What's your relationship to your abdomen like? What images come to mind? Maybe a preoccupation with "abs" or thoughts of digestive issues. Maybe nothing- no real sense of connection, an absence? Maybe the question gave you butterflies in your tummy? Or it could be you feel a sense of strength, or ease or power- or all of these when you feel into your abdomen?

And, you may be wondering, why does it matter? So - the third chakra, Sanskrit name, Manipura, is housed in this area, and how we feel about our “middles” may tell you more than you realise. Manipura is translated as city of jewels, or resplendent jewel. I find it easier to imagine one glowing, pulsating, vibrant jewel- maybe citrine or a beautiful yellow radiance. The symbolic rainbow of the chakra moves from deep red of the roots to yellow at the abdominal area.

The third chakra is represented by the fire element, this area is often described as the solar plexus, meaning sun plexus and referring to the complex of nerves in this area. When I visualise the fire element within the abdomen, I see the fire taking many forms, so that the inner fire meets the specific needs of each moment. Whether as a gentle light, a warning signal, or a cosy hearth for family and friends or a ferocious unstoppable roaring beast.

Ideally we can manage the unpredictable fire element to suit our circumstance. We may tend a gently, illuminating candlelight when we are not sure, to just pause and see by. Or a fire that may glow, warm and inviting, to enable is to rest at ease. At other times, we may need fierce flames to make ourselves seem, or burn our way through, some urgent task!

Psychologically this ability to stand up tall without wavering means we can hold our own. And it's this sense of self, of knowing our path and finding meaning in our existence that the third chakra represents. Structurally the abdomen does not have surrounding skeletal support. So we need to learn to engage the abdomen to help us

lengthen the lower spine, and lift the chest, at fourth chakra, this will enable us to breathe well into the lower lungs. If we drop forward from the pelvis (anterior tilt) or collapse down with the chest, we no longer have the space for healthy organs- for the length the abdomen needed to regulate digestion and assimilation. Or the space for the lungs to breath fully. This affects our physical and mental health, as shorter breath sends a message we are stressed, and a compressed abdomen prevents easeful digestion. Because this area also contains enteric nervous system with which the organs and brain communicate back and forth. Abdominal or digestive distress is another stressor to the whole system- both body and mind.

The process of ease and strength at the abdomen, and a balanced third chakra, starts at our root chakra. With our feet firmly planted on the earth, we feel ourselves supported from below, by the earth element. Here the Mahaprana, or universal life force, enters our distinct physical body to bring about our existence. A strong, healthy life force at the roots means we may be able to survive physically, and to receive shelter, warmth and food at our most needy- as tiny babies. Dire life circumstances, like those suffered by those in war torn countries, or afraid for their lives because of racial prejudice, or religious or sexual persecution, will suffer imbalance at root chakra, as they do not have the basic right to feel safe on the earth. And this imbalance may then play out in the higher chakras, expressed in creative or destructive ways. This is the tragedy of prejudice. That peoples’ very right to life, the most fundamental right is curtailed. In such a way that plays out throughout their lives, until commonly, those same people are blamed for the circumstances, which they have been struggling against their whole lives.

Assuming the body is formed, and healthy, at second chakra things get more juicy! We are in the realms of the water element. If we feel safe, nurtured and nourished emotionally, the second chakra takes a healthy form. We learn to go with the flow, to allow ourselves pleasure and time to just be at ease with life. So the first chakra provides the stable earthenware-cup, that we then fill with watery ease and pleasure at second chakra. This includes sexual pleasure, and the flexibility to deal life. If healthy development at second chakra is impeded by sexual trauma, or intolerance this will also affect the lower and higher chakras.

Having identified our pleasures and our desires at second chakra, we arrive at the fiery domain of the third chakra. This is where stuff gets done! Our desire drives us on, and we will need to dare to identify what we want from life, and to shape this into action, our life. This is the work of the third chakra. If our health, or sense of belonging in the family and society, has already been threatened due to disease, or prejudice, or neglect; then our ability to stand up for ourselves, to bring the stability from the ground to the abdomen will have been curtailed. We may need to learn anew what it is to be productive in a meaningful and healthy way.

