Week Three of our Chakra Cleanse

This week on our 8 week Kundalini Yoga & Meditation Chakra Cleanse we move upwards to our Third Chakra, our Navel Chakra or Manipura.

As you read the information below, begin to connect to how your Navel Chakra may be manifesting in your life. Perhaps you feel quite in balance and strong in some of the areas mentioned. Maybe you feel you need a little balance and strengthening. Whatever comes up for you, bring it along to class to consciously work through your Navel Chakra to cleanse and bring balance to these areas of your life. 

Power, Autonomy, Will, Energy, Metabolism, Transformation, Self-Esteem
Element: Fire
Location: The area of the Navel Point, Solar Plexus
Organ/Gland: Navel Plexus, Liver, Gall Bladder, Spleen, Digestive Organs, Pancreas, Adrenals
Colour: Yellow
Qualities: The centre of personal power, commitment, self-esteem, identity, judgement. This is where the strength for inner glance, inspiration and good health is developed.
Shadow: Anger, greed, shame, despair. Obstacles everywhere. Not enough strength and spontaneity. Conforming in order to be recognised. Refuting ones own wishes and emotions. Problems with digestion, the liver, the gallbladder and the pancreas. 

INDIVIDUALITY & AUTONOMY

At the Navel Chakra we experience our individuality, our ego self and our personality. Often in some spiritual teachings they make the ego wrong, creating a battle in ourselves, that perhaps our individuality and our power is also wrong. 

The ego is an important aspect of our connection to the Divine. If the Navel Chakra is out of balance, yes the ego can manifest in unbalanced ways, however when we have a balanced, strong Navel Chakra we have the foundations upon which we expand into our soul identity. We develop self-focus and inner autonomy, personal freedom which liberates us from outside control and allows us to connect to our inner guidance. 

We are centred within ourselves, have self confidence, self esteem and self discipline. Tuning into our own will prepares us to tune into the Divine Will. 

FIRE ENERGY & TRANSFORMATION

An activated Navel Chakra supports our activity and transformation. It gives us strength, vitality to live, ignites our will and propels our action. The fiery sun like energy at the Navel Chakra manifests as energy for purpose, action with intent, a dance with passion and a centre of power. This Fire at the Navel Chakra also burns up our resistances and fear which paves way for a more harmonious, smooth, enjoyable and purposeful journey.

A balanced Navel Chakra helps us choose our actions rather than be compulsive. It helps us give up being a victim and take responsibility for our actions and our reactions. The Sun energy at the Navel cleanses our physical impurities, creates light to destroy negative imprints and gives us dynamic power to organise, be efficient and function in the world. 

Yogi Bhajan taught many Kriyas that activated this Navel, Fire Energy as it strengthens our will, giving us the power to make choices, break old habits and create new constructive ones. 

BALANCE WITH THE UPPER CHAKRAS

However, as the Chakra System is a whole system, it is important to also balance the upper Chakras along with the Navel. As mentioned previously, if the Navel Chakra becomes unbalanced and the Upper Chakras are weak and unbalanced we can be subjected to negative impacts of the ego upon our lives. Controlling behaviours, manipulation of others, greed and reactivity. 

Having balanced Upper Chakras along with a balanced Navel Chakra allows for us to really access our inner power. We can more wisely direct our energies for conscious purpose and create with awareness for the highest good of all. 

UNDERDEVELOPED, UNBALANCED & UNALIGNED 

"You had demanding, perfectionist parents who had high expectations and lived through their children, using them to live our their thwarted ambitions rather than supporting their children's own destiny. Also parents may have been overindulging and overprotective" (Your Life is in Your Chakras by Guru Rattana Ph.D)

• Obligation-avoidance. Wanting to be taken care of with no responsibilities, restrictions or requirements and avoid responsibility;
• Lack of integrity, dishonest, deceitful and will do whatever it takes to get a desired outcome;
• Outer-motivated. Being motivated by power, prestige and privilege, others views and social status. 
• Lack of self-concept and self-esteem. Silently self critical and needing constant confirmation from others. 
• Domination and control seeking external position and power, using the ego to manipulate.
• Greed. Needing to gather possessions to prove self worth.
• Reactive to external events. Fearful, passive aggressive, afraid to make choices and mull over the past.
• Inflexible and uncreative. Can't step into the unknown.

DEVELOPED, BALANCED & ALIGNED

• Ability to break and create new habits. Can self motivate and stay committed;
• Sustained spiritual growth. Can sustain and assimilate the effects of a spiritual practice and see progress; 
• Competence through responsibility, making a contribution and following through on commitments;
• Being at cause at life rather than at the effect of life.
• Knowing personal limits. Knowing what is helpful action and what is wasteful action.
• Fearless and courageous, no regrets, focus on what is gained rather than lost;
• Sense of destiny and purpose. Knowing you're here to make a difference and can give selflessly without losing yourself;
• Flexible, creative and innovative;
• Internally motivated, sensitive to who you are and expressing from your unique identity and truth;
• True to yourself in relationships, maintaining personal boundaries;
• Practical spirituality where you can translate your spiritual beliefs into action in your life;
• Trustworthy, acting with integrity, respected as a leader and teacher;
• Leave a legacy of love, what is in it for everyone?

THINGS YOU CAN DO TO BRING BALANCE

• Come to class this week! It doesn't matter if you've missed previous weeks of our Chakra Cleanse, if any of the above speaks to you, come along to class. You can pop in casually from now on for $20 for the Yoga or $15 for the Meditation;
• Navel breathing;
• Pump the navel;
• Breath of Fire;
• Root lock;
• Leg stretches and other exercises with Breath of Fire;
• Leg lifts, stretch pose and other navel exercises;
• Horse stance - standing with the knees bent slightly;
• Take action! Get your fire energy moving.

AFFIRMATIONS

Try one of these affirmations for the week. Write it on a sticky note and stick it up in your bathroom or somewhere where you will see it daily. 

I am the source of my own power.
I am self sufficient.
I am able to act.
I can choose.
I can commit.
I can keep up.
I have the courage and will to take action for myself and the good of the whole.

Most of the information in this blog has come from the FANTASTIC book Your Life is in Your Chakras by Guru Rattana Ph.D. who is an internationally recognised Kundalini Yoga & Meditation Teacher.


THIS WEEK'S CLASS TIMES TO CHOOSE FROM

As I mentioned above, even if you have missed our First Week of the Chakra Cleanse you can still come along to class on a Casual Basis. Just send me a quick email so that I can save you a mat mish@meditationwithmish.com.

Mondays 6.00 - 7.00pm Yoga
Tuesdays 7.00 - 8.00am Meditation
Wednesdays 6.00 - 7.00pm Meditation
Wednesdays 7.30 - 9.00pm Yoga
Thursdays 9.30am - 11.00am Yoga
Saturdays 8.30am - 10.00am Yoga 

i am really looking forward to working with you on our navel chakras this week, activating our self-esteem, commitment and drive to make a difference to others in the world.

i love this chakra and the way that kundalini yoga & meditation has balanced and strengthened this for me (although we never get to "perfect" do we). 

i loved practising the kriya and meditations i'm going to guide you through this week and can't wait to take you on this journey!