---
title: "Solar plexus chakra: meaning, blockage signs and the body"
description: "The solar plexus chakra (Manipura): where it is, the organs and feelings it is linked with, what a blocked solar plexus chakra means, and gentle practices."
canonical_url: "https://www.body-hemisync.com/guides/solar-plexus-chakra"
---

The solar plexus chakra is the third of the seven chakras, placed in the upper belly, above the navel and below the breastbone. It stands for will, self-esteem and personal power, and for the way you "digest" what life brings. In the body it is linked with the stomach, the pancreas, the liver and gallbladder, and blood sugar, and among feelings with anger, worry, timidity and stress. When people say their solar plexus chakra is "blocked", they usually mean they feel powerless, anxious in the stomach, or unable to stand up for themselves.

That idea belongs to spirituality, not medicine: there is no scientific evidence that chakras exist, and nothing can measure one. What you feel in your stomach is real all the same, and this guide shows where to look on our site. For the whole system, start with [the seven chakras and the body](/guides/chakras-and-the-body).

## Where is the solar plexus chakra, and what is it called?

- **Sanskrit name:** *Maṇipūra* (Manipura), translated as "city of jewels", "jewel city" or "lustrous gem".
- **Location:** above the navel. Classical yoga texts place it at the navel, or just behind it. In English it is named after the solar plexus, the network of nerves behind the stomach (also called the coeliac plexus) that supplies most of the digestive system.
- **Colour:** yellow in the modern Western system. Classical tantra associated it with blue, and the Nath tradition with red; traditional images show a downward red triangle of fire in a yellow circle, with ten dark petals.
- **Element:** fire. Its seed syllable is *ram*.

In the yogic tradition, Manipura is the home of the digestive fire, *agni*, and it is said to govern digestion and metabolism. Western systems later matched it with the pancreas and the outer layer of the adrenal glands. The yellow colour and the lists of emotions and "symptoms" are part of the 20th-century synthesis described in [the seven chakras and the body](/guides/chakras-and-the-body).

## Which parts of the body are linked with the solar plexus chakra?

The solar plexus chakra is the body's furnace: the place where food, and by extension experience, is broken down and turned into energy. In the modern map, and in the French tradition our site draws on, it is linked with:

- **The digestive system as a whole.** See [digestive system](/digestive-system).
- **The stomach**, the first place a hard situation is felt. See [stomach pain](/digestive-system/stomach-pain), [heartburn](/digestive-system/heartburn), [gastritis](/digestive-system/gastritis) and [stomach ulcer](/digestive-system/stomach-ulcer).
- **The pancreas**, which sits a few centimetres above the navel, makes digestive enzymes and keeps blood sugar steady. It is tied directly to this centre. See [pancreas](/pancreas) and [pancreatitis](/pancreas/pancreatitis).
- **The liver and gallbladder**, which process what you take in and make bile. See [liver and gallbladder](/liver-and-gallbladder) and [gallstones](/liver-and-gallbladder/gallstones).
- **Blood sugar**, the body's fuel. See [blood sugar](/blood-sugar), [diabetes](/blood-sugar/diabetes) and [hypoglycaemia](/blood-sugar/hypoglycaemia).
- **The belly and the waist**, where the tradition also reads a need for protection. See [bloating](/digestive-system/bloating) and [excess weight](/whole-body/excess-weight).

## Which feelings are linked with the solar plexus chakra?

The solar plexus chakra concerns your sense of self: what you want, what you are worth, and whether you can act on it. Spiritually, it is the seat of the ego and of emotional energy, a centre always in motion that picks up the moods of the people around you.

- **Anger**: the fire of this centre. In balance, it is the capacity to feel anger and other strong emotions without turning them into pain; out of balance, anger that burns inside or flares out of control.
- **Worry**: going over the same thoughts again and again without finding a way out, the knot in the stomach that will not loosen.
- **Timidity**: not daring to take your place, to say no, or to defend yourself when you feel humiliated.
- **Stress**: the feeling of fighting on every front, wearing yourself out against obstacles, until your energy drops.

Close to these sit [resentment](/emotions/resentment), [impatience](/emotions/impatience) and [anxiety](/emotions/anxiety). Traditional texts list the ten petals of Manipura as states such as thirst, jealousy, shame, fear and sadness.

