This month’s theme is the third chakra, called Manipura in Sanskrit. It is the energy centre that harbours the digestion of both food and life experiences. It is connected to self-understanding, life purpose and self-control as well as ambition. Moving up from the root chakra with its theme of relationship within the tribe and the sacral chakra with it’s theme of intimate relationships, the navel chakra shifts to our inner relationship and how we move through the world.
Spring is a perfect time for this theme as the evidence of growth and change is all around us. The flowers above are fully blooming despite the dry and cracked soil in which they grow. It never ceases to amaze me that the vital life force continues despite great odds. Nothing is stronger than nature, so working with the seasons or going with the tides means surrendering to that force.
When we direct our energy towards harmonious and life-enhancing activities we are content and live a more balanced life. if we resist, refuse to accept reality or if we operate from fear, we may be placing obstacles in our own way. And part of this is simply the human condition.
Challenges are inevitable in life, though we may wish it were otherwise. When we are in a prolonged stressful situation, we can become drained and our life force depletes. The current situation with the pandemic qualifies as a prolonged stressful situation, with many adverse effects. The lack of time and space to grieve the many levels of loss and the ongoing uncertainty is trying, to say the least.
This may be a cliché, however, it is true that what we have influence over is our attitude. We may not be able to change much about a virus and its variants. however, we can act in a way that is useful or helpful to ourselves and those we encounter. Aligning with our inner wisdom, being a channel for that light/spirit/force, is the most efficient use of energy. Taking the time to get quiet and listen in to that wisdom is the point of a spiritual practice. From this place, courage to act and faith in one’s convictions arises. Intuition grows and “gut feelings” show the way.
What about resistance? Human nature is to resist change, especially if it means taking a risk. Who wants to expose themselves unnecessarily? Not me! And yet life is full of risks, there is no escaping it. Using the discernment of our inner wisdom allows us to practice sound judgment and keep moving forward despite our fears. We could benefit from the example of the plants and flowers growing through concrete. They continue upwards towards the sun despite obstacles.
“The more we live in harmony with nature, the more peace we attain”. Baba Hari Dass
Manipura Chakra and Scoliosis
This chakra is ruled by the fire element. In Ayurveda, this relates to the fire of digestion and assimilation with the team of liver, gall bladder, stomach, intestines, pancreas, and spleen. In a broader sense, digestion of life experiences is governed by this energy centre.
When I had severe IBS and anemia in my twenties, going the allopathic route didn’t resolve the issues so I went to an Ayurvedic Practitioner for a session. I knew that something was energetically “off” but I couldn’t determine exactly what. I was working a corporate job in a toxic building that I found draining but I didn’t know what else to do. The downtown Toronto corporate rat race was all I could see. During this time, one family member had severe health challenges followed by a major crisis. Soon after that another family member was in a car accident that precipitated mental health challenges. This was near the beginning of my yoga journey and my coping strategies were minimal.
“You’re not digesting your life” my teacher said. With those words, my life view shifted. I realized that I wasn’t processing anything that was happening and it was showing up most strongly in my digestive system. I recognized that I’d been holding my emotions inside. The anger in the liver, fear in the kidneys and fairly poor quality diet contributed to constipation alternating with diarrhea in the guts. Anxiety was a near-constant experience, my friendships were suffering and I was overall a bit of a mess. Fortunately I had the courage and willpower to ask for help. This was key to reclaiming my power and taking charge of my life.
It is the third or navel chakra that houses this willpower. Our self-understanding and discernment between our external roles and inner identity lives here. For people with scoliosis, the unaligned pelvis and ribs can cause compression of the digestive and eliminative organs, thus resulting in exacerbated symptoms and triggering fatigue and emotional effects. My story above shows one way this can manifest.
Support for this chakra includes restorative yoga postures that are calming for the nervous system such as child’s pose and viparita karani or legs up the wall with the pelvis elevated. Core strengthening and energizing postures such as Virabhadrasana /Warrior A & B, Trikonasana/Triangle, twists and side plank provide internal support, a tangible sense of strength and a confidence boost. Working with the psoas muscle to soften it is an important piece of this puzzle as well since it strongly influences posture and holds traumatic memories.
In terms of breathwork, alternate nostril breathing using full yogic breath before eating balances and harmonizes the nervous system. This allows for the digestive organs to function optimally as they shut down under stress. For more on working with this chakra, see Chapter Three of Scoliosis Undone. My YouTube channel, Kathryn Kusyszyn, has videos on how to practice supported Child’s pose and a Seated twist using the wall.
Look for more videos on breathing practices coming soon! To book a private session click here
