“The essence of yoga is that we are all perfect at the core.  The patterns we have developed have hidden this like the clouds moving over the sun. When we practice yoga we are gradually making the sun brighter, burning away the clouds. The clouds come sometimes and the sun gets brighter and the clouds burn away again.” Barbara Benagh

 

This is our last week focusing on the third chakra, Manipura. Remember it is located from the naval to the solar plexus, including the digestive systems. Our “shenpa” is also here (explained below).

 

The sacred truth of the third chakra is: honor oneself, whereas the sacred truth of the 2nd chakra was : honor one another. It is about self understanding and the focus shifts from how we relate to those around us to how we relate to ourselves: to thine own self be true!

 

At the core of our being is: our ego, warrior energy,  gut feelings, self esteem and the power of transformation.

It houses our sense of self, the very thing that yoga seeks to transform.

A healthy third chakra supports our get up and go attitude so that we can take risks, assert our will and assume responsibility for our life.

A Deficient 3rd chakra: low self esteem, victim feeling

An Excessive 3rd chakra: perfectionism, anger, hatred, too much emphasis on power, status and recognition

Laughter and joy are housed here as well as anger.  In yoga we seek to find the balance.

 

The purpose of this chakra is transformation.  It is the fire element and this fire ignites the light of consciousness. Through our will and desire we liberate ourselves from fixed patterns and create new behaviors.  It is our will that steers us away from that path of least resistance, that addictive habit, or the expectations of others.  It is through our will that we take actions that are difficult or challenging, moving towards something new.  As we take these actions, we begin to transform, but the first step is breaking old patterns. 

 

So all of this is a review of the past few weeks, but what is shenpa?  I learned of this word from Pema Chodren: its that pit in your stomach you get when someone says something and internally you are like huuuuh or holy crap!  She says the problem is not the shenpa, the problem is that we get hooked.  We act out maybe in an addiction or shopping or maybe its excessive thinking - imaginary conversations that keep repeating themselves?? I know, I have them.  SO what is her solution... meditation and awareness!!!  Sitting with the yuck, the shenpa and then embracing the bad feeling and looking at it with loving kindness or humor and allowing it to pass.  SO the problem isn't the shenpa (the event or the feeling), its the hook, the getting stuck.  Manipura gets us unstuck if we connect with it.

Before we move on, one more key element of Manipura to point out: Digestion.  The digestive fire and wisdom of the body is amazing.  The body intuitively know  what it needs and what needs to be eliminated.  Through our practice of yoga and meditation, we can use self inquiry as a platform to look at the digestion as a metaphor for our own lives.  What do we need to set aside? People, places, things?  What do we need to keep close? This is transformation! Take a moment to journal on this concept and enjoy!!!