There are some emotional physical characteristics that may tell us about the balance of third chakra. If we have felt undermined, undernourished or ignored, during early childhood, this may lead to an energetic collapse of third chakra, the fire implodes. We may see a slumping of the abdomen and collapse of the chest, perhaps we never learnt to stand up for ourselves, perhaps our will was undermined to the extent that we didn’t dare step out of the shadow of a parent or oppressive regime. Sometimes when the will has been oppressed, and it finally comes through, our means of expression can be clumsy. The assertion of our will, may come through with such force that it may shock us and those around us. The rage of being mistreated may come through with the verocity of a forest fire. Perhaps developmental period of toddlerdom, where we learn what we can or can’t safely do from kind loving guidance, has been skipped, and so the rage of all our toddler tantrums comes through in full force.

In other situations, if one feels unsupported, we steady ourselves for life’s battles with a steely will. For this person, it can be hard to ask for or find help or support, as the narrative is often “I am the only one who can do this”. Whether the overworked colleague, or the harassed mother, or quite likely both! Physically this person may look ready to tackle life from the third chakra- belly on! Whether with abs of steel, or a bulky middle, padded and protected from the perceived life blows.

Yoga asana, and related practices, can help us to shift these physical, psychological patterns. Firstly the practices change our relationship to the body. By strengthening areas of weakness, stabilising areas of instability, and releasing areas of tension, we shift neurological patterns. Making new modes of thinking and behaviour accessible. Combined with conscious breathing and meditative movement, we may become aware of the belief systems we are acting and living in. And start to glimpse alterative realities, that may expand our own.

I am not one for quick solutions, ready answers. I believe that the practice of yoga enables us to see the shadow side. This is a term coined by Jung to describe the side of us we usually try to hide away from ourselves and others. But we can see this shadow side, the grubby, embarrassing stuff the ego tries to disguise, in tiny glimpses at first, because it can be terrifying. Gradually we can find an acceptance and a wholeness that enables us to be more stable, more complete. From this place we can find a deep compassion towards ourselves and to others because we are no longer afraid of being shown up to be wrong, or weak or bad. We can find a deep acceptance of ourselves and others, and I mean a deep, deep acceptance. Not needing to be narky, or critical of others to feel better about ourselves. And challenging ourselves to see what mirror comes before us whenever we feel drawn to critique or ridicule.

Moving beyond a self- critical narrative can enable us to feel empowered, to feel strong at third chakra without having to act powerful beyond all measure. The third chakra provides the foundation for the heart chakra, with stability along the abdomen we can uplift the chest and allow the heart to sing its love.

There are many tools from life and yoga that we can use to harness the energy and power of the third chakra. From deep breathing and movement to help digestion. To eating well- not according to some preordained idea of the body type, but according to the needs of our body and our mind. Recognising that chasing a body-ideal can be another form of self torture.

In terms of yoga asana if you feel you have a fire that is full power, and you've forgotten how to tame it. Work with long easeful breath rhythms that soften and ease the abdomen, like 3 part breath. And just pause in your practice to feel ease along the abdomen.

If on the other hand you find it hard to get going in asana- damp kindling to really exhaust this analogy! Or you find it hard to stand up for yourself in life, then focus on strong breath work and asana. You can use fast abdominal breaths such as kappalabhati to power up your abs. And as well as any core work you might enjoy, remember to lengthen the abdomen in poses such as uttitha trikonasana, then pause in rest to visualise the radiant glowing strength of this area, as well as inviting ease.

The abdomen holds more fatty tissue when the stress hormones are predominant, the body under stress stores more protective fat. This makes sense as the nervous system, being approximately 5 million years out of date, thinks our stress may be due to a tiger about to appear. So it holds onto energy stores to help you escape. Another reason the body, in particular female bodies gain weight, is due to irregular eating. If the body goes hungry, the instinctive brain thinks “starvation” and signals the body to store fat to survive. So a “diet” as in regular healthy meals supports both mental and physical health by keeping us at an even keel, and can support a healthy weight and emotional state by regulating sugar levels.

So before you struggle through another abs workout, check that beneath the armour of your “abs”. Have you eaten well? How are your energy and stress levels? If it's calming you need, a restorative practice might just offer more ease and less adipose tissue (that's fatty tissue) over time. Win win. Or as I like to think here- having your cake and eating it.

Laura covers chakras from many angles in her Chakra’s Intensive. From traditional tantra, bio energetic practices, how to structure classes, healing your own energy system and psychology of the chakras. As well as reference to latest relevant research into women’s health.