When you work on the chakras that are closed or weak, you'll be directly influencing that particular area of your life, for example your career, finances, sex life, self-esteem and so on.

Are your finances in trouble? Are you feeling insecure? Do you need to perform better at work and get that raise or promotion? Strengthen your Root or 1st Chakra.

Do you want to spice up your sex life or feel more passionate and creative? Unblock your Sacral or 2nd Chakra.

Want to feel more self-confident and powerful in achieving your goals? Strengthen your Solar Plexus or 3rd Chakra.

Want to feel more love, be able to forgive past grievances, and connect better with your spouse, kids, friends and co-workers? Work on your 4th or Heart Chakra.

Afraid of public speaking? Want to be able to express your truth and be understood. Balance your 5th or Throat Chakra.

Want more inspiration on which path you should take in life? Want to increase your intuition and psychic abilities? Open your 6th or Third Eye Chakra.

Want to feel at one with all there is? More peace, harmony and connection to spirit? Work on your 7th or Crown Chakra.

Scan my previous posts for details on working on each chakra or listen to my Chakra Meditations to balance all 7 chakras and see your life take off!
Namaste!
Becca Chopra, author of The Chakra Diaries
www.thechakras.org

The 3rd or Solar Plexus Chakra, also known as our “power center,” is associated with self-esteem and a strong sense of our identity and purpose. The sun is the source of energy on earth and its bright yellow color is also the color of the Solar Plexus Chakra.

An unbalanced 3rd chakra may lead to indecisiveness, apathy, poor self-image, physical issues with digestion, and addiction to sugar and caffeine.

A balanced 3rd chakra is manifested in energy and confidence, the ability to follow through and persevere to reach our goals, and a vitality that all can see.  With a balanced solar plexus chakra, you will have the strength to overcome life’s difficulties and emerge victorious.

The Boat Pose or Navasana is my favorite yoga pose to strengthen the navel, solar plexus energy. Any pose or exercise that tones and strengthens the abdominal area will be balancing for this chakra.

SOLAR PLEXUS CHAKRA MEDITATION

Inhale deeply, hold your breath and then exhale. The orange vortex of energy in the sacral chakra area moves up to your navel and turns bright yellow, right at your core. Breathe in and out of your core, building up the power of your center. Be open to the vitality, purpose and majesty of this bright yellow fire of life. Know that you can use this power to heal old pain and to remove old wounds. Breathe in and out of the flames of this inner sun and feel your body radiate with new purpose, wisdom and strength.

Two characters in The Chakra Diaries find their way out of depression and helplessness by balancing their Solar Plexus Chakras. Learn more on the pages of their diaries ~ both the Kindle and paperback version of The Chakra Diaries are on sale.
Namaste!
Becca Chopra, author of The Chakra Diaries

When I injured my lower back in a skiing accident, I was pleasantly surprised that most of my physical therapist'­s suggestion­s were yoga stretches. I was able to take it from there and carefully, after a month, return to my full daily yoga routine. But even after healing, I like many others, feel pain in the injured area when under stress (when I breathe in perfume or other chemicals, which causes inflammati­on in my body) or when angry (see Dr. Sarno's book, Healing Back Pain: The Mind-Body Connection­). Pain specialist­s have also just done studies showing that the brain can become habituated to feeling pain, even after an injury has healed.

So, once again, I have to suggest mind-body healing techniques first, to retrain the subconscio­us, before undergoing more drastic medical inter-
venti­on.

DYNAMIND
The Emotional Freedom Technique (EFT) is used by thousands, maybe millions of people around the world. But my favorite "instant" healing technique is DYNAMIND, a similar yet much simpler technique, adapted by Serge Kahili King, PhD, an expert in Huna healing and Hawaiian shamanism.

How does it work? You hold your hands in a prayer position in front of your solar plexus chakra, or navel area, say what you're feeling, e.g., "I feel stabbing pain in my lower back and I know that can change. I want that pain to go away." Then tap seven times on the center of your chest above your thymus gland, then seven times on the web between the thumb and forefinger of each hand, then seven times on your neck at the knob where it meets your back. Then, with hands back in prayer position, take a deep breath in from the top of your head and let it out the bottom of your feet.

This technique uses words, motion, breath, acupuncture points, affirmations,  etc., to change your subconscious belief that your pain can't change. If one round focusing on the physical pain doesn't provide relief, work to change the emotions associated with the pain. For instance, say "I feel anger in my lower back and I know that can change. I want the anger to go away."

For a free explanation and instructional booklet on Dynamind, see www.huna.org.
Namaste!
Becca Chopra, author of The Chakra Diaries
www.thechakras.org

Congratulations! "Failure is impossible; it is an illusion. Nothing is a failure. Nothing. Everything moves the human story, and hence the process of evolution, forward. Everything advances you on your journey." ~ Neil Donald Walsch

I love this message. It inspires me to be grateful for what is in my life here and now, more able to meet challenges with courage and hope of the best possible outcomes, and full of self confidence that I am on the right path. I breathe his message along with the glow of the bright yellow Hawaiian sunrise into my solar plexus chakra, and know I am ready to meet the day.
Namaste!
Becca Chopra, author of The Chakra Diaries

Once you have rooted yourself securely with a stable root chakra, and energized your creative and sexual energies by balancing your sacral chakra, you're ready to empower yourself with a Solar Plexus Chakra Meditation.... Inhale deeply, hold your breath and then exhale. The vortex of energy moves up to your navel and turns bright yellow, right at your core. Breathe in and out of your core, building up the power of your center. Be open to the vitality, purpose and majesty of this bright yellow fire of life. Know that you can use this power to heal old pain and to remove old wounds. Breathe in and out of the flames of this inner sun and feel your body radiate with new purpose, wisdom and strength.

All the tools to balance your 3rd or Solar Plexus Chakra will help to increase your inner power and strength and therefore, your self confidence. 

As I am reading Serge Kahili King's new book, "Creating Reality," I see how many of the same tools are used in the Hawaiian shamanic tradition.  King describes shamanic tools using four levels or world views for increasing self esteem...

On the physical level, or in the objective world view, King recommends skill development - increasing your energy, strength of body and mind, and consciously changing your posture. On the second or subjective level, he recommends self talk - self praise and increasing your aura; on the third level or symbolic level - creative visualization, guided imagery, dreamwork; and on the fourth level, or holistic level where we are all one,  modeling the behavior of someone/something you’d like to emulate. Check out Huna wisdom at www.Huna.org.