By Christy Stumpf, Reiki Master, Certified Crystal & Sound Healing Practitioner, Cosmic Healing NW
As we have been discussing, we are energy interacting with the universe, which is also energy. Chakras are energy centers located within our body structure that receive and transmit energy between us and the universe that surrounds us. 
The third chakra, or Solar Plexus Chakra, is the next chakra up, and is located just above our belly button (or navel) along the spinal column. This energy center takes energy in and redistributes it to the rest of the body. It is physically linked to your pancreas which regulates metabolism, and this chakra is associated with the sense of sight. It is where emotional memories are stored, and where your “gut feeling” comes from. It is emotionally associated with self-confidence, happiness and joy. A healthy solar plexus chakra will help us feel strong in personal power, have a sense of “knowing”, and a good sense of belonging. You will feel a sense of peace and harmony with yourself, and life in general. You know your place in life and you are working to fulfill that. Imbalances can lead to physical as well as emotional symptoms. By imbalance, I mean the chakra is taking in too little, too much, or no energy at all. An imbalance can happen from stress, poor diet, trauma, and illness. An imbalanced solar plexus can lead to difficulty concentrating, poor decision making, and a distorted self-image, as well as being judgmental or a perfectionist. It can also involve fear of rejection or over sensitivity to criticism. Physically, imbalances can affect your stomach, digestive system, liver, pancreas and nervous system, and all the muscles in the body. Basically, our solar plexus is important for helping us know our self-worth, which is priceless, and it also helps us maintain physical health by storing and distributing energy throughout our physical bodies.
There are many ways to help balance and correct the energy in your solar plexus chakra. Like us, all things in the universe have energy, or frequency, and have characteristics that when placed in our energy field, can help balance our chakras. 
Yellow is the color associated with this chakra. Using color therapy like looking at yellow sunflowers, or wearing gold or yellow, may be helpful. Try wrapping yourself in a yellow blanket and see how your mood changes. Gemstones like Citrine, Rutilated Quartz, Pyrite, Tiger’s Eye, and Gold carry properties that can help balance this chakra if carried in your energetic field. Foods that can fuel your solar plexus are grains, granolas, breads, cereals, rice and seeds, as well as dairy, like raw milk, cheese and yogurt. Spices such as ginger, mint and turmeric have shown great benefit as well. The element associated with the solar plexus is fire, and sight, the sense associated with this chakra, is stimulated by light therefore sunlight is a great way to take in light energy. The light of the sun creates warmth and radiant power. Try sitting in the sun to raise your vibration and level of happiness. Aromatherapy using the lavender and rosemary have been shown to balance and stimulate this chakra. Sound healing is another way to help balance this chakra, specifically fiery rhythms like orchestral music.
Meditation or visualization is a great way to help the solar plexus chakra. Our thoughts become things, they take on an energy or frequency of their own. Visualization helps us to create, with the mind, a healthy energy or a vibration that heals.
A nice meditation to try to help with the solar plexus is as follows: Get comfortable. Take 7 deep, calming breaths in and out, slowly. Begin to imagine yourself on a beach, laying in the warm sand. Feel the warmth and safety of the glowing sun as its rays penetrate your body, glowing through your skin, your cells, flowing through your bloodstream. Golden yellow energy begins to flow through your body into your solar plexus chakra. Gathering yellow rays of warm light, your body begins to glow from the inside out. You become a big glowing radiant beam of light. Slowly breathing in and out imagine this beautiful glowing energy filling your solar plexus, gathering more and more energy to create your own sun. Sit with this for a while. This light begins to glow and emanate through your physical body, out into the room, now out and above the house, now it begins to surround the earth. Like a bubble growing from deep within your solar plexus out into the world with you at the center, glowing and spreading this light and healing yellow energy to others. You know what is best for you and you can see it, you see your connectedness to those around you, the perfect web and symmetry, you know the path and way to go. You shine your light in confidence. Repeat the mantra: “I am light” several times. Then, grab up all this warm glowing energy into a ball and place it back into your solar plexus. Imagine yourself back on the beach laying in the sun. Slowly open your eyes. Now, as Dr. Seuss said, “Today you are You, that is truer than true. There is no one alive who is Youer than You.” So, go forth now and shine your light bright! Next up in the series is the Heart Chakra, stay tuned!
A series of in-depth classes on the chakras will be starting next year. For more information please go to cosmichealingnw.com or schedule an appointment at 503-800-1092.