Solar Plexus Chakra Blocked? Symptoms, Causes, and How to Heal

This post explores the solar plexus chakra, what an imbalance looks like, and how to correct those imbalances.

The Solar Plexus Chakra, also known as Manipura, is located mid-abdomen just at or above the belly button. Due to its location, it concerns the digestive system, muscles, pancreas, and adrenals. It governs personal power and willpower, self-esteem, confidence, and courage.

At a glance:

Gland connection: pancreas, adrenals
Color: yellow
Element: Fire 
Tarot: The Chariot for progress leading to success; Strength for courage and facing your fears; The Sun for happiness and confidence
Governs: Excessive or deficient fire
Musical note: E
Mantra: Ram
Vowel sound: AH (like the “a” sound in “father)
Frequency: 528 Hz

Balancing the Solar Plexus Chakra

Balancing the solar plexus chakra, along with the root and sacral chakras are key to helping balance and open the upper chakras. The lower three chakras are connected to the upper three via the heart chakra. 

Clearing, opening and balancing the solar plexus allows you to experience life more fully because you will be more open, motivated and able to ride the waves of life, rather than resisting them.

This is because the earth energy from the root chakra moves up to the water energy of the sacral chakra and combines to form the transformational energy of fire in the solar plexus chakra. This fire energy is what drives self-confidence, motivation and personal willpower. This energy empowers you to take action and follow through with your intentions to create a life that you want. It’s what gives you the courage to face your fears, stand by what you believe in, and assert yourself respectfully with others. 

A Balanced Solar Plexus Chakra

When you encounter someone who has a balanced solar plexus chakra, they can be spontaneous, have self-respect, they are respectful towards others, and have a sense of personal power, they can assert their unique personality, talents and gifts, they have good self-esteem, with a good dose of relaxed confidence.

They feel capable and set out to reach their goals.

When the Solar Plexus is Too Open

A solar plexus chakra that is too open manifests in someone with any, some or all of the following characteristics that concern emotional behavior:

They might come off as egotistical, and could be short tempered, judgmental, dominating; they might have a need to control everything.

They might have addictive tendencies (including addictions to caffeine and sugar). They might crave hot, spicy foods.

They might seem aggressive, have an obsession with “doing” (always being busy or working all the time), wanting to do everything, or feel frustration that they feel that they have to do everything.

They may also suffer from being in overdrive because they feel a need to prove themselves.

They feel like they must always be seeking (but rarely finding).

A Blocked Solar Plexus Chakra

A solar plexus chakra that has reduced energy flow or is blocked manifests in someone with any, some or all of the following characteristics that concern emotional behavior:

A person might exhibit low self-esteem, have poor willpower, be anxious, insecure, and/or concerned about others’ opinions; they have many doubts and fears about themselves.

They may try to overcompensate for those powerless feelings and lack of self-confidence by people-pleasing, avoiding conflict, or striving for perfectionism.

When those strategies don’t work and they get criticized, they can be extremely sensitive the criticism they receive.

People with solar plexus chakras that have low energy flow or are blocked often seek approval and validation from others. They may feel like they don’t want to do anything, or when they do, they can’t do anything right, and experience a notable level of personal dissatisfaction.

They may feel butterflies in the stomach when nervous and are susceptible to feeling “not good enough.”

They might find it difficult to make decisions, or feel challenged to manifest their goals in the physical world due to being overshadowed or influenced by other people’s views (rather than relying on their own personal power), leading to feelings of powerlessness.

They often have a deep well of shame, embarrassment or guilt along with plenty of limiting beliefs. This would go along with a weak sense of self-worth and purpose; they may have trouble standing on their own two feet.

They might procrastinate and have trouble taking action or finding a purpose. They are the overthinkers of the world.

They chronically breathe too shallowly.

If the solar plexus chakra remains unbalanced long enough, physical symptoms can manifest. 

Some of those physical symptoms can include stomach ulcers, issues with metabolism, excess weight or obesity, heartburn, diarrhea, addiction to stimulants, fatigue, gaining weight around the stomach; liver, spleen, gall bladder & pancreas issues, allergies, diabetes, chronic fatigue, shallow breathing, lower to middle back issues.

They often feel cold, or the opposite, very hot, hypoglycemic, have irritable bowels, eating disorders, or hernias.

How to balance this chakra:

You don’t have to do everything listed to help balance a chakra. Try different activities, then pick the ones that are the most effective for you.

Aromatherapy:

Essential oils like chamomile, lemon, lemongrass, frankincense, ginger, myrrh, sandalwood, cinnamon bark, grapefruit or bergamot can be used in a carrier oil. Always test first and be especially careful with the cinnamon essential oil on sensitive parts of the body. Or you can use a diffuser (but do not use this you have pets in the home).

Crystal healing:

Carry a yellow-in-color crystal with you or put directly on the chakra area as you meditate. These include yellow tigers eye, yellow citrine, yellow calcite, amber, or yellow topaz and pyrite (chalcopyrite), and golden quartz.

Wearing gold can work, as well.

Color therapy:

Stare at objects that are yellow in color or meditate with them, such as with a yellow-colored mandala.

Wear yellow garments to remind yourself that you are working to balance this chakra.

Exercises:

To help further open this chakra, it’s important to engage in various physical exercises to help. These include exercises with the arms, back and core part of the body, abdominal exercises (like sit ups or planks), and/or core strengthening yoga.

Standing in the yoga power pose for 2 mins/day can be a powerful practice, as can engaging in Breath of fire yoga.

Fix or do things with your hands, make to do lists and act on them.

Engage in laughter.

Getting out into the sun is another great thing to try. Making and sitting by a fire is another powerful way to help open this chakra.

Working on your mental game:

Get out of the victimhood mentality. 

Release anger.

Never stop learning. Knowledge builds power.

Love: send love. This helps send energy up to the heart chakra as well.

Change routines. Get more active if you haven’t been. Slow down if you have been too active.

Solar Plexus Chakra eating:

Additionally, it’s important to eat more healthful “yellow” foods such as the following: banana, pineapple, rice, beans, oats, quinoa, ginger, egg, lemon, chickpeas, corn, yellow bell pepper, yellow lentils, yellow carrots, milk, cheeses, yogurt, apple juice, & grapefruit.

Now that you have read this solar plexus chakra balancing post, the solar plexus chakra guided meditation video that goes with this will make more sense.

Of course, meditation is always a powerful way to work on opening this (or any) chakra.

You are ready to try that meditation.