What Is Navel Chakra And How It Helps You

Yoga is an ancient art which offers means for self-attainment.¹ Yoga is practiced worldwide for the several benefit it offers. Regular practice of yoga can help reduce weight, maintain cardiovascular fitness, it even helps you become a mindful eater.²

One of the basic concepts of yoga is chakra meaning wheel, chakras are basically metaphysical energy in our body.³ According to yoga there are seven chakras in our body which are arranged vertically in the body, from the top of the head to the base of the spine.

The chakra we will focus on is Navel chakra, it is also known as Manipura chakra.

What Is Navel Chakra

Navel chakra is one of the seven chakras. In Sanskrit, it is known as Manipura chakra. The navel chakra is located behind the navel in the area of solar plexus. The navel chakra is considered to be the source of personal power and energy.

Navel chakra or Manipura is associated with the color yellow and its element is fire.

Importance Of Navel Chakra For Our Body

Navel chakra is associated with digestion, it even governs other body parts of the body, such as small intestine, stomach, gallbladder, liver, and adrenal glands.

A problem in navel chakra gives rise to problems such as diabetes, eating disorders, intestinal tumors, stomach ulcers, colon diseases, and adrenal imbalances.

If you have a well-balanced navel chakra, you are likely to be energetic, focused, confident, productive and have good digestive system.

Yoga can help you improve navel chakra. Here are 3 yoga asanas that help improve the navel chakra:

Asanas For Improving The Navel Chakra

1. Warrior I Pose (Virabhadrasana I)

Virabhadrasana I or the warrior I pose is named after Virabhadra, a mythological warrior. This asana is useful for strengthening the arms, shoulders, thighs, and back muscle. It is even useful for stretching the calf muscles and hip flexors. Virabhadrasana I helps build heat that stimulates the navel chakra.

How to do Virabhadrasana I:

• Stand straight and keep your legs apart at a distance of 3-4 feet.
• Turn your right foot by 90 degrees and left foot by 15 degrees.
• Lift both the arm sideways to your shoulder height. Your palms should face upwards.
• Now breathe out and bend your right knee.
• Turn your head and look towards your right.
• Keep stretching your arms further as you settle into the yoga posture.
• Gently push your pelvis down and hold this posture. As you go down, keep breathing.
• Now while breathing in, come up.
• Next, breathe out and bring your hands down from the sides.
• Once you are done with the right side, repeat this yoga posture for the left side (you will need to turn your left foot by 90 degree and right foot by 15 degrees.)

Caution:

• Avoid this yoga asana, if you suffer from high blood pressure, knee pain, arthritis, and diarrhea.
• Do not perform this if you suffer from chronic illness.
• Always seek doctor’s advice before performing this yoga asana.

2. Boat Pose (Navasana)

The boat pose or navasana makes your body appear like a boat. In this asana, buttocks balance the entire body. Boat pose is helpful for strengthening the abdominal muscles and back. It even tones arm and leg muscles. Boat pose helps in stimulating the navel chakra, it is useful if you suffer from unbalanced navel chakra.

How to do Navasana:

• Lie down completely on your back.
• The feet should be together and place your arms beside your body.
• Take in a deep breath and when you exhale, lift your feet and chest off the ground and stretch your arms towards your feet.
• Make sure your eyes, fingers, and toes are in a line.
• You will feel tension in the navel area because of contraction in the abdominal muscles.
• Breathe deeply and calmly while maintaining this pose.
• Once you start exhaling, come back to the ground slowly and relax.

Caution:

• Patients suffering from low blood pressure, migraine, spinal disorders, heart problems, and asthma should avoid this asana.
• Avoid this asana during pregnancy and menstrual cycle.
• Always consult your doctor before performing this yoga asana.

3. Sun Salutation (Suryanamaskar)

Sun salutations or suryanamaskar is an ancient technique of paying respect to the Sun. Suryanamaskar consists of 12 postures. Suryanamaskar helps keep the mind calm and healthy, it even makes the body flexible and tones the muscles. Suryanamaskar is helpful for navel chakra as it warms up the core of the body and tones the abdominals which is the primary region of navel chakra.

How to do Suryanamaskara:

• Stand on your feet, keeping them shoulder-width apart.
• Fold your palms and bring them together in a prayer position.
• Exhale slowly.
• Now start inhaling, while inhaling raise your arms overhead, keeping your palms together.
• When you exhale, bend forward such that your hands touches the feet.
• On the next inhale, place your right leg back, arch your spine and lift the chin.
• Now exhale and place your left leg in a plank position such that your spine and legs are in a straight line.
• Next, lower your knees, then the chest and then the forehead.
• Place your hips up and keep the toes curled.
• Start inhaling and stretch forward and then bend back again.
• Keep the arms straight.
• Now exhale and curl your toes under, pressing down on your heels, and lift your hips.
• When you inhale next, bring the right leg forward and lift the chin.
• Again exhale and bend till the hands touches the feet.
• Start inhaling again, stretch the arms over the head and slowly bend backward from the waist.

Caution:

• Avoid Suryanamaskar if you suffer from high blood pressure, back pain or hernia.
• Avoid this asana during pregnancy and menstrual cycle.
• Always consult your doctor before performing this yoga asana.