If you are familiar with chakras, then you can tell from my logo that I love chakras. The rainbow-colored spheres within my logo are representative of the chakra system within the body.
If you are unfamiliar, here’s a quick lesson: There are seven energy centers called chakras (literally “wheels”) that store energy/life force/prana. They are along the spinal column and correlate to major nerve ganglia branching forth from the spinal column. Each has a different relationship to a gland in the body’s endocrine system. Each stimulates different organs and systems in the body. Hatha Yoga activates these energy centers releasing the energy that flows through the spine. Yoga helps these energy centers/nerve bundles to function correctly clearing blocks that may be there. Each chakra also is associated with a mental/emotional focus. In each newsletter I’ll highlight how you can work with a particular chakra to correspond with the season.
Being my birth month, I have loved September my whole life. I suspect that many of you feel a “call to action” when September hits. Summer is over and it’s time to get it done! The amazing Simple Abundance, A Daybook of Comfort and Joy, by Sara Ban Breathnach, has been a frequent companion of mine as I “come to the source” each morning to fill my cup for the day. The following is one of my absolute favorite readings since it heralds the beginning of September and speaks to the September doer in all of us. I’ve copied it for many friends since I find it so inspiring. It’s called “Turning over a new leaf”. Enjoy!
“Since ancient times, September has been viewed as the beginning of the new year, a time for reflection and resolution. Jews observe the High Holiday of Yom Kippur, the day of public and private atonement, a sacred withdrawal from the world for twenty-four hours in order to become right with God and others, so that real life might be renewed with passion and purpose.
Change in the natural world is subtle but relentless; seasons seem to give way gently to one another, even if the monthly motion is so swift we don’t realize we’re moving. But when the leaves start turning colors, it’s time for turning over a personal new leaf so that our lives might be restored. ‘What we need in autumn is an emotional or spiritual shot in the arm,’ Katharine Elizabeth Fite wrote in Good Housekeeping in 1949, urging the beginning of a new tradition for women: personal and positive resolutions in September. ‘Why do you suppose so many of us waste the autumn? Why don’t we make the effort that would provide something new in our lives?’ January’s negative resolutions ‘are made when we are worn out in spirit, body, and pocketbook, and have no real urge to do anything but rest.’
It seems to me that January resolutions are about will; September resolutions are about authentic wants. What do you want more or less of in your life, so that you can love the life you’re leading? It could be as simple as seeing friends more often, setting aside time to have adventures with your children while they still want your companionship, rekindling romance in your daily round, calling a solitary hour a day your own, or just taking more walks in the dazzling sunshine.
The beauty of autumnal resolutions is that no one else knows we’re making them. Autumnal resolutions don’t require horns, confetti, and champagne. September resolutions ask only that we be open to positive change. I can try that. So can you.”
Don’t you just love the call to action? And like the quote from the movie, You’ve got mail, September “makes me wanna buy school supplies.”
That being said, I think that while Sara Ban Breathnach says January resolutions are about will, and September’s are about authentic wants, this is the perfect time of year to combine the two. Because without your intention and will your authentic wants just won’t happen.
Intention and authentic wants—sounds to me like the third, Solar Plexus chakra and the fifth, Throat chakra are the go-to chakras for our September call to action! “When the Solar Plexus chakra is healthy you become more aware of your own internal energy and how you feel about the world and events around you.” And the fifth chakra “is the energy hot spot that tells the world how we are feeling and allows us to ‘talk our talk’, express our beliefs, and share the teaching we each have to give.” Crystal Chakra Healing—Energy medicine for mind, body, and spirit, Philip Permutt.
“Your own internal energy”—that’s your intention and spirit. “How you feel about the world and events around you”—that’s your authentic wants talking. Taking responsibility for our authentic wants, deciding that they will happen—that’s third chakra work, that’s the strength, confidence, and self-esteem your Solar Plexus energy brings. The Solar Plexus chakra is where you build your strength and develop your will. “Telling the world how you are feeling and talking your talk”—that’s expression that’s fifth chakra. It’s speaking and living your truth, releasing your voice and letting your creativity out.
