Manipura Chakra

The third chakra is called Manipura which in Sanskrit means "city of jewels." It is located by the solar plexus and is the seat of personality.

The third chakra has control over the solar plexus ganglia which plays an important part in a person's relationship to the world, to people, places and things. Our ability to connect, to belong, to make long-term intimate associations, the love of home, family, country, etc. are all associated with the energy of the third chakra. What's more, the feelings of contentment and trust are also regulated by the solar plexus. The extraordinary difference between the solar plexus chakra and the other chakras (in particular the heart chakra which controls the four strong emotions), is its consistency. The energy radiating from it is the most consistent and uniform in frequency in the subtle energy system. We are told that when the chakra is active and functioning normally a person obtains calmness. . . and is even able to retain calmness in times of distress.

The Manipura Meditation

In this meditation you will get in touch with that transcendental self which allows you to participate and empathize with other people, and to connect deeply with them. By experiencing the radiations of the third chakra consciously, you will transcend "me" concerns and experience the selflessness which permits you to connect with other people and to feel the deep contentment associated with that connection. To begin the Manipura meditation, find a comfortable position with your back straight, close your eyes and begin breathing deeply through your nose without separation between inhalation and exhalation. As you breathe deeply, feel yourself relaxing. Become conscious of your body by paying attention to your breath for about five minutes. After about five minutes, bring your mental attention to your third chakra located just below the breastbone and begin breathing in and out from it. On each inhalation you will feel the energy in the solar plexus growing stronger. You will feel it as a heat and intensity. As the energy grows stronger, visualize it as a ball of golden yellow energy. Visualize and experience it growing brighter for two or three minutes. Next, feel your consciousness move downward until it becomes centered in the ball of energy. Become the ball of energy and feel yourself radiating outward from it, first through your body and then into the outer environment. As you radiate, you will feel yourself beginning to melt. You will feel yourself becoming watery and fluid. As your consciousness radiates from that center, you will feel a profound empathy. This empathy, which is the product of trust and contentment, will permit you to feel compassion for the pain and suffering of others as well as for yourself. Surrender to these feelings and let them flow through you.

Take about 10 minutes for this part of the meditation. After about 10 minutes or when you feel satisfied, take a deep breath through your nose and as you exhale mentally repeat, "Every time I come to this level of consciousness I learn to use more of my mind in more creative ways." Then let your breathing return to normal, release the ball of energy from your third chakra and the imagery associated with it, and mentally return to the room and relax. After a few moments, count mentally from one to five and when you reach the number five, open your eyes. You will feel wide awake, perfectly relaxed and better than you did before.