Solar Plexus Chakra: Power, Confidence & Nervous System Regulation

Explore the solar plexus chakra as fire and focus. Learn how yoga and somatic practices regulate stress, improve digestion, build embodied confidence.

🔥 Solar Plexus Chakra: Power, Confidence & Nervous System Regulation

Have you ever felt butterflies in your stomach before a big presentation? Or lost your appetite completely during a stressful time? Those experiences aren’t random — they’re your Solar Plexus Chakra (Manipura) at work.

Located in the upper abdomen, just above the navel, Manipura governs power, will, confidence, and digestion. In yoga, it’s often called the “city of jewels,” representing the spark of personal strength that fuels our actions. In science, this region corresponds to the digestive system, pancreas, and solar plexus nerve network — all critical in how we metabolize both food and life experiences.

When the solar plexus chakra is balanced, we feel strong, capable, and resilient. When it’s blocked or overactive, we may experience digestive issues, anxiety, low self-worth, or burnout.

This blog will explore how Manipura bridges yoga and science, why somatic yoga practices help regulate the nervous system here, and how understanding this chakra can transform not only your personal power but also your teaching.

Yoga Meets Science: Manipura as Transformation

The Sanskrit word Manipura translates as “lustrous gem.” Yogic philosophy describes this chakra as the center of transformation — the fire that turns raw material into usable energy.

Science provides a direct parallel. The solar plexus region includes:

Digestive System: Stomach, pancreas, and liver metabolize food into energy.
Solar Plexus Nerve Network: A bundle of nerves (part of the autonomic nervous system) that regulates digestion and communicates with the brain.
Vagus Nerve Pathways: Extending into this region, influencing stress responses and gut-brain communication.

When stress is high, digestion slows or shuts down. This is why we feel butterflies, nausea, or digestive distress during high-pressure situations. Our “gut feelings” are actually rooted in biology.

Manipura, then, is about more than digestion. It’s about how we metabolize experiences, stress, and challenges into growth and resilience.

The Somatic Lens: Power in the Body

Somatically, the solar plexus chakra is where we experience our sense of agency. It’s also where we hold fear of failure, criticism, or inadequacy. Signs of imbalance include:

Digestive upset (IBS, bloating, stomach tension)
Anxiety or chronic stress
Feeling powerless or overly controlling
Postural collapse (slumping shoulders, caving chest)

Embodied confidence isn’t about puffing up the chest or forcing willpower. It’s about having a regulated nervous system that allows us to respond calmly, act decisively, and recover quickly.

When we work with Manipura somatically, we ask: How does power feel in my body? Do I collapse, tighten, or expand when faced with challenge?

Practices & Examples: Awakening Manipura

Here are practices to activate and balance the solar plexus chakra:

Asana

Boat Pose (Navasana): Builds core strength and stability.
Twists (Ardha Matsyendrasana, Supine Twists): Aid digestion and detoxification.
Warrior II (Virabhadrasana II): Embodies strength and presence.
Plank Pose: Engages core while testing resilience.

Breathwork

Kapalabhati (Breath of Fire): Activates Manipura fire, energizing body and mind.
Balanced Breath (Inhale 4, Exhale 4): Calms and steadies the nervous system.

Somatic Practices

Power Posture Exploration: Move between collapsed posture and upright stance, noticing sensations of power vs. disempowerment.
Gut Massage: Gentle abdominal massage to release stored tension.

Journaling Prompts

“What does personal power feel like in my body?”
“Where do I give my power away?”
“How do I use my power in service of others?”

Transformation & Teaching

For yoga teachers, Manipura is where you can help students reclaim confidence — not through ego, but through embodied presence.

When teaching, you might say: “Notice the fire in your belly as you hold this twist. This is the same fire you carry into your life when you meet challenges.”

You can also normalize how anxiety and stress affect the gut, helping students understand why they might experience butterflies or nausea. This bridges yoga philosophy with nervous system science in a way that feels empowering and practical.

When students understand Manipura as both a spiritual and biological center, they can learn to regulate their own energy, digest life experiences, and move forward with clarity.

Why Solar Plexus Work Matters Now

We live in a culture of overdrive — constant productivity, high stress, and burnout. Many people’s solar plexus is either overactive (constant fight-or-flight) or depleted (collapse and fatigue).

By working with Manipura, we give ourselves permission to pause, breathe, and reset. We learn that true power isn’t force; it’s resilience. It’s the ability to act when needed and rest when not.

Science now confirms what yogis have taught for centuries: when the nervous system is regulated, the mind is clear, the gut is steady, and personal power flows naturally.

If you’re ready to reclaim your confidence and guide your students into embodied resilience, here are your next steps:

✨ Download my Free Chakra PDF for a comprehensive guide blending yoga philosophy with scientific grounding: Get the PDF Here

✨ Join me for the 50-Hour Chakra Teacher Training at Anamaya in Costa Rica. We’ll explore Manipura and all chakras through somatic yoga, meditation, and transformational practice: Learn More Here

✨ Access the full Awakening the Chakras YTT online (and every other YTT I offer) inside the Experiential Teacher Path subscription for $297/month. Hours also count toward your 300-hour certification: Join Here

Final Reflection

The Solar Plexus Chakra is the fire at the center of who you are. It’s how you transform food into energy, experiences into wisdom, and challenges into growth.

When yoga speaks of Manipura as the jewel of power, and science shows us the gut-brain connection and nervous system regulation, we realize they are pointing to the same truth: confidence is embodied, not imagined.

To tend to Manipura is to honor your resilience, your willpower, and your capacity to rise. It’s to know that your fire doesn’t burn you out — it lights your way.