“Our ability to communicate clearly determines the quality of our experiences. It also reflects the degree of intention we have to be understood and supported in life.” That’s a direct quote from the Throat chakra section in The Book of Chakras, by Ambika Wauters, but I also think it’s a great summation of how the Throat and Solar Plexus chakras relate to one another—intention and communicating that intention.
The third chakra is located at the Solar Plexus, in the middle of the body just below the breastbone. It is where our “gut feeling” is, our “internal pendulum”—our personal power, ambition, desire, and emotion. The Solar Plexus chakra is where we put our beliefs, ideas, and our creative inspirations in to action. Balancing this chakra gives you direction and your actions purpose. It’s honing your focus in on what you are going after. It’s our sense of self.
The fifth chakra is located in the middle of the neck above the collarbone. It is our communication center for our creative expression. We express in many ways—verbally, mentally, and physically. The Universe is always listening. “What’s the Universe doing right now? It’s eavesdropping on your every desire.” Deepak Chopra.
“Pretend that you are happy and you will feel happy, pretend that you are angry and you will feel angry. Well known to actors (e.g., Dolman, 1949) this effect has been extensively studied by psychologists following the tradition of William James (1890) and self-perception theory (Bem, 1972; Laird, 1974). According to self-perception theory, we are like external observers of ourselves, because we must infer our internal states from our actions. Our emotional and other feelings are derived from our bodily experience of facial expressions, postures, levels of arousal, actions, etc. In that sense, feelings are the consequences of behavior, not the causes: We feel happy because we smile, and angry because we scowl.” https://www.repository.cam.ac.uk/bitstream/handle/1810/239304/Schnall%20&%20Laird%20(2003).pdf
So we’ve decided our authentic wants are happening. How do we let the world know about that decision? That’s our communication chakra—the Throat chakra! If a creative inspiration comes to mind, it will only manifest when you express it! Our fifth, Throat chakra is all about following our dreams (another word for authentic wants) and then creating and expressing them. It’s about having the faith in our decision to have those authentic wants.
I think we’re all guilty of wanting a dream to come true, but doubting the possibility. It’s the doubt that gets in the way of accomplishing your goal. If you don’t have faith in it, the Universe won’t either. There’s that Law of Attraction again. Your thoughts and feelings turn into your reality. A lack of confidence and energy is a sign of a deficient third chakra. “When you argue for your limitations, all you get are your limitations.”—Wayne Dyer. The ability to take risks with a positive, confident sense of self is the sign of a balanced third chakra. “No-limit people are so in charge that they can trust their instincts, be childlike, be creative, and do anything that makes sense to them.” –Wayne Dyer.
Taking those risks requires speaking your truth (another word for authentic wants)—fifth chakra work. Speaking your truth also means you are communicating well with the self—yes the self. YOU know what YOU want. You exercise your power of choice. That’s a balanced fifth chakra.
How many of us know the ins and outs of our loved ones, but haven’t a clue about ourselves? How do you get to know someone? What types of questions do you ask? How important is it to be a good listener if you want to get to know someone? Ask those same questions of yourself, and listen to the answers. Then live YOUR life creating from what you heard. Love yourself enough to know yourself well. Self-worth is the primary quality of the Solar Plexus chakra.
As Sara Ban Breathnach’s September first quote asks: What do you want more or less of in your life, so that you can love the life you’re leading? Free your creativity!
So how do we unite the energies of the Solar Plexus chakra and the Throat chakra? Taking just one small step in the direction of your dreams tells the Universe you are ready for action and opens the floodgates for all systems go in Universal support. You receive in proportion to what you give, so the saying goes. This is a universal truth.
One small step—you wonder, what will that be? Only you can answer that. I tell my students that if they aren’t sure of the Yoga pose, they can try only a portion of it. To try only the portion they are sure of—always—One small part. So instead of full crocodile pose (low plank or push-up pose), just do a “little dip”. That’s safe. Then you approach it with an “I can do that” kind of attitude. What’s that saying about putting one step in front of the other? Soon you’ll be walking out the door. I’ve talked about this in other newsletters. Your one small step can be any number of things. If it feels right, go for it….”Just do it!™” to recap one of the opening slogans.