## Emotions stored in the solar plexus chakra

Emotions are not literally stored in a chakra or an organ. "Stored" is a way of speaking about feelings that stay with you and seem to sit in one place, and the stomach is where many people feel them first. These are the themes most often placed at the solar plexus:

- **Emotions you cannot digest.** When too much is happening inside and you cannot sort it out, the stomach is said to struggle as well. Spiritually, difficulty in this region reflects confusion and disorder among feelings.
- **Control and power.** Wanting to keep control of situations and of people, often to feel safe, with inner agitation and a drop in self-esteem underneath.
- **Battles in the family.** Conflicts about power, money or an inheritance, in which you are either the one being blamed and pushed out or the one who grumbles.
- **Rumination.** Turning things over and over, finding a situation unfair or unacceptable, and staying stuck on your positions.
- **Fear of failure.** Being so afraid of failing that you prefer to want nothing and try nothing, so as never to be disappointed.
- **Refusing the sweetness of life.** Denying yourself treats, rest or gifts because you feel you do not deserve them, or looking for comfort in food, drink or other stimulants instead of in kindness to yourself.
- **Protection.** Spiritually, weight around the middle can be read as a need to protect a very sensitive self, with emotions piling up the way kilos do.

## Signs people describe as a blocked solar plexus chakra

In the chakra tradition, a solar plexus chakra out of balance is said to show in confidence and in digestion. People commonly describe:

- feeling powerless, small or unable to make decisions;
- low self-esteem, or the opposite: needing to control and dominate;
- anger that is either swallowed or explosive;
- worry and rumination, especially at night;
- a "knot" or butterflies in the stomach, indigestion, bloating;
- tiredness, low drive, and cravings for sugar.

Read these as the tradition's way of naming an experience, not as a checklist for your health. **Every physical sign on that list has ordinary medical causes, and some need prompt care.** The NHS advises calling 999 or going to A&E if stomach pain comes on suddenly or is severe, if it hurts to touch your stomach, if you vomit blood or something like coffee grounds, if your poo is black and sticky or bloody, or if you have chest pain. Stomach pain that keeps coming back, trouble swallowing, unexplained weight loss or ongoing bloating need a GP. If you have diabetes and are vomiting, get urgent help. If you take insulin or other diabetes medicines, do not stop or change them because of anything you read here.

## A gentle practice for the solar plexus chakra

These practices are about calming the stomach and feeling steady in yourself. They do not treat any illness, and they need no belief in chakras.

### Breathe below the ribs

Sit or lie comfortably and loosen anything tight around your waist. Rest one hand just above your navel. Let the breath flow down into your belly without forcing it, so your hand rises gently. The NHS suggests breathing in through the nose and out through the mouth, counting to five each way if that helps, for at least five minutes. Many people feel the "knot" soften on the out-breath.

### Notice before you react

When anger or worry rises, put a hand on your upper belly and take three slow breaths before you answer. You are not trying to make the feeling go away, only to give yourself a moment to choose what to do with it.

### Write down where your power goes

Take a page and finish these sentences:

- "Something I am trying to control that is not mine to control is…"
- "A situation where I did not dare to say what I wanted is…"
- "One decision I can make on my own this week is…"

The last one matters most. Self-esteem grows from small acts you choose for yourself.

### Move with strength

Fire is the element of this centre, and movement that makes you feel strong suits it: a brisk walk, climbing stairs, a bike ride, gentle twists of the trunk, a yoga posture held with steady breath. Stay within what is comfortable and stop if anything hurts.

### If you like sound

The traditional seed syllable of Manipura is *ram*. Some people chant it slowly on the out-breath; a firm hum works too.

## What the solar plexus chakra asks of you

Spiritually, the turning point at the solar plexus is letting go of control while keeping your power: adapting to situations, letting emotions pass through rather than fighting them, and finding a balance between giving and receiving, work and rest. In balance, this centre is described as a feeling of peace and well-being, of being at your place in your own life and comfortable in your own skin, with room to enjoy the small sweet things.

You might ask yourself:

- What am I finding hard to digest right now?
- Where do I give my power away, and where do I hold on to it too tightly?
- What small pleasure do I refuse myself because I feel I have not earned it?

Below this centre is the [sacral chakra](/guides/sacral-chakra), the seat of pleasure and relationships. Above it is the [heart chakra](/guides/heart-chakra), the seat of love and grief. To see all seven at once, go back to [the seven chakras and the body](/guides/chakras-and-the-body).

This guide is for reflection and general information. It does not diagnose or treat any condition. If you have a symptom that worries you, please see a doctor. In an emergency, call your local emergency number (999 in the UK).

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