Hello there everyone! Last time we talked about our sacral chakra and the nerves that work with our intestines and kidneys. Today we are going to go further up the body and focus on your solar plexus.
If you are new here, please take the time to go back and read the previous entries so this will make more sense. If you aren’t a stranger, I’m happy to see you again, and so proud of you for taking the time to learn something that will benefit your self-care.
Nerves
The specific nerves we are stimulating today control your liver, stomach, and pancreas. If you are displaying low energy (never sleeping enough or sleeping too much), are excessively gassy, or have a noticeable loss/increase in appetite, you potentially need to focus on this area. Beyond seeing your doctor and doing what they say, you should try to change your diet to give these areas of your body the help they need to digest your food properly. Cutting out excessive sugars, adding more cardio work outs to your routine, including more things in your diet that lack animal fat and are high in anti-oxidants: green and leafy vegetables, cherries, garlic, having a cup of green tea with every meal, etc.
Chakra
Today we are focusing on the Manipura or your Solar Plexus Chakra. This is the center of life and vitality in your body; where the fire of your soul burns. Just as with working with fire, you must keep a precarious balance with this chakra for it to flourish properly.
The blaze in your hearth can keep you warm but If you do not respect it, your home would be in danger. The sun brings us joy and light, but if you stayed outside for too long, your skin would be left damaged. On the other side however, without that hearth fire, we would never be warm as we rest; without the sun, we would never survive. Confidence, the ability to see things through to the end, knowing just who you are, and not being afraid to show that to the world around you: all of these things play a part in this chakra, and all of them have the duality that fire dances to.
If you are sure in who you are and lack shame in your identity, if you charge into new situations without fear, this chakra is likely burning beautifully. Having it out of balance, means you probably have trouble reaching the end of your projects, you constantly second guess yourself, and/or you find it difficult to forgive your mistakes.
Meditation
As with all our meditations, start with finding a quiet place where you won’t be disturbed for about 20 minutes.
Sit yourself down in the lotus position and even your breathing. Take breaths in through your nose, and out through your mouth. Close your eyes and try to settle down all the thoughts in your head one by one, while keeping your breathing. When your mind has calmed, bring its focus onto nothing but the ins and outs of your breathing.
This will take as long as it needs to, don’t rush yourself and certainly don’t beat yourself up if your mind wanders, just bring your focus back to the air coming in through your nose, and out through your mouth. Once your breathing is shallow and even for more than a minute, you are ready to begin.
I want you to picture yourself on the slopes of a mountain, high in the air. The ground arcing down beneath you, smooth and powdered with dirt. You face the rising sun, slowly illuminating the world around you. With its rising, shadows are being pushed farther and farther back behind you as it climbs higher and higher into the sky. The sharp smell of pine needles intermingles with the normal scents of the wild already in your nose with each of your breaths. The sound of birds breaking into song, and the ever-present whistle of the winds come to your ears.
That same wind brings a sudden chill with it to your skin; only to be instantly banished by the ever-brightening sunrise before you. Focus on that heat, let it fill you up gradually and pleasantly. You then begin to notice that you too, give off your own heat, from the spot between your heart and your navel, you feel a twin heat blossoming that seems to call out in recognition to the daybreak surging inside you.
Warmer and warmer it grows, until you feel the heat gently gliding in your veins out to your fingertips, up through and exiting the top of your head, down and out from your feet; the warmth and brightness of your soul competing with the sun itself.
(While keeping your breathing) I need you to bring your right arm up from your knee to your face. Flatten your palm so that your fingers are completely straight and pointed to the sky. The back of your palm should be facing to your right, the inside facing to your left. Now bend in solely your pinkie finger. Once that is done, bring your left arm up and make a fist with it, palm up, and let your right forearm rest upon it.
Whilst you maintain this pose, I want you picture your soul moving in time with your breaths of air, brightening and warming even more so than you already have had it, with each intake of air, and settling with each out take.
On one of your breaths in, bring your right arm up (keeping your left fist softly pressed against it) until your right elbow rests atop your left fist. On your breath out, bring your right arm back down until the fore arm is resting against your first as you had it originally.
Continue this motion and breathing, and when you feel you have lost yourself in the rhythm and imagery, I want you to say the mantra “Ram” ( pronounced Raaaawww ummmmmmmm) on your breaths out, being sure to hold the “m” for an extended time.
On your breaths in, imagine the fire of your soul flaring up with your right arm, burning away all of your doubt. On your breaths out, let the ashes flow out of your mouth. Every time you gave up on yourself, every time you felt you weren’t good enough, let it burn away with the flames. With each and every flare, you grow more, and more sure that you are just as mighty and burn just as brightly as the great sun before you.
Repeat this sequence for at least 5 times, but if you feel you need to do more, please continue until you “feel” you are purified.
Once finished, open your eyes and un-focus on your breathing and come back to the present. You have successfully completed another session!
In Closing
I would suggest using this meditation before a big event where you must prove yourself: an interview, a test, anything where you feel the need to be reminded just how special and awesome you truly are. Next week we will of course move on to the next set of nerves and chakras and give you another tool under your belt to bring you healing and peace. Until next time!
Eating Disorder Solution’s Meditation Series:
Part 1 – Meditation: Science vs. Spiritual
Part 2 – Meditation: The Method
Part 3 – Meditation: Roots In The Earth
Part 4 – Meditation: Moonlight Sea