It’s the build-up to something bigger that needs the steps in between to make you feel comfortable with going for the end result. Those steps in between are required as your foundation. Remember you can’t build only the top level of your high rise because you only want the view. You need all the other floors! You need that foundation.
Yes, even the steps in between—the one small step—can be scary. If you go into it knowing that it’s okay to fail so long as you are failing forward, that’s safe, isn’t it? “ Change how you see failure. Look at it as a teacher, fine tuning your success. Rule of thumb: success is always a horrible teacher but a very good drinking buddy.”
It’s a cliché, but Babe Ruth is famous for his home run record without most of us even realizing that for decades he held the record for strikeouts.
Remember to be comfortable with change. No, change is not meant to be comfortable, but it’s your ability to go ahead and take those risks and being responsible for the end result that builds a strong Solar Plexus chakra. Some refer to the ability to take risks as being spontaneous—playful even. Those people are comfortable with change. They have changed their relationship with the possibility of failure. They don’t view it the way many of us view it. They fully expect to achieve their goal no matter how many steps it takes. It’s not a failure if they don’t stay down. They’ve balanced their third chakra. They’re living creatively letting their full expression come to life because they fully believe that everything in the universe is conspiring for their full expression. They believe they are deserving and they expect the best—a balanced Throat chakra.
Trust your decisions. That’s a big part of what some people might refer to as taking risks. Your heart knows what you want to do. Do it. Trust and follow its direction. No more second-guessing. “Move on”, as my husband often tells me when I’m wrestling with a decision I’ve literally already made. This is a chakra I am personally working on strengthening.
So take that one small step, whatever that is for you, and let us know about it on the Better Day Yoga Facebook page. Live your authentic wants and speak your truth!
Breathwork and Visualization :
Begin by relaxing and feeling comfortable. The solar plexus area holds a lot of tension. To ease any tightness and pain in that area, gently massage the abdominal area as you do the following breath exercise. Take several deep belly breaths exhaling slowly, elongating the exhale and enabling your upper back and chest muscles to begin to relax. Return to equal ratio breathing setting your intention to let go of any tension in your body. Feel tension release from your scalp and feel your eyes pulling inward.
Focus your attention first on the solar plexus area and visualize a golden yellow ball expanding in your belly, filling your entire abdomen. See the golden yellow light releasing tension in your stomach and surrounding areas as it fills you with light. With each breath you are releasing more and more tension.
Next, travel up the body, focusing your attention on your mouth and throat. Send your breath into that area, releasing tension and congestion by breathing deeply into it. Visualize a turquoise/sky blue ball of light filling your jaw area and throat. As you visualize and hold this image, let the colors deepen in intensity, bathing your mouth and throat with healing blue energy. Feel the coolness of this healing energy as it relieves all tension at the back of your neck, your throat lining, and tongue. Feel the radiating, cooling energy expanding and filling your mouth and throat.
Feel your creative inspirations dwelling in your center waiting for expression. Sense them rumbling, ready to come alive. Now visualize your best self, taking action in one small way towards your most pronounced creative inspiration. Visualize as many details about that action step as you can. What kind of day is it? Is it a bright, sunny day? Or is it a stormy day with clouds on the horizon? What are the tools you’ll use to put your creativity out there? How do they feel when you pick them up? Can you smell the anticipation in the air? What do you hear? Create a sensory experience in your mind of what would need to take place for your one small step and visualize that experience daily.
The Secret by Rhonda Byrne emphasizes that adding movement to your visualization is essential to speeding up the manifestation of it. So visualize an active scene adding movement where you can. Discover within yourself that you are the source of your manifestations. Ask the Universe for what you want and keep on asking by visualizing it. Never give up. Impress upon the Universe what your ideal is.
Excerpt from Psycho-Cybernetics, by Maxwell Maltz (another excellent book I’ve owned since childhood, thanks to my big sister—you sisters never know how you’ll influence your younger siblings):
“Key Practical Points
1) Understand the basic psychology of mental imagery first.
2) You get what you put in; don’t be a dabbler. Put your heart into what you picture and
work systematically and with self-discipline and focus.
3) Work on your self-image as often as you can; ideally, at least 10 min. per day for 2 weeks.
4) Verbalization greatly enhances visualization. Discuss your image with others, write down the details each day in a journal, mentally describe it as you meditate on the details.
5) Everyone can do it. Worry is negative mental rehearsal. If you can worry you can goal visualize. Turn the problem-focus into solution-focus, the negative into a positive.
6) If you are a beginner, persevere. It gets far, far easier to visualize after the first few stages of your practice.
The Opposite of Worry
Everyone can have a positive vision of their goals. Just do what you do when you
worry, but substitute a positive image for a negative one. Maltz: “anti-worry.” If you can
worry, you can goal visualize. If you couldn’t visualize positive images, you wouldn’t be
able to worry about the negative ones. Everyone can do it.
Relaxation aids Visualization
When people become tense, stressed, or anxious they struggle to picture positive images. When people fall asleep they are very relaxed, and yet even the person who believes themselves to be the world’s worst visualizer will dream, and hence picture things so clearly they take them for reality while they sleep. The more you relax and stop “trying too hard” the more easily you will picture your goal images.
The Ease of Non-Effort
In order for you to feel you can picture images without force or effort you must assume that it is easy. Keep it simple. Tell yourself that what you are doing is simple, natural, and easy and it will be so.
Building Belief in your Goal
1) “Just suppose…” Begin simply by exploring the idea of your goal. Refining it’s implications and consequences. Define what you want to happen.
2) “It’s possible this could happen.” Remind yourself that it is possible, continually reinforce your focus on the fact that it could happen, feeling that it is a realistic possibility.
3) Picture goal “as if” it is happening now. Picture your goal as happening right now, picture it over and over again, strengthening it, and adding more detail. Build belief by telling yourself that it will happen”
One more thing to keep in mind as you are doing the asking: “If you can perceive your goal in the context of serving mankind, it will enable you to generate more power. If you always come back to your center for direction and inspiration, and act with unconditional love, you will be assured of manifesting your desire.” The Oracle Within, Dick Sutphen.
Take your visualization to the next level. Visualize yourself communicating your accomplishment to the world. Sense your pride and excitement at having completed your goal. Notice the confidence in your voice and how you carry yourself. Hold onto that energy for as many breaths as feels right. You’ll know when your visualization feels complete.
Affirmations :
- I am special and unique, with my own set of talents and abilities.
- No one can do things exactly the way I can do them.
- There is no competition and there is no comparison.
- My life is amazing. I accept my good now.
- I live an amazing life.
- I believe I am deserving and I expect the best.
- I believe that everything in the universe is conspiring for my full expression.
- I am worthy of the life I say I want.
- I am worthy of the best.
- I am worthy because I exist.
- I choose the best for myself.
- I am confident in my ability to make my life work.
- I am confident in the goodness of life itself to see me through.
- I choose the power of life.
- I live my truth
- I communicate my truth. I am the truth.
- I develop will each time I meet a life challenge.
- I learn to listen to myself and trust my inner voice.
- I have faith in my decision-making ability, paying attention to my strong hunches and leads.
- I have the right to be happy, and it is safe for me to follow my heart’s guidance.
- I take action in the direction of my dreams, passions, talents, and interests.
- I focus only on today with respect to my goals, trusting that all of my tomorrows will work out well.
Sources: Power Mudras, Yoga Hand Postures for Women, Sabrina Mesko.
Science of Mind, August 2010, August 26 th reading for the day by Eugene D. Holden Universal Laws of Conscious Creation deck, Lara Solara, Dana Da Ponte, Marlene Chapman The Book of Chakras, Ambika Wauters
Daily Guidance from your Angels, Doreen Virtue, PhD
Diet and the Solar Plexus and Throat Chakras:
Past newsletters (April for the Solar Plexus Chakra, and May for the Throat Chakra remind us that Solar Plexus Chakra is related to the “fire element”. To increase this energy, think hot, spicy foods and hot teas. Avoid cold drinks. A little more on this chakra and how it affects our physical body comes from Healing with Crystals and Chakra Energies, Sue and Simon Lilly:
“The physical attributes of the solar plexus chakra fall into three main areas: the digestion, the nervous system and the immune system.
Digestion: The process of digestion and assimilation of nutrients is vital to sustain life. The organs linked to the solar plexus chakra are the stomach, liver, gallbladder, pancreas, duodenum and small intestine. For Digestion and the assimilation of nutrients to be successful, all these organs have to work in harmony. Failure to digest food efficiently means that nutrients are not absorbed.
Immune System: The solar plexus chakra is put under great pressure by the way we live today. Its physical functions are strained by the types of food we eat, the pace of life and new toxins in our environment. It is not surprising that many of the diseases in our society today are a sign of some dysfunction in the solar plexus chakra.
Nervous System: The solar plexus chakra is often referred to as the fusebox of the body. In this area are large concentrations of nerve tissue that, if disrupted, can affect the whole nervous system.” For more, please refer to Healing with Crystals and Chakra Energies, Sue and Simon Lilly.
A possible diet for the Throat Chakra would be light foods such as grapes, salads, herbs, and plain yogurt with a teaspoon of honey for the throat. Slippery elm in tea or lozenge form is a treat for the throat as well. “The throat chakra is associated with the thyroid gland which requires iodine, tyrosine (an amino acid), zinc, vitamin A, vitamin E, copper, selenium, and the omega-3 fatty acid and oleic acid. Adding sea vegetables to your diet can be helpful for supplying some of the ingredients listed above.” Chakra Balancing by Anodea Judith.
Aromatherapy and the Solar Plexus and Throat Chakras :
Solar plexus chakra scents include neroli, peppermint, chamomile, bergamot, juniper and lavender (the universal scent of all chakras).
Throat chakra scents include bergamot, chamomile, eucalyptus, peppermint, myrrh, and lavender.
Why not try a blend taking a favorite scent from both categories? Chamomile, Peppermint and Lavender are all scents for both chakras. I think that would make a soothing combo!
If aromatherapy interests you, I use Young Living Essential Oils™ which are therapeutic, food-grade oils. Please inquire if you are interested in purchasing a favorite scent and I can add your request to my personal monthly order.
Gem therapy and the Solar Plexus and Throat Chakras : Gemstones amplify the energy when placed in contact with your chakras. For those of you unsure on this subject, consider that it’s scientifically proven that everything is energy. Nothing is really solid. Why wouldn’t the energy of a stone work effectively with the energy in our bodies just as some research speculates that the energy of computers, cell phones, and microwaves may affect our bodies? At the very least, I find that holding a favorite stone is like a talisman for me, or a “worry stone”. As my favorite author, Wayne Dyer, likes to say, “If it’s a placebo effect, I’ll take two”.
Some solar plexus chakra gems are: Topaz, citrine, amber, tiger’s eye, yellow jasper, ametrine, sulfur, and, golden calcite among others.
Throat chakra stones include all the blue stones: sapphire, lapis lazuli, blue topaz, aquamarine, turquoise, chrysocolla, blue lace agate, hawks eye, blue quartz, blue fluorite, azurite, blue opal, and sodalite, among others. (Blue Sapphire is also the birthstone for September!)
If gem therapy interests you, you can find a great selection at www.crystallinelight.com. I’ve known Jennifer, the owner, for many years and love her products!
Yoga poses for stimulating the Solar Plexus and Throat Chakras : As mentioned earlier, all yoga poses work each of the seven major chakras with specific ones addressing specific chakras.
My favorite Throat Chakra pose is supported fish pose using blocks. Others would be shoulderstand, cow pose and bridge pose, among others.
Yoga poses for stimulating the Solar Plexus chakra : Revolved triangle pose works with the Solar Plexus chakra. Twists, in general, work with the Solar Plexus chakra, as do poses that work the abdomen such as belly rolls and stomach crunches. Plank pose is a great one for the power of our will, as are all the Warrior poses—Warrior I being the Yoga pose highlighted this month!
Please refer to the archives of April and May newsletters for more on these two chakras.
