[info] source: http://www.adishakti.org/subtle_system/nabhi_chakra.htm source: https://www.chakras.net/energy-centers/manipura [/info] Third Chakra: Nabhi / Manipura / Solar Plexus solar plexus chakra "The third chakra is the one that gives us the sense of complete satisfaction and contentment. It is the center which makes us peaceful and generous, and also sustains our spiritual ascent. When enlightened by the Kundalini, it expresses as righteousness and inner sense of morality, and it gives us complete balance at all levels in our life." "The third centre is called as Nabhi centre and has ten petals. It is behind the navel, and this centre gives us the Power to sustain something within ourselves. On the physical level it caters to the functions of the solar plexus." The evolutionary growth of humankind mirrors the ascending Chakras of our subtle system and our corresponding spiritual growth path. The Nabhi Chakra represents the evolutionary point when Man's shelter becomes 'home,' when the family unit became a source of satisfaction in itself rather than just a channel for reproduction. This domestic satisfaction translates into the satisfaction that we feel with life in general after our spiritual awakening through Self-Transcendence. QUALITY Satisfaction is actually a key word for the Nabhi Chakra. Some 'hot-livered' people are naturally irritable. For them life without worry is an impossibility and will express their discontent at the slightest excuse. When our Spirit manifests, we can put things into their true perspective, and worry becomes an unusual occurrence. In the peace of thoughtlessness, we can only be content. We realize that the Spirit is not concerned with the passing trends and fashions. We have been blessed with intelligence and wisdom through which we can work to fulfill all human needs. When these needs are satisfied, then these mundane matters no longer occupy us and block our growth. However, the vast majority of us get lost. The desire for basic needs transform into a cycle of insatiable desire for things in general and the start of a materialistic existence. There is nothing wrong in being wealthy. The problem lies in becoming obsessed with money. The desire for money for the sake of money is greed. It crosses the boundary of need and becomes an obsession, a disease that retards growth. Miserliness and hoarding prevent the proper flow of money to places of need, and represents the selfish, primitive mind which does not know the Truth about the Circle of Life. Nature sustains all creatures by sharing everything, because it is part and parcel the Holistic Whole. But humans have appropriated Mother Earth for themselves by carving and controlling vast resources, especially through the machinery of money. By sharing we learn. Being generous is so elevating, whereas hoarding leads to stagnation, it creates a blocked mind. It is selfishness and greed that leads to the impoverishment, suffering, disease, and death of hundreds of millions of fellow humans on this beautiful, bountiful, ever generous Mother Earth. It is human greed that has brought upon the entire Human Family the ever-growing perils of deforestation, extinction of species, pollution and other environmental crises. We are raping and sucking all the nourishment of our Earth Mother in the wanton abandonment and gluttonous feeding frenzy of a one-night stand life. We humans have to come to our senses and look at our inner glories and eternal nature. We must have the humility to bow in collective shame, the courage to judge ourselves guilty, and begin to collectively heal our hearts, mind and soul. We must become conscious of Reality and collectively dream again of the eternal Afterlife. Another aspect to the Nabhi Chakra is that of Dharma or right conduct in our lives. In order for us to maintain a state of satisfaction within, we have to exist in a state of satisfaction without; and this means appreciating the benefits of living an upright life. It cannot be an artificial process. It comes naturally through our Attention after Self-Realization. Just as gold cannot tarnish, so Dharma cannot be altered. There is no relative state of Dharmic conduct. An act is either fundamentally right or wrong. Dharma is the code of evolution through which developed from amoebae to the present stage. This code protects and nourishes our spiritual growth. The most powerful evocation of the laws of Dharma were the Ten Commandments which were provided as evolutionary guidelines. It must be remembered that these guidelines are there as examples for us to follow. We are not forced to do anything. In Sahaja Yoga you are your own judge and jury. The vibrations state the case for you, and then its up to you to give the verdict and pass the sentence. This is a direct benefit of receiving your Self-Realization, as you stop identifying with your weaknesses and become the witness to your true self. You are guided and corrected by the Spirit to remain on the narrow path of righteousness during the Resurrection. In this way your provide your own Last Judgment! TRADITION The presiding Deity of the center is Shri Vishnu, the Preserver, who sustains our Dharma and leads us in evolution. The power of the Nabhi Chakra rests with Shri Laksmi, from whom we obtain our physical and material well-being (Kshema). On the left channel of the Chakra is the place of Shri Gruhalaksmi, the wife and Goddess of the household. The wife must be respected and also must be the embodiment of respectability. Shri Laksmi is also the source of the peace which we get from our spiritual awakening and through meditation. GROSS PHYSICAL ASPECT The Nabhi Chakra regulates the direction and speed of our human evolution, as it is the command center of our sustenance: of food, family love, parental roles and relationships. Material satisfaction and a sense of calm arising from a healthy Nabhi allow our attention to turn to inner spiritual pursuits. The Nabhi can be weakened in a number of ways. We can catch on the left side of this centre if we suffer problems in the household or if we worry too much about money. Too much thinking about food, whether in gluttony or fasting, also affects this centre. It keeps the stomach excited and hinders the energy flow. Indiscriminate fasting disturbs the Nabhi Chakra. We cannot reach our Spirit through fasting. Fasting may be undertaken for health purposes, but it has no spiritual significance. After Self-Realization we find that our attitude to food changes. We stop craving particular dishes and start enjoying good food which gives the best vibrations. We develop a subtle and detached attitude, and can gain the same amount of satisfaction from a simple meal as from the finest cuisine. This centre governs the workings of the stomach area and also the liver. It is very important to take particular care of the liver which is prone to overheating through improper diet or stimulants, and to ensure that we do not exhaust it too much through over thinking and planning. A symbol of the Manipura Chakra is the ten-petalled Lotus blossom. The petals represent the ten Pranas (currents and energy vibrations) that are regulated by the Manipura Chakra. Prana has two meanings: Firstly, it is the all-pervading energy that fills the entire Universe – the Cosmic Mother who nourishes our soul . Pranic energy streams through all objects and all living beings and is "coloured" by their qualities. The second meaning of Prana is "God", or the "Self". The colour of the Manipura Chakra is YELLOW-ORANGE and its radiation is GREEN, the complimentary colour of red. It has the colour of a pure flame that gives light and energy and removes all pollutants. The Bija Mantra of the Manipura Chakra is RAM. This sound developed from the vibration caused by the meeting of the Nadis in this centre. If we sing RAM for some time and specifically allow the "R" to vibrate, we become conscious of a pleasant feeling of warmth and the flow of energy.