Something I found interesting and am totally convinced of, because of my experience when studying and working with the Manipura is we have a strong connection between our brains and our guts. Reason being, the two parts evolved from the same clump of cells when we were born. Plus, one half of our nerve cells are located in the gut. 100 million nerve cells are located in the small intestine alone. So, think about that when you stuff that baconotar down your throat, we certainly become what we eat. Cows living depressed and with anxiety, full well knowing their fate. You are what you eat and we wonder why so many people today live with depression and anxiety. This is also why I prefer to eat consciously, choose wise eating habits. I'll be adding recipes in the near future.
What Creates an Unhealthy Manipura
Many things in a power-hungry society can influence the Manipura. Let’s use some examples, overly strict parents who strongly use their authority over you and how you handle that power is one way of creating a deficient Manipura. You may have a tendency to fear challenges because of authoritarian rule. A parent who feels they need to break the will of a kid is only going to end up with a hurt child with problems. Now on the other hand, you may have parents that are the complete opposite, and let you run wild. Lacking those healthy boundaries that a child needs. Let’s just face it, all things need a happy medium and the right discipline is needed, kids need that because they need to know they need to know they are being looked after and nurtured.
Over-stimulation, lack of stimulation, neglect, abuse, domineering parents and children not allowed choice are more things that can create an unhealthy Manipura. Parents who undermine you, “How could you do that?” “You broke another plate!!!” “You do such stupid things!” “Your stomach is too big,” when you wear zeros. Verbal or physical actions that give you a sense of shame, shame of what you say, your body, etc, paralyzes the Manipura.
Deficient Manipura include:
· Lethargy
· Lack of will
· Stomach troubles
· Gas
· Apathy
· Chronic fatigue
· Not enjoying what you do, you dread doing
Excessive Manipura:
· Egotistical
· Hyperactive
· Can’t sit still
· Controlling
· Can’t discharge energy
· Type A personality
· Bragger
To go deeper, check out “The Chakra System, A Complete Course in Self-Diagnosis and Healing.” By Anodea Judith. A fantastic course where she breaks down the chakras, what causes excessive or deficient chakra, mental dis-ease and health dis-ease, blockages, the psychology behind each chakra that affects us, plus ways to heal them.
Healing the Manipura with Your Nia Practice
One of the things I love about Nia is, we are constantly doing these beautiful unusual twist and turns. If you watch these twist turns, they seem to travel from one part of the body to the next; from top to bottom which often includes the solar plexus. This is a great thing, because lack of blood flow to the solar plexus is also key to anxiety, so the twist and turns are perfect.
When you get started, focus on the Manipura, if you need physical visualization, make an upside down triangle with your hands in the solar plexus area: Chant the Manipura mantra. Start working your solar plexus with waves or rolls of your solar plexus. Visualize a fire purifying you.
If anxieties or apprehensions begin to occur – That would be considered a good sign as you are beginning to detox. Use breathing or chanting to keep focused and not get caught up in those emotions. If that doesn’t work, call on your deity/God. If you need to hurl, that’s ok too, run to the bathroom and let go. These are just toxins that need to come out.
Any apprehension occurring then after the stomach rolls and body twist you can also push that energy from the solar plexus then push it into the ground from stomach, to pelvis and through the ground to let Ma Earth recycle the energy.
Other ideas during Nia practice do something spontaneous that you wouldn’t ordinary do. Mental noise like shame, aggression, anger, fear visualize those things in your head then shake that energy off, don’t claim it, lose your attachment with you. Throw it to the ground. If you have a tendency to be quite and withdrawn, get flirtatious, use a lot of sounding, let go, scream your head off. Any ideas that come to mind use it. One of the things I love about Nia is when we step in, it’s a no judgment zone, and this includes judging yourself. Have fun!
Chanting During Nia
Deep Sounding with deep breath can generate strong blood flow to the Manipura. Much like fire breathing meditation, but I wouldn’t recommend fire-breathing meditation during Nia – you’d pop a lung or something. But with a deep breath in adding to a warrior cry or an anxiety relieving “ahhh” would be helpful.
– Ram is the mantra for the Manipura. During Nia class or you feel compelled to, chant “Ram” vocally or mentally.
Now, I also want to mention which I haven’t mentioned in the other earlier Chakras, there are also Bijas, (seed mantras reverberations). Manipura is RuNG. Svadhisthana is VuNG and Muladhara is LuNG.
Note: The NG is said with the tongue on the roof of the mouth.
“U” or “Am” is said much like “Aum” or “Amen.” Also note, RuNG sounds much like ram.
Replenishing and Reprogramming with Healthy Emotions
Raising hands to heaven lovingly collect any joy energy or reclaim your will, allowing yourself “choice,” see yourself with self-confidence, feel pro-active, see your will growing strong, see yourself more patient or what ever you feel you need.
Turning and twisting your arms using the power of the solar plexus, visualize the positive energy coming to joy, love, compassion for self, visualize it. Collect that energy and use that upside down triangle to bring that energy down and bring it into the solar plexus. Do this 3 or 8 times.
Have any more great ideas, then feel free to add.
Tina
