sense of self and self-esteem. Due to self-assuredness and clarity, you can make healthy, life-affirming choices; exert control over your life; manifest your intentions; and take responsibility for your actions.
With a balanced Solar Plexus Chakra, you thirst for knowledge and have a strong intellect. You’re curious about your surroundings and astute about opportunities. You gather, analyze, and articulate knowledge, information, and experiences.
When all these chakra attributes are considered, they highlight how a balanced or well-functioning solar plexus can empower self-discovery and affect desired changes or transformations.
The Character of an Imbalanced Solar Plexus Chakra
If you have dysfunction or imbalance in our Third Chakra, it can show up as self-criticism, confusion, and internal conflict about your life purpose and what you expect for your life. Consequently, your self-discovery process becomes muddled and constrained.
In addition, you may tend to be more agitated or lethargic, depending on the quality of the energy: whether you have excess or weak energy and whether it’s directed outwardly or inwardly.
For example, excessive outwardly-oriented energy causes overthinking and anger. In contrast, excessive inwardly oriented energy cultivates doubt and feelings of powerlessness, hopelessness, pessimism, frustration, and depression. These mental and emotional states don’t support objectivity, constructive response, and empowerment.
Tips On Toning Your Solar Plexus to Tap Into the Power of Self-Discovery
So, now that you have a good idea about how the Third Chakra contributes to the power of self-discovery, you might be thinking “How can I balance or tone it and reap the benefits?”
There are many ways to tone this chakra, some take time and effort. But, let’s look at three simple things you can do immediately and without additional effort or cost.
- Diet changes – Since the solar plexus is tied to the digestive system, consider favoring clean healthy foods and disfavor processed, unhealthy food. You want to pay attention to your body and how it feels as you make these adjustments.
- Chanting or toning the Third Chakra bija (mantra), Ram – Chakras are energy or vibrational centers. As such, they respond and entrain to sound, which is also vibration. Use a lower tone and let the sound roll out with your exhale. Save time and chant (i.e., vocalize) Ram while you meditate, shower, cook, etc.
- Doing twists and stretches of the waist and mid-region – The Solar Plexus is located in the center of your abdomen at your stomach and above your belly button. Twists and stretches in this area help tone the chakra.
In addition, consider these three simple practices: 1) Diffuse chakra-specific quality essential oils, specifically solar plexus chakra essential oils; 2) Tone the third chakra with a tuning fork that resonates at the natural frequency of the solar plexus; and 3) Receive energy healing.
For More Information Or Help Related To Self-Discovery Or Toning Your Chakras, See:
- My mind-body-spirit blog post under the search category of Transform Yourself
- Self-Discovery Journal Prompts For Greater Introspection
- Energy Healing services
- Personal Growth, Natural Healing, and Wellness Workshops
Updated November 1, 2